San Goodee - BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTEE

I believe Cleveland Tapes and the many hip-hop artists they represent has decided to forego the winter by releasing a plethora of sweet summer albums complete with mini-skirt donned beats.
The latest release by San Goodee aka Santorise Turner  BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTEE is an example of the labels urgency to "Put up or ShutUp" which is evident on: LIVING FOR THE NOW "since tomorrow ain't promised our time's not long, i gotta get it, i'm livin' for the now.."
BIG BROTHERS WATCHING "..big brother's watchin', i'm not likin' what i'm seein', a whole lot of hosin', not enough MCin', a whole lot of nothin' just takin' up space, a whole lot of bodies, i don't see no face.."
FUGAZI "..you cats too lazy, tryin to be JayZ, like you can phase me? you forget who raised me, cause hip-hop made me and you cats fugazi.."

San's concept is simple - "it seems that alot of the culture is dying off, and cats are wild for the night, like their Big Bro hasn't been watching." With a nod and a wink to Spike Lee's film- School Daze- BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTEE is infectious from the start, and filled with glorious lyrics and epic bounce.

Featuring guest appearances by ZION of Muamin Collective, and Singer/songwriter Donald King- BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTEE is the kind of album that will demand more than a few listens

BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTEE does indeed, demand more than a few listens and has been on this listeners player repeating for the last week. This full length download is available at Cleveland Tapes for a mere 5 bucks. Help stimulate Cleveland's economy and forego the harsh winter for less than a pint of Christmas Ale.

ClevelandSeen awards this album 4 out of 5 palm trees.


BIG BROTHERS WATCHING


LIVING FOR THE NOW


FUGAZI

San Goodee - BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTEE by Cleveland Tapes

released 19 December 2009
written + performed by Santorise Turner
with additional writing/performances by
Josiah Quarles + Donald King
production by aLIVE + e.React
recorded/mixed/mastered by Elijah Vazquez @ The Used Toy Store + KILOLOhouse

Xmas @ The Grog Shop w/The Chargers Street Gang

It has been several years that the CSG has been active as a band though the group does not want this Christmas show at the Grog to be labeled as a reunion show. My best guess for that reasoning is that reunion shows often are a let down with the band reuniting well pass their prime. One cannot accuse the Chargers with being past their prime at the end of 2009 with members still in their 20's & 30's. Much anticipation for this ununion from loyal fans as well as those that never had a chance to see the band live will certainly make this night a "must-see" for those that consider themselves as local music enthusiasts.

Opening for the Chargers this night are: Sun God, Founding Fathers & Self Destruct Button.

grogshop.gs

Photo courtesy of Jay Brown aka jfotoman.

The Fuzzy Stones - Get It Together

The Fuzzy Stones is an animated rock band touring the world in their magic hot air balloon, playing sweet tunes and spreadin' the love to hip kids of all kinds.

TFS are a group of studio musicians mostly from the Cleveland area that got together for a fun romp in the children's genre of rock and roll while still appealing to the grown-up fan of singer-songwriter driven rock.

If you purchase the Fuzzy Stones debut CD, the band will give 50% of your purchase to University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital! More info is on their purchase page here:
http://www.thefuzzystones.com/rainbowbabies/

Fuzzy Stones - When Things Get All Fuzzy

New Releases From Smog Veil Records

Smog Veil Records is a indie label that began in Cleveland in 1991 then relocated to Reno Nevada seven years later, in 2005 Smog Veil moved to its current location in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. Their new building has solar panels, wind turbines, a rooftop garden and 15 60 foot deep wells that will supply geothermal/cooling. All this makes SVR one of the first record labels to be certified "green".

Smog Veil still represents many Cleveland bands including Pere Ubu, Rocket From The Tombs, Face Value, Amps2Eleven, etc. SVR has recently released a few excellent releases that I have listed below with details provided from the label.
There is still about a week to order from Smog Veil if you intend your purchase as a gift for the holidays, I have tagged this and other posts that pertain to something that can be purchased, as "Stocking Stuffers".

Pere Ubu - Long Live Pere Ubu

All hail the survival of the UNfit! Brutal, lacking charm, no redeeming virtues -an album for our times.
This project, taken altogether, is a ridiculously ambitious effort. It started in the summer of 2007 as a series of songs to be inspired by Alfred Jarry's "Ubu Roi." One early goal was to approach the space between songs in a new way, using connective dialog and ambient noise as bridges, while remaining true to Jarry's anti-theatrical methods. This led directly to the notion of a live "radio play" that would unify the concert set. The motivation was not so much a "concept" performance but a way to manage the "silence" between songs so that the spoken word is manipulated with a jazz sensibility.[read more / buy CD]

This Moment In Black History - Public Square

Newest, latest, and greatest from the current undeniable undisputed champs of Cleveland. 13 songs, no, explosions, that the band will be ripping through on tour this Spring.
Multi-colored wax, full-color 2-sided insert, free download code included. Strictly limited to 1 and only 1 pressing of 1000.

"This Moment in Black History: a more smoking live band you are not likely to find, and their recordings live up to their explosive shows.” --Josh Razorcake

“8 out of 10…an undeniably jarring aspect of their music and the approach is unique enough to make them seem like visionaries in the stagnant world of hardcore punk.” --Joe Tacopino, PopMatters.com [buy LP]

Easter Monkeys - CD / DVD Combo

It’s generally accepted amongst the Cleveland cognoscenti that Easter Monkeys were the best rock ‘n’ roll band calling the city home in the early to mid 1980’s. Rock ‘n’ roll in the sense of the Ghoulardi-inspired hybrid that Cleveland is known for. The band was fronted by ex-Kneecappers Chris Yarmock, bassist Charlie Ditteaux, with Jim Jones (Pere Ubu, Home and Garden, Mirrors) amazingly creepy guitar work and Linda Hudson’s basement beat. This release collects up the band’s lone LP, comp tracks, unreleased stuff and a DVD of a 1982 gig.

'We just decided to make some noise with no real idea of what we were doing. We certainly didn’t think it would turn into a band, and we were really surprised when people kept coming to see us!' --Jim Jones Your Flesh magazine, 1992.

NOTE: the download version has extra tracks! [buy CD / DVD]

Frenemy Fail Of The Pittsburgh Waffle Shop

This past Friday the Front Room Gallery on Superior Avenue and the Waffle Shop in Pittsburgh both had a "Creative Comradery" collaboration of sorts titled "Frenemies".

FRENEMIES is a group exhibition featuring artists who are either from, reside in, or have ties to Cleveland and/or Pittsburgh. The title, a portmanteau of “friend” and “enemy,” eludes simultaneously to the age-old rivalry between these two cities (most often associated with football) and to the striking similarities between them. By bringing together artists who share common sensibilities, from playful and humorous to absurd and bizarre, we hope to highlight the shared experience and inspire creative comradery and collaboration between the two cities.. [Front Room]

 I am not a fan of football and therefore I don't give a shit about the Browns or the Steelers but I understand the friend/enemy "comradery" between the two cities because of the close proximity and the many ex-Pittsburghers that inhabit Cleveland. Hell, Mayor Frank Jackson has proclaimed this "Brown and Orange Week" despite the home team having a 1-11 record!

The other day as I was roaming the internet's I came across a flyer that the Waffle Shop produced to promote the "Frenemies" event. The flyer consists of some decent graphic work with a map of the two cities in the background had a couple tin-cans connected by string as Grover Cleveland "spoke" to Andrew Carnegie in the foreground of the image [shown below]. I imagine the former President saying something like this: "Andrew, do have any idea why I am being associated with Cleveland Ohio?"

I realize art is not rocket science but I would hope that an adult would know the difference between a former President and Moses Cleaveland when depicting the founder of Cleveland in a advertisement of sorts. Hopefully this was not done by a Carnegie Mellon student. -FG

Fifth Annual Asterisk Gallery Xmas Auction & The Tremont ArtWalk

This annual holiday art auction goes a long way in helping proprietor Dana Depew keep Asterisk Gallery open throughout the year as he has done since 2001.

Come Help Support Cleveland Art

Find that perfect Xmas gift for that hard to shop for person. Dana L. Depew and other Cleveland artists have donated countless works of art.
The opening bid on ALL pieces starts at a mere $30.
This is a great opportunity to obtain great art at a great price and help support Asterisk Gallery. All proceeds from this event go directly to keeping the gallery open to the public and to help subsidize future events.
2 day event

Silent Bidding begins Friday Dec 11, 5-10pm and ends Sat Dec 12, 6-11pm
Auction is over at 11pm sharp on Saturday.

The silent bidding begins this Friday and is part of the Tremont ArtWalk holiday edition, I've listed below some of the other highlights from this final Tremont ArtWalk of 2009, for more details visit tremontartwalk.org [Details of this months ArtWalk were not updated sa of this writing.]

Asterisk* – 2393 Professor Ave.
Fifth annual Christmas silent auction. List of artists @ Asterisks blog.

Visible Voice - 1023 Kenilworth Ave.

The Tremont Art Walk takes place on December 11th starting at 6:00pm.We are very pleased and honored to announce that we will be hosting a special artist showing their work at the store. Photographer and Owner of Kokoon Gallery William G. Scheele will be displaying his photo exhibit: Look Out Cleveland: Bob Dylan and The Band. This exhibit was originally shown at Bill's gallery earlier this year. Due to the importance and historical significance of these photogragh's, Mr. Scheele has decided to exhibit these photos at our store. They will be on display throughout January.

Bill was the equipment and stage manager for The Band from 1969-1976. The Band, which is considered one of the founding groups of Americana and credited with refocusing rock music on its traditional side was together from 1967 to 1976.They were also Bob Dylan's greatest backing band.

Brandt Gallery - 1028 Kenilworth Ave.
Mikel Mahoney: Random Acts Of Creativity
Music performance by Jose Luna.


Doubting Thomas Gallery – 856 Jefferson Ave.
Extreme Art Makeover


Lilly Handmade Chocolates - 761 Starkweather Ave.
Featuring Holiday Gifts & The Montague Collection:
Art from Jontathan Adams, Emily Dove Gross, AK Snyder


Jewel Heart - 2670 West 14th St.

Christmas sale

Cleveland's Best New Rock Bands Of 2009

Cleveland had quite a few very decent new bands that made their debut this year, more than any in recent memory aside from the Lottery League project that happened a couple years ago.  Many of these groups were formed with members of other successful local bands, MegaChurch [Machine Go Boom, This Is Exploding], Founding Fathers [Roue, Tokyo Storm Warning, Reigning Sound], Buried Wires [Brian Straw, MGB, Aloha], Shiny Penney [Dreadful Yawns].
One or possibly two of these bands may have started at the end of 2008 but they didn't find their "full stride" until '09..

If you have a chance, get yourself out to a show one of these bands are performing and you won't be disappointed. I'm looking forward to upcoming releases that hopefully are coming as well as the maturation of their development in a year from now when the local scene paper will probably be finally taking notice.

MegaChurch



Buried Wires



Founding Fathers



Shiny Penney



Prisoners

Wooly Bullies

Crooked River Blues Band



Blacka Watra

Stimulus Package Final Show w/ Cobra Verde @ The Happy Dog

Stimulus Package was created by randomly selecting their members via a bingo hopper in the inaugural Lottery League. Their final show is at The Happy Dog on 58th & Detroit Avenue this Friday night the 4th of December. Performing with SP will be local favorites Cobra Verde also on the bill is Good Touch Bad Touch.

Flyer by JohnG.