Cain Park 2009

Cain Park has released it's 2009 schedule for what I believe to be the first time in The Plain Dealer Friday magazine. Being a supporter of the Arts in the Heights (not by money, but by title) let's talk about it a little bit.

The following are shows that must be paid for. So Rootstock and Terrence Simien "fingers crossed" do not appear on the schedule.

The season kicks off on Wednesday, June 13 in the Evans Ampitheater with Anne Cochran. Cochran is best known for her hit single "Someone is Missing at Christmas" and for touring with Jim Brickman. Just what Cleveland needs a Christmas singer in June!
INTEREST: ZERO

The day before (Tuedsay, June 12th) in the Alma Theater is Harry Bacharach, a dead politician from Atlantic City. I'm assuming this is not that Harry Bacharach but with the attendance at some of the shows last season, maybe a dead guy would draw as well. A little more research shows me that Bacharach is a Cleveland based blues/jazz piano guy. A quick sample of one of his songs isn't to bad
INTEREST: FOUR

Another Alma Concert Series show on 6/16 is Gershwin '29. I would expect this to be some type of Gershwin Tribute. Though I'm not big on Gershwin, this show will probably do well.
INTEREST: THREE

JUNE 18TH sees the third show of the Alma Concert Series... September Songs, and again I have no idea what this is. Maybe a cover badn playing hits like Earth, Wind and Fire's "September" or The Temptations "September in the Rain"
INTEREST: N/A DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS

Finally we are back to the Evan's for Kelly Bell Band. They are not related to "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" hottie Kristen of the same last name. In fact Kelly Bell is a pretty cool looking blue playing black guy with dreads (he even has his own bobble-heads). I'm not much of a blues fan, but these guys look like they might be fun.
INTEREST: SIX

Playrights Weekend is the 19-21.

Big Cool Cats Music Festival on June 20th... Who's on the bill?
-70 Lewis, "a young alternative/progressive pop band featuring soulful vocals similar to Freddy Mercury on top of the pop sensibilities of Ben Folds." Sounds like fun!
-Cats on Holiday w/ the Mifune horn section. I played soccer with the guys from Mifune and they are a cool group. Mifune will play later. Here is there take on Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash .
-Mo Mojo a zydeco band
-Magpies indie/folk revivalists, Cleveland Scene "best Americana band"
-Mifune, afro-electronique they've got a really cool sound
-Ital, "old school reggae"
The show concludes with a jam session on the colonnade. It's a unknown Cleveland band festival, so it will be interesting. 70 Lewis looks real cool.
INTEREST: EIGHT

Long Road: Unbound in the Alma series It's the Budin group doing another benefit concert that people will flock to see. Not me, If i want to hear a cover band sing folk songs, I'll turn on Gone Country! on GMC.
INTEREST: THREE

"Happily Ever After" on 6/24 is a kids theater show, that will not star Hilary Duff despite it being dubbed a Cinderella tale.
INTEREST: TWO, unless Duff is there NINE

June 25 see Eric Bibb, who is not a member of the Bee Gees, maybe he is like Jon Bovi from SNL. Doubt it though, he is actually a blues guitar player. Because there are enough of those playing at Cain Park.
INTEREST: THREE

Groundworks Dancetheater... not reviewing

The first gig that people will have actually heard of comes on the 27th of June. She may be 69 but she's a Grammy Winner and that's Judy Collins. I'd rather see Joan Baez or Joni Mitchell but hey you can have every 60 something folk singing activist. Folk singing activists are so good because they are double negatives... folk singing and activist.
INTEREST: SIX, someday I can say I went to a Judy Collins concert, none of the music was relevant to 2009 when we had a Black President, and could have had a woman president.

The last concert in June is in the Alma and it's Cleveland guitarist Brian Henke. Henke puts on a good show, but I don't understand why people pay to see him when you can see him for free and the Metroparks.
INTEREST: FIVE

Livingston Taylor, who is the New York Jets of his family's musical talent, will be back for the upteenth year in a row. Just once could we get James to come along? maybe? just ocne it's all I ask.
INTEREST: THREE
That same night which is July 2nd is Juliette Regnier in concert. She's a singer that does not interest me.
INTEREST: ZERO

Arts Festival is the next weekend in between and a quick look at the schedule allows me to uncross my fingers, Yes I've been typing this with crossed fingers the whole time of course.

Brings us to July 17th for the band Eclectica, one would think that Eclectica would be a band of all sort of varieties, like having a band called Miscellaneous or Variety. Rather they are a jam band Supergroup bringing together the likes of Tracy Silverman on electric violin, Roy "Futureman" Wooten of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on drums and Steve Forrest on bass. Here they are without Forrest, but with Wooten and Silverman and a high school orchestra
INTEREST: EIGHT

How about pairing up two of the greatest folk legends ever when Arlo Guthrie and Richie Havens take the stage on the same night. I don't know if it will be together or not, but should be a great show. That's on July 18th.
INTEREST: SEVEN

Of course 5 days later you can hear another folk legend, at least in terms of satirical music in John McCutcheon. McCutcheon will play a Kidzart show the day before.
INTEREST: SIX

As an usher we were told either Big Bad Voodoo Daddy or Squirrel Nut Zippers would be there, obviously you can't have two contemporary swing groups in the same summer. So obviously go with the lesser known one because odds are they are cheaper. So on July 25th you can come watch the Squirrel Nut Zippers. These guys haven't released a single since 1998, but there music has appeared in a bunch of films (mostly starring Brendan Fraser) like "Blast from the Past" and "Monkeybone" since 2001
INTEREST: SIX

Pointe of Departure takes stage on July 31st they are not Human but Dancer.

Pippin begins that night and runs through 8/23. Due to nobody watching "old musical theater," by old I mean, not Wicked, Avenue Q, and stuff that my generation thinks is good musical theater anymore the Park is going with one "show." Honestly I know nothing about.

Tartan Terroes come to town oon August 1st, and likely the Scots will be out of World Cup Qualifying by then. These guys look like tons of fun, what Celtic group isn't. There most popular song is Scotland Depraved. Got to love a group that says, "be aware we wrote this song after non-alcholic drinks... American Beer"
INTEREST: TEN

Verb Ballets more dancing. When is Soulja Boy gonna come to the Evans.

Over the Rhine on August 8th, not sure how to describe them. Here is what the website says "post-nuclear, pseudo-alternative folk-tinged art pop." Heres the classic Hallelujah, yes the song from Shrek which sounds much different than the song "The World Can Wait"
INTEREST: SEVEN

Soul and Heart Festival on the 14th, is Budin's group that already played earlier in the season Long Road, along with his brother Noah. Prayer Warriors (pop-gospel) and Kristine Jackson (contemporary blues, which I think means Aimee Mann?)
INTEREST: FIVE, If not to hear what the Prayer Warriors have to offer.

The next day brings in Canadian crooner Matt Dusk, those Canadians always working for less money than Michael Buble or Robin Thicke. Hmph, still he has a good voice and I think with the right promos the girls will go crazy for this one.
INTEREST: SIX

On the 16th a band you may have heard of called The Beach Boys take over and I'm guessing we won't be able to use our vouchers. Do I need to say anything about The Beach Boys?
INTEREST: TEN

Dancing Wheels more dancing

Everyones favorite 3 hit wonder? Maybe two hit wonder, but I can name three of their songs. Possibly the most under-appreciated band of the 90s. Gin Blossoms & Tonic Tour become the penultimate concert this summer on 8/21. Tonic Tour is a group I don't knwo anything about, possible an a capella group based on a wiki search, but I'm not sure.
INTEREST: ELEVEN!

Fan favorite Pavlo finishes the year up on August 22nd. I haven't seen him yet, but the Mediterranean "master showman" is supposed to be brilliant. Maybe this is the year.
INTEREST: SEVEN

Also there are five $2 Tuesday concerts you might want to check out. For $2 even if they suck, you only payed TWO FRICKIN BUCKS
-6/16 Steve Jochum and Big Zipper - I guess he is pretty well known in Cleveland, a rock-guitarist
-6/30 Walkin' Cane and Megan Slankard. Walkin' Cane is a blue guy who sounds pretty good on all his instruments. Megan Slankard might be hot, but I need to see for myself. Listed as a rock singer/songwriter, upon first look I have a feeling she is going to be a Fiona Apple or Liz Phair type artist. I like her and she only 5 years older than me, lol.
-7/14 Skinny, innovative pop-funk, whatever that means. I think I'm an innovative blogger, if I wasn't I certainly wouldn't be charging $2 for you to read this.
-7/28 Jonathan Kingham, a songwriting contest winner, and by the looks of things it was a pretty big contest National Telluride Troubadour Songwriting Contest (ever heard of it?)
-8/11 Arrogant Worms. These guys are a can't miss comedy trio. Think The Wiggles grow up and meet They Might be Giants who then crash a Barenaked Ladies concert and you have what I would describe the Arrogant Worms as. Check our Carrot Juice is Murder and Rippy the Gator. You might like Rocks and Trees, a brilliant anthem for Canada.