the devil strip, issue 2: the state of the scene

MARCH 2015 • VOL 1 • ISSUE #2 • THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

The Devil Strip Akron Music, Art & Culture

Questions with songwriter & rock star dad Chuck Auerbach

Going back to Howard Street with

The Mighty Soul Night

Inside this issue: Comedy in a basement, gypsy jazz

in Kenmore & gluten-free in Jilly's kitchen

WHAT MUSIC

SCENE?

FREE

MARCH 2015 • VOL 1 • ISSUE #2 / THE Devil Strip | 3 AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

This issue

Local music hides. It doesn’t keep normal business

hours and isn’t, even in the Internet age, open

five, six, seven days a week. Prolific locals only take

the stage once or twice a week. And unlike local

restaurants and shops and attractions, local musicians

rarely set up storefronts so the chances of you

passing one and thinking, “I should check that out

later,” are slim.

I am a dedicated local music fan—local to wherever

I am—so I get this. It takes seeking, which is part

of the fun. But I also want guidance. That’s what I

looked for on my first visit to Akron. There are a lot

of reasons this paper exists but one early question

kept nagging me: How can a city this size—with

such a deep pool of talent and a pedigree of Hall of

Fame-caliber performers—be without some kind of

publication exposing and exploring the fringes?

Flash-forward to a few days ago when, on very short

notice, I put out the call for area musicians to meet

for a photo. I aspired to something like the famous

“A Good Day in Harlem” photo, which featured

dozens of jazz greats, from Count Basie and Charles

Mingus to Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk.

But as I rounded the corner, I expected to see six

musicians and our talented photographer Shane

Wynn glowering at me.

Instead, there were more than 50 and everyone

was smiling. That settled my questions about our

community of musicians. They didn’t all know each

other but they’d all been reached by—or themselves

reached out to—their connections to make this

happen. (As impressive, 100+ musicians have

answered our local music survey.)

Initially, we considered doing a comprehensive guide

to Akron local music. But we don’t have the space

to tackle that beast. So Jenny Conn, the writer

behind our cover story, suggested “The State of the

Scene”—taking a look at where we are and where

we can go. She went in search of honest opinions

and found a bunch. Probably just the tip of the

iceberg.

Going forward, music will be a big part of everything

we do (see the announcement on page 4) so we’ll

just keep pushing and pulling at this every two

weeks, addressing our big questions and bringing

more fans aboard the Good Ship Akron until they

match the quality and quantity of our bands.

Enjoy, Chris

This issue is dedicated to my Dad, who would have

loved this issue because he loved music and he loved

me. I wish you were here to see this, old man.

RIP William David “Rusty” Horne

August 13, 1955 to April 1, 2011

Welcome toinside this issue

Arts, Culture & Entertainment .............................4

Connecting the Arts ............................................5

Out & About .......................................................7

Diggin In .............................................................8

Knowhere ...........................................................8

Etc. .....................................................................9

New / Native .....................................................10

The Most Interesting Person We Know ..............11

Only in Akron ...................................................12

Dina’s Days .......................................................13

8 questions .......................................................14

Cover Story: State of the Scene .........................15

In the Kitchen with… ........................................18

The Dish ...........................................................19

Food and Fun ....................................................20

Film & Feast ......................................................21

On Stage With ..................................................22

Show Review ....................................................24

Bars / Nightlife .................................................25

Music Listings ...................................................26

The Scene .........................................................27

Behind the Bar ..................................................28

Your Turn ..........................................................30

Comic Strips and Puzzles ...................................31

Photo Essay .......................................................32

The Devil Strip Akron Music, Art & Culture

CONTACT US:Office: (330) 842-6606

Publisher: [email protected]

General Info: [email protected]

Advertising: [email protected]

Distribution: [email protected]

CONNECT:Website: www.thedevilstrip.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/thedevilstrip

Twitter: @akrondevilstrip

Instagram: @thedevilstrip

Publisher >> Chris Horne; [email protected]

Layout, Design and Illustration >> Alesa Upholzer, Bronlynn Thurman, Edgar Woolley

Photographers >> Shane Wynn, Svetla Morrison, Maria Varonis, Jessica Morris, Chelsae Ketchum

Contributing Writers >> Holly Brown, Jenny Conn, Abby Cymerman, Katelyn Gainer, Jecca, Chris Kessinger, Isaac Kelley, Eric Morris, Kris Morrison, Brittany Nader, Ilenia Pezzaniti, Scott Piepho, Dave Rich, Liz Tyran, Maria Varonis, Katie Wheeler, Joanna Wilson, Dina Younis

The Devil Strip is published bi-monthly by Random Family, LLC. Akron Distribution: The Devil Strip is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Copyright: The entire contents ofThe Devil Strip are copyright 2015 by Random Family, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above.

The Devil Strip launch party at Musica. Photo credit Shane Wynn.

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

In which Chris reveals the Super Big Secret

he’s been not talking aboutmovies

MARCH 31 – APRIL 2

Wild Tales (122 mins)

Timbuktu (97 mins)

The Nightlight

30 N High St, Akron

Showtimes at nightlightcinema.com

APRIL 3 – APRIL 16

It Follows (97 mins)

The Nightlight

30 N High St, Akron


APRIL 10 – APRIL 16

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem

The Nightlight

30 N High St, Akron


OngoingEDWARD ALBEE'S "A DELICATE

BALANCE"

Weathervane Playhouse,

through April 12, 2015

1301 Weathervane Ln, Akron

A dark comedy in which the carefully

controlled existence of two complacent

suburbanites is forever shattered by their

family and friends over the course of one

eventful weekend.

Learn more at weathervaneplayhouse.com or

by calling (330) 836-2626

CLEAN UP AKRON MONTH

Keep Akron Beautiful

Help Clean Up Akron in April! Identify a site

you want to clean and recruit some friends

to help you - Keep Akron Beautiful will give

you the supplies, and you’ll be invited to the

Volunteer Appreciation Picnic at the Akron

Zoo on April 25. For more information, visit

keepakronbeautiful.org

EXHIBITION: BEAUTY REIGNS

Akron Art Museum

1 S. High St., Akron

Runs through Sunday, May 3

A showcase of the exoticism, exuberance and

optimism found in the work of 13 painters

working in studios across the United States.

Tuesday, March 31Bill Squire with Josh Morrow, Josh

Volchcko and Cody Cooper

Funny Stop Comedy Club, through April 4

1757 State Rd, Cuyahoga Falls

A true "local guy does good" story as Bill

Squire returns home to the Akron area where

he first learned—when he fell out of a plastic

swimming pool at the age of 6, breaking

his arm—how to get a huge laugh. Who

knew that would eventually lead to a life as a

professional comedian? With his unique point

of view, sharp writing, and high energy Bill

Squire is one of the best young comedians

on the scene, performing fearlessly at venues

from "hole in the wall" bars to 2,000 seat

theaters and even a coast-to-coast tour that

lead to an appearances on Comedy Central

where he won the network's "Open Mic

Challenge" and "Show Us Your Best" contest

in 2009. Learn more at funnystop.com or by

calling (330) 923-1962

Friday, April 3ADULT EGG SCRAMBLE

8:30pm at Fred Fuller Park ($10)

601 Middlebury Rd, Kent

A nighttime Easter egg hunt featuring 5,000

eggs, only for those 18+. Prizes include a

50” TV, iPad, and much more! Register at

kentparksandrec.com

Saturday, April 4DOWNTOWN AKRON ARTWALK

5 pm in Downtown Akron (FREE)

Experience local art, live music and fun for

all ages at the award-winning Artwalk in

Downtown Akron. Venues include galleries

located in the Northside District, North High

Street, and East & West Market Street.

AREAEVENTS

Knight’s mission is to promote informed and engaged communities. The foundation does that by investing in innovations in media and journalism, community engagement and the arts. The Knight Cities Challenge is funding ideas to make the 26 cities where Knight invests more vibrant places to live and work. The challenge asks innovators to answer the question: What's your best idea to make cities more successful? More at knightcities.org.

For almost three weeks, I’ve been forced

to keep my mouth shut, telling only those

people closest to me—the inside circle of

Team Devil Strip. It sucked. Not only am I

really excited about the news itself, what it

means for us and hopefully for this city, but

over the last decade, I’ve largely made my

living by blabbering or reporting on about

the cool and interesting things I’ve learned.

So here it is… drumroll please…

We got the Knight Cities

Challenge Grant.

Out of more than 7,000 ideas submitted,

Unbox Akron was selected as one of the

126 finalists. Once upon a time, I ran for

city council in my hometown and lost

by 126 votes. I assumed our luck would

ultimately fall the same way: Close but

not quite there. Then I heard Unbox Akron

made the cut, one of the 32 ideas being

funded. I’m still a little dazed, even after all

the time to digest it.

We’re getting $52,168.09 from the Knight

Foundation to launch and run an Akron-

centric subscription box service. If you’ve

used Birchbox or Loot Crate or Graze, you

should be familiar with the concept except

we’re a little different.

There are boxes for Austin, Baltimore,

Nashville and Cleveland merch, but what

we’re really trying to do is build up and

support a culture of exploration and

ambassadorship of Akron. So while there

will be samples of locally-made goods

in every box to help expose the work of

small (and micro) businesses in the area,

our mission is to get you out around town

discovering Akron’s hidden gems.

That means, if

you subscribe, you could get

between two and four Akron-made goods

plus a downloadable mix of local music,

some tickets to a local event, an itinerary

of dining and entertainment options to

make your next date night easy and a

neighborhood guide with some special

incentive to check out a specific place.

Since it’s already more fun to go exploring

with a friend, the best part of Unbox Akron

may be that the value increases when you

take someone with you.

Then there are the quarterly boxes—all-

gear, all-Akron and handpicked to give

Akronites abroad a taste of what they’re

missing back home.

Of course, there’s more to all this and a lot

still to iron-out. But the good news is that

Knight is helping us pull this off the right

way. As we get closer to launching, I’ll ask

you to peek behind the curtain as we meet

with potential vendors and talk to potential

subscribers so we can get your feedback to

help us make this thing work.

Are you excited yet? (We are.)

A Very BIG Announcement

UnBox Akron mock up


POP UP CRAFTY MART

5—9 pm at Summit Artspace

140 E Market St, Akron

Crafty Mart on the 3rd floor of Summit

Artspace during the Downtown Akron

Artwalk featuring artists and artisans like

Next Fall, Exquisite Corpse Boutique, Akron

Coffee Roasters, smART Studio, The Robot

Consortium and The Nerd Stitch Shop. Food by

Three Sisters Momo and Stray Dog Cart.

GAME NIGHT & ARTWALK

5 pm—midnight at Coffee Pot Café

60 S High St, Akron

Dig into the Coffee Pot’s large game library—

or bring your own—for their first weekly game

night. Enjoy work by a few local artists with

soups by The Stew Pot Kitchen, hot dogs and

house blend coffee by Stray Dog.

Sunday, April 5EGG ZOOPRISE

11 am—4 pm at the Akron Zoo

The first 50 people through the gates of

the Akron Zoo will get a plastic egg filled

with prizes that include candy, free tickets,

behind-the-scenes tours and more. Winter

admission is $7 per person. Children under two

are free. Parking is $3. (The zoo is hosting an

EGGStravangza on Friday.) To learn more go to

akronzoo.org or call (330) 375-2550.

Monday, April 6THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON¹S

NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL

8 pm at Guzzetta Recital Hall

(through April 8)

157 University Ave., Akron

Trio of new music concerts—all free. For more

information, call 330-972-8301 or email

[email protected].

JACOB AND THE GOOD PEOPLE

5—11 pm at the Tasting Room

at Hoppin' Frog

1680 E Waterloo Rd, Akron

Although Jacob has shared stages with the

epic sounds of bands like Dave Mathews Band,

Robert Randolph and Rusted Root, he still

creates his simple style of music with the idea

that less is more. His music is sparse, quirky,

and addictive, and his songs will be hummed

for hours after you hear them.

Tuesday, April 7THE BREAKFAST CLUB

7:30—9 am at The Front Porch Cafe'

798 Grant St, Akron

The Breakfast Club welcomes Wil McCall

and H. Spees from Leadership Foundations,

traveling from Fresno and Dallas for a two-day

visit to Akron when they plan to share the

importance of entrepreneurial and business

leadership for the common good of our city.

SONG, FOOD AND DANCE FROM THE

MARGINS OF AKRON

5 pm at Akron Art Museum (FREE)

1 S High St, Akron

Join South Street Ministries for a celebration of

the changing face of leadership and a chance

to meet other grassroots servant leaders in

Akron. No one is excluded from the quest to

make our community whole. You are needed

and wanted. Your contribution is necessary.

Consider yourself recruited to make the

future happen.

Wednesday, April 8PAINT A MASTERPIECE & IMBIBE

6—8 pm at Old 97 Cafe

1503 Kenmore Blvd, Akron

Eat, drink, paint and mix it up with friends as

their talented artists will instruct you step-by-

step through re-creating a featured painting.

Your $35 ticket includes the canvas, paint,

easels, brushes and aprons. No painting

experience is necessary. Learn more at

mixituppainting.com

Thursday, April 9NEXTOHIO: INTERNET

STARTUP CONFERENCE

5:30 pm at Quaker Station (FREE)

130 East Mill Street, Akron

Have a great idea for an internet company

Arts, Culture & EntertainmentArts, Culture & Entertainment

AREAEVENTS

Summit Artspace’s current exhibition, “Self &

Others: The Photographic Portrait” challenges

the familiar idea of what a portrait is. When

one thinks of a portrait they might think of

senior, high school or even family portraits.

What do these style of portraits tell the

viewers about the individuals in them? This is

what the artists involved with “Self & Others”

are attempting to challenge and answer.

The exhibition features local photographers

including McKenzie Beynon, Toni Danette,

Jennifer Anne Court, Nathaniel Gilchrist,

Bradley Hart, Peter Larson, Susie Lilley,

Michelle Murphy, Don Parsisson, Ed Suba Jr.,

Cheryl A. Townsend, Anna Young, and Todd

Biss.

The photographs featured in “Self & Others”

represent the photographers’ ideas of what

contemporary portraiture is. The photos

range in a variety of subjects, including many

of the artists’ self-portraits to portraits of

others and even Cheryl Townsend’s portraits

of Barbie dolls.

As I walked around the gallery, I carefully

studied the portraits to grasp each

photographer’s own unique and individual

style of portraiture.

Some artists—such as McKenzie Beynon’s

portraits—offer a more classic style of

portraiture and even though different,

probably what most individuals are more

familiar with when thinking of portraiture.

Meanwhile, other artists such Susie Lilley

challenge the viewer to even make out the

subjects face in her portraits. After what

seemed like minutes of staring and picking

apart her portraits the only feature I could

make out was an eye. I was curious and I

finally asked Lilley who is her subject matter in

the portraits—they’re all self-portraits.

“I would like them to see my vision, my eye

in the work, it’s basically a play on words

because that is what you see in my work –

my eye,” Lilley explains.

Her process was as interesting as her

vision for the end result.

“One of them is a digital compilation

with four images and overlaid in

Photoshop,” Lilley says. “The rest of

them I try to distort them in camera

instead of Photoshop.”

I spoke with one of my favorite photographers

in the exhibition, Don Parsisson. While looking

at his portraits I sense a bit of mystery and

something leaving me wanting to know more

about his subjects—and his aims.

“I think portraits have always been an

attempt to capture something of the essence

of the subjects. Historically, that has meant

recording their likeness. For contemporary

photographers, the essence of a subject goes

far beyond a mere likeness, though that may

certainly be one aspect of a portrait. I think

some measure of intentionality is important.

Selection of the location, props, and posing all

contribute to distinguishing a portrait from a

candid shot,” Parsisson says.

I mention how it seems there is something

hidden about the subjects in his photos. In a

literal sense, since you can’t see the faces or

full faces of his subjects and the fact after you

view at his portraits you don’t leave feeling

you know the subjects any more than you did

before you saw the photo.

“I think it was just coincidence that the

photos selected for this show did not show

the full faces of the subjects. This has not

been a predominant part of my work, in

either portraits

or my self-portraits. However,

we are all mysteries. We never really know

another person beyond what they want

us to know. So maybe I've expressed that

subconsciously in these photos,”

Parsisson says.

“Self & Others” is now on view through May 3.A number of self-portraits from the Akron

community are printed and displayed next

to the exhibition. Summit Artspace invites

individuals to send in theirs for inclusion

via email at [email protected] and

through social media using the hashtag

#selfothers. Submissions are accepted

through the last week of April 2015.

____________________________________

By Katelyn Y. Gainer. Katelyn is the arts

columnist for The Devil Strip and an art

history graduate student at Kent State who

works as a gallery assistant for a small arts

nonprofit. She loves promoting Northeast

Ohio’s thriving arts community. You can

find her on Twitter at @katelyngainer

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or app? Interested in learning about local

startups? Looking for ways to grow your

online business? The University of Akron

School of Law and Thompson Hine LLP

proudly present NEXTOhio, a totally FREE

conference—with free pizza and a cash bar.

Parking in Lot 70. Enter Through Door #6.

Learn more at nextohio.com

YOGA IN THE GALLERIES

6:30-7:30 pm at Akron Art Museum

1 S. High St., Akron

Combine breath, flow and art in a beginner

friendly series taught by a certified Nirvana

Yoga instructor.

THE CLUB @ THE CIVIC: ELIOT LEWIS

8 pm at the Akron Civic Theatre

182 S Main St, Akron

Eliot is an independent Multi-instrumentalist

and is also the original featured musician

on the award winning web series and now

weekly TV show, "Live From Daryl's House'

as well as a member of the Daryl Hall & John

Oates band.

AKRON RUBBERDUCKS HOME OPENER

6:35pm at Canal Park ($9)


Kick off the RubberDucks 2015 Season

with the home opener against the

Birmingham Mets.

Friday, April 10ALES ON RAILS

7pm at Akron Northside Station ($49)

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Sample a variety of brews while riding the

rails through the Cuyahoga Valley National

Park. The fun trip includes a five-sample

tasting of beers and appetizers as you watch

the sun set on the park. Commemorative

glass included.

DR. MICHAEL ERIC DYSON

7:30pm at E.J. Thomas Hall ($10)

198 Hill St, Akron

Michael Eric Dyson is a religious and cultural

studies scholar, university professor, best-

selling author and public intellectual. Dr.

Dyson is the key-note speaker for the 2015

Black Male Summit, a national platform

for best practices and innovative strategies

focusing on cradle to career success for our

African American males.

SEASON PREVIEW: 2ND CENTURY

IN BLOOM

5-7pm at Manor House, Stan Hywet

714 N Portage Path, Akron

Stan Hywet celebrates its 100th anniversary

in 2015 with special tours and memorable

events. Get an overview of our milestone

season. Remarks at 5:30pm | Light

Refreshments

Saturday, April 11COUNTRYSIDE FARMERS’ MARKET

10 am—1 pm at Akron Art Museum and

Akron-Summit Co. Main Library

1 S. High St., Akron/ 60 S. High St., Akron

A special installment of the Countryside

Farmers’ Market featuring more than 40 local

farmers, food producers and artisans providing

seasonal products and handmade gifts.

WE HEARD IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY

April 11-27

Don Drumm Studios & Gallery (FREE)

437 Crouse St, Akron

A special show of artworks honoring Don

Drumm’s 80th birthday by 28 longtime top

American craftspeople. The Opening Party for

is Saturday, April 11, including cake for Don

from 1-3pm.

RUBBER CITY ROLLERGIRLS BOUT

6 pm at John S. Knight Center

($9 advance, $13 at the door)

77 E Mill St, Akron

The Rubber City Roller Girls are a diverse

group of women built for hard hits and

speed! Playing at the John S. Knight Center in

the heart of downtown Akron, Ohio offering

fun times and excitement everyone can enjoy.

Bouts are family friendly and suitable for

all ages.

SPIRITS OF THE CIVIC: THE WILD, WILD

WEST ADVENTURE SPRING GALA

6:30pm at Akron Civic Theatre ($150)


It’s time to dust off your riding boots and

saddle up! A strolling dinner as fine as cream

gravy. Libations that flow as freely as the

Rio Grande. A casino, can-can dancers and

entertainment of the Wild Wild West kind

with Lost State of Franklin. Period-inspired

attire is strongly encouraged. Learn more

at akroncivic.com

THE ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER

Open Mic Cabaret XIV: Here Comes the Sun

8 pm at Pub Bricco

1841 Merriman Rd, Akron

This FREE "Anything Goes" Open Mic

Cabaret is brought to you by Wandering

Aesthetics and Rubber City Theater Company

at None Too Fragile Theater. Enter through

Pub Bricco. (Free valet parking, but tips

are appreciated.) Sign ups begin at 7:30

pm. Performances begin at 8:00 pm with

musician/actor/improv star Ryan Michael Dyke

serving as this month’s emcee.

Sunday, April 12PEOPLE & PLACES FILM SERIES -

PLAYTIME

12:30pm at Nightlight Cinema (FREE)

30 N High St, Akron

The People & Places free film series seeks

to shine a light on the importance of good

urban planning in a time when many

cities are undertaking a much-needed

metamorphosis. April’s film is Playtime, a

gloriously choreographed, nearly wordless

comedy about confusion in an age of

high technology.

Monday, April 13MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY

7:30pm at E.J. Thomas Hall ($10)

198 Hill St, Akron

A writer, professor, television host and

political commentator with a focus on

African-American politics, Melissa Harris-

United Way is a champion for healthy food for all in Summit County. We believe that nutritious food should be available to everyone, regardless of income. So we partner with many nonprofit organizations to promote equal access to healthy, high-quality food.

Join us at the table. Volunteer.

If you have a passion for healthy food education, access and policy, connect with the United Way Volunteer Center to find ways to get involved with amazing programs and people in your community. Whether you have just one evening to help out a community garden, want to volunteer weekly at a farmers’ market or can spend some time in an office supporting a program, you can become a part of the solution.

Current volunteer opportunities:1. Help with planting, weeding, watering and harvesting at

an urban farm or community garden2. Lend support to a weekly farmer’s market3. Organize a healthy food drive4. Deliver meals to seniors in their homes 5. Mentor kids on nutrition and exercise

Many more projects are available! Contact the United Way Volunteer Center at [email protected] or 330.643.5512 for a complete list of opportunities or search our online volunteer project database at uwsummit.org. Click VOLUNTEER, and then click the quick link for food-related opportunities. Nonprofits – contact the Volunteer Center to add your project.

beCause Great thinGs haPPen When We liVe uniteD.

United Way of Summit County

uWsuMMit.orG

What this PlaCe neeDs is healthy fooD for eVeryone.

What this PlaCe neeDs is healthy fooD for eVeryone.



*Don’t see your club listed? Please contact

us at [email protected] with your

information!*

6pm from Deep Lock Quarry Parking Lot

BIKE PARTY AKRON - A festive evening social

ride through the City of Akron. Every 3rd Friday

of the month.10-12 miles. Bring Lights, Bring

Music. Ride starts at Lock 3 at 7pm

Akron has a number of great

outdoor venues for music both in

and around the city. From Lock 3

to Blossom, these spaces bring

fun, talented acts from all over

the country to our backyard.

There is a different type of

venue here too though—one

where there are no tickets

necessary, and they charge the same

amount for a beer and a burger on a

concert night as they do every other night

of the week. At various decks and patios

around the Portage Lakes, bands warm

up while you’re watching the sun go

down over the water, and you can get to

them by boat just as easily as by car.

If you’re looking for a couple of hours of

fun on the water, Howie’s on the Lake is a

place where pretty much everyone knows

each other and the burgers are as great

as the live music they bring in on Fridays.

It’s less than a mile and a half from the

beach of the State Park, and paddling

around the speed zone can make for an

adventurous trip.

The Upper Deck is about the same

distance on the water, just in the other

direction. They have music every weekend

and a fantastic menu. Seriously, the

food is awesome. Don’t let the rows of

motorcycles intimidate you. There is great

boat-watching here and a crowd who

comes ready to rock out.

If you’re looking for a longer day on the

water, the Nauti Vine Winery is a little less

than four miles through the lakes from

the State Park. They have wood-fired

pizzas on the menu and sell Mucky Duck

beer and Nauti Vine

wine. Those names alone should

make you want to check this place out.

Make sure and start your journey here

early though, as the winery closes earlier

than the bars and the music ends

around 10 pm.

If you’re still looking for something to do

after the Winery, Dano’s Lakeside pub is

just a stone’s throw away. They don’t have

music on a patio, but they do bring bands

in and the decor is… well... worth seeing.

Besides, who wouldn’t want a chance to

staple something to a bar ceiling?

There are companies that rent kayaks and

stand up paddle boards that will meet you

at the Portage Lakes State Park with all

the equipment you need for an adventure

on the water. Some, like the PLX Stand

Up Guys—plxstandupguys.com—are even

flexible in where they pick up, so you

can paddle there and stay for the show

without worrying about having to

paddle back.

To me, there is no better way to hear

live music than grabbing a well-deserved

drink and some food after soaking up

some sunshine playing on the lakes

all day.

University of Akron Spring SPRINT Triathlon -

500 yard pool swim, 12 mile indoor bike, 3.1

mile outdoor run. Learn more online at uakron.

edu/srws/aquatics/triathlon.dot

PARKSAPRIL 10

CVSR “Ales on Rails” - Beer-Tasting Train –

Learn more online at cvsr.com

APRIL 11

Hike Aboard! - 7 miles - Climb aboard

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for a one-way

ride followed by a challenging hike back to

cars. Learn more online at cvsr.com

APRIL 17

Cuyahoga Valley Heritage Concerts - Happy

Days Lodge - Dala: Darlings of the Canadian

music scene, Dala brings a fresh brand of

acoustic music to the world. Learn more online

at conservancyforcvnp.org/experience-your-

park/concerts

CVSR “Grape Escape” - Wine-Tasting Train –

Learn more online at cvsr.com

APRIL 24

Cuyahoga Valley Heritage Concerts - Happy

Days Lodge - Comas: This multinational

Irish music quartet bridges the gap between

tradition and innovation, the new world and

old. Learn more online at conservancyforcvnp.

org/experience-your-park/concerts

APRIL 25

Ramp Up Peninsula - A festival honoring the

ramp (aka the wild leek). Learn more online at

explorepeninsula.com/ramp-up-peninsula

HEALTH & WELLNESS APRIL 11-12

Urban Retreat - You don’t have to leave the

country or drain your budget to recharge your

spirit and experience more health and vitality!

This spring, join health coach Terra Milo at

Crown Point Ecology Center in Bath, Ohio,

for two-day urban retreat that will leave you

feeling refreshed and revived. Learn more at

terramilo.com/urban-retreat

Complimentary Community Classes at

Lululemon Akron Showroom Saturday

mornings at 9 am (Pilates/Crossfit/Yoga).

Learn more online at lululemon.com/stores/us/

akron/akronshowroom

ONGOING RUN & RIDE PORTAGE LAKES RUNNING CLUB - Roads -

Every Tuesday at 6 pm at various places around

Akron. Search for the group on Facebook for

updates.

CROOKED RIVER TRAIL RUNNERS - Trails -

Every Thursday at 6:30 pm at various locations

in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. For

details, join them at facebook.com/groups/crtrs

AKRON BICYCLE CLUB - Every Thursday at

Perry hosts the Melissa Harris-Perry weekend

news and opinion television show on MSNBC.

She also provides expert commentary on U.S.

elections, racial issues, religious questions

and gender concerns for a variety of other

media outlets.

PLAN AHEADCRAFTY MART PRESENTS:

THE MOM & POP SHOPPE

Saturday, April 25 at 10 am – 5 pm

Musica (51 East Market St, Akron)

Vendors, food, and workshops all over

downtown Akron at Musica, Summit Artspace,

and Akron Art Museum with workshops

available to the public. Preview Gala on

April 24. Learn more at craftymart.org

THE CLUB @ THE CIVIC:

THE ANGIE HAZE PROJECT

Friday, April 17 at 8 pm

The Akron Civic Theatre


Bells around her ankle, a handmade

tambourine shoe, drums encircling her piano,

a guitar, melodica cowbell and a kazoo… we

give you, Angie Haze, the Italian American,

singer songwriting entertainer, who brings a

caravan of energetic vaudevillians with her on

the stage!

OUTDOOR EVENTSRunningApril 10

Exercise Science Club's UA Glow Run - Join

the Exercise Science Club for their 2015 UA

Glow Run through the University of Akron

campus—but with a twist: we don't run until

it's dark. Learn more online at active.com/

akron-oh/running/distance-running-races/ua-

glow-run-2015

APRIL 11

Hop for Hope at Hale Farm - 5K/10K - Run/

walk through the streets surrounding beautiful,

historic Hale Farm. Bring the family and enjoy

the Easter Egg Hunt or get your picture taken

with the Easter Bunny. Learn more online at

hopforhope.org

APRIL 18

Get Into gEAR - 5K - This 5k run and walk

takes you through Goodyear Heights Metro

Park. "NOAC gEARed to Hear" was created

for the purpose of providing hearing aids

for area adults in need as identified by our

local Quota International club. Learn more

online at runsignup.com/Race/OH/Akron/

GetintogEAR5kSAA

APRIL 25

Open M Walk and 5K - Benefits Open M

Community Center. Participants will run

through downtown Akron, including Main

Street, and along the beautiful Towpath. More

online at openm.org/blog

APRIL 26

Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon - 26.2M,

13.1M run | 5K run/walk. Learn more online at

hofmarathon.com


why drive to music when you

can paddle there?!Katie Wheeler

out and about

8 | THE Devil Strip / MARCH 2015 • VOL 1 • ISSUE #2 WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

Diggin in...

Every month at Uncorked, The Mighty Soul

Night DJs throw an all-vinyl event showcasing

rare music. While any show could produce an

eclectic mix of soul, jazz, Latin, disco, funk, and

Afrobeat LPs and 45s, you’ll be in for a special

treat when you go April 18.

That’s because April's event is a tribute to

Howard Street, a celebration of the Akron

jazz culture of the 50's and 60's. The tribute

was inspired by percussionist Dennis Oliver, a

veteran drummer who performed with many

Howard Street legends, and the show will

feature a short presentation of Todd Volkmer’s

documentary “Legends of Howard Street.”

Many musicians who performed during that

era are expected to be present.

Of course, this means DJs El Prezidente

(WJCU's Soul Elixir Radio), Ben Crazy (Illstyle

Rockers) and Forrest Getem Gump (Illstyle

Rockers) will spin some special tracks from

that legendary Howard Street era, like Soul

Tornadoes' “Go For Yourself” and Alias Soul

& Funk's “Well Good” as well as tracks from

groups such as The JBs, The Meters and

Donald Byrd.

The three DJs have been collecting records for

over 15 years and have amassed a treasure

trove of rare vinyl, which they showcase

alongside percussionist Dennis Oliver

on congas.

El Prezidente says, “We saw other cities had

vibrant record communities and we wanted to

share that vibe in northeast Ohio.”

Forrest “Getem Gump” Webb took his

devotion to vinyl—and Akron history—another

step further, opening a full-scale record store in

Firestone Park and naming it Calhoun Record

Shop after the one his grandfather owned in

the 1960s and 70s on Wooster Road.

The Mighty Soul Night’s Howard Street Tribute

will be held April 18 from 8 pm to 12:30 am

at Uncorked Wine Bar and Galleries. It’s a free

event.

KnowhereCongratulations to Tammy Bradfield who was the first to correctly guess

the location of the blue metal palm tree (at the gas station right off the

Waterloo Road exit of I-77 South). This week, we found a strange door

inside a notable downtown building. Do you ...knowhere?

BRINGING Howard Street to Uncorkedby Isaac Kelley

Howard Street Tribute (FREE)The Mighty Soul NightApril 18 @ 8 pm-12:30 am

Uncorked Wine Bar22 N. High St, Akronuncorkedakron.comfacebook.com/themightysoulnight


ETc.

Name / Age: Tim Quine / 58

Hometown: Akron

Neighborhood: West Akron

(Fairlawn Heights)

rubbercityreview.com

I was already a fan of Tim Quine’s Rubber

City Review blog when a recent post made

me finally pull the trigger on the gotta-meet-

this-guy compulsion I get when something

feels kismet. In a “RCR Mailbag” follow-up

to response from his “bro country” bashing

post, referenced his family ties to Milledgeville,

Georgia, about 30 miles from Macon where I

was born and raised.

After that, I had to reach out. Among many

other things, Tim is half-Southern.

Originally, he was going to be the “Native”

side of our “New/Native” profiles but we got

to talking about some other stuff so here are

some of the jewels he dropped in an email

exchange we had while he was out-of-state…

Chris: So, I'm hoping you have one more

"Bro Country" rant in you... With so much

bad music out there, what about this stuff

gets under your skin so much? Is it your

maternal Southern heritage or just that

it's an affront to good taste?

Tim: It's probably little bit of both. You know,

a lot of people up north have a real attitude

about Southerners and traditional country

music. They think both are inherently dumb.

That really bothers me, because I spent a lot of

time as a kid in Milledgeville GA, and I cut my

musical teeth playing bluegrass music. Maybe

I'm too defensive about it, but let's face the

facts: Central Georgia gave us Little Richard

and Flannery O'Connor, and country music

gave us Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Emmylou

Harris and Dwight Yoakam. Unfortunately, bro

country seems to validate that elitist attitude

about Southerners and country music. It's like

watching the trailer for “Furious 7.” Stupid is

stupid, regardless of the art form or where

you live.

CH: Why start (and keep running)

Rubber City Review? It seems like a real

investment of time and effort—which

I'm grateful you give because it's fucking

good—just to be an outlet for your

music "snobbery."

TQ: Thanks Chris. It's a labor of love, really—

and a family affair, given the occasional

contributions from my sisters (Keena's a

web wrangler, graphic designer and working

musician; Mary's a trained journalist, former

piano teacher and current rock-star mom) and

brothers (Jack's a former math professor and

currently plays piano in a swing band; James is

a photographer and also plays music regularly).

I've worked as a professional writer and casual

musician all of my adult life. RCR allows me to

write about virtually anything that leaps into

my somewhat twisted mind. Maybe in the

back of my head I'm just preparing myself

for retirement.

CH: One of my favorite things about RCR is

the balance between your love for the big,

wide world of music and the occasional

reminders that you are rooted in a very

particular (often peculiar) place. Was this

intentional when you set out or just the

way it evolved?

TQ: I never really intended for RCR to be

Akron-centric. To use the parlance of shitty

cinema, it was really just my way of "paying

it forward," in the sense that I've amassed a

fairly large music collection over the years and

not always through legitimate means. If I turn

a few other people on to The "5" Royales or

Evan Johns & his H-Bombs or Robert Ward or

western swing guitarist Junior Barnard, then I

feel a little less guilty about all the file-sharing I

did in the Nineties. Recently one of my friends

browbeat me into writing more about Akron.

I'm glad he did, because my “Really Rough

Guide to the Rubber City” is now one of my

most-read posts!

CH: How do you view your place as Dan

Auerbach's "blues-snob" uncle and punk

guitarist Robert Quine's cousin? Are you

sandwiched between--or overshadowed

by--these two pretty damn good

musicians, or is just part of your own

pretty damned interesting resume--RCR,

the Wanda Hunt Band, journalism career

and political speechwriter, etc.?

TQ: Damn, you make me sound like Akron's

own Zelig! I think I'm fortunate to have Dan in

my life and to have known Robert. I probably

lived a little too vicariously through The Black

Keys early on, but now I'm perfectly content

sitting back like everyone else and watching

them from afar. Besides, it's a lot more

rewarding than getting wedged backstage

with 100 people who have virtually no

connection with the band!

CH: When did you fall for Akron?

TQ: When I moved to Columbus. Akron has

one of the best park systems in the Midwest.

Down in Columbus, most of the parks are

oversized parking lots with shrubs. And

everything is oppressively flat. I really missed

Akron when I lived down there.

CH: What is your favorite local

cultural asset?

TQ: None of them remained local, but I'd say

the hugely influential bands and artists we've

unleashed on the rest of the world: The Black

Keys, Devo, Chrissie Hynde, Robert Quine, Lux

Interior of The Cramps. And I'm a big fan of

a truly local treasure, The Numbers Band. It's

hard to explain The Numbers Band to visitors

from out of town, but if you don't like them,

you can't stay in my house. Beyond that, it's

hard not to love The Akron Art Museum and

the Nightlight Cinema. And the Highland

Theater—how has that place survived?

CH: What do you miss most about the

Akron you grew up with?

TQ: Probably the additional 100,000 people

who were here when I was a kid. But I have to

say, it's nice not to have to share all this stuff –

roads, parks, cultural attractions, cable service,

even water—with a lot more people.

MEET THE MAN BEHIND

THE RUBBER CITY REVIEWChris Horne

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM10 | THE Devil Strip / MARCH 2015 • VOL 1 • ISSUE #2

Community

New / nativeMeet musician Theron Brown and Square Records owner David Ignizio

Christopher Morrison & Scott Piepho

New

Name / Age: Theron Brown / 28

Hometown: Born in Zanesville, OH

Neighborhood: West Akron, near Wallhaven

Occupation: Musician, jazz pianist,

teacher, educator, actor—

yes, folks he has a SAG card.

Who do you wish was on more Akronites

radar? The arts and culture in general, in

Akron. I just don’t think they know the wealth

of what’s going on. I mean all my friends are

“killing at music” since 2005, (smiles) like

Nathan Davis and the Admirables, which is a

band that has a real heart felt soul-jazz groove;

they should also check out: Dan Wilson, guitar

player; Chris Coles on sax; The Acid Cats, they

play jazz fusion and Bobby Selvaggio on

alto sax.

What is your favorite local cultural asset?

People, always had the support, plus friends. I

don’t think people realize how Akron supports

that cultural family of music and want it.

When did you fall for Akron? I think it was

when I left the Glenn Miller orchestra in 2010,

then I lived and played in New York City. I

missed my guys in Akron. I had a big following

here and there was my church, City of Joy—

and again, the people, connections being in a

position when I could help, it’s my home.

Where in Akron do you like to escape?

Well, I like to hang out with friends. I’m

engaged, you know—Toni and I would love

to travel abroad more, to get some different

culture. There’s movies, basketball, a person

has to ask me to do something, or I’ll just sit all

day at home on the piano. (laughs)

Why should everyone try your local

favorite restaurant? I love soul food, so

Pammie’s Restaurant (Ribs, Chicken & Fish)

on Copley Rd, off of South Hawkins, by the

Save-A-Lot. Dan Wilson introduced me to that,

I usually go once or twice a week (laughs), and

it’s probably bad to go twice a week, huh? No,

don’t put that in there (laughs pointing at my

notes) I might be going after this interview. It’s

a hole in the wall type of place, but the food is

really good.

How do you think Akron will be different

in five years? There will be a big time

difference. I see leaders coming together,

people involved, like in the akron2detroit

trip, an organization funded by the Knight

Foundation that tours neighborhoods in cities,

innovating ideas to influence young people

and helping to improve the city, making a

difference. I’m on the music side and I’m

going to Pittsburgh in a couple of weeks with

akron2pittsburgh.

Native

Name / Age: David Ignizio / 40

Hometown: Akron

Neighborhood: Merriman Hills

Occupation: Owner/Manager,

Square Records

Who do you wish was on more Akronites’

radar? I’ll go with a music-related one. A guy

named Gabe Schray that’s been making music

for quite a while now, for like 15 years or so.

Various band and puts out a lot of solo records

of his own, under his own name. He used

to be in the House Guests, he was the bass

player for House Guests for a long time. Kind

of makes it hard for people to get to know

about him I guess because he puts out very

limited edition CDs. Puts out a lot of music but

it’s never really well promoted. But I like all his

stuff a lot. [It’s] all instrumental. Almost kind of

dub influenced. Electronic at times. Very

nice stuff.

What is your favorite local cultural asset?

The Nightlight. Relatively new but I’ve been

going there quite a bit. They opened like

last summer. Probably been there about 20

times to see films since then. Got to know

the people down there. I really like how

they’ve been booking movies. There’s always

something really interesting even if it’s not

something I’ve heard of before or that I don’t

usually watch. I’ll always give it a chance based

on their reputation with me so far.

When did you fall for Akron? Probably

not until the second time I lived here because

I moved away when I was 20. Didn’t come

back until I was 26. But yeah, after leaving for

a while I think then getting some perspective.

When you’re young a lot of people just want

to get out of where they’re from. A lot of

people when they’re younger think this area

is sort of dead end. Coming back here and

starting a business and meeting so many

people through doing that. Being able to do

things here that maybe I wouldn’t be able

to do in other cities I lived in. Just a lot of

opportunities here because things are kind of

cheap and you can kind of, if you’ve got an

idea, you can kind of roll with it.

Where in Akron do you like to escape?

We do a lot of hiking and stuff like that.

Metroparks in general you know, try to mix it

up. The last few years me and my wife have

done the Fall Hiking Spree. Just visiting a lot of

the areas, places we hadn’t checked

out before.

Why should everyone try your favorite

restaurant? I do go to Nuevo pretty frequently

just because they’ve got kind of an interesting

twist on. It’s Mexican, but pretty modern. It’s

definitely different from the other Mexican

restaurants around here. Also their drinks are

really good; margaritas are really good.

How do you think Akron will be different

in five years? Probably not much different.

I think Akron is on like a slow track a lot of

times which is not necessarily a bad thing. In

five years I imagine it will be on a slow steady

growing path that I feel it’s on right now. If

you look at it now from where it was five years

back there’s a lot of really great things that

have come about in those five years. Hopefully

it just keeps going on that.


The Most Interesting Person We Knowa

Sometimes one plus one equals three.

That was Jeremy Hahn’s vision. He saw the

potential for the local music scene to be

bigger and better than the sum of its parts.

Splitting his time as bassist/vocalist for punk

band Spiderwood while working at Chuck’s

Steakhouse, the popular music venue in South

Akron, Jeremy followed his personal mantra—

“Love one another, babies!”—to do more than

just pull people together; he was helping build

the local music scene.

Then the unthinkable

happened. Jeremy suddenly

passed away in February at the

age of 43.

Now, people in the music scene

he supported are set to prove

Jeremy’s vision correct.

Jeremy had already organized

two punk-meets-metal

shows—a line-up of punk

bands alternating with metal

bands on the bill—and had

plans to organize a third one.

This third show is going to

happen Saturday, April 4 with

his friends picking up where he

left off. Fittingly, they’re c

alling it Jeremy Hahn’s

Memorial Show.

Bob Stewart, of the band

Flames Burn Black, says, “The

punk meets metal shows were important to

Jeremy because they united two genres of

music with one common goal—to support

each other.”

“We’re hoping to celebrate Jeremy’s life as he

would have liked it,” his friend Crystal Serva

Stewart says.

Considering the way he lived, that’s a tall order.

“Jeremy was larger than life. The most

outgoing and confident man. He truly never

met a stranger,” his girlfriend Beverly Erickson

says, “He was all about supporting all local

bands and venues. He would promote shows

that he was not even a part of. He just had

such a passion for music and people.”

Beverly pointed me towards a Facebook post

by Joe Thompson from the band Last Days

Pay that sums it up, almost like a mission

statement.

“His dream was to unite all the little factions of

music into one big loving scene...Now it's up

to all of us to carry on Jeremy's legacy. Enough

with the bullshit, the pretty squabbles, the

childish bickering and shit talking. It's time for

all of us as Akron/Canton musicians and fans

to get over it all and become one.”

Spiderwood, a classic, three-piece punk band

that entertained northeast Ohio audiences with

a blend of original music and covers since

2012, wasn’t just about beer and tattoos. In

addition to the band’s energy and sense of

humor—as evidenced by their off-beat gig

posters—they also played at the Rock for

Autism Benefit at Chuck’s.

Judging from the outpouring of sentiments

from Jeremy’s friends, co-workers, family and

bandmates, the grief and loss to the local

music scene is obvious. Perhaps his memorial

show will prove to be the catalyst that brings

our music scene’s bands and fans together to

continue the community-building that was so

important to him.

If that happens, there could be no more-fitting

tribute to the man who worked so hard to

nurture the local music scene.

“Love one another, babies!”

Remembering Jeremy Hahn

Joanna Wilson

Jeremy Hahn’s

Memorial Show

SATURDAY, APRIL 4

6 pm at Chuck’s Steakhouse (FREE)

456 E South St, Akron

To honor Jeremy Hahn’s memory and his passion for local

music, his friends are doing his “Punk Meets Metal” thing

with an "outlaw" twist, featuring a lineup that includes AJ

DeJulius, May Day Riots, Dead Again, The Said So, Ties That

Bind, Last Days Pay and Flames Burn Black.

Jeremy Hahn


only in akron

When my boyfriend Jason was hired to be

the daytime sous chef at VegiTerranean a few

years back, I had no idea I would get to meet

its famous owner, Chrissie Hynde—let alone

pal around with her. And while I honestly

don’t remember the first time we were

introduced, I do remember the first time I

saw her.

It was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in front

of her new restaurant. A crowd of onlookers

gathered in the parking lot connected

to Furnace St. to hear her and executive

chef Scott Jones speak about the chic new

vegan spot-to-be. She wanted to put her

“proverbial money where her mouth was”

and bring her passion

for animal rights and

the vegan lifestyle

to one of her other

passions, Akron—the

town where she was

born and raised, had

sung about and to

which, she had now

returned.

Jason came to know

her a little through

work and the next

thing I know we’re

riding around with

her in her little black

hatchback. She wanted to show us some

older houses that she was angry about being

potentially torn down and where the red

brick roads used to be visible but no longer

were. She would put her fist in the air and

curse whoever was modernizing things, the

same way she did when she’d put her fist in

the air and say, “Death to meat-eaters.”

I remember her being a little rough on the

clutch as she backed out of some of the

spots where she’d chosen to turn around.

From there, she took us to her apartment in

Highland Square. I remember three things

about that apartment: it was humble, there

were dates on the table (she told me to eat

some because they had potassium in them)

and there was an acoustic guitar propped

against the wall beside a pencil and sheets of

paper with lyrics on written on them laid-out

on the carpet.

We left the apartment to have lunch at

Aladdin’s and sat on the patio out front.

When the server came over Chrissie spoke for

all of us proclaiming, “Everyone at this table

is vegetarian!” (We are not but like I always

say, you don’t have to be vegetarian to enjoy

good vegetarian food.) She ordered two big

plates of hummus and rice with vermicelli and

vegetables to share. Our eating and chatting

came to a halt when Chrissie accidentally

bit into an olive pit that she said nearly

cracked her tooth. Shortly after, she picked

up the check and returned us to our home. I

think she appreciated the fact that we lived

downtown. She believes in urban living and

in public transportation. She wanted to know

why more people didn’t take the bus around

town and sometimes she would ride it herself

instead of taking her car.

Chrissie’s life in London, where she also

resided and where her two grown daughters

lived, called her back there for parts of the

year. I believe the next time I saw her here

was for the Devo, Chrissie Hynde and Black

Keys concert at the

Civic Theater.

She came to be friends

with a neighbor of

ours—how I don’t

recall, perhaps through

the business he

owned, the Rubber

City Clothing store. In

any case he was also a

friend of ours and so

when she had given

several tickets to him

we all went to that

show featuring Akron’s

best-known musicians

all performing in one evening, first separately

and then all together at the end.

In the days to follow we ended up spending

some time at our neighbor’s with her. She

was a big fan of foreign films and I remember

all of us watching a Japanese movie about

samurais. I have just two other memories of

my interactions with her. One was when we

went to her new apartment that was being

built out in the Northside Lofts, the building

where her restaurant was. She had misplaced

her keys to get in and so, naturally, to look

for them she sat on the pavement and

dumped the entire contents of her purse out

on the sidewalk. The other is of her rolling a

cigarette on my kitchen floor.

Unfortunately, the VegiTerranean closed in

2011. I can still remember the dozen or so

portraits of famous PETA members hanging

on the walls in the dining room—people like

Michael Stipe, Morrissey, Pamela Anderson

and of course, the fearless Chrissie Hynde.

I have no pictures with her; I have no

autographs, never asked for either. I just

wanted us all to be comfortable and not

worry about that. Who knows, maybe that’s

why she didn’t mind palling around a little bit

with two Akron kids like us.

Photo credit: John Slonaker, taken Aug 10, 2007 in Santa Barbara, CA

with

ChrissieHynde

Liz Tyran

QT

12 | THE Devil Strip / MARCH 2015 • VOL 1 • ISSUE #2


even rested his eyes as I did the bulk

of the thrifting.

I think the only thing Dan dislikes more than

shopping is getting his photo taken model style

and having to fake a smile. One thing led to

another and before I knew it he was outside

with his crossbow saying one day the tables

will be turned and I'll be out in the woods with

him in camo gear in exchange for his style

feature on the blog.

Keep dreaming...just keep on dreaming.

To see more, including reader challenge

submissions, check out Dina’s Days at

www.dinasdays.com

Had my friend Katie never suggested we

switch up the thrift challenge to include the

men (and boys) in our lives, I would have

never challenged myself to step outside of my

thrifting comfort zone. In this challenge, we set

out to recreate super stylish outfits for

"The Dans."

For my Dan—Dan Wilson—she assigned a look

complete with a tan blazer and chambray shirt.

(After a little iPhone zooming, I came to the

conclusion that this model is wearing jeans, so

we went with denim for the bottom half.) Dan

is a professional jazz musician so this outfit was

perfect for a casual gig.

I swear by chambray shirts for both men and

women because they are quite possibly the

most versatile piece anyone can own, plus they

are readily available at the thrift store; I found

this shirt on the first try at Goodwill in Akron.

My first round at the Village Discount Outlet

was a mega success. Everything I grabbed was

designer denim at ridiculously low prices (think

$5) but I drew a blank and jumbled all of the

sizes in my head and I couldn't reach him (I'm

the worst person to take lunch orders for the

office if you don't write it down, by the way).

No worries though, we headed back together

the second time around to ensure the denim

and blazer fit properly. We found a pair of

Calvin Klein jeans 30 seconds into our trip at

the Village then took a short trip down the

street to Goodwill for a blazer, which we found

right away.

I took Ahmad's advice and cut a piece of fabric

down to size for the pocket square.

The thrift store is quite possibly the last place

Dan would ever want to be, and honestly the

last place I want for us to be together. I'm a

solo shopper and he's a never shopper. With

that said, both trips were very successful; he

Dina Days

Thrift Challenge Thrifting for Men

Fashion blogger and thrifting expert Dina Younis is sharing the best tips and advice from her popular blog, DinasDays.com

Dina's Days + Something to be FoundThrift Challange No. 7

only in akron


8 questions...

How do you raise a rock star? You don’t. At

least not with the intention to—not if you

want them to be natural in their process,

remain grounded and most importantly, just

grow up feeling normal, not pressured, just

nurtured. Just ask Chuck Auerbach, the

songwriting father of Firestone High School

grad turned Grammy-winner Dan Auerbach

of The Black Keys. I relish conversations with

Chuck, a retired antiques dealer, not because

of what we talk about so much as the way

he talks about it, whatever it is. His sarcasm,

honesty and sincerity are welcome in my

presence anytime and have turned me into as

big a fan of his as I am of his offspring. He and

his wife Mary, a retired French teacher, raised

their two sons right here in Akron. This issue

seemed like the right opportunity to ask Chuck

about Dan’s early influences—and whether

Chuck’s cooking is still in demand in the

Auerbach family.

� Liz: Let's just cut to the chase. Tell us,

really and truly, what it's like to be the

father of a modern day rock legend? And

if the answer is "fucking awesome" then

by all means, feel free to say so—screw

being humble for a minute.

Chuck: It's a mixed blessing. It's great when

your kids figure out what they want to do in

life, and as they pursue it, find success. But, as

they say, the higher you climb, the more your

ass is exposed.

� LT: What are some examples of what

you and Mary listened to that you think

shaped Dan's ear?

CA: Grateful Dead, Little Anthony, Sam Cooke,

Robert Johnson, Louis Prima, Hank Williams,

Billie Holiday, Beatles, Motown and others.

� LT: What type of impact do you think

growing up in Akron had on the type of

musician Dan became?

CA: Dan always marched to the beat of a

different drummer. He never listened to what

was popular. He made his own way. What

came out of him was very different from

the music other people were making. So, to

answer your question, the lack of a specific

Akron sound, gave Dan the freedom to make

the music he wanted. He wasn't pigeon-holed,

like some kid growing up in Seattle, Memphis

or New Orleans, as examples.

� LT: Does he still turn to you for

advice? Personally? Musically?

CA: Sometimes about both. We almost never

talk about the music business, however. He's

got good people. I was a good minor league

coach, but he's definitely in the majors.

� LT: What were some of your favorite

outings—events, restaurants, recreation—

as a family in Akron?

CA: Going to Chin's, was always our favorite

meal out, followed by the Seoul Garden.

Listening to live music: Mike Lenz and The

Numbers Band were always top of the list.

And, when Dan and Geoff were younger,

seeing them play sports was a big part of

family life. Akron's a great town to raise kids.

� LT: I've sampled (okay, eaten huge

bowls of) some of your incredible soups.

Have you always cooked at home for your

family? Do you still?

CA: Yes, I'm still the family cook. Mary was

a hard-working teacher, and shopping and

cooking just fit better into my schedule. Sadie,

our granddaughter (Dan’s daughter), wants to

open a restaurant. I asked her who was going

to cook. She pointed at me. So I guess I'll be at

it for a few more years.

� LT: You’ve told me some stories about

meeting some pretty famous folks since

The Black Keys became internationally

known, any favorites?

CA: We've met a lot of well-known people,

(actors, musicians, etc.) but unless we spend

a lot of time together, on multiple occasions,

it's hard to know. There's an artificiality that's

built in to these encounters. They're fun, and

most everybody is very nice, but you can't

take it seriously. The one thing I learned, and it

really surprised me, is that most of these folks

are more excited about meeting Dan than vice

versa.

� LT: Is there a proudest moment for

you as a father (related to his musical

success)?

CA: I don't have a single proud moment. I'm

proud of his work ethic. I'm proud of him for

keeping his eye on the prize, which is making

more music. I'm proud of him for working

through personal challenges. I'm proud of him

for still being a good kid.

________________________________________

Find some additional Q & A with Chuck online

at thedevilstrip.com/8QsChuck

BONUS QUESTION

FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY:

Chris Horne: How much of a role do you think

the musical family connections both Dan—with

you and Robert Quine—and Pat—with Ralph

Carney—played in their success, whether just

their early interest in music or their ability to

adapt to the lifestyle of a world-touring band?

CA: I can't speak for Pat, so that's an easy

answer. Mary and I were friends with Rosalie,

Robert Quine's mom. So, when Robt visited

Rosalie, he sat down with Dan on two

occasions. They played a bit and talked music.

Robt liked Dan's North Mississippi influences.

But, I don't think he really influenced Dan.

He was an incredible guitarist, but he hated

everything about the music business. I think

my passion for music, and Mary's family, were

the big influences. Every year, Mary's family,

the Quines, would get together. They were all

good players, ranging from blues and country

blues, to bluegrass and folk. I think that's

where Dan got the bug to play. In fact, his

first stage appearance was at a Quine family

reunion in Florida. I think Mary's and my

support of his passion, and our help in guiding

him in the early days, was very important.

And of course, hooking up with Pat. It was

definitely a team effort.

Questions with Chuck Auerbach

How to raise a rock star in one easy step…

Childhood photo of Dan and Geoff AuerbachCourtesy of Chuck Auerbach

2004 Black Keys show in KentCourtesy of Jessica Morris


It’s Friday night in mid-February at Jilly’s Music Room.

Temps are single digits with a wind chill below zero,

but the room is slowly filling. Small groups, couples

and occasional solo patrons file in, icy air still rolling

off their coats as they pass those lining the bar and

settled at tables under soft white of light circles.

The Twist Offs fill Jilly’s pulsing lighted stage with

strings, horns, keys, reeds and percussion, as

energetic as they’ve sounded since the mid-80s,

playing danceable horn-infused rock fronted by Erik

Walter’s bluesy punk-inspired vocals.

The crowd is a mix, 20-somethings to over-40s.

All is in motion, drinks steadily flow and the dance

floor comes alive. This is the kind of night Jill Bacon

Madden had in mind when, in 2013, she opened

Jilly’s in the building where she’d once booked bands

for Northside Bar & Grille.

STATE OF THE

SCENEGood, bad or ugly — digging into the Akron music scene

Story by Jenny Conn

Phot

ogra

phy

by S

hane

Wyn

n


Cover story

It looks and feels nothing like Northside. All

that wood and copper is gone.

“Northside was the coolest venue out there

then,” Bacon Madden says. “But I wanted to

build a place that was chic and comfortable

now, where adults would want to hang out

and experience live music.”

She means live original music in a space where

the floor’s not sticky with beer.

“There’s so much talent in Northeast Ohio,”

she says. “I wanted a place that offers a

chance for people to be open to finding

new music.”

To expose customers to new bands, she rarely

charges a cover. In March, Jilly’s showcased

25 bands, ending with the annual Tb Music

Northeast Ohio Bass Summit.

Around the corner, BLU Jazz+ was designed

according to a similar ideal.

“There were no true jazz clubs in Akron, no

venue to showcase the local talent,” says

general manager Colin Cook.

Cook points to jazz programs at the Oberlin

Conservatory of Music, Kent State University

and the University of Akron’s School of Music

as a rich talent pool. “We want to nurture the

next crop of jazz musicians,” he says.

BLU gives off a speakeasy vibe as you descend

the steel staircase to the space below Maiden

Lane. Immersed in the sensuosity of old-world

jazz, even the club’s craft cocktails, laced with

smoky bourbons and tangy gins, reflect that

golden era.

The venue books local talent as well as

internationally known artists, sometimes at

the same time. One evening in

February, BLU hosted Grammy-

nominated jazz organist Joey

DeFrancesco with jazz guitarist

and Akron native Dan Wilson

and Oberlin College graduate

and drummer Jason Brown for

two sold-out shows.

“The energy was palpable,”

Cook says. “Everyone in the

room was on the edge of

their seats.”

The club’s jam nights are

building steam, too, giving

musicians opportunities to mix it up and

spurring an unexpected development.

“Akron’s creating our own style of jazz, our

own sound,” Cook says. “There’s a renaissance

happening right now.” That renaissance

appears to be playing out across Akron’s

broader musical arena.

THE AKRON SOUND IS LEGIONAt downtown’s grand dame, the Akron Civic

Theater, Executive Director Howard Parr has

been hip to Akron’s talent since 1998, when

he took the helm.

“I would definitely have a pretty big tent view

of what arts and culture are. It’s not just string

quartets and poetry readings,” Parr says.

A Tallmadge-native, the sleek, eloquent Angie

Haze is a classically trained musician who plays

multiple instruments and composes by ear. On

the Angie Haze Project’s first show out, the

band won a House of Blues showcase,

beating 15 acts.

“It’s just been incredible that so much

has happened in such a small amount

of time,” Haze says. “You put out what

you want in the most positive and true

sense, and it does happen.”

Haze, who headlines the Civic on

April 17, plays out a lot locally—from

Annabell’s, Lock 3, the Cashmere

Cricket to Jilly’s , Dusty’s Landing

and the Kent Stage. After filling

in for a cancelled act at Musica,

her folksy-gypsy-cabaret sound

caught the ear of the headliner,

Grammy-nominated producer and

songwriter David Mayfield who

took her on tour.

“People from out of the area are blown away

by the talent here; not just artists but the

business people also,” Haze says. “Maybe it’s

partly the weather. We don’t have anything

better to do, so you’re fully engrossed in

your craft.”

Scarlet & the Harlots are feeling the Akron’s-

onto-something vibe as well.

“One thing we’ve learned from traveling is that

there’s such a rich talent here,” the flame-

haired, opera-trained soprano Scarlet says. “So

many great bands come out of this area.”

Scarlet & the Harlots also play Akron and the

region, and have toured since 2011. The band

was recently invited to play the Loud Wire

Music Festival in late June in Grand Junction,

Colo., headlined by Weezer and Rob Zombie.

“I’d like to see a scene develop in Akron,

like there is in Austin or Seattle or DC,” says

Harlots’ lead guitar and band manager Trevor.

“I think there’s potential for that to happen

because there really is a bunch of talent not

just in Akron, in Northeast Ohio in general.

In different genres, we have what it takes to

succeed nationally.”

Brian Lisik, an Ellet-born rock singer-songwriter,

agrees. “Musician-wise this is one of the

healthiest [scenes] out there,” he says. “Is

there a proportionate number of not just

musicians but really good musicians? I would

say yes.”

Lisik has recorded four albums, including his

latest solo record, “Curtisinterruptedus,” which

comes out in April. He says he gets mileage

out of announcing the band’s Akron roots on

the road.

“People equate Akron to the Black Keys and

Chrissie Hynde.”

Vivian Ramone, 18, and sister, Midge Ramone,

14, have played as ShiSho for 11 years, gigging

locally at Musica, Annabell’s and Highland

Square’s Porch Rokr.

“A lot of people think there is no scene, which

I think is funny,” Viv says. “There’s so much

going on in the underground right now.”

The sisters glean inspiration from Akron’s Devo

because the Mothersbaugh brothers’ ongoing

creativity and artistic innovations have kept

them relevant.

Audiences outside northeast Ohio are picking

up on something that evokes Akron as well.

On tour, punk band Extra Spooky heard it from

a venue owner.

“He asked us ‘what is it with you Akron guys?

Is there something in the water?’” guitarist

Henry McCoy.

“That’s our favorite complement,” guitarist

Spenser Nikitin says. “It’s alright to get

compared to bands. But we’ve gotten ‘you

sound like Akron’ and it feels good to

hear that.” Trevor says a venue owner in

Charlotte told Scarlet & the Harlots the same.

“Yes, there’s something blue collar,” Scarlet

added. “Something working class. A

raw sound.”

As for Akron’s music scene garnering national

attention, Lisik equates it to falling in love.

“It’s either going to happen or not. You can

do things to increase your chances, you can do

everything right, and not get a date either.”

Scarlet and the Harlots

The Black Keys playing at The Lime Spider.

Photo credit to Jessica Morris

"I’d like to see a scene develop

in Akron, like there is in Austin

or Seattle or DC."

"People from out of the area are blown away by the

talent here... Maybe it’s partly the weather. We don’t

have anything better to do, so you’re fully engrossed in

your craft."


ISN’T EVERYONE IN FIVE BANDS?Lisik still feels the burn of losing the Lime

Spider in 2007 after a six-year run bringing

national acts to Akron.

“We need something akin to the Lime Spider

that’s open till 4 in the morning—a Lime

Spider/Waffle House, so musicians would come

after the gig to keep playing.”

A late night venue would probably work. Many

area musicians have a main band yet play in

several other acts, too.

Bassist Toussaint English—aka “TB Player”—

has played with the Tracy Thomas Jazz Band,

the John Mosey Trio and the Colin John Band,

in addition to his role in Scarlet & the Harlots.

“People want to stretch themselves, to play

different styles,” English says. Scarlet has

performed with the Akron Symphony at E. J.

Thomas and the Cleveland Orchestra, as well

as with Akron singer-songwriter Ryan Humbert

during his annual Holiday Extravaganza at the

Civic Theater. Her bandmate Trevor writes

songs with Humbert and joins

his Harlots cohorts, drummer

Dylan Gomez and guitarist Ryan

McDermott, in the Joe Vitale

Jr. Band.

In April, Humbert is producing

“Ohio’s Greatest Hits” at the

Music Box Supper Club to

celebrate the Rock & Roll Hall

of Fame induction ceremony’s

return to Cleveland. Lisik

was invited to perform as

a vocalist and Gomez will

perform with the house

band.

Haze has played with Hoseff

Garcia, upright bass, for

seven years, but she often

adds new musicians.

“Depending on budget

and who’s available, I like

to spice things up with different instruments

like flute, accordion or sax, or to feature an

artist I know, to give them exposure.”

Extra Spooky collaborated with Tin Huey

founding member, sax player Ralph Carney, on

the band’s latest single “Father Man,” coming

out on seven-inch vinyl in May.

Lisik remembers when it was considered bad

behavior to play with a band other than

your own.

“You practically had to sign a divorce decree,”

he says. “Now I can put a call out for guitar

players and get all these emails back.”

Knowing others have your back is important

for a growing scene. “This is how we survive

and keep the ball rolling,” Haze says. “It’s hard

doing things on your own. Supportive people

are out there.”

SOMETHING’S MISSING… Musicians say the area needs more venues that

accommodate the variety of styles coming up

in Akron.

“There hasn’t been a central gathering place

that all different types of musicians feel

comfortable in,” Lisik says.

That sentiment is echoed by Extra Spooky,

which has had difficulty landing Akron gigs

that fit the band’s sound—“high-energy

haunted dance punk”—or style. (Lead singer

John Cohill has donned a Bowie-style silver suit

with wings for performances.)

“We never really covered

anything,” McCoy says. “We just jumped right

in to writing our own stuff.”

For the members of Extra Spooky, the Akron

scene is the Bizarros, Hammer Damage, Pizza

Ghost, Assassin Broadcast and a cache of

bands no longer together.

Their favorite local venue? “Honestly,

nowhere,” says drummer Logan Patrick,

because he thinks too many area bands and

venues lack originality. “When you see a two-

piece blues rock band trying to be the Black

Keys, it’s uninspiring.”

If venues focused more on original talent than

on cover bands it might help raise Akron’s

music profile, ShiSho says.

“As far as venues go, it’s very dichotomous,”

Viv says. “Venues book the same kinds

of bands and there’re not really any mid-

sized venues.”

Scarlet’s Trevor agrees. “Musica holds about

500 people. You would have to block out a

month or two to properly promote that gig,

which kills our opportunities,” he says.

When the Civic’s Parr heard about Bacon

Madden’s intentions with Jilly’s and Tony

Troppe’s plans for BLU Jazz+, he was thrilled.

“I embraced them personally and on behalf of

the theater, and thought maybe there will be

opportunities for some crossover,” Parr said. “I

would be happy if two or three more people

announced the same thing.”

(continued on page 29)

Cover Story

About 50 local musicians gathered downtown when we issued the call

Sisters Vivian and Midge Ramone form punk-folk duo ShiSho


The entire menu at Jilly’s Music Room is gluten-

free but you’ll never taste the difference thanks

to Executive Chef Joël Johnson and Sous Chef

Kyle McMullen.

Jill Bacon Madden, the club’s eponymous

owner, is gluten-intolerant and wanted to

provide a place where people with celiac

disease and gluten sensitivities could order

anything off the menu, without fear of

consuming gluten or accidental cross-

contamination.

What is your favorite menu item,

and why?

JJ: We’re proud of our food and our

presentation. I have no favorite; that’s like

saying, “Who’s your favorite kid?”

KM: The tacos are my favorite. We give them a

variety of tacos -- beef, pork and chicken -- on

the same plate. It’s served with a fire-roasted

salsa, and it’s all fresh.

I also like the homemade potato chips with

blue cheese and a balsamic drizzle. We give

people a big plate of them, and they can just

snack on them while listening to the music.

Do you use locally-sourced ingredients?

JJ: Yes, as much as we can, whenever possible.

Our domestic cheeses are Amish, and the

chicken comes from an Amish company. All

of our meat products are sourced from our

distributor in Brecksville.

It’s important to support your local economy as

much as possible, and in many times and many

instances, it’s just a better fresher product.

Do you plan to change the

menu seasonally?

JJ: We change the menu every three months,

and the menu’s going to change April 1. We’ll

keep most of our staple items and introduce

some new ones. We have a gluten-free

pizza crust that we source from a bakery in

Pennsylvania, and we’re going to use that crust

to make small flatbread pizzas.

KM: There are going to be a few varieties

of pizza: pesto and shrimp, caramelized red

onion and mushroom, and fresh tomato

and mozzarella.

JJ: We had a call for a sampler platter so

people can order a couple of each item.

We also had a fried bologna sandwich

that we took off the menu for winter,

and people

have been asking for it so we’re going to

bring it back.

KM: We’re also going to have a strawberry

bruschetta that’s very summery.

What menu items do you suggest for

readers of The Devil Strip?

JJ: It depends on their tastes. We have

meatless items and vegan hummus. We have

beef, chicken and seafood options. We’re

going to put a sushi-grade Ahi tuna on the

menu that’s line-caught for kabobs and a

slider.

KM: We have wasabi-deviled eggs with sweet

pickle, bacon and chives. Once an order of the

deviled eggs goes out, we’ll sell three or four

more of them.

JJ: Popcorn’s also a big hit. It’s made with a

little bit of bacon grease and canola oil, topped

with Pecorino Romano, Applewood smoked

bacon crumbles and fresh chives.

For dessert, we make Jilly’s Bark with Belgian

chocolate, homemade toffee, toasted almonds

and a little bit of Mediterranean sea salt

sprinkled on it.

BIO: Writer Abby Cymerman is thrilled to be

covering local chefs as part of The Devil

Strip team.

Music StyleAkron musicians share their favorite dishes at their favorite Akron restaurants

StartersPopcorn at Annabell’s (Something Completely Different)

Goat Cheese & Marinara from Bricco (Millstone)

Brown sugar chicken wings at Jilly's (Stunt Cycle)

Pizza Pizza and Salad at Luigi’s (Devilstrip …and many, many others)

Deep dish pizza at Brick Oven Brew Pub (Shivering Timbers)

Large, any topping pizza at Rasicci's (The Singular)

Between the BreadThe Royal Tenenbaum from Mr. Zubs (Anchor the Moon)

Old Bald Guy at Diamond Deli (Nick Wilkinson & the Featured Players)

Defibrillator Burger at the Fat Bob Grill (Pizza Ghost)

Corn-Flake Crusted Chicken Sandwich at Crave (Ryan Humbert)

Foot-long chili dog from BK Root Beer Stand (Ridadew)

Pastrami and coleslaw on pumpernickel at Primo's Deli (Rachel Roberts)

Galley Boy at Swenson's (The Swizzle Stick Band)

St. Louie's Bleus burger from Louie's (Jason, Tall Tales of Akron)

EntréesPork chop and eggs at Fred's Diner (Rebekah Jean)

Evil Jungle Princess meal at Taste of Bangkok (Dave of The Beyonderers)

Cowboy Delmonico at the Clearview Inn (Max Reaven & the Pupils of Groove)

Shrimp soft tacos from Nuevo (Half Cleveland)

Khing Curry at House of Hunan (Jeri of Time Cat)

Mexican Bowl at Mustard Seed Market Café (Scottie of Survivor Girl)

Sloppy Mac at Ms. Julie's Kitchen (Zach and the Bright Lights)

Mock Duck Basil at Cilantro (Hoseff)

Seared Sea Scallops over purple sticky rice at Dante Boccuzzi Akron (Bad Hounds)

Rigatoni and clam sauce with a side of meatballs at Dontino's (Red Sun Rising)

Panang Curry at Thai Pho (The Gage Brothers will fight anyone who doesn't love that place.)

DrinksThe Zombie at Brickhouse Tavern (Band Kamp Rejects)

in the kitchen

JILLY’S MUSIC ROOMExecutive Chef Joël Johnson and Sous Chef Kyle McMullen

Eric Morris

the Dish

Jilly’s Music Room 111 N. Main St., Akron

jillysmusicroom.com

For reservations, call or email:

330-576-5960

[email protected].


the dish

When most people think

of the jojo, they think: side

dish, an also-ran mixed

in with a bucket of fried

chicken. At Fiesta Pizza and

Chicken, however, this is

not the case. And these are

not your humdrum slices

of fried potato. The jojos

they whip up are meals

themselves. To summon

every Food Network

cliché, like golden brown

or crisped-to-perfection,

would be a disservice.

The jojos at Fiesta are

mammoth pieces of fried

starchy awesomeness. In a

succulent combination of a

crumbly, seasoned outside

and hot, flaky center, these

jojos make a person

wonder why the other side

dishes are even an option.

Walking into Fiesta (the Valley location) feels a

bit like a time warp. It might be the classic claw

machine in the waiting area or the old school

video games like Ms. Pacman and Tekken

tucked away in the back of the four booth

dining room. Or it could be the open kitchen

with the throwback oven and deep fryer. It all

certainly factors into the sense of nostalgia that

takes over as soon as you walk in the door.

It could also be that, like any place that feels

authentic and uniquely its own, there’s a sense

that something special is happening.

And for any place, especially a pizza

shop, to stay in business for over half a

century, something special must be happening.

And, whatever it is, it’s delicious.

Although Fiesta Pizza and Chicken turned a

boring potato into the magical jojo, the pizza

is nothing to look past either. Much like the

location itself, there’s not a lot of glitz and

glamour in the pizza section of the menu:

there’s cheese and there’s toppings—12 to be

exact. The rest is up to you. However, whatever

happens in the vintage pizza oven is, well,

the start of a fiesta. Whether it’s the hunger-

inducing glisten only melted mozzarella can

produce or the almost criminal amount of

pepperoni layered on top, the pizza at Fiesta

is the sort of pie that keeps a place in business

for 50 years.

For over 50 years and

across four locations in

the greater Akron-area,

Fiesta has dished out both

pizza and chicken (an idea,

according to their website,

that was once considered

a novelty). And, perhaps

most importantly, gifted the

Akron community with the

jojo, a present Akronites

should be thankful for.

While the patrons of any

Fiesta Pizza and Chicken

will not be walking away

from their meals any

healthier, they will certainly

be walking away happier.

And as long as each store

stays nestled into the strip

malls and corner shops

around Akron, and as long

the costumers sidle up for

another wax paper bag

full of jojos, there’s a good

chance 2065 will be another

good year for Fiesta Pizza

and Chicken.

The Original Fiesta Pizza

and Chicken

1860 Newton Street

Goodyear Heights

Akron, Ohio

FIESTA PIZZA & CHICKENOne man’s mission to eat all of Akron’s pizza & jojos

Eric Morris

Alfred Ajamie & Walter Abood in front of the original Fiesta Pizza and Chicken.

Founded in 1963.

where was this served?Congrats to Nancy Babyak who correctly ID'd that delicious plate of food in Issue #1 as

coming from Chin's Place whose garden, neighborhood plant swap and fresh veggie

dishes are just part of the reason she loves eating there. This week, we went for

something under the sea with some crispy salmon on a bed of fresh greens. Be the first

to tweet the answer to @akrondevilstrip or email the answer to [email protected]

and you'll get mentioned in our next issue!


Setting: Gasoline Alley. I sit, perfectly content,

underneath the old school bicycles, carefully

hung overhead. I’m joined by my most

frequent dining companion, Maya. The two

of us are perfectly content on the first Friday

of the long awaited first-spring-break of our

graduate studies career. Bloody Marys are

a necessity (but I’ll get to talking about

those later).

My eyes are always moving in Gasoline Alley,

between the bikes, the menu (which makes

it borderline impossible to choose something)

and the memorabilia on the walls spanning the

entire 20th century and then some. I’ve said

it once and I’ll say it again, of all of the places

I have eaten in Akron, Gasoline Alley is the

most “Ohio.” Perhaps it is the commitment

to transportation décor and Ohio obviously

and notably being the birthplace of aviation.

Perhaps it is the un-deniability of everything

fried. Regardless, it is almost middle America,

almost northeast, and the second you step

through that door, you feel not only hungry,

but ready to be fed.

This time around, I opted to order fried

zucchini in the place of my beloved sauerkraut

balls. Though this was a tough call—Maya and

I definitely went back and forth more than

once—we were certainly not disappointed.

Literally an entire zucchini goes into one single

order; rather than dropping a cup of French

fry-sized zukes off at the table, we received

whole cross-sections of zucchini fried just

enough so that it actually tasted like zucchini

and was anything but soggy. I have never and

probably will never see fried zucchini like that

anywhere else. We sat at the table posing with

the giant zucchini cakes because we literally

couldn’t believe it.

As I had to decide to “really go for it,” this

was going to be my dunchfast. That is, all

meals in one. And there it was, the Jewish

Italian: fried bologna, salami, provolone,

mozzarella, and onions on a toasted homestyle

roll. As a small child, I exclusively ate

bologna and ketchup sandwiches,

so every time I see bologna, the kid

in me starts screaming, and 4-year-

old Holly was not disappointed That

sandwich was LOADED with meat

and cheese, bread soaked with the

drippings. Because I had such a

craving for bologna, the second I took

my first bite the back corners of my

tongue started salivating, ringing

in the rightness of my choice with

a sting. A truly American sandwich

for an all-American girl looking for a

celebratory meal.

I heard the legend of their Bloody

Mary months before I even stepped

foot in the parking lot. More like

a meal than a drink, it comes with

every fixing you could imagine (two olives,

cherry tomato, pickle chunk, cucumber

slice, pepperoncini, and shrimp cocktail, all

toothpick-ed into an epic stalk of celery easily

considered food sculpture), but I digress.

This being the music issue and all, you might

be wondering what’s particularly musical about

Gasoline Alley? …Besides the fact their Bloody

Mary makes me want to turn skyward and

sing hymns in its praises, of course. Well, as

a student at the University of Akron, Patrick

Carney of The Black Keys was working in the

kitchen at Gasoline Alley when he decided to

leave school and devote himself fully to music.

While this was not my first time on the

Gasoline Alley rodeo, this was the first time

that I was there that I found myself thinking a

little more about the more private passions of

the people who help to make me feel so fed.

This one goes out to all of the people that

work jobs to support the art that they love to

do. More often than not, these people fall into

the food service category and whether that

be line cooks, servers, bartenders, or cashiers,

it all comes down to what you stuff your face

with. Food is art, albeit often art on the side of

more entry level jobs (I heard whisperings that

both Pat Carney and Dan Auerbach worked

at the Arby’s on West Market). While catering

to my insatiable craving for fried foods might

not be your dream job, I am sincerely happy

someone, somewhere does it if it means

they’re closer to their art … while I live out my

dream to write about it.

Gasoline Alley

870 N Cleveland Massillon Rd, Akron

(330) 666-2670

gasolinealleyinbath.com

Food/Fun

GASOLINE ALLEYDedicated to those side jobs that help

make music dreams come trueHolly Brown

The legend of their Bloody Mary month..

more like a meal than a drink

FILM: “high fidelity” In a tweet: Director Stephen Frears’ uses

strong comedic performances and an eclectic

soundtrack for an intriguing love-on-the-

rocks story.

What it’s really about: Rob Gordon

(John Cusack), a record store owner in the

slums of Chicago, is a music junkie whose

knowledge of song couldn’t rescue any

of his past relationships. Troubles with

his current girlfriend force Rob to take a

closer look at himself, so he calls on his

former lovers to find out where he keeps

getting it wrong. On top of this, Rob’s two

bickering employees, Dick and Barry (Todd

Luiso, Jack Black), not only push him another

day closer to quitting but reflect some of

immaturity he’s trying escape in his own life.

Why it’s good: We all have that friend

who points the finger instead of owning up.

Slowly, the pieces unfold for Rob Gordon and

that transformation puts Cusack front and

center in a role he owns. Memorable quotes

x kickass tunes = multiple viewings.

How it’ll surprise you: At the center of

all this reflection on past miseries, there's a

charming and beautifully constructed love

story between our two central protagonists.

Also, Jack Black is at his comedic peak. As a

musician, his role as Barry is rude and crude,

but honest to the roll-your-eyes customers he

serves daily.

Bonus Points: Record Store Day is right

around the corner on April 18, so the film

would make for a great main event after

making all your vinyl purchases.

Feast: mr. zub's deli Restaurant recommendation: On the

prowl for a meal worthy of such musical

immortality? Seek out Mr. Zub's Deli in the

heart of Highland Square. With their movie-

themed sandwiches and comparatively low

prices, Mr. Zub's first gave Akron new favorites

like the "Rocky Balboa" (cheesesteak) and

the "Uncle Rico” (roast beef and tater tots

with chives) about a decade ago. And if you

want a drink, follow the hole in the wall over

to The Matinee, the appropriately named bar

next door.

Film Freak’s Suggestion: While I have a

long list of personal favorites, there are a

couple options that never do me wrong.

Start out with some delicious Potato

Teezers—hash browns infused with a spritz

of Jalapeno cheese. (It's not too hot for

tender taste buds.) Then squelch what

remains of your hunger with either the "Louis

Winthorpe" (chicken Philly) or the "Tommy

Boy" (meatball sub). For the hungriest (or

most foolhardy) of challengers, try to tackle

the breathtaking "Frank the Tank,” a triple

cheeseburger squeezed between two grilled

cheese sandwiches.

Mr. Zub's Deli 812 West Market Street

Akron Ohio, 44303

330-252-0272

mrzubs.com

dinner & A Movie

“High Fidelity”& Mr Zub's Deli

Pair this film adaptation of Nick Hornby's love letter to music with Mr. Zub’s movie-inspired

sandwiches on this upcoming Record Store DayChris Kessinger, the Film Freak

Dinner& a Movie


Tracey Nguma, bassist

and front woman of

Umojah Nation (“unity”

in Swahili)

I never really had any

plans to get out of the

basement, that’s just how it happened. You

don’t find too many female reggae artists,

either. I thought, well, it would be great to

put a female band together because men are

always doing things, you know?

The reception we’ve received—it’s love. There’s

a sense of community; people get to know

each other, they become friends, they bring

friends, we see a lot of great energy in the

crowds. I think the female musicians in the

Akron area are very supportive and loving of

each other. And I think that’s encouraging.

There is a huge artist community here—it’s sort

of: if you know about it, you know about it,

you know what I mean? But it is here, and I

think there’s a lot of opportunity here for you.

I was born and raised in Akron. I’ve got roots

here. I’m a mother, I’m a yoga instructor; I’m a

wine-tender, a musician. That’s who I am.

°°°°°

Sarah Benn, bassist and

front woman of Shivering

Timbers, which came to

life as she and her

husband (and guitarist)

Jayson Benn began

crafting songs for their

daughter. Motherhood, music, work…trying

to find time for creativity to thrive. Continuing

to grow as a creative individual can be tough

when pulled in so many different directions—

however, I feel it has enhanced my

overall experience.

°°°°°Anne Lillis has since

played drums all over the

US and Europe, and

now locally for The

Beyonderers, as well as

with Oklahoma-based

singer/songwriter

Samantha Crain. Being a female musician is

exactly the same as being a male musician, I

would imagine, except for some subtle

differences. One time, AS IF played a show in

Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the place had a

strict rule that no one but members of the

band could be near the stage during load-in.

The employees at the venue tried to kick us out

of the club when we were loading in our gear,

because they assumed we were the girlfriends

of the band. Another time, I got asked if I was

shopping for my boyfriend when I went to buy

drumsticks at a music shop. It's nothing super

aggressive usually, but it can definitely be

irritating. …But on a side note, many of the

best musicians I've played with in my life are

women. Anyone who tells you that there is

some intrinsic difference between men and

women, as far as the capacity to learn music,

or tour, or write songs goes, is straight up lying

or sexist.

°°°°°Gretchen Pleuss, who

learned from long-time

guitarist Willy Porter at

age 12, is now 24 and

has two full-length

albums.

There have been times where it’s been more of

a competition than it needs to be. I’ve come to

know myself and I know what I’m trying to do.

All of us [female musicians] are going in the

same direction but have different avenues of

getting there. We all wanna be able to do this

full time and make enough money to survive.

But in order to get there, there has to be a

shift in thought, which is: to help each other

rather than competing to get to the finish line.

It doesn’t mean that only one of us can get

there, just because we’re from the same area.

°°°°°Jeri Sapronetti, who

plays guitar, writes and

sings in Time Cat, has

been putting on house

shows in Akron since she

was 18.

I used to have these jam nights at my house

off of Crosby on a weird, little, dead-end

street that had nobody really living on it. I

could make all the noise I wanted all night

long and it didn’t matter. This whole scene

kind of came together pretty quickly, actually.

There was a real DIY, punk rock mentality.

This awesome group of people from different

sides of Akron and it was this air of: everyone

is very supportive of each other and when it

was time for a new band to play, everyone

is quiet and attentive—they’re not screwing

around and talking and just being assholes.

… [House shows] support a community thing

where people who maybe aren’t big enough

or confident enough to play in venues, they’re

comfortable with playing house shows because

people are generally supportive.

For me it’s never been, ‘oh, I’m a girl.’ I mean

sometimes it gets in my head where you see all

these female bands on Facebook and they’re

pretty and 21 and maybe they’re not even

that good but they have 3,000 “likes.” That’s

something I hate about Facebook—you’re

monetizing your worth based on the amount

of “likes” you have on a photograph. I’m not

like that kind of person. I don’t wear dresses

and makeup and shit. Do dresses and makeup

make a good musician?

°°°°°Sandra Emmeline and Lizz Hough play

in the same band, Sancat, but individually

Sandra sings with the Cleveland Chinese

Music Ensemble and Lizz can be found in UA’s

Guzzetta Hall where she plays a very large bass

in the orchestra.

Sandra: It's hard growing

up where your family's

culture and values are

different from those of

everyone else around

you. Anyone who is a

child of immigrants can

on stage with...

WOMEN WHO

ROCK: Female musicians offer more than

chords in AkronMaria E. Varonis

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my place here, and if I have

one. I’ve received a degree from that university downtown, like so

many of us have, but now what? The Clash keep ringing in the

back of my brain: should I stay or should I go?

In "The Hard Way on Purpose," David Giffels writes that a decade

or so ago everyone was leaving Akron for Phoenix. These days it

seems our friends have left for Portland, or New Orleans. So how

does a creative person make it work in the Rubber City, and still pay

rent, cheap as it is here?

In my need for inspiration, I decided to talk to some women in

Akron—creatives, musicians whose voices might lend a hand to my

existential, late-twenties, slightly irrational placement issues. What

these ladies had to offer was more than I could have asked for.


on stage with...

relate. My parents are Chinese but were born

in Taiwan and came from a very conservative,

traditional, workaholic culture. Fortunately for

me, they wanted me to be well-rounded, and

put me through music, dance, and sports early

on in life. I think now my parents have mostly

broken that traditional Asian mindset because

they come to all my shows, even the metal

shows my band plays in. I think having a

daughter that was as wild and passionate as I

was sort of helped them realize what the more

important values are: being happy and doing

what you love. …I’m a nurse and I’m a

musician, and that’s what I love. I’m doing two

things that I wanted to do. …That’s what I love

about being a musician in Akron. There’s a

variety of open-mindedness here. People

appreciate you for your originality and

creativity. I don’t have to sell myself and be

something I’m not.

Lizz: For me, it’s sharing

thoughts and ideas with

others; the collaboration

and the learning process.

I’m really grateful for

what I have here. I want

to continue to learn and

grow, and I won’t let anything get in my way.

Sandra: Lizz is awesome.

°°°°°Kyndra Heischman

brings the blues to Akron

to honor women like

Elizabeth ‘Libba’ Cotten,

who in the late 18th

century coined her own

unique, finger-picking

style of blues guitar. We have a responsibility as

women who play music—we cannot exploit

ourselves. That’s all we see on the TV, that’s all

we hear on the radio. There’s just so much.

There’s so much in the world and you can

either look at it and be like ‘well, what the fuck

is going on, why does this hurt so much?’ Or

you can be like, ‘what the fuck is going on? I

have a responsibility, I need to own up to it.’

It’s time to move forward. …I represent women

in blues, for so many blues songs men have

laid claim to. Our music has been stolen and it

is now our responsibility to give credit where

credit is due.

On a Tuesday evening, the women I had spoken with and some I had not yet, all met at Uncorked

Wine Bar in downtown Akron. I didn’t know until then that Lizz and Sandra played in the same

band. Or that Jeri knew Anne, and Sarah knew Tracey and almost everyone was playing at Big

Love on Friday. I passed around a notebook and between drinks, we wrote down our thoughts

about being creative and living in the same space. At Musica, I got out my camera and discovered

there was an actual photographer in our midst (Chelsae Ketchum). Naturally, we decided, she

should take the photos. It was a lovely, reciprocal arrangement, we all agreed. We laughed a lot.

Everyone kept saying: Why don’t we do this more often? And, this is really nice.

That was really all I needed to know.

24 | THE Devil Strip / MARCH 2015 • VOL 1 • ISSUE #2

show review

51 E MARKET ST AKRON, OH 44308(330) 374-1114 LIVEATMUSICA.COM

A p r i l 4-Saturday -

FROM INDIAN LAKES W/ THE SOIL & THE SUN & COME WIND

A p r i l 1 0-Friday -

THE CLARKS WITH ANGELA PERLEY & THE HOWLIN MOONS

A p r i l 1 1-Saturday -

LIONIZE & THE DELTA SAINTS WITH MEGHANN WRIGHT & THE

GREEN GALLOWS

Our huge bar makeover is complete!

Like us on Facebook - /LiveatMusica

Follow us on Twitter - @LiveatMusica

A p r i l 3-Friday -

KOPECKY (F/K/A KOPECKY FAMILY BAND) WITH BY LIGHT WE LOOM

THE STEEPWATER BAND WITH OUTDATED VIEW

7PM

10PM

A p r i l 1 7-Friday -

THE MODERN ELECTRIC

A p r i l 1 8-Saturday -

COLD FRONTS & MADE VIOLENT

THE HELP AND THE HANDSAT OLD 97 CAFÉ

Brittany Nader

It begins like any other night at the Old 97

Café — the space is filled with an after-work

crowd ordering mixed drinks, shifting their

glances from the company close beside them

to the classic film screening on the television

set above the bar.

Tonight, as patrons of the noted Kenmore pub

are warming up with craft beers, whiskey and

intimate conversation, Akron gypsy jazz band

The Help and The Hands are setting up to fill

the dark space with sounds of another place

and time.

Gravel-voiced vocalist and guitarist Brian

Feltner and multi-instrumentalist Steve Bennett

make up The Help, a rag-tag duo of gritty

troubadours serenading the Rubber City with

mournful blues and raspy yowls. The Hands fill

out the lineup, with sisters Caty and Christine

Petersilge on violin and cello, respectively.

Midway through the first set, two corgis

waddle through the tables, not barking orders

but some other message only understood

between the conversational pups. To any

other band playing in the intimate venue,

this may have been an awkward disruption,

but tonight, the woofs are welcomed by the

musicians gracing the small corner stage.

“We are corgi fans,” Feltner says. “This is our

dog song.”

Feltner leads the players in a harmonious howl

as they dive into a cover of Sam the Sham

and the Pharaoh’s “Li’l Red Riding Hood,” a

rock ‘n’ roll tune that sounds like a dark pirate

shanty on this particular evening.

The Old 97 glows red hot as The Help and The

Hands play three sets worth of songs new and

old, ranging from selections off of their first

EP, “Rubber City Rhapsody,” to old standards

seasoned with a style and flavor only this

particular group can cook up.

The quartet hints that they’ll be back in the

studio as they continue into covers of “St.

James Infirmary Blues” and “When I Get

Low, I Get High.” Bennett floats about the

stage, switching from accordion to cornet

to musical saw, even slinking off stage and

through the bar cutting the quiet corners of

the establishment with sound. He and Feltner

weave on-stage banter with call-and-response

tunes as the sisters’ strings ring out with

tender precision.

The foursome welcomes local upright bass

player Jason Willis to sit in for a few tunes,

including “Tongues,” a linguistic maze of a

track from their new EP “Prime.”

“This song is in more languages than you can

count on one hand,” Bennett says. He tells

no lie, as Feltner sings messages that suggest

a life full of travel and encounters with

characters from around the globe.

With each number, the crowd gets a bit

more rowdy, adding a rhythm section of

foot stompin’ and hand clappin’ to tunes

like “Great Things” and a medley of Leonard

Cohen and Decemberists covers. The group

has a clearly loyal following of fans and fellow

musicians sitting close to the stage with wide

eyes, half-empty glasses and smiles. Feltner

thanks each performer and the crowd for

enjoying the “ragged but right” group of

troubadours.

Taking on the role of raconteur, Feltner

continues that he begins each day with a bowl

of gravel and vodka.

“And spiders,” Caty adds, illustrating the

blend of haunting grit, humor and overall

dynamic of the band as they close out their

last set.

The Help and The Hands will bring their special

blend of acoustic Balkan Gypsy folk, jazz and

blues back to the Old 97 Café on April 18.

Check out The Help and The Hands on Facebook and ReverbNation:

www.facebook.com/TheHelpAndTheHands

www.reverbnation.com/TheHelpAndTheHands

Learn more about the Old 97 Café online at old97cafe.vpweb.com


on thefringeLousy Weather’s underground comedy is really under their house.

Story and photos by Ilenia Pezzaniti

Water dripped from the ceiling. A broken

speaker cleverly tied to a pole fashioned with a

belt and a guitar strap beamed the voices.

“We are really DIY, like, we won’t even buy

a real strap to hold that. That’s something

you don’t get at a venue,” host and musician

Bobby Comparda, 26, half-jokes.

“Eh! It’s the Lousy Weather Media Basement

Comedy Show! Eh!” rattles host, Sean Ast,

26, of Goodyear Heights. It’s his basement. It’s

also Comparda’s basement. The buzzed crowd

woo’d loudly and clapped.

Eleven white plastic chairs

filled three rows deep

behind a small

black futon.

Another black

futon squared

off a makeshift

stage. Two

dining room chairs,

two PA speakers laid down

as benches and a lawn chair were

placed to let you know the hosts had

thought of everything you could possibly sit

on. Backs lined the wall up the stairs. There

was even a guy sitting on an exercise machine.

“I’m claustrophobic and it’s near the stairs,”

guest Tony Sansonetti, 28, of Tallmadge, told

me. “It’s a unique seating area. I can see the

stage, crowd reactions and sound booth. Also,

I like to think I can help direct people to the

hidden standing area behind the booth after

the show starts but mainly, I’m just a loner.”

On nights dedicated to the comedy shows, the

hosts bring in their favorite local comedians

and musicians, picking new acts they explore

between shows. Host Paul Wolfe, 27, of

Akron, proactively goes to local comedy shows

and reaches out to comedians and musicians

he wants onboard.

The idea of having basement comedy shows

spun off of Ast and Wolfe’s experiences of

being in bands and playing in basements. It’s

to “bring the comedy world to punk rock,”

said Ast. “I think shows in a basement are

the funnest thing in the entire world,”

adds Comparda.

On March 21, the LWM boys held their third

comedy show where comedians Matt Brady,

Erik Cribley, Willis Gordon and musicians

Bobby Vaughn and Comparda were featured.

Daniel Palmentera of My Mouth Is The Speaker

was also pulled on stage by the crowds cooing

that he and Vaughn play “At Your Funeral” by

Saves The Day. (They all ruled.)

Two boxes stacked on a dryer

cradled a black HP

laptop with a

video-streaming

camera attached

so people could

follow via social

media sites. To

thank those who

came, pay the comedians,

and offset the cost of their

podcast dues, the trio set up a raffle.

“The whole reason why we do this is because

we host a podcast and we have all these

people on it and we want to showcase their

talents,” Wolfe said.

Comparda added, “We do the podcast to

showcase anything that goes on locally,

art-wise.”

“We celebrate everything about this city,”

Ast said.

To catch the next show, ‘Like’ Lousy

Weather Media Podcast Channel

on Facebook.

For podcast episodes visit:

http://lousyweathermedia.podbean.com/feed

bars / nightlife

"We celebrate everything about this city."


Music Listings

Music & COncertsTuesday, March 31BONZ, FEAT. BONZ OF STUCK MOJO

8 pm at Chuck’s Steakhouse


The band is BONZ—all-caps like that—and it’s

fronted by Bonz, who formerly fronted Atlanta-

based rap-metal rockers Stuck Mojo.

Wednesday, April 1MORGAN PHELPS

Acoustic Wednesdays

8pm at Annabell’s (FREE)

784 W Market St, Akron

Head to Annabell’s for an evening of music

on the Warr Guitar, combining both bass and

melodic strings on a single fretboard.

JOE LEAMAN

7pm at BLU Jazz+ (FREE)


Enjoy a cocktail and some midweek swingin’

jazz with Joe Leaman, a local pianist and

percussionist.

RYAN HUMBERT

7pm at Jilly’s Music Room (FREE)

111 N Main St, Akron

Local favorite Ryan Humbert performs songs

off his newest album, Halfway Home, which

features some of his most personal writing to

date. Don’t miss this free show!

Thursday, April 2JEN MAURER PROJECT

7pm at Jilly’s Music Room (FREE)

111 N Main St, Akron

Akron’s own Jen Maurer (of Mo’ Mojo Music

and Boy=Girl) plays a solo set of her unique

blend of original mountain pop.

Friday, April 3DAVE BANKS BIG BAND

“A Tribute to Buddy Rich”

8pm at BLU Jazz+ ($18)


Enjoy this high-adrenaline, swinging tribute

to the man who has been referred to as “the

world’s greatest drummer,” Buddy Rich!

Northeast Ohio’s finest musicians comprise this

16-piece big band in a not-to-miss

concert celebration.

Tropidelic, Arden Park Roots and Wanyama

9pm at Barley House ($5)

222 S Main St

Fusing funk, reggae and hip-hop, Tropidelic

headlines what is sure to be an energetic show

with surf rockers Arden Park Roots and the

six-piece ska/reggae/punk group Wanyama.

Saturday, April 4JEREMY HAHN’S MEMORIAL SHOW

Saturday, April 4

6 pm at Chuck’s Steakhouse (FREE)


To honor Jeremy Hahn’s memory and his

passion for local music, his friends are doing

his “Punk Meets Metal” thing with an

"outlaw" twist, featuring a lineup that includes

AJ DeJulius, May Day Riots, Dead Again, The

Said So, Ties That Bind, Last Days Pay and

Flames Burn Black.

FROM INDIAN LAKES WITH THE SOIL &

THE SUN AND COME WIND

6:30pm at Musica ($12)


From Indian Lakes blurs the boundaries of

indie, post-rock and alternative, and are

joined by indie rock bands the Soil & the

Sun, and Ohio natives Come Wind, whose

music has been described as honest and

joyfully passionate.

THE LIVING WITH INHERIT THE WILD,

ONCE MAGNETIC AND MR. BOOK

7pm at Empire Concert Club ($8)

1305 E Tallmadge Ave, Akron

A lineup of all-local bands, starting with

Akron’s own folksy singer-songwriter Mr. Book

and culminating in the classic rock jams of

Inherit the Wild and The Living.

"LET IT GLOW" A PANDORA EXPERIENCE

9 pm at The Vortex ($10)

1167 Brittain Rd, Akron

A “night of enchantment and radiance” with

glow sticks, glow masks, LED balloons and

backlights to create a “magical night” with 11

DJs on two stages. Attendees are encouraged

to arrive dressed in blue or glow attire at this

“hoop friendly” event. Get $5 off with

Avatar costume.

Monday, April 6THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON¹S

NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL

8 pm at Guzzetta Recital Hall (through April 8)

157 University Ave., Akron

Trio of new music concerts—all free. For more

information, call 330-972-8301 or email

[email protected].

JACOB AND THE GOOD PEOPLE

5—11 pm at the Tasting Room at Hoppin' Frog

1680 E Waterloo Rd, Akron

Although Jacob has shared stages with the

epic sounds of bands like Dave Mathews Band,

Robert Randolph and Rusted Root, he still

creates his simple style of music with the idea

that less is more. His music is sparse, quirky,

and addictive, and his songs will be hummed

for hours after you hear them.

Tuesday, April 7THE MOODY BLUES

7:30pm at E.J. Thomas Hall ($45-$75)

198 Hill St, Akron

Having sold more than 55 million albums

worldwide during their extensive career,

The Moody Blues, one of the most enduring

and beloved rock bands in music history, comes

to Akron.

Wednesday, April 8BROKENGLISH

7pm at Sarah’s Vineyard (FREE)

1204 W Steels Corner Rd, Cuyahoga Falls

Have a glass of wine and some wood-fired

pizza in the cozy tasting room at Sarah’s

Vineyard while brokENglish plays a variety of

jazz, blues, rock and acoustic covers.

Thursday, April 9ELIOT LEWIS

8pm at Akron Civic Theatre ($20)


Join a special cabaret performance with

Eliot Lewis, a multi-instrumentalist who has

performed with the likes of Hall & Oates,

Ben Folds, Darius Rucker, and many others. If

he performs a cover, it’s a song he’s actually

performed with that artist.

JOHN SUNTKEN TRIO



Rising star drummer from Columbus John

Suntken leads an all-star trio at BLU Jazz+ after

performing with his alma mater, Hudson High

School, student big bands.

Friday, April 10TELAMON WITH NORTHERN WHALE, THE

RYANS AND LUNAR CIRCUS

7pm at Empire Concert Club ($8)

1305 E Tallmadge Ave, Akron

A night of alt rock at the Empire Concert Club,

from Lunar Circus’s roots rock to Northern

Whale’s award-winning alternative jams and

the alt/indie sounds of Telamon.

DAN WILSON / PETER MAZZA QUARTET



Akron’s own Dan Wilson and New York

City’s Peter Mazza are two of the biggest

names on the jazz guitar scene today. They’ll

be joined by local jazz heavyweights Kip

Reed (bass) and Zaire Darden (drums) for an

unforgettable evening.

THE CLARKS WITH ANGELA PERLEY & THE

HOWLIN MOONS

8pm at Musica ($15)


The Clarks have been together, honing their

rock n roll sound, for nearly 30 years, and

they’ll tell you their newest record is the best

yet. If that’s not enough to get you to Musica

for this show, Angela Perley has described her

music with the Howlin Moons as “a kiss being

blown off a freight train on muddy tracks” and

“Americana tumble and roll.”

Saturday, April 11LIONIZE WITH THE DELTA SAINTS,

MEGHANN WRIGHT AND

THE GREEN GALLOWS

7:30pm at Musica ($12)


The Green Gallows bring their high-energy

acoustic sound to this show, along with

Meghann Wright’s self-described sad bastard

music. The Delta Saints are fresh off a 2014

tour that saw them sell out in six different

countries, and Lionize headlines with their

brand of groove-heavy stoner rock.

AKRON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

“A New Birth of Freedom”

8pm at E.J. Thomas Hall ($25-$55)

198 Hill St, Akron

The peace accord signed at Appomattox on

April 9, 1865 ended slavery’s nightmare. Six

days later, Lincoln was assassinated. Kurt

Weill’s final work for Broadway was a triumph

of lyric beauty, and a stirring reflection on race

relations on this important anniversary.


Music Spotlight

KIM RICHEY

8pm at The GAR Hall

1785 W Streetsboro Rd, Peninsula

Hailing from Zanesville, OH, Kim Richey has

been nominated for two Grammy awards for

her poetic music and arresting voice. Join the

singer-songwriter for an evening of country

and Americana in the historic GAR Hall.

CHUCK LOEB, EVERETT HARP

AND JEFF LORBER

8:30pm at The Tangier ($35-$55)

532 W Market St, Akron

Guitarist Chuck Loeb, Saxman Everett Harp

and Keyboard pioneer Jeff Lerber will present

their brand of high energy funk, jazz and soul

for one power-packed show.

PLAN AHEAD

BEAR GRILLZ LIVE

Friday, April 17 ($12-$15)

9pm at Thursday's Lounge

306 E. Exchage St, Akron

Elektric Events and Thursdays Lounge promised

to bring Bear Grillz after he got sick during

the MiTiS Tour and here he is! Features local

support by Nasty Blade Gamez, Satoshi D,

Alerion and DJDK. (18 Entry / +21 Bar) Presales

at beargrillzakron.brownpapertickets.com

HOWARD STREET TRIBUTE

THE MIGHTY SOUL NIGHT

Saturday, April 18 (FREE)

8 pm-12:30 am at Uncorked Wine Bar

22 N. High St, Akron

See the story on page 8 for details or

visit facebook.com/themightysoulnight or

uncorkedakron.com to learn more.

The Record Party @ Jilly's Music Room Photos courtesy of Svetla Morrison

Launch Party @ Musica on St. Patty's Day Photos courtesy of Shane Wynn

Rubber City Beer Fest Photos courtesy of Joanna Wilson


What was your first night like?

The first night at BLU Jazz+ was not what I

expected at all. The official grand opening

was scheduled for Friday October 24. The day

before, the whole staff was getting in some

last minute cleaning and training when Tony

decides to tell us that this will be the day

for our soft opening. We all panicked a bit,

especially me since I was the only bartender

that was available to work so last minute! I

hurried home, changed my clothes and tried to

mentally prepare myself for what was about to

happen (Tony has A LOT of friends). It started

out OK, then slowly but surely around 100

people showed up including an impromptu

performance by Dorianne Denard. It was crazy,

and scary and unfamiliar, but in a way, I was

really glad I was thrown into it before officially

opening to the public, I now knew what

to expect.

Good or bad, what’s one thing you

wouldn’t have known if you weren’t

a bartender?

I have a degree in Public Relations but I have

learned more about people in my bartending

experience than I ever learned in school.

Reading people is an art, and bartenders have

to master that skill. I have learned to become

more patient and understanding. I have

learned to become a great listener, whether

it's someone telling me a personal story or

someone giving me a long drink order. I think

everyone should work in a restaurant or a

bar at some point in their lives to get a better

understanding about working with the public

in this capacity. It really gives you a different

perspective.

Best tip you’ve ever gotten?

A few years ago on December 26—a day no

one wanted to work since it was the day after

Christmas—I had a party of four sitting at the

bar that were in from Texas visiting family for

the holidays. I had brief conversations with

them, but mostly they kept to themselves.

When it was time to pay the $50 bill, the

man asked me what I wanted my tip to be. I

actually hate when people ask that question

because I obviously want to respond with a

number higher than they want to give. I told

him 20% was what I usually receive and that is

all I expect. He handed me the slip with a $250

tip and said, “Merry Christmas. Buy yourself

something nice.” It was pretty awesome, and

needless to say, all the employees that didn't

want to work that day wished they had.

Where do you go when you’re not

at work?

I love little local bars. I am not a night club type

of person, so you will find me at Frank's Place

on Market or at The Square Bar. I love bars

where they have "activities" going on whether

it's music trivia, live music, or my favorite,

karaoke! Anyone that knows me knows that I

am obsessed with karaoke. I do like to switch

it up sometimes and go see music at Uncorked

and have a glass of wine, or go to an open mic

night at Baxter’s, but I mostly just stick to the

Highland Square area since it is close to where

I live.

Favorite drink to make or order away

from work?

I do not have a specific drink that is my favorite

to make but I love getting customers to try

new things. Our most popular drink at BLU

is called the Maiden Lane, a bourbon-based

cocktail with fresh blackberries. Some people

will overlook it because it's bourbon, but

once they taste it, they never go back. I like

getting people to step out of their comfort

zone and try new things. I think a strength of

mine is figuring out what a person will like

based on what they normally drink. In turn,

I enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone as

well and ordering specialty cocktails that other

bartenders recommend. (Or beer, I really like

beer, haha)

How do you know if it is going to be a

good night?

At BLU, it's never a bad night. We may be

slower or busier than we can predict on any

given night, but we can always count on good

music and great guests. People's attitudes are

different when they enter our doors compared

to any other bar I have worked at. Even if

someone has a complaint or is unhappy for any

reason, the overall atmosphere always seems

to fix the problem. Someone may complain

about something minor like their food taking

too long on a busy night, we apologize and

try to remedy the situation and when you look

over a minute later they are too busy enjoying

the music to remember that they were upset

in the first place. The BLU experience is so

positive and fun, I have honestly never had

a bad night since we have opened. We have

been very lucky.

What’s your favorite thing about

your bar?

On a personal level, my favorite thing is the

staff. Colin Cook, our GM, handpicked all of

the employees, recognizing that we all bring

something different to the table; we all have

different strengths and Colin strategically

placed us in the role that showcases our

abilities. We have become more than just

coworkers, we have become like a small family.

…We all want the best for BLU, our guests,

and of course for the city of Akron. I love how

different we are from anything else that is

happening in Akron right now. We are more

than just a "bar," we are an experience.

behind the bar

MeetLisa Stewart, BLU Jazz+

Name: Lisa Stewart

Hometown: Canton, OH

Lives in: Highland Square

Job: Bartender, BLU Jazz+


The State of the Scene

(continued from page 17)

To that end, Musica is now opening its doors

at 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday nights.

“I want Musica to be a venue where everyone

feels welcome,” says event ccoordinator

Jasmine Shadburn. “There’s so much great

talent in Akron. [Opening at 5] will give us

more time to include local musicians; give

them a stage to perform on.”

Extra Spooky members are in agreement

that Akron needs a signature music festival,

possibly at Lock 3.

“All the music is cover bands,” McCoy says.

“They have room for three stages to go at

once. They could have an annual music festival

that could make a lot of money and attract a

lot of people to Akron.”

Some bands are dubious about Lock 3 booking

nonlocal tribute bands.

Scarlet & the Harlots opened at Lock 3 for a

Supertramp tribute band from Canada.

“Why are you flying in people from Montreal

when you have all these great musicians right

here?” Scarlet asks.

With a lack of venues for its size and sound,

Extra Spooky has turned to house shows and

the DIY scene, in which a band gets a space

and throws a show. They once played a yoga

studio in Manhattan that was converted to a

live venue by night.

“That is kind of a huge thing for music that’s

our size,” Cohill says. “The bands themselves

run the shows and you can have a sound guy

you can trust.”

The Firestone High School grads have played

together for five years and are the essence

of serious—no booze or smokes, and they

practice every day. Despite their youth, these

guys believe in the power of print media,

investing in posters and buttons they distribute

around town. The plan is to release their

album, “Marbles,” dedicated to Akron, and

move to L.A. in late summer.

“We believe Akron could become something

eventually but it’s just not now, and we can’t

really wait around,” McCoy says.

Extra Spooky’s swan song show should send

them to L.A. happy. They’ll open Jilly’s July

31 for the Bizarros and the Bad Dudes (Mike

Hammer and Kal Mullens of Hammer Damage

with Mike Houseman of The Record Party).

THE GRASS ISN’T GREENER FOR YOUNGER MUSICIANSShiSho says the area lacks venues for

“youngwave” punk, a term they coined.

Despite their youth, Viv and Midge have found

a way to perform and record their original

funny folk punk since 2005. But it’s been

a struggle despite their longevity and their

chops. (Their latest, “The Sisters” EP, features

the Dead Milkmen on “The Dead Milkmen

Song.”)

“There’s a lack of places for people under 21

to play and in Kent there’s a lack of excitement

about music,” Viv says. “The venues need

to step it up a couple notches. You can play

EuroGyro but there’re people there watching

sports at the same time.”

So they’ve gotten creative, playing at Akron

Art Museum, the Akron Summit County

Public Library events and at Kent’s Scribbles.

Annabell’s in Highland Square is their

favorite venue.

“They’re a really big

proponent of the punk scene,” Viv says.

“Sometimes there’s oversaturation but it’s a

better problem than having nowhere to play.”

Midge agrees, “There’s more of a carefree vibe

at Annabell’s.”

Carefree indeed. During one ShiSho gig,

Annabell’s hosted a deviled egg-making

contest won by a local chef who dyed his eggs

with octopus ink.

Conversely, ShiSho was once invited to play a

Girl Scout festival in Solon and positioned next

to Radio Disney. Their cover of “America Will

Punch You” by Steve Ganze of Harvey & Felix

was not well received.

“There were some angry moms,” Viv recalls.

Age has been a problem for Extra Spooky as

well. At one Akron gig, 30-some fans were

turned away at the door because they weren’t

old enough to buy booze. Fans offered to pay

a cover but were still locked out.

“They wouldn’t budge,” says McCoy.

A NEW-OLD VENUEA few years ago, Parr opened the stage at the

Civic Theater to local artists, providing an all-

ages entertainment venue.

Under the Civic Theater’s atmospheric dome,

stars twinkling through wisps of clouds, are

about 2,600 seats, making the venue more

suited to large productions that generate

operating revenue.

Even so, Parr created The Club @ the Civic

series as a way to open up to local talent,

scheduling cabaret-style shows with the band

and audience both on the 200-person capacity

stage. Parr hosted 36 such events last year,

featuring a range of musical styles. Club events

are pretty much break-even shows.

“It’s very eclectic, almost exclusively based on

local attractions,” Parr says. “The more we’re

able to provide platforms that allow people

to easily access whatever their tastes are, the

more it will work to dispel this concept that

there’s not much going on here.”

Parr believes Akron venues, artists and

audiences all benefit when the entire area is

doing well and drawing crowds. If there’s a

vital step forward to take, maybe opening up

more is it.

“This is not about excluding,” Parr says. “This

is inclusion.”

The question isn’t whether that would help

but what Akron’s music scene will look like—in

a year, or in 10—once that becomes the rule

instead of the exception.

________________________________________

BIO: When Jenny Conn was a kid she knew

wanted to either climb trees or be a writer.

She cut her teeth writing news for weekly,

daily and trade publications. After earning

an M.A. in journalism, she started teaching.

Now, she’s a writer who teaches and climbs an

occasional tree.

Singer, song-writer, Brian Lisik


LISTEN LOCALMy Local Music Manifesto

Doc Rich

If you listen to people like David Byrne from

the Talking Heads, the Internet didn’t just

cause the sky to fall on the music industry,

it’s killing creativity and art at the same time.

All forms of artistic expression have been

cheapened because now every poor schmuck

with a computer can make an album and

pollute the Internet with it. How will true

artists continue to be found, let alone make a

living from their art when just ANYONE has the

ability to create and upload music? All these

talentless kids and uncles who have stupid

garage bands as hobbies are taking attention

away from the true artiste, the musician

who has been given the trust of a corporate

monolith like Interscope or Geffen, and were

nurtured into creating true, world-changing,

IMPORTANT, legitimate art. If David Byrne had

his way, every amateur painter would keep

their crappy homemade watercolors in the

attic, where they belong, and leave the real art

to the professionals.

Who are the professionals? Well, artists

and musicians who were told by powerful

people at record labels that they were good, I

suppose. If you aren’t lucky to be plucked from

obscurity by an A&R man, your homemade

record just isn’t legit enough for David Byrne.

Unless someone is willing to roll out a yearlong

marketing campaign around your album, why

even bother making it?

Make no mistake: the digital revolution, the

MP3, file-sharing and streaming services killed

the music industry as we knew it.

So… what does that mean for local and

regional music?

Digital technology may have killed the music

industry, but it did not kill art and the sense

of community provided by those that support

it and provide it. If the music business is so

bad, how has Akron’s independent record

shop Square Records continued to increase

its business over the past 10 years? If no one

buys records anymore, how is that place still

open and thriving? And why are there still

recording studios in Akron if the advent of

home recording studios are so cheap and easy

to build?

The reason: the culture that created the

major label system became corrupt, and the

public turned against it. At the same time,

the culture that surrounds the production and

distribution of art (and music) is as important

as it ever has been. Art has survived, music

has survived, and the creative community has

survived because these are things that have

no inherent monetary value but are priceless

nonetheless. True music lovers/buyers often

want to be a part of a community made up of

other music lovers and creators—and where

do you find those people? You find them

working at or hanging out in music stores,

show venues, recording studios, festivals, live

performances. For a local band, streaming

audio is not a financial decision; it is one more

link in the chain of building and strengthening

a community of arts creators and supporters.

As the national record industry continues to

nosedive, the importance of regional musicians

and bands as well as their supporters only

increases. Now is the time for local bands to

stake their claim on their city, embrace their

regional-ness, and be an important part of the

conversation as Akron tries to find its

next storyline.

Now before I start getting angry emails, I

would never revel in anyone losing their job. I

am not happy that stores went out of business,

or that people at record labels are out of work.

I will also never advocate for the stealing of

someone else’s hard work. I don’t believe in

illegal file sharing, and I don’t like the fact that

YouTube allows people to upload full albums of

music they have no rights to. For some bands,

streaming services like Spotify legitimately cut

into their finances, because they sell a lot of

records. That’s a good reason to abstain from

them, but it’s a reason that most musicians will

never have to worry about.

For the rest of us toiling in local band obscurity,

writing songs for small audiences and playing

shows within a 50-mile radius, the digital

revolution has been the best thing that has

ever happened to the creation, production,

and release of music. The importance of a

vibrant nightlife in this city can only be helped

by easy access to the online presence of new

and established regional bands and musicians.

With local bands’ greater potential for visibility

and infinitely greater access to their recorded

output, the power of local performers have

also have a greater responsibility to help

build and represent their communities. In

my opinion, that’s all anyone who plays

music should be concerned about in the first

place—expressing themselves creatively while

making their community a better place for

it. After all, most of us musicians never have

to worry about the business side,

because there is rarely any business

to actually worry about (of course, if someone

wants to pay your for it, even better).

I would argue that technology has made

locally-created music more important and vital

right now than it has ever been in my lifetime.

For those of us living in a city like Akron, a

city trying to find the identity that it will run

with for the next 30 years, art and music

are immensely important in that search for

identity.

What the music industry has wanted music

buyers to believe for the past 60 years is that

they know better than we do when it comes

to who deserves to make it to the “big time.”

They find the real talent out there, hidden

among the hobbyists and crummy bar bands.

In their version, they help the cream “rise to

the top.” As a local musician, I can tell you

that line of thinking is, was, and has always

been a myth. For every band sanctioned by a

major record label to be the next “big thing,”

there have been uncountable numbers of

bands and musicians from Cleveland, Canton,

Akron, Kent, and other places in Northeast

Ohio and beyond who are or were every bit

as good as bands 10 times more famous than

them. I’ve seen bands play blistering sets to no

one. I’ve seen solo artists pour their hearts out

in the Annabel’s basement for no reason other

than for catharsis and connection with other

people. I’ve seen strangers play jazz together

at the old Northside on a Wednesday night,

their only reason being to get out there and

explore the creation of music with

other people.

In 2015, a kid in Akron can write a song at 9

pm, record it simply at their home with one or

two tracks, and upload it to YouTube for the

entire world to hear by 11 pm. This is a great

thing. In my mind, that 14-year-old’s acoustic

song is EVERY BIT as important as a Talking

Heads song, or a Black Keys song, or a Beatles

song. You may have just yelled out loud “The

Beatles?! How can some kid in Akron write a

song as good as the Beatles?” Do you know

how old the Beatles were when they started?

Hint: they were kind of young.

Kind of really young.

I am intensely proud that our city is

represented on a national level by Chrissie

Hynde, Devo and The Black Keys, among

others. The things those bands have achieved

are phenomenal, but also incredibly rare. The

local bands we have in our city, though maybe

1/100,000th as financially successful, are

every bit as important to this city. Local bands

help keep this place interesting and vibrant.

“Local” and “regional” are buzzwords used

in everything from food to furniture making

to theatres to small businesses—let’s focus on

trying to “listen local” as well. I truly believe it

can be every bit as good for you as eating and

shopping locally.

A healthy city NEEDS a healthy arts culture,

and a healthy arts culture NEEDS a healthy

music scene.

One of the things I’m supposed to address

in this piece is the question “What would

help the Akron music scene?” Honestly, I

don’t know that we need anything. People

are working hard all over to make this music

scene something to be proud of. From the

people who book local shows at Musica and

Annabell’s to the plethora of supportive open

mic nights throughout the week and the Porch

Rokr fest in Highland Square, important things

are happening to distill a creative and fertile

music scene. As records from national artists

become harder to find at Best Buy and Target,

and as FM radio increasingly plays less and less

new music, that opens up so much room in

a casual music listener’s time and budget to

investigate local bands.

Right now, from the warmth of your home

or office, you can, right this second, take to

the internet and stream music by current local

musicians like Maid Myriad, Shivering Timbers,

Gabe Schray, Trouble Books, Time Cat, Rachel

Roberts, Megachurch, Half Cleveland, Herzog,

(ahem) The Beyonderers, If These Trees Could

Talk…and on and on and on. Their “localness”

does not imply a lack of quality; in fact, I think

it denotes possession of legitimacy. I think this

city, with its rich musical heritage, gives local

bands a much higher bar to live up to. And for

the most part, they do.

If you want to experience music that speaks

to you about our city, our neighborhoods, and

our shared experiences, listen local.

my turn

In my opinion, that’s all anyone

who plays music should be

concerned about in the first

place—expressing themselves

creatively while making their

community a better place

for it.

For those of us living in a

city like Akron—a city trying

to find the identity that it

will run with for the next

30 years—art and music are

immensely important in that

search for identity.

The

Beyo

nder

ers

(PH

OTO

: Tim

Fitz

wat

er)


Puzzles & Comics

Crossword Puzzle Set by Alberich | SOURCE: alberichcrosswords.com

ACROSS1 Lousy, perhaps? That makes you irritable (6)

4 Don’t start to give up and slowly pass

away! (4,3)

9 Around end of April eccentric local man’s

abandoning new type of fuel (5-4)

10 2md child married old & boring person (5)

11 Poet, say, is arrested by English officer (7)

12 Part of maths group is competent in two

foreign languages? (7)

13 Standing up before court (5)

14 So she hurriedly wraps present – it’s winter

footwear (8)

17 Papa’s dog eating staple food?

The cost of it! (5,3)

19 Conference for one lecturer is a model of

perfection (5)

22 Artist appears in photo as well (7)

24 Hoarse from speaking, Chuck finishes off

pint quickly (7)

25 Writer reflected on one small antelope (5)

26 For a start, John Bull’s desperate to meet

girl from Prague, perhaps, or another

capital (9)

27 Incidentally, article will appear in Times

twice (2,3,2)

28 Suffer, following live act (6)

DOWN1 Pampered girl’s back in school (8)

2 A disreputable sort regularly visited Vermeer

scholars’ world (7)

3 Projectile or bullet, one cut to penetrate (9)

4 Eddy’s admitting solicitor reasoned

soundly (4-7-3)

5 Attack falls short, very, when scoring (5)

6 One love after another comprises misery

after short time – it’s a tragedy (7)

7 American poet unknown to be

unfriendly (6)

8 Sells hot oyster stew, kept warm

in this? (7,7)

15 Repair gel sure to hold up? (9)

16 Take no risks? Lincoln’s wife wouldn’t have

agreed with this! (4,4)

18 It gives man right to return things

primarily? (7)

20 American academic supports one-party

state (7)

21 See doctor after old man boosted

confidence? (6)

23 Conversely some step in solely to

criticise (5)

alberichcrosswords.com

The

Beyo

nder

ers

(PH

OTO

: Tim

Fitz

wat

er)

Justin Saborit at The Empire

Words by Chris Horne | Photos by Svetla Morrison

Sound Check)

I’ve always loved watching soundcheck. It’s the calm before the storm. The venue is usually empty and eerily quiet— until it suddenly isn’t. The band fires up in quick, jolting spurts, one instrument at a time.

Mic check, mic check, 1, 2, mic check. I need a little more in this monitor.

Half of it is like watching mechanics fine tune a race car before the Indy 500 and the other half, a reminder that these musicians are real people, joking with each other and showing a side you don’t see when the performance begins.

That’s why we asked photographer Svetla Morrison to visit the Empire Concert Club before Justin Saborit took the stage. Here are some of our favorites… Enjoy!

PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

the devil strip, issue 2: the state of the scene

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