MADE IN THE 216 :: THIS WEEKEND!!

Come check us out and a ton of local artists and talents at this weekend's Made in the 216!!

From the Room Service:
The MADE IN THE 216 event was created by ROOM SERVICE (RS) Owner, Danielle DeBoe to highlight just how many talented designers are choosing to STAY and build their businesses in CLEVELAND; And to underscore their high level of talent by merchandising the Cleveland-made designs seamlessly amongst the items purchased by NYC, LONDON, LA, SAN FRANCISCO and PARIS-based designers. There are no ‘booths’ or traditional craft/trade show set ups that differentiate the designers’ wares. They are integrated in the same creative, narrative-driven way that RS merchandises their products year round.

The other thing that makes this show different is the diversity of the products being offered at the show. The show features a wide weft of creations from menswear, jewelry, tshirts, and personal accessories to stationary, photography, screenprints, household goods, furniture and music. These Cleveland-based creators represent all levels of entrepreneurship, from the craft circuit, to etsy shops, to international sales….all people who have chosen to stay and build their business in the 216 as opposed to leaving for bigger cities…THIS is something I think worth celebrating.

ROOM SERVICE is a lifestyle shop in the Gordon Square Arts District within the Detroit Shoreway Neighborhood. RS opened on “black Friday”, the day after Thanksgiving 2007. We offer a very wide variety of items including home decorating items, furniture both modern and antique, stationary, apparel, jewelry, t-shirts, candles, books and even authentic German Cuckoo clocks, pretty much whatever strikes the whim of Owner, Buyer and Merchandiser, Danielle DeBoe, whose main focus is to preserve and perpetuate good design by showing and offering a harmonious balance of old and new at attainable price points…in a creative and inspiring environment.

The next MADE IN THE 216 event

Each time the event is held it evolves. The first two events have proven to be very successful but have always been too big for RS’s 600 sq. foot showroom. To remedy this as well as grow the event; the next event, on JUNE 26 & 27 will be held at the main store and RS will be activating some empty storefronts in the neighborhood, which will be set up as mini-shops decorated in the same artistic-display driven way as the main store. There will be 10 bands including many from the CLEVELAND-BASED record label Exit Stencil Recordings playing at various locations, including the neighborhood’s live music venue, HAPPY DOG and under the marquee for the soon to open, CAPITOL THEATER. MADE IN THE 216 will also feature savory and sweet food items from independent local caterers and bakers. This summer event will get people out and walking around the neighborhood.

MADE IN THE 216 will be held Friday JUNE 26 from 4-9pm & Saturday JUNE 27 from 11-9 with bands playing at HAPPY DOG through the entire evening.

Review: The Hold Steady and Right On Dynamite

The Hold Steady and Right On Dynamite
6/15/2009



The start of the workweek is never usually a good thing. However, a sold out show at the Beachland Ballroom on a Monday night can drastically improve your outlook on things. The line was out the door at 7:15 for the Hold Steady and Right On Dynamite. The Hold Steady is on tour to promote ‘A Positive Rage’, the bands new double package that is compromised of a live album and documentary DVD.

The crowd was thick at the start for openers Right On Dynamite from Brooklyn. The three piece are young, attractive, and fresh. Compromised of Daniel Murphy, guitar and vocals, Nicholas Cirillo, bass and vocals, and Jonathan Molina, 25, drums, Right On Dynamite came out and launched right into their set. Murphy and Cirillo shyly addressed the crowd, the group of screaming girls in the front, and mentioned multiple times how happy they were to be on tour with The Hold Steady and to be playing in Cleveland. First time visitors here, they seemed pleased to visit Cleveland and were extremely appreciative to the crowd.

The sound seemed to be a little off, so the vocals were a little muffled even from the front, yet it could not be missed that Murphy and Cirillo blend their voices together nicely. The two play off each others energy while Molina diligently bangs away behind them. Right On Dynamite’s musical interludes were in one word, awesome. Murphy played so hard his fingers were blurring and Cirillo managed to put on his own show on bass and still found time to make it back up to the mike. I think three pieces warrant a certain amount of respect, less people doing the work, yet are still able to pull together huge sound. The sound is not polished, yet it is totally put together. When they played the song, ‘Mantra for the Madness’, (which is HIGHLY infectious and has stayed in my head for days), the crowd erupted, clapping and jumping around toward the end of the solid 45 minute set. It definitely put the final touch on winning over new fans. I picked up a copy of Right On Dynamite’s self titled EP, which I highly recommend.

After the set, the crowd buzz and anticipation for The Hold Steady was almost electric. The packed room was wall to wall people ready to see the headliner. The Hold Steady came out and the place exploded. It seemed like the bar had emptied and no one was moving for the rest of the night. The Hold Steady opened with “Party Pit”, and the crowd started dancing and jumping and didn’t look back. It is obvious that The Hold Steady has a great time doing exactly what they are doing. Lead singer, Craig Finn, is in every sense the charismatic frontman. Jumping around the stage relentlessly, never losing his grin, the guy should teach a class on crowd interaction. Finn’s distinctive voice is one of the many appeals for this band. He referenced a previous show in the tavern at the Beachland years ago, and gave a shout out to all the “old school” people that were there. From the cheers, it was obvious that many people had been. The set list was long, energy high, and the beers were cold. The crowd at the sold out Beachland did not go home disappointed on this Monday night.

Messy Magazine on Open Thread

Check it out!

http://www.openthread.org/blog/index.php/2009/06/17/featured-organization-messy-magazine-of-cleveland

Larchmere Porchfest

Larchmere Porchfest is happening THIS Saturday, June 20th in the Larchmere Neighborhood. Check out http://larchmereporchfest.com/ for directions to this FREE events as well as band line-ups and schedules.

Holy F@*$ Show Review

By the end of Thursday night and Holy Fuck’s hour and a half set, even if you weren’t inclined to dance, you were moving regardless. The concrete floor in the Grog Shop was shaking and moving. As each and every beat moved through Matt Schultz’s drum kit, and the other plethora of keyboards and unique instruments HF is known to use, the bodies before the stage shook the building.

The energy was so evident; keyboardist Brian Borcherdt cracked a smile during the second half of HF’s set while peering out into the moving crowd. This Canadian band was rocking the Grog. It was CRAZY!

HF kicked off their 10:30pm set with low drone, heavy bass laden Jungles taking the stage for what was going to be a late night show. While competing with the Cavs televised playoff game, a few concert-goers found themselves glued to the small television at the corner of the bar; and the dwindling seconds left in the fourth quarter as HF took the stage.

Unfortunately for those folks, they missed out on the dance performance of the evening by one overly rambunctious gentleman. This guy took the stage with the band and danced erratically until someone finally pulled him down several songs later.

HF played a blurring fast set, hammering out tunes like Super Inuit, a quick drumming tune where Graham Walsh, slumped over two tiers of keyboards frequently yelled into a reverb effected microphone. The Pulse, Milkshake, and Frenchy’s all medium tone tunes turned the first half of the set into a darkly lit dance party.



Rarely stopping between songs, HF only acknowledged the crowd twice prior to Lovely Allen a retreat toward a softer keyboard driven /string infused sound to close out the first half. Lovely Allen, more radio friendly than the rest in their repertoire, found the crowd jumping and dancing and yelling for more as the band existed the stage.

Upon their return for an encore HF’s second half of the evening was a blow out dance party with bright lights and fan interaction. The band, the crowd, the Grog was booming! Nintendo sounding Safari hyped the crowd with its anxiety laden, lightening fast beat that made me feel like I was having a heart attack; on speed. Equally, fast Casio Bosa Nova and Korock and Roland Rock rounded out their chaotic set.

Openers for the evening were Oklahoma City based, indie pop group Crocodile and Company Picnic.



Check out all the bands at their myspaces:
www.myspace.com/holyfuck
www.myspace.com/crocodilemusic
www.myspace.com/companypicnic

Interview: Oldboy

messy magazine recently talked with Oldboy before their show at the Grog Shop on June 16th at 8:00pm. Check them out!

mm: of all the names the band could have been named, why "oldboy"? are you guys secretly the inspiration for benjamin button or something?

Actually the Korean movie oldboy is one of my favorites and inspired the name. But it does fit well with the bands mentality, we all try to just have fun but also have the experience in life to keep things in perspective too.

mm: what’s changed about shawn brewster, the musician, since the band formed?

Hands down my abilities. When I was solo I could get away with a lot due to my songwriting, like wit in between songs and connection with the crowd. Now that I have these 3 around me I had to learn to step up to hang with them. I have always had a certain laziness about getting better, but now I’m inspired and feel compelled to improve.

mm: would oldboy rather have to say everything on the collective bands mind while live on stage, or never perform again?

Seems like an easy question, is it a trick? Cause I say a lot on stage. The thought of never performing again almost made me sick to think about.

mm: would oldboy rather end hunger or hatred?

Hatred, by far. Its hatred that causes problems in this world, why would pirates hijack ships with food sent as aid? Why would food sit on docks? Why are stores in America stocked to the roof with food? Who knows, but I think removing hatred would remove more than filling peoples stomachs. And after reading Ishmael, curing hunger with just food can make more problems.

mm: would oldboy rather be a dog named killer or a cat named fluffy?

A dog named killer, I think we’re all dog people in the band. But I think it depends on what dog it is. If it’s a yippy Pomeranian, no deal, a mutt shepherd mix, its on.

mm: would oldboy sleep with kim jong il in exchange for ultimate fame, success, and celebrity?

I told you! I love Korea. In reality, he seems like a crazy dude, who knows if its just media bias or reality but I may need to rethink my loves. Now do you mean snuggle for a midday nap? Or full on cowboy rodeo?

mm: a lot of musicians go from bands to solo acts, not the other way around. what was the inspiration or prompt to put a band together?

I’ve played solo for a few years now, some times more seriously than others, but it became very apparent that I needed a band. To be a guy and a guitar you have to be flat out amazing and totally captivating. In a band you can split up those things into pieces that each person can either bring or compile. And with mike ac and tom, I found everything I am not and there are times that I just close my eyes and take in what is happening, not just creating. And it seems to show in the absolutely overwhelming support in such a short time since we’ve become oldboy


mm: who would win in a fight, hello kitty or oldboy? you can dictate the terms.

I guess it all depends if its on American soil, Japanese soil, or international waters. I don’t underestimate women , especially with ac kicking ass on drums the way she does. Also and mike and I grew up with journey, the video game, so I think we have the upper hand. Tom would rock on guitar like ted nugent in the damn Yankees video and take her out for the final slow motion death scene. Sorry girls, now you’ll have to get into something else, like my love of gunslinger girl.

mm: if you had to choose between saving a polar bear or evan burr from a burning building, which would you choose?

Can the polar bear eat mr. burr if he jumps and survives? Cause that’s what I like to call a win win.

mm: is oldboy nature or nurture?

Nurture, but with a sprinkle of nature. Thanks mom.

mm: if oldboy were to fight posh army, who would win?

Man….i’d have to think about that for a…we would. But we’d all have a pint afterwards in a pub of their choice. But truth be told my fake English accent is waaaaaaaay better, sorry max.

mm: what's oldboy’s plan to fight government bailouts and save cleveland’s economy?

Get someone in this town that gives a damn about the town itself and not about making money for the old guard. It seems like they say things that seems like they are working on the town, but nothing changes. And if they do something it doesn’t help us much, just looks cool.
There are so many things to do in this town, but the layout of the city and the social and economical separations make things so hard to get things accomplished, and it seems like partisanship and lack of new fresh ideas has turned this place into a stagnant pool of apathy. I recommend a short film by Benjamin Liar called Cleveland. It really shows the mindset of a lot of people about Cleveland, but also that there are a lot of things right under our noses to enjoy.

I will say outside of that, there are pockets in this town that are fighting back, waterloo art district, Lakewood, some areas in east cleveland, Coventry. These give us something to do. Now getting something in this town to build on would be best, like the hospitals are doing.

mm: where can we see you next?

gigs always change, so you’d have to check out our myspace:
myspace.com/oldboycleveland
June 16th Grog Shop 8 pm
June 27th Barking Spider 3 pm
July 17th Painesville Party in the Park 2 pm

Events!

As summer roles into Cleveland we would like to highlight two special events messy magazine is proud to support. And we really think you should go to them too... and it's highly likely you will see one of your friendly messy magazine staffers. Be sure to say hello (we are kind of nice)!

Larchmere Porchfest is a REALLY cool event happening June 20, 2009.

Larchmere Porchfest is a FREE event that will be held on June 20, 2009 from 2:00 to 10:00pm in the Larchmere neighborhood of Cleveland. For one day, and one day only, porches will transform into stages featuring local musicians. Based on a similar event in Ithaca, New York, Larchmere Porchfest will highlight local talent, showcase exciting living options and create a fun and exciting atmosphere for socializing... and dancing!

Check out http://www.myspace.com/larchmereporchfest to learn more!

messy magazine is also proud to be a part of the next MADE IN THE 216 event happening Friday JUNE 26 from 4-9pm & Saturday JUNE 27 from 11-9 in the Gordon Square Arts District. (check out genna p's article in our 4th issue!)

The event will be held at Room Service, 6505 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland (http://roomservicecleveland.com) and other locations throughout the Gordon Square Arts District including the Capital Theater and the Happy Dog. DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT!

For more information on MADE IN THE 216, check out www.roomservicecleveland.com