Art runs in Justin Roberts’ blood. His mom works as a graphic designer, and growing up, he once watched his dad, a self-employed fine artist, pinstripe an old motorcycle. As a child, Roberts attended Saturday morning art classes at Kent State. Still, he wasn’t sold on making art his life until late in high school, when he stumbled upon surrealism. The 24-year-old Kent-based artist draws inspiration from other surreal artists like Salvador Dali, Max Ernst and Alex Grey, but most of his pieces are heavily influenced by music, especially of the progressive or psychedelic rock genre, be it ...
European-inspired runway show in Akron There are three things every 20-something Akron girl has committed to memory: Thursday’s has the finest selection of hipster boys, Mr. Zub’s is always best at 3 a.m. and never walk past Zelio NOTO if you need that last paycheck. On June 18, the hard-to-resist NOTO threads will pull on our heartstrings (and our paychecks) at the store’s third annual summer fashion show. There are a few elements that set this year’s fashion show apart, however. The first? Unlike the past shows, held indoors at the High Street Gallery, the 2011 show will be held i...
I’m a little frazzled when I show up at the Brick House Tavern for my interview with the guys of Mr. 101. I’m in the middle of a move; I just woke up from a 7 p.m. nap; I have my hair pulled back. You know it’s a bad day when my hair’s pulled back. I walk into the restaurant and consequently, into the biggest interview I’ve ever had. And by biggest, I mean that all EIGHT band members are smiling up at me from the table. With eight different guys and musical influences ranging from Bone Thugs and Twista to Frank Sinatra and everything in between (even Rancid and Tiger Army), ...
Right from track one, you’ll be hooked on Tyrohill’s “You Drink and You Smoke Too Much.” The six-track EP leads off with the catchy “Feel It.” A tangy guitar riff starts off the song – you know, that riff that you catch yourself tapping along to days later. Thirty seconds in, and you’re hit with the smooth vocals of Andrew Saltzman. “And I know that it’s time to go. And I’m falling back from what I used to know,” he croons with a sense of authority. Each track leads into the other, with folky interludes and long, exaggerated instrumentals. I’m a lyrically driven gi...
Rick Porrello has been waiting more than 10 years to see this happen. Next month, the Lyndhurst police chief and author will finally see his book, “To Kill the Irishman: The War that Crippled the Mafia”, take the big screen. “Kill the Irishman”, starring Ray Stevenson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken, tells the true story of Danny Greene (Stevenson) as he rises to become one of the Cleveland Mafia’s biggest targets in the 1970s. “Danny Greene was such a fascinating character,” Porrello said. “In the world of organized crime — in particular, Italia...
While everyone else was spending Valentine’s Day at a fancy dinner with a significant other, I was sitting at home watching “He’s Just Not That Into You,” eating Chipotle and trying to figure out ways to spend my tax refund check. I mean, not that I really not help given the bills that have been piling up, but I figured I should be prepared for Friday – just in case. I quickly headed to my favorite guilty pleasure – Etsy.com. Yes, I’m too lazy too even hit the stores these days. But no sweat: I can still opt to spend my money locally. Etsy offers this neat little feature t...
It’s that time again- time to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and stuff ourselves with turkey until we A) puke B) pass out or C) all of the above. And despite the bloated stomach and heavy eyelids it sometimes gives us, we still find ourselves going back for seconds of that oh-so-scrumptious tryptophan-filled treat. So in honor of our favorite holiday poultry we’ve compiled a list of ways to enhance your turkey experience this Thanksgiving: 1. Deep fry your turkey! We’re even nice enough to tell you there’s a great recipe on fabulousfoods.com. No need for thank you lette...
I’ve paid my dues — more than $115,000, to be exact. I’ve sat through many classes where I wanted to take down every word the professor was saying. But I’ve sat through just as many classes (and endured plenty of people) I didn’t care two hoots about. In the spirit of the semester winding down and summer on its way, I think I’m entitled to a no-holds-barred rant. Here’s a quick look at why sometimes school just, well, sucks: Bad drivers. I don’t know what it is, but somehow it seems like every other driver near campus is absolutely terrible. Maybe it’s just because ...
Photos by Michael Philabaum of Philabaum Photography What sport is known for its rough and tumble play, cleverly named skaters – and oh yeah, pink skirts and lack of men? If you guessed roller derby then here’s a cookie. And if you didn’t, well – as Oprah would say – get with the program. If you’ve been living under a rock lately, you may not have noticed that roller derby, the sport that was once likened to “professional” wrestling, is back with a vengeance. On a local level, the Rubber City Rollergirls and NEO Rock‘n’Roller girls were voted first and second,...
It all began when Simeon’s vocalist, guitarist and pianist Aaron Brooks split from former pop-punk band Trendy in late 2007. The departure marked a change in the musician’s tastes and ultimately led him to the other members to create the psychedelic, cello-infused stylings of Simeon. “I think it was just a matter of the right timing, like everybody having everything together at the right time,” Aaron says. “The stars aligning, as they say.” Now that the band has everything together, touring isn’t even an option. “We figured out that the best way we can get our musi...
Many college students and 20-somethings share similar images when they think of spring break. I mean, we did grow up watching MTV Spring Break celebrations – complete with concerts on the beach, whipped cream bikinis and Jerry Springer. But many of us also learned that’s not always what spring break is about. (And for those of us who didn’t, I’m sure you’re still trying to remember last year’s trip.) “That image of people lying on the beach is just so tame,” says Philip Wang, Associate Professor of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at Kent State University. “I ...
