2010 Traveling Circus Knuckleheads Football Road Trip

It Is Time To Get Back On The Bus...

2010 TRAVELING CIRCUS KNUCKLEHEADS

BROWNS ROAD TRIP

December 18/19 in Cincinnati/Paul Brown Stadium

CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Cost is $265 per person if paid in full by September 9,

$285 after September 9

Includes all of the following:

Round Trip Motor Coach Transportation

Round Trip Road Pops

Saturday Lunch Stop

Lodging at the Embassy Suites on the River

(Within Walking Distance from the Stadium)

Happy Hour at the Hotel from 5:30-7:30 on Saturday

Awesome Breakfast Sunday Morning

A Quality Game Ticket (No Nose Bleeds)

Road Trip Give Away

Bus will leave on Saturday, December 18 from the Nice Place Café in Parma at 11:00 A.M., with a pick up in Wadsworth at 11:45 A.M., and a possible pick up in the Columbus area. We will return on Sunday evening immediately after the game.

Lodging is Four to a Suite

(for 2 to a room contact one of the Gregs)

Spots Are Limited and Will Be Reserved on a First Paid Basis

$125 Deposit Reserves Your Spot

For More Info Call Greg Cielec (216.496.8286) or

Greg Lindeman (330.697.1220)

Send Payment to: Greg Lindeman, 195 Bailey Court, Doylestown, Ohio 44230

Make Checks Out to Greg Lindeman

AS ALWAYS, EXPECT A DAMN GOOD TIME

A note or two...We did the same trip in 2000, 2002, and 2005, and all three were outstanding. If you are thinking about seeing the Browns on the road this year, this is the trip to go on. Go with a group of people who have been running Browns road trips for over twenty-five years, including trips to Detroit, Atlanta, New Orleans, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.

After all of our trips we often hear from people who went on other cheaper bus trips, “We should have gone with you guys.” Why? For example, when we go to Cinci…

•We stay at an all suite hotel within walking distance of the Stadium, directly across the river. You won’t be stuck twenty miles out in the suburbs in some low budget hotel. And we stay in a suite hotel, were each room is actually two full size hotel rooms.

•Our price includes a lunch stop on the road; a free Happy Hour in our hotel from 5:30-7:30 Saturday night; a great breakfast Sunday morning; and, of course, unlimited bottled and canned beverages on the way down and the way back.

•No box lunches. No draft beer.

•One of the best things about our trip is Sunday morning. You wake up within walking distance of the stadium. You aren’t herded on a bus, hungover and tired, to drive another hour or two to the game. You can sleep until noon, grab breakfast, and still get to the game on time.

•Our tickets will be in the lower bowl of the stadium. You won’t be stuck up in the upper deck, which is where almost everyone else on other bus trips usually sits.

•We don’t fill the bus to capacity, cramming someone in every seat. We always leave at least a dozen or so empty seats on the bus so there is room to stretch out, socialize, and to have plenty of coolers stocked with cold ones. And if you want to crash on the way home, there will be more than enough room.

•You even get to take home a commemorative gift, instead of a headache and a backache from an uncomfortable ride home.

If you have any questions, call one of the two Gregs listed on the front of this flyer. A deposit of $125 reserves your spot for an outstanding time.

A note about the cost...

We don’t make any money on these trips. We are in it for the good time. Our costs have gone up excessively since our last trip, especially (because of gas) the cost of the bus. But please remember, our trip has a lot of extras planted in it, and a lot of luxury also. We don’t cut corners, and we promise you will get your money’s worth. If you are on good standing with us, $125 reserves your spot and your balance isn’t due until Dec. 1.

Call or email if you have any questions:

Greg Cielec: Cielec@hotmail.com, 216.496.8286

Greg Linderman: glindeman@neo.rr.com , 330.697.1220

Two Great Shows at the Beachland, Marcia Ball Band 19 August 2010, Paul Thorn Band 21 August 2010

Last week I was a very happy music fan as two of my favorite touring acts played at the Beachland Ballroom. On Thursday blues diva Marcia Ball brought her band in, and on Saturday singer songwriter Paul Thorn did the same. Both are Beachland favorites, and both bands gave outstanding performances that were well received by the close to capacity crowds.
Marcia Ball has been stopping in Cleveland almost yearly for close to twenty years and has developed a loyal Northern Ohio following. She is truly one of the greats in today’s blues and roots music worlds. She is a very good singer and songwriter, and a great piano player. She is backed by a four piece band of solid music veterans, lead by her long time bass player Don Bennett. Over the last several years she has let her band share a bit more of the spotlight, especially guitar player Mike Schermer and saxophonist Thad Scott. Schermer is the writer of the song “Big Sister’s Radio,” which has been covered by several country and blues artists over the last few years.
Last Thursday’s show featured songs from all parts of Ball’s career, including some New Orleans favorites, songs from her last release “Peace, Love, and Bar B Que,” and a few new songs from an upcoming project. Amongst the highlights from the “Peace, Love and Bar B Que” CD were “Partytown,” a tribute to New Orleans; “Married Life,” about life on the road; the title tune; and the beautiful ballads “Fallin’ Back I Love with You” and “I Wish You Well.” The best new tune was a ballad dedicated to Ms. Ball’s father “This Use to be Paradise,” about what the Louisiana coast has gone through over the last few years, especially this past summer.
As always, I can’t wait until next summer when Marcia Ball and her band travel north from their Austin, Texas home once again. For more about her and her music visit www.marciaball.com.
Paul Thorn has only been traveling north from his Tupelo, Mississippi home to perform for several years but he too has a solid Cleveland following. Last Saturday’s show was his best Cleveland show yet, filled with great music and story telling. He played old favorites like “Mood Ring” and “I Have a Good Day (every now and then)”, and featured songs from his recent release “Pimps and Preachers,” including the title track, “Tequila is Good for the Heart,” and his dedication to his mother “That’s Life.” Paul and his band gave their A performance at the Beachland last Saturday, and the audience ate it up. For more information about Paul Thorn and his music visit www.paulthorn.com.
This was another great weekend of music at the Beachland, and, like always, they have a lot of great shows coming up, including The Breeders on September 2; Donna the Buffalo on September 8; and a benefit for the Roots of American Music program featuring Glass Harp on October 9. Check out the Beachland’s full calendar at www.beachlandballroom.com.
Photo by Rick Perk

McGuffey Lane “10” 2010 Lick Records, Distributed by E1 Entertainment

McGuffey Lane’s new CD “10” is the best thing they have recorded in a long time. Out of the ten songs that are on it, more than half of them would have fit nicely in either of their first two albums they made back in the early eighties. Although they have made several CD’s since they have reformed ten years ago, it wasn’t until original bass player Steve George Reis rejoined the band several years ago that the old McGuffey Lane sound really started to come back, both in concert and in recordings. With Reis on bass, that has allowed multi-talented Molly Pauken to play mandolin and other assorted string instruments. That has brought back that little touch of blue grass that has been a part of McGuffey Lane’s country rock sound.
The new CD has ten songs on it and amongst the highlights are “I Am Who I Am,” “It’s a Good Day,” and “Nobody But a Fool,” all penned and sung by lead guitarist John Schwab. The best cut on the album, from a sentimental point of view, is Reis’s great traveling tune “Song for the Road,” which the band has been doing in concert since back in the day but had never recorded before. Two songs that will be concert favorites off the disk are a duet between Schwab and Reis about refusing to grow old “I Ain’t Given’ in to Getting’ Old,” and “Bartender,” a vacation song which sounds like the sequel to “I’m in Jamaica,” which was on their 1984 album “Day by Day.”
McGuffey Lane will be traveling throughout Ohio and the Midwest in support of “10” through the fall. They headlined the Lorain International Festival this past June and hopefully will return to Northern Ohio soon. For more information on their shows visit www.mcguffeylane.com.
McGuffey Lane’s “10” is on Lick Records and distributed nationally by E1 Entertainment. You can pick it up at your favorite CD store, your local Wal Mart, as well as ordering it online at the band’s website.

Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio, Nighttown, 8 August 2010

Attending a lot of shows in venues like the Beachland, the House of Blues, and Nighttown, I have seen many acts hailed as the “next big thing.” I also get a lot of emails from publicists and managers hailing their latest acts as “the next big thing.” And, yes, occasionally I have even hopped on a bandwagon or two. If you asked me today who I have seen recently who might be on their way to big things, the first thing that would pop in my head would be the Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio that played Nighttown last Sunday.
This was their second time through Nighttown and they were quite impressive. Playing original music they call “funky lounge rock,” these three talented musicians put on a terrific show. They are unique for several reasons, the first obviously because they are the sons of three of the legends of that wonderful time back in the seventies when jazz and rock actually collided for awhile. Second, this is currently a side project for all three of them, but it is taking up more of their time as their popularity is spreading.
Both Carmen Auger and Nick Sample are current members of Auger’s father Brian’s band the Oblivion Express. Julian Coryell is a studio musician in Los Angeles, who does a lot of time working in Japan. But when these three musicians get together wonderful things happen. Last Monday they played 15 selections that featured Coryell’s guitar work, Auger’s drumming, and Sample on bass. New this time around were several songs that also featured Coryell on vocals. They featured songs from their first album “Cooley Returns,” as well as songs from an upcoming release. Amongst the highlights were the new songs “Song for our Fathers,” and three that featured Coryell’s vocals: “Saint Bad,” “School Boy Crush,” and “My Funky Business.”
The Trio’s sound is a mix of seventies fusion rock/jazz, with a bit of power trio rock thrown in, topped off with a touch of both surf rock and lounge music. The musicianship is outstanding, their stage presence is very professional, and the song writing is top shelf. These guys are really good. Yes, they really could be the next big thing.
Auger and Sample will be back at Nighttown next month when Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express does their annual Nighttown shows on September 2 and 3. They will hook back up with Coryell sometime in the late fall for more Trio shows. They recently spent time in the recording studio with their fathers working on a projection that they will call Coryell Auger Sample Generations. A spring CD release is planned, and hopefully some shows with the Trio and their fathers next summer. For more info about the Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/CORYELL-AUGER-SAMPLE-TRIO/373282267852.
As always there are a lot of great shows coming up at Nighttown including Cleveland born NYC jazz guitarist Rick Stone on Sunday, August 22, the above-mentioned Brian Auger shows on Thursday and Friday September 2 & 3, and the Freddy Cole Quartet on Saturday, September 4. Check out Nighttown’s complete music schedule at www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Photos by Dave Hostetler

Four for August 2010

Four for August

Recently I have received several emails complimenting me on concert reviews for CoolCleveland, but also asking me what upcoming shows would I recommend. Several of the emails came from readers whom haven’t yet attended a show at a venue like the Beachland or Nighttown or the House of Blues, but would like to. I looked at the concert calendar for Greater Cleveland and over the next four weeks four shows at three different venues highlight a busy August concert scene. They represent four different genres of popular music, all three acts were outstanding on their last visits to Cleveland, and all would be good reasons to also check out the venues.

On Sunday, August 8 at 7:00 P.M., at NightTown in Cleveland Heights, the jazz outfit Trio, a next generation All-Star group from Los Angeles featuring Julian Coryell on guitar, Karma Auger on drums, & Nick Sample on bass, will be performing. This is a side project for all three performers who currently tour with their more famous fathers. The last time through town they brought a younger than usual crowd to Nighttown and gave a great performance of jazz in the rock-influenced style pioneered by their fathers back in the Seventies.
It can be such a hit or miss proposition when dealing with the offspring of established musicians. For every Rosanne Cash, some one who succeeds despite being in a parent's shadow, there are many who don't. The members of Trio are already seasoned veterans of the music world, and are all talented musicians in their own rights.
My notes from their last Nighttown show describe their music as George Benson meets Rare Earth meets Funkadelic meets Dicky Betts. And, of course, you couldn't help but notice the influences of the elder Auger, Coryell, and Sample. The trio did a great job of keeping the audience's attention with instrumentals with catchy titles like "Nadine," "Beautiful," "The Purple Panther," and "Walking the Dragon." Most of the songs left room for solos and improvisation from all three members. Both the songs and the performance were very good. For more info about Trio visit www.myspace.com/coryellaugersampletrio. To check out other great shows coming to NightTown visit www.ClevelandNightTown.com.

On Friday, August 13 at 8:00 at the House of Blues is the return of all original members of the early eighties super group Asia. During their last show at the House of Blues two years ago, Guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Carl Palmer, bassist/vocalist John Wetton, and keyboardist Geoff Downes put on an outstanding show that included the hits from their landmark early eighties albums; fresh new material from their 2008 CD Phoenix, including “An Extraordinary Life”; and they even went back into the past with a some songs from their original bands (Yes, ELP, King Crimson, the Buggles). They are currently touring in support of their 2010 release “Omega.” Tickets are $35 in advance. For more information about Asia visit www.originalasia.com. To check out all the great stuff going on at the House of Blues go to www.hob.com/Cleveland.

On Thursday, August 19, at 8:00 P.M. at the Beachland Ballroom blues and boogie-woogie legend Marcia Ball and her band return. The Louisiana born, Texas based Ms. Ball is a multiple winner of W.C. Handy awards, and is considered by many the finest blues pianist performing today. This is a chance to see one of the greats of today’s blues and roots music scene. Tickets are $25 in advance and will go fast. For more info about Marcia Ball visit www.marciaball.com. At her last Beachland show the full house in attendance loved every minute of it, whether it was sitting still listening to a beautiful ballad or up on their feet dancing to a boogie number.
Often praised for her piano playing, she is just as good of a singer, whether it’s a New Orleans dancing in the street number or a soulful version of Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927." Marcia Ball is truly one of the living legends of American roots music.

And closing out the month, also at the Beachland, is the August 21 return of the Paul Thorn Band. A Paul Thorn show is part old time revival, part roots music, part blues show, part rock and roll concert. He is becoming another one of those Cleveland darlings, a regional artist from somewhere else who comes through town once a year or so, and solely by word of mouth each time the crowd gets a little bigger. He is from Tupelo, Mississippi, and is a great songwriter, a solid performer, and an American musical original. His observations of the world around him are priceless. If there was any justice in the world, he'd be sitting on the top of the music industry. For more about Paul Thorn and his music visit www.paulthorn.com. As always, there are a lot of great shows coming up at the Beachland, visit www.beachlandballroom.com for more information.

I highly recommend each of these shows for a great night out of live music. All three clubs have pretty extensive websites with directions, places to park, and lists of upcoming events.

Desiree Boardwine "Wonderland" 2010

Desiree Boardwine “Wonderland”
2010 Gateway City Records

Over the last several years singer/songwriter Desiree Boardwine has been a pretty busy young lady. Besides graduating high school in the spring of 2009, and attending college full time this past year, she has taken bands to the Tri-C Rock Off Finals twice at the House of Blues; lead her family onto national television by making the finals of the CBS Morning Show Best Family Band in America contest; and just recently won the Grand Prize in the Time Warner Cable Random Acts of Music Songwriting Contest.

She has also just finished her first CD release, a five song EP titled “Wonderland.” On all five tracks she is joined by a group of young but seasoned area musicians, lead by guitar virtuoso Brian Poston and her brother Brett on keyboards. She is a very talented songwriter, and her music shows a lot of originality as well as influences from Pat Benatar to Janet Jackson.

On Saturday, July 24, at the Arena in Streetsboro she will be headlining a release party for both her CD and the professionally done video which was one of the prizes in the Random Acts of Music contest. Doors open at 7:00, with music starting at 8:00. Special guest will be Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Amy Kuney, who has had her music featured on MTV, One Tree Hill, and the Gilmore Girls. Opening act will be The Crazed. The Arena is located in the Streetsboro Plaza, at the intersection of Route 14 and 303 East in downtown Streetsboro.

Tickets for the evening are only $12 at the door, and if you bring a copy of this article you will get in for half price.

For more about Desiree Boardwine and her music visit www.ourstage.com/profile/desireeboardwine. For more about Amy Kuney and her music visit http://www.myspace.com/amykuney. For more information about The Arena Sports and Entertainment Complex in Streetsboro visit www.myspace.com/arenaniteclub.

"Midwest Coast" (2009) and "Baroque Music for Trumpet" (2010) both by Josh Rzepka

Josh Rzepka has had a busy last couple of years. Besides finishing his Masters at Boston University in musical performance (after a degree in music from Oberlin), he has released two solid CDs of music. The first "Midwest Coast" is filled with ten original compositions of various jazz styles, while the second "Baroque Music for Trumpet" is made up of 17 tracks of traditional classical music. Quite a contrast, but this young man from the Akron is talented enough to pull both of them off.
"Midwest Coast" finds Rzepka fronting a talented quartet with local keyboard legend Jackie Warren on piano, Peter Dominguez on bass, and Ron Godale on drums. The music on the disc ranges in influences from Latin America to Harlem. "Boroque Music for Trumpet" finds Rzepka playing melodies written by Handel, Vivaldi, Purcell, and Telemann amongst others. He gets a little help from soprano Rebecca Freshwater on a beautiful version of Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim."
On Thursday, July 8, Rzepka will be performing selections from both CD's at NightTown in Cleveland Heights. He will be backed by the band who recorded "Midwest Coast" with him. If you want to see one of Northern Ohio's most promising up and coming talents I'd check out this show.
Photo by Robert J. Saferstein.