Greater Cleveland has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to catching live music.
You can hit the historic Beachland Ballroom, which has been an anchor institution in the Collinwood neighborhood for over 20 years. You can go bowling before or after a show at Mahall’s in Lakewood, or grab a hotdog and see an up-and-coming band at the Happy Dog in Gordon Square.
Nationally touring bands fill the Agora Ballroom, Jacob’s Pavilion, and the list goes on.
But along with all of these local venues and the local artists that fill them, musicians and venue owners say a need exists to better support the musical ecosystem of the region.
Results from the recent Greater Cleveland Music Census that polled more than 2700 artists, venue owners, and promoters illustrated that while the landscape for musicians is strong, more can be done to support the creators and presenters.
Monday on the “Sound of Ideas,” we’ll talk about the results of that survey and how those who organized the census will use the data to shore up funding, as well as create structural change in Northeast Ohio.
Those changes include everything from a calendar of events that will be assembled by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, to potentially new state-wide legislation that will collect dollars for a music fund from liquor sales.
Two venue owners, Sean Watterson of the Happy Dog and Cindy Barber of the Beachland Ballroom, will be in studio to talk about the work they're engaged in.
To close the show, we’ll shift the focus from local artists trying to make a living, to the big international acts that fill stadiums and arenas in Northeast Ohio. We’ll hear from a Live Nation representative about what it takes to attract a Taylor Swift or Rolling Stones to play a show in Cleveland.
Guests:
- Sean Watterson, Co-Owner, The Happy Dog; Board Member, National Independent Venue Assocation
- Cindy Barber, Owner, The Beachland Ballroom; Founder, "Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present, and Future"
- Kent Smith, Ohio State Senator
- Barry Gabel, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sponsorship Sales, Live Nation Concerts
