Summer 2005

My first official night back at the helm of the Wed. Night Open Mic. at UCA was quiet. However, it WAS a really nice night so we had the mic outside. Jeff Guhde showed up as did Richard. Richard played a very low key set of various 'movements' from his opus 'Gods Vs. the Devils'. Jeff G. will be at UCA for a full evening this Friday (tonight). Hmmm - WRUW is having the big live music shindig this weekend, SAT, and Mirandas Moon will be playing. That same day UCA has ELLERY for the evening. Today I finally firgured out how to start receiving PIX from other verizon phones - very cool - if you want to send me some sweet pics from your phone please do so, I would LOVE to have any photos taken at OPEN MIC EVENTS around the town - send em to: 2164093275@vzwpix.com - included here is a sweeeeet pic of myself and my girl taken on her phone, we took this one in front of the general store in Peninsula, heh.

Back in CLE !!

I am back in Cleveland, have been for several days now. Hmmm, I guess it's been only about a week back in town here. I started a new job, at least part of the reason I left Dallas was for this job in Cleveland - and, as most of you know, at least 'part' of the reason I had gone to Dallas in the first place was for a job. And in fact I did get to Dallas and I spent a couple of days at that job and it was just not for me, I missed my friends and my family here in CLE and I had a job offer here that I could not afford to let go of. So, I had been staying in a long term hotel kinda place in Dallas, and I had even scoped out the town for potential living situation - had met with a woman who was seeking a roomate for her high-end downtown apartment - when - wham - just like that, I decided to instead split the whole scene in TX and return to CLE town. And I am glad I did, because I like my new job here and I am spending time with some very special people (my daughter among them). So, there you go then.

I dont have too many electronic pictures from my travels this Summer, however, here I just happen to have this picture of me standing at the mouth of Mammoth Cave Kentucky wearing a Miranda's Moon T-Shirt...heh

From Cleveland to Dallas (and points in between)

long storey short: A few days ago I began to experience a kind of identity crisis of sorts and so packed my car and left Cleveland and drove down to Cincin OH and spent the night in a Motel Six. It was bland. Next day I drove to Mammoth Cave Resort and spent the night in the cute-est cabin with wood floors and - oh, it was sweet, the cave is huge, biggest in the world, 375 miles of cave, nice and cold, good hiking, the Green River is pretty. Then I drove all the way to Little Rock Arkansas, stayed in a Howard Johnson, very boring, watched Lord of the Rings (I briefly 'dated' Howard Shores daughter - I just thought you ought to know that - I dont know if Howard Johnson has any daughters - heh) Then drove from there to Dallas today - nice long hot drive, I am here now. More later. Sorry no pictures, but hey, thats life.

Ohio Canal Tow Path - Mirandas Moon - MOre

I went riding on the tow path trail a few days ago, in the Cayuhoga Valley National Recreation Area, stayed at the Stanford House Youth Hostel, gosh, that place is sweeeeeet and it's less than twenty bucks to stay there overnight....the night I was there, it was only myself and one other dude in the whole place...it was, needless to say, very peacefull. If you don't have a bike, they have a bunch of em there, they aren't top flight bikes, but they roll. So, I stayed there, and then in the morning I rode all the way into Akron...it was swell, an awesome ride of about 29 miles round trip! Sometime I will do the northern leg from Stanford House on up to lock 44.

And..let's see what else has been gwink on...well, I have been getting calls from acts who are comming through CLE town, lot's of good ones comming, for those of you who read this blog here is a preview of last minute bookings in August and some acts that are due to come through in Sept. - look to University Circle Arabica for the best in all ages, smoke free acoustic entertainment - and although I am indeed relocating to the SouthWest for at least six months (for 'professional reasons') I will continue to book the U.C.A. ... so y'all better behave youselves!


LAST MINUTE BOOKINGS AT UCA FOR AUG. 2005:

FRIDAY AUG. 12 FROM NYC ATOOSA - PIANO & VOICE -This will be a good show, don't miss this woman if you don't have to .. she has a great woman/girl voice, pure and delicious. Look what has been said about her:
--------
"She calls it lyrical folk but I call it creative and delicious! Some of my favorite arrangements I've heard in years. She approaches her piano with a wonderful un-cliched blank slate. It brings out the sincerity, to let you know before she even starts singing that every word and note is intentional, and isn't just settling for the common chord." Derek Sivers, President, cdbaby.com, 2001
--------

FRIDAY AUG. 26 - KLEE - PIANO & VOICE - This young lady has got some mellow music to share, the songs she has posted to myspace are spare and pretty, simple, soothing, oh your gonna like this for sure.


AND LOOKS WHO'S COMING TO UCA IN SEPTEMBER:

TUES. SEPT. 20 ELISA KORENNE - from NYC, nice .. real nice ... and she can play a sweet and folksy finger style (classic feeling almost) steel string guitar .... check out her super-simple-perfect EP Pages for direct solo sounds.

SAT. SEPT. 10 ELLERY - I am REALLY EXCITED that this Husband and Wife duo are coming to the UCA - I have been listening to the sound files at the site (they have several full length files posted) and these two are special, they have produced a coherent, pretty, sparkling, lush CD with sugar pop vocals, contemplative lyrics, choice harmonies -- please check out the website they have

======================================================

Oh, one last thing, my friend Ryan Smith has updated his band's page MIRANDA'S MOON to pure style -- CSS, no tables, heh, that's so, uhm, dang I been using tables for over a decade, I need to catch up. Anyhow these guys are working (feverishly?) to complete another album, it ought to sound great, given the caliber of what they have been up to -- check the web site, it looks sweet.

Michigan, Detroit Etc.

After staying in The Soo for several days (and swimming at Harmony Beach - sweet), I drove The Green Grand AM down through the Michigan Peninsula early last week, it was a really nice drive, stopped at several of the official rest areas to pee and, uhm, rest. Stopped into visit Audra Kubat for a couple of days and we had a nice visit, she gave me a copy of her most recent CD release - you can check out a couple of full length songs in MP3 file format at the Times Beach Records website. I have been listening to the CD and I really like it tons, very different from Million Year Old Sand (which was recorded on miles of analog tape) - the song Garden (check the MP3 at the link above) has this sweet thick harmony chorus, yum - but I haven't figured out all of the lyrics and they aren't printed on the CD insert - anyhow, I really like the way Eric H. plays the drums, he has a pop leaning light rock touch with a cute swing feel and the production allows the drums to come into and out of the songs in a real musical way. So, while I was up there, we went out to see an MC5 retrospective documentary film at the Magic Stick in downtown-ish Detroit, that was fun (and there were many keen hipsters in attendance) and we also went swimming at one of the little spring-fed lakes at a neat and tidy family oriented park area. Then we went into Ann Arbor MI and hit a couple of Open Mic events - Audra plays a bending bluesing lead acoustic guitar that I like allot. All in all a very nice visit with my friend, and it was cool to meet her parents, they were friendly and relaxed folks.

More later..

Swimming in Lake Superior

Yesterday I went swimming in the big lake Superior, my cuz had his boat out anchored within easy reach of the smooth sandy beach and all the babes were out in the teeny weeny bikin's with the sun was just rippin' into the day.

It was perfect for swimming, I would like to do that every day.

Sault Ste. Marie Bars and Musicians

Hi you reader(s) - I went out to an Open Mic night here in Soo a few days ago so I thought I would add these links here for ya'all planning on making the trek up here, yeah, why don't set you selfs up with some gigs on the North Coast?

Here is a link to two of Queen Streets sweetest bars:

LopLops (on the lake side of Queen) for Art, Music, Babes, Booze, and Stella on TAP!! (and in the Stella glass as well)

Downbeat Lounge (on the other side of Queen) for Art, Live Music, Martinis and Martinis

And here is a link to Startlefish Craig West is a member of this band (well I think it's 'his' band) and he is also the host of the very happening Open Mic Night Tuesdays from 10 to close.

C'mon up, drink a Martini, play some songs, we can hang out.

MOre latEr.

Speckled Trout

I have been visiting Soo now for several days and it is really a very nice city, however, with the weather as good as it has been, it seems like most of the cities population has headed north for 'cottaging' and camping boating fishing so the city is a little bit quiet.

Last night my uncles grilled up a couple of Speckled Trout that they had caught very recently - was it ever good! Words just cannot completely describe the delicious sweet fish that is a freshly caught Speckled Trout. Yum!

More later..

Boating Beer and Babes

Went boating again today with my cousin Warren Wilson, at Harmony Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior - REAL nice! We went fishin' and I caught a friggin CLAM, geeez. Anyhow, the water is warm, the air is fresh, and there are many MOOSE crossing signs! I've been playing my little Stela Guitar, it sounds great. Went to an open mic at a nice bar here in Soo - LopLops. Sweet artsy bar joint. Nice people.

Anyhow my uncle Bill is still here, he is talking about going out West again this weekend - he has a huge comfy camper truck vehicle.

I might see my friend Audra on the way back stateside, I am not in a real big hurry to get back to the states side of the lakes, its just soo nice up here (wink).

MOre later - sorry no pictures. Just cmon' up here when you get the chance.

Manitoulin Island and the Wilson 100 Acre Woods

Camping with 40 youths, although fun and challenging, wasn't my cup of tea (was a complicated journey) and I split camp about 4 days ago after a bit of unresolvable tension with one of the junior staff members.

I travelled to my families original homestead site on the Manitoulin Island (my great grandfather Charlie Wilson's 100 Acre Farm traipsing up there in my flip flops) and I took what turned out to be 25 really excellent pictures of the farm on a 12 dollar disposable camera, heh. The place is rather remote and in-accesible and has no water view - and there are several deer blinds. There are three or four big stone piles and two dilapidated farm buildings. There were two great big Blue Herons flying around. It was nice to see the place first hand, I have carried an old picture of it in my wallet for years.

Anyhow, I know this little briefing leaves out a ton of details, nonetheless I have since travelled to The Sault Saint Marie and I have been visiting with some of my Canadian relatives.

More later ...

Canada - Niagra Falls - on to Tobermory

Hi!

I am in Canada, writing this from the HI (Hosteling International) in Niagra. Had a nice overnight stay, in a very small room (waaaay to stuffy for my taste - would rather camp out) with a fellow from South Africa - an HIV scientist, very interesting. Went out to Casino Niagara and spent money on nickel slots (lost about 30 bucks, heh) annd ate at the buffet with two nice ladies, only 10 bucks all you can eat, best thing about the Casino Niagra, so if you come up here and don't have too much cash, head straight past all the glitz to the Casino and down to the buffet. I am on my way to Tobermory today, about 300 or so more miles, and then onto the fairy and on to the Manitoulin Island where I will work at the camp for the next two months. And I dont know how much internet I will have up there - see you all soon.

Summer acoustic entertainment at UCA & beyond!

Most of you know by this time that I am going on a summer hiatus. I will not be able to communicate as frequently while I am away (I will be working) but I will still be answering voice mail messages and email if only once or maybe twice a week. Anyway, here is an extended calendar of acoustic entertainment at UCA including the open mic nights:

Acoustic Entertainment University Circle Arabica
June, July, and August 2005

OPEN MIC NIGHTS AT UCA SUMMER 2005:
Wednesday June 15 with guest host Tim Fry
Wednesday June 29 with guest host Will Cheshier
Wednesday July 13 with guest host pending
Wednesday July 27 with guest host Jim Snively
Wednesday August 10 pending guest host
Wednesday August 24 host Steve2.Net back from hiatus

ARTISTS COMING TO THE CAFÉ IN JUNE 2005
Friday June 3: Jeff Guhde
Singer/Songwriter – Poet Core
Jeff is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art with a major in sculpting he is also a struggling songwriter and musician this is his first “official” gig at the UCA.

Saturday June 4: Mike Allen
Local Singer/Songwriter – Acoustic Rock
Mike is a Cleveland resident who works with Times Beach Records and producer Al Sutton in Detroit Michigan. Mike is formerly the bass player for the band Jericho Turnpike and he will be releasing an album of his original songs, recorded with a full band and produced by Al Sutton (of Kid Rock fame), sometime in the not too distant future.

Friday June 10: John Toula
Jazz Instrumental Guitarist – Jazz Guitar

Saturday June 11: Greg “Jake The Dog” Harper
Country Tinged Acoustic Folk Rocker – Cow Polk Folk

Thursday June 16: Victoria Vox
Visiting Singer/Songwriter – Acoustic Girl Pop

Saturday June 18: Will Cheshier
Local Singer/Songwriter - Progressive Folk

Monday June 20: Teresa Storch
Visiting Singer/Songwriter - Acoustic Girl Rock
Originally from Omaha Nebraska Teresa resides primarily in Boston where she finds the space to do what she loves, connecting with people in clubs and coffee houses, on streets, and in subway platforms. Teresa has two full length CD’s and has been written about in various magazines and music reviews: “Vega/Merchant-esque vocals and simplistic yet funky guitar work…fabulously catchy folk-genre’d tunes” -- The Boston Girl Guide
“Bounding folk rock sound…mesmerizing vocal riffs”
-- Metronome Magazine

Tuesday June 21: J. Scott Franklin
Poet Core Sound Artist – Acoustic Poet Core

ARTISTS COMING TO THE CAFÉ IN JULY 2005

Friday July 1: Zach
Local Acoustic Folk Rocker – Funky Folk Rock

Thursday July 7: Fred Shafer
Visiting Singer/Songwriter from Buffalo New York – Dude with Folkatude

Saturday July 9: Nate Jones
Local Singer/Songwriter playing well known cover songs

Friday July 15: Joe Rohan
Highly regarded local singer/songwriter voted Best Roots/Folk Artist and Best Male Singer/Songwriter according to Cleveland Free Times Magazine 2004

Friday July 22: J. Scott Franklin and Shelly Miller
Singer/Songwriters Scott is based in Cleveland and travels nationally as an artist Shelly Miller is a folk artist visiting from Chicago

Friday July 29: XELA (Alex Alverez)
Xela is back fresh off the road from dates on the West Coast and will probably have a few new songs to play

ARTISTS COMING TO THE CAFÉ IN AUGUST 2005

Saturday August 6: Celtic Duo Emerald Frequency

Saturday August 13: Laura Webster and her acoustic band “Willoughby Run”
Local Singer/Songwriter

Saturday August 20: Steve Roth
Visiting Singer/Songwriter – self described “Neo-Bohemian”
Voted “Top Original Acoustic Solo” act in the 2004 Buffalo Music Awards Steve has recently released a very well received CD of original material and garners raves from music publications, radio stations, and TV stations from around the country:
“[Beautiful Addiction] Easily on of, if not the best, local release of 2004” – Bob Silvestri of ‘Night Life Magazine’
“People like to think that singer-songwriters are a dime a dozen, but really good ones are a lot rarer than that. Case in point, singer-songwriter Steve Roth” – Mark Norris ‘ARTVOICE’
“…a sterling blend of folk tradition, pop smarts and modern rock flourishes…” – Jeff Miers ‘The Buffalo News’

Saturday August 27: XELA (Alex Alverez)
Local Musician – Funky Bluesy Folkster

----------------------------------------------------
University Circle Arabica is located at 11300 Juniper Road Cleveland Ohio 44106 on the beautiful Case Western Reserve Campus (the cafe phone number is 216-791-0300)

Owned by Executive Caterers and located in a refurbished mansion built in 1907, the café offers warmth and a homelike atmosphere for anyone who stops there. Natural woodwork and full-size wood-burning fireplaces add cozy atmosphere to accompany any good conversation.

If food is on your agenda, a pleasing menu includes sandwiches, salads, and Executive Caterers' impressive pastries, made fresh daily at Landerhaven's in-house bakery.

University Circle Arabica never charge a cover for acoustic entertainment and we are a non-alcoholic ALL AGES venue for live music!

University Circle Arabica features FREE wireless internet access with only non-smoking seating on the main floor of the mansion (including the music parlor and library rooms) and with a large and comfortable smoking room, a game room, and auxiliary semi-private “study rooms” in the upstairs of the mansion.

PLEASE Check my website frequently http://www.steve2.net for updates and changes to these scheduled events


ALSO: There may be some interesting events coming up in Tremont, if you think you might be interested in PLAYING ON THE STREETS DURING A WINE TASTE EVENT SATURDAY JULY 30TH let me know and I can give you some more details.

MATT GEROVAC - BRENT KIRBY

Hi everyone -

I have made some pretty significant changes to my website home page just recently, I think this version of my page is prolly as 'long' and content rich as I can make it without it being too busy - well, some of yous readers might think it's too busy, ok, I admit, it IS to busy it's JAM PACKED my whole site is lopsided with my home page so rich and thick with significant content. Heh.

OPEN MIC EVENTS AND A NEW MP3 SINGLE ON MY HOME PAGE:
I have posted a long list of significant Open Mic scenes around Cleveland AND I have posted a single MP3: A very mellow 'full band' version of The Burnside Blues that was recorded at Strangelove Recording with Sam Phillips and Tony Koussa Jr. - please oh PLEASE listen to the song.


Ok, enough about my home page, here are some new local music news items for consideration:

Matt Gerovac has kinda been elusive for, like, months now but he is coming out for a show - solo I think - at the house of blues - here are the details he has sent me:

• MATT GEROVAC at the HOUSE OF BLUES on Sat., May 21st at 8p.m. opening for - Paul Fayrewether. For tickets you can go to www.ticketmaster.com or www.hob.com. www.mattgerovac.com (Pssssst: I can't find a site for Paul Fayrewether)

Also, there is a double CD release party - a big un - for Brent Kirby at the HIFI club coming up Thursday May 5th:

You are cordially invited to be an exclusive guest of Brent Kirby and The Flashing 12's 'The Mean Days' CD Release PartyMay 5th, 2005 8:30pmThe Hi Fi Club$5 21 and over $8 under 2111729 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH (216) 433-4444 www.hificlub.infoWith Special Guests G.S. Harper The Company Line Jason Jay Guggy Tim Longfellow The Special Appearances by The Jody Grind Kim Kennedy Joey D from Liquid Brent Kirby and The Flashing 12's will perform at 930pm

Anyhow, I hope everything is going well for YOU and YOURS - I am still struggling to make sense of the things that I am trying to make sense of - planning for some time away from CLE this summer - so stay in touch, OK??

BY!

Audra K. - Arabica - Open Mic - Bloging - Email

Hi All Y'all!

Who is out there:
Uhm, actually, I have very little idea who "All Y'all" might even be .. I get so little 'real' email anymore, I get a HUGE pile of bullshit SPAM like every single day and it sucks. I so rarely get an email from someone who has looked at my site and has something to say about it or otherwise just found it usefull, shanggers, maybe it's just not as usefull as I would like it to be!! If you are a reader of my site, please drop me an email line or two just to let me know that you are 'out there'.

Audra Kubat:
For the first time in a very long time I have had a few minutes on the phone with Ms. Kubat and found out that she has just recently released her brand new album!!! If you surf on over to timesbeachrecords.com you will find a tiny picture and a couple of sample mp3 files - I have only just downloaded them and will listen to them later on this evening.

Blogging:
I have only begun to write in my blog again just recently - I was way out of the habit for a long time. And then I rigged up that bit of javascript to show the headlines on my homw page and I think that has helped me to motivate - however, still a huge problem with the script in that the Netscape browser will not show display the headlines and I seriously am completely baffeled as to why this little bit of script won't display the headlines in the netscape browser, if you think you can help please send me a line.

Open Mic and the Arabica Empire:
Ok, for what seems like awhile now I have been meaning to offer a round up of the open mic events in and around town, and even though it might be impossible to get a complete list I have what I think is a pretty good and useful list - there are some new ones coming online at all of these Arabica Cafe's around town:

ARABICA BEDFORD 720 BROADWAY 440-439-0555
Thursday Night Open Mic 7PM with host Dave Terry

ARABICA CLEVELAND 818 E. 185TH STREET 216-486-7777
Saturday Open Mic 8PM no host specified

ARABICA CLEVELAND HTS. 2209 LEE ROAD 216-321-0761
Tuesday Open Mic 8PM with host Charlie Mosbrook back at the helm of things - a particularly notable open mic event with Charlie Mosbrook one of the elder statesmen of open mic and a fine
singer songwriter

ARABICA BROADVIEW 7462 BROADVIEW ROAD 216-520-4437
Thursday Night Open Mic at (no specific time was listed) with host Alan Studt

ARABICA RICHFIELD 4174 WHEATLEY ROAD RICHFIELD 330-659-2030
Thursday Open Mic at 7PM no host specified

ARABICA SHEFFIELD VILLAGE 5322 ABBE ROAD LORAIN 440-934-0900
These guys just ran an ad in one of the local music rags indicating that they were looking for music

ARABICA PARMA HEIGHTS 6285 PEARL ROAD 440-886-6648
These guys just ran an ad in one of the local music rags indicating that they were looking for music

And that about does it for the Arabica cafe's there are probably a few more but these are the ones that I see advertised.

At any rate, I need to get going here tonight - again, please email me with any questions about the music scene at the University Circle Arabica - and dont forget we have Ms. Racheal Sage coming to the cafe for a couple of sets this wednesday April 27 - this is a free show - all ages - smoking and non - non-alchoholic - free wireless internet

gOODbye forNOW!!!

UCA in MAY 2005 : Open Mic Nights : Guitars

There was a good crowd of guys (and one woman singer songwriter, Chelsea Ryan) for the last Open Mike at UCA - thanks all of you for coming out - thanks Dave for blowing that cross harp with me, that made my night, I hope we can do that again soon!

I want to alert all of you to a new Wednesday night happening at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Lyndhurst on - heh, I don't want the whole UCA open mic crowd dodging over there at once, but you all know that we only do open mic twice a month so there are two other nights - anyhow, they have beer and sports TV heh, whatever, it's shapping up to be a decent event, nice PA, MC is Robin Stone, signup between 7 and 8 for a spot to play - and AND - they give away prizes!! Yup, it's a sponsored event, Guitar Center and Budwieser ganging up on the whole thing. Go on up there, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO DONT GO ON WED. 27TH BECAUSE RACHEAL SAGE IS COMING TO UCA!! All of you should come out to this show.

ON THE EAST SIDE Monday nights belong to XELA and the open jam night at the B-Side lounge below the grog shop - heh, you know where that is, dontcha? Anyhow, they have (litteraly) PILES of AMPS and they have drums and mics and everything - just bring an instrument wit you.

ON THE WEST SIDE Monday night jam session and open mic belongs to JIM SNIVELY hosting open mike night at McNamaras 8611 Lake Ave. Cleveland Ohio 44102 216-939-9346

ON THE WEST SIDE on Tuesday night we are back with the Phoenix open mic in Lakewood Ohio on Detroit - a younger crowd, lots of street side action and tea sippin.

I am hammering out the music calendar for MAY and it will be posted soon - briefly we got Zach, Xela, Kate Morrisey, Randy Martin, Brent Kirby (welcome back dude), John Toula and Justin Markert (who BETTER make his gig this time - heh) and we are doing the strangenight again: Adam Probert comes to the cafe and records for two and a half hours. Musicians dont pay anything up front, but if you want your tracks, you gotta go to strangelove recording and sit with Adam for a few minutes while he chats up the studio - generally, tracks recorded at the strangenight can be had on CD for about ten to fifteen bucks for the musicians. Last time we made a CD from the whole night. It was allot of work.

Bela Dubby Cafe in Lakewood has beer and art!!

First, about my auto updating blog headlines issues (like you care anyhow):

April 8 2005 6:19 PM: Ok, in my attempts to create web site perfection I decided I just HAD to try to get my blog headlines from my blog onto my home page, and it (the project) kind of worked, and so far it also kind of doesn’t work. I mean the obsession can’t be a healthy thing, so I had to let it ride. Here’s how it stands: This feature currently works well enough within Internet Explorer. The blog headlines won't print within the Netscape Browser...I am working on figuring out why. I have always found the Netscape Browser to be picky and I am getting this HUGE ridiculous error in Dream weaver that is supposed to be a problem with my style sheet - I can’t find the problem. What - the - fuck - EVER... it's working well enough. I really had to struggle with this feature - seems like the javascript objXML is able to parse the Atom Feed just fine, as long as the index is on my site not the Atom site - I think it's a username password problem, however, this does not look good for trying to pull in other peoples headlines - like r3tr0 - I was hoping to parse HIS blog headlines as well, but R3Tr0 posts his blog to the blogspot, which means the Atom feed is hosted on the Atom site. Whew! So, for the time being, it’s working as well as I can make it work with the current set of technologies. I might change my blog to work differently, but the whole point was to be ale to pull in news feeds from other blogs – anyhow, if ANY of YOU PEOPLE have ANY IDEAS at all then contact me.

BELA DUBBY Art Gallery and Beer Cafe in LAKEWOOD at 13321 MADISON 216-221-4479
I found a really neato local café this past Saturday, one I had been looking for and looking for and could not find – it’s in Lakewood on Madison at 13321 Madison Ave. and the place is called Bela Dubby and the owner woman is a sweetheart – and HUGE BONUS they have a BEER LICENSE and they have an American IPA ON TAP – yeah! Thos of you who know me well enough to know that I like IPA better than any other beer should know that I am rejoicing. They have a huge pretty storefront as well, funny that it’s seems to be so easy to miss. I mean, where have this place like BEEN anyhow?? I suppose it’s been right there. Anyhow, free wireless internet, great coffee, nice space, good beer, art on the walls, it’s lookin’ good for these transplanted New Yorkers and we should al be so happy to have an alternbative to the old Jitters place – which, by the way, seems to have closed down for no good reason and with NO indications of when of if they are coming back again but personally although I really liked the place I could not STAND the indoor smoking and I hope that ALL OF THAT is going away once and for all in Lakewood call me a prude or whatever I don’t care.

Here for your convenience are the official (Jill wrote these down for me) is the Bela Dubby hours for Summertime:

Sun & Mon: Closed

Tue through Thurs. - 8am to 8pm

Fridays - 8am to 12am

Sat. - 10am to 12am

Open Mic Nights in Lakewood and Coventry

Open Mic Nights in Lakewood and Coventry

The self proclaimed 'Kid with the long hair' reminded me this past Tuesday that the Capsule Bar in Lakewood at 13376 Madison Ave. continues to host a Monday Night Open Mic ... from 8PM until 2AM - to be somewhat more specific Jeremy is the kid with the long hair, he works with Food Not Bombs and he is the host of the Monday Night show at Capsule. I have not had the pleasure of attending this event just yet, but since I have now been 'officially reminded' I will try to stop in there. Jeremy can be reached at starvationarmyzine@yahoo.com

Jim Snively continues to host the highly successfull and well-attended Monday Night Open Mic at McNamara's Bar just around the corner from Don's Lighthouse where the Shoreway runs into Lakewood - if you need specific information about this event, feel free to contact Jim at his number 216-409-1011 he answers his phone and he is a super pleasant fellow to speak with

Here are a few other choice Open Mic events to consider:

Mon. 10PM The B-Side Lounge - with host XELA
Coventryyard Cle. Hts. 216-932-1966
(This one is not in Lakewood but its a good night in Coventry)

Tues. 8PM Phoenix Coffee Detroit Ave. - with host XELA
Lakewood Ohio 216-226-4401

I have it from the horses mouth that Mr. Xela is prolly skoochin' out-of-town for some travels in June and so will be using some guest host's for his various events.

Hey, all of you readers must have by this time seen the January music calendar for the UCA but if you have actually been INTO the café anytime recently then you have only seen part of the calendar on the wall, you know the big ones that Mark keeps on the walls – it’ missing an important date FRIDAY JAN. 21 JUSTIN MARKERT is an indie pop singer songwriter acoustic guitar slinger guy who has most recently been traveling in Europe, he was in Spain, England, and Amsterdam. Justin, as you might recall, owned and operated his own coffee shop for awhile there, the Cellar Door, they had a healthy little music scene cooking at the coffee shop from what I understood (I never actually made it out there) however Justin has since moved on to bigger and better things. C’mon out and hear this young guy - he is worth the visit!

I had to miss Matt’s solo show at UCA last Sat. – how was it? Did any of you readers hear Matt do his solo acoustic thing? Matt G. has an awful lot of talent and it’s possible we are all going to be hearing him play out allot more in the near future – and, conveniently enough I just got his band schedule in my email box, the email explains that Matt’s band is going to play a few shows with bass player Corby Hien – interesting (Corby is pretty much a MONSTER bass player) - here is the near future schedule:

MATT GEROVAC IMPLOSION
TOUR DATES:

Fri., Jan. 21, 9 p.m. - SHADOW LOUNGE - 5972 Baum
Blvd. - Pittsburgh, PA

Sat., Jan. 22, 10 p.m. - BROWN HOTEL - 6 Water St,
Indiana,PA

Thurs., Jan. 27, 9 p.m. - MANHATTAN'S - 1516 Adams St.
- Toledo, OH

Fri., Jan. 28, 10 p.m. - VILLAGE IDIOT - 309 Conants
St. - Maumee, OH

Sat., Jan. 29, 9 p.m.- KALAMAZOO BREWING CO. -
355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo, MI

Sat., Feb. 5, 10 p.m. - SOUTHSIDE - 2207 W. 11th St. -
Cleveland, OH

OH MAN!!!! I met John Hill recently at the Lakewood Library, you know, he is the Cleveland’s high end electric guitar and bass entrepreneur fellow – anyhow, he is such a really low-key fellow and he is bringing a bunch of guitars to the Agora TONIGHT for the filming of a pilot series called “Axe to Grind” – gosh, this sounds way to sweet - they got all the local hot axe slingers players tonight:

The Billy Morris Band
Swim
The Armstrong Bearcat Band
Beau Coup
SNC
The Bad Boys of Blues
AND
Special Surprise Guest: MICHAEL STANLEY!

All these hot shots will play Hill Guitars tonight! Whoooooo sweeeeeeetneeeessss!!!


You can even enter to win a Hill Custom Guitar! And a portion of the proceeds will benefit breast cancer research – wow, I wish I could go I feel so – lame.

Uhm, hmmm - Jordan Stone answered my email, HE answered my email - the lady featured in some of his site design is his wife! So, someone is the godess. Coolness that he answered me. What else, oh yeah - I have heard Kaki King, she honed her acoustic guitar style on the subway platforms in NYC - check her site out - she is at HOB this Thusrday and tickets are "ONLY" almost 30 bucks - ouch. Geesh though, what some girls can do to a dang acoustic guitar, it's almost unbelievable.

Audra Kubat updated her webblog - she is in NYC busting her ass - nice to see something from her, I have been wondering. I cannot wait to hear her new album!! Well, I suppose I will have to wait. She is at The LIving Room end of this month.

The Musicians Friend is now duping CD's for a couple cents over a buck a piece on 50 or more and they have this cool web interface that allows you to design the CD face right online. The printing is thermal, good quality on a silver CD. Coolness.

And, hey, I finally have my own copy of the recent Cats On Holiday CD recorded 98 percent live downtown at Wilberts - I will be listening to it ASAP.

I watched some of Storefront Hitchcock last night, Robyn Hitchcok live in a storefront downtown NYC. Cool.

Well, I am at work i better actually do some work.

G'bye.