Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

The Cinematheque @ The Capitol East meets west on Wed 1/13 as the beautifully restored Capitol Theater dons the indie film-loving hat of the Cinematheque. At 7:30PM, the Capitol will show Collapse, a gripping flick about an apocalyptic prophet who, now that we’ve reached “peak oil” consumption, foresees the downfall of US economic infrastructure. Regular Cinematheque admissions prices apply. 1390 W. 65th St. Click here and here, too.

Future Now! FutureHeights is purely “For the Heights–By the Heights.” Support them and their Heights-centric mission of civic engagement w/ a benefit concert on Thu 1/14 at the Grog Shop (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd). Local bands Oldboy, Twelve 21, Max Stern and Posh Army’s Nicky English play starting at 8PM. Ten bucks gets you in the door [pictured]. Learn more at http://FutureHeights.org.

Collections as Evidence of Now is an exhibition straight outta the archives of Zygote Press. See prints by Teresa Mikulan, Sara Rabinowitz, Achala Walia and others. Curated by Shelly DiCello and guest curator Margot Ecke. Check out the reception on Fri 1/15 from 6-9PM @ Zygote Press, 1410 E. 30th St. [Pictured is work by Ivy Williams.] http://ZygotePress.com

GREEN Across the Andes Back in ’08, Gregg Treinish and Deia Schlosberg became the 1st people to trek the length of the Andes Mts–that’s over 7800 miles! The couple forged their own off-trail, off-map path, traveling to remote villages and meeting people who–for centuries–lived harmoniously w/ the land. Hear what they learned about sustainability at Cle Museum of Natural History’s Explorer Lecture Series on Fri 1/15 at 7:30PM @ 1 Wade Oval Dr. Register

2010 Window to Sculpture Series For the nineteenth year, the Sculpture Ctr hosts an emerging artist showcase for early-career Ohio sculptors. Feast your eyes on brand-new works and expand your visual palette w/ 6 exhibitions running now through Fri 5/28. Series kicks off on Fri 1/15 w/ Sam Blanchard and Nate Lareau: Viewer, Subject, Object and Smith Townsend Collaboration: The Triumph. Opening w/ artist talk from 5:30-8PM @ 1834 E. 123rd St. Details

78th Street Studios Experience Have you experienced the 78th St Studios yet? If you haven’t (and even if you have) get down to 1300 W. 78th St. this weekend to experience this world-class bouillabaisse of studios, creative biz and galleries. Open Fri 1/15 from 5-9PM and Sat 1/16 from 3-7PM @ 1300 W. 78th St. Check out featured shows here.

HOT Big [BOX] 2010: Cramped and Kill Will @ CPT Cle Public Theater’s Big [BOX] series opens w/ a double-whammy. Cramped is an exploration of two women’s coming of age set inside a life-sized board game. Questions are asked (Why am I the way I am?) and revelations are made. Kill Will mashes Shakespeare with Quentin Tarantino… with a good dose of blood. Shows Fri 1/15 and Sat 1/16 at 7PM and Sun 1/17 at 3PM @ 6415 Detroit Ave. Tickets

Bring in the Bassoons Most than 100 bassoonists from around the world converge at Oberlin College from Fri 1/15 to Sun 1/17. A lot is going on, including a bassoon competition for women ages 24 and younger and a symposium featuring internationally-acclaimed players. Hosted at Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music @ 77 West College St., Oberlin. Full schedule at http://www.MQVC.org

War at the Armory Watch Cle’s top amateur Golden Glove boxers put their dukes up and fight to the finish on Sat 1/16. Starting at 7:30PM, see 10+ bouts, including a women’s bout and 3 feature bouts. Event presented in part by the West Side Boxing Club, a nonprofit club that teaches boxing to underprivileged teens as a way to build physical and mental endurance and reduce stress. [Photo at left by Melinda Rinehart & Dale Scherfling.] Brook Park Armory, 6225 Engle Rd. in Brook Park. http://ProBoxingOhio.com

Apollo’s Fire presents Philippe Jaroussky Witness the Cle debut of Jaroussky, a French “Classical Artist of the Year” nominee and 2007 Lyric Artist of the Year (the French equivalent of a Grammy award). Hear him sing French art songs on Sat 1/16 at 8PM @ Cle Institute of Music’s Mixon Hall, 11021 East Blvd. http://ApollosFire.org/concerts/jaroussky0910.html

HELP Get Your Hands on the Dream Make Sat 1/16 matter. In honor of MLK, join Hands On NEO for a day of volunteerism at various sites ’round town. Whether you want to paint or interact w/ youth, you’ll find some sort of engaging, meaningful activity to help with. Day starts at 8AM and ends at 3PM. For details, including a waiver form for kids, click here.

CLEVELAND: The Musical @ PlayhouseSquare The Great Lakes Theater Festival is loved by many, including Joe Leiken & Friends. They’re present “The Untold Story of the Greatest City on Earth” benefit for the Fest on Sat 1/16 at 8PM. Hear the story of Cle through speech and song while supporting something good @ Hanna Theatre, 2067 E. 14th St. Tickets

The Rural Alberta Advantage @ Beachland Tavern The RAA sing indie-rock odes to their hometown of Alberta, Canada, detailing “summers in the Rockies and winters on the farm, ice breakups in the spring time and the oil boom’s charm.” Hear this critically-acclaimed group on Sun 1/17 at 8PM w/ the Octagon and Buried Wires @ 15711 Waterloo Rd. [See flier at left.] http://MySpace.com/theraa

HOT Celebrate the Dream of a King Tri-C Metro pays honor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. w/ Ahimsa — The Path of Peace, a thematic dance performance by award-winning dance group Nadanta. Ahimsa utlizes Indian dance, music and dialog to explore and re-affirm the role of nonviolence. Plus, hear music from the Cle Philharmonic Orchestra. Starts at 3PM on Sun 1/17 @ 2900 Community College Ave. Tell Me More

Polka Brunch January is National Polk Month so celebrate accordingly w/ a good ol’ polka brunch on Sun 1/17 from 11AM-3PM. Eat good food, listen to the eccentric sounds of the Chardon Polka Band, and receive a free polka dance lesson by Get Hep Swing’s world dance champ Valerie Salstrom. Kids welcome. Co-sponsored by the Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame. Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Rd. Visit http://BeachlandBallroom.com and http://ClevelandStyle.com.

Verb Ballets are back! Get uplifted–Verb Ballets are back for a new season starting on Sun 1/17 at 3PM. See performances of “Lady Be Good” (a ballet piece), the story ballet “Peter and the Wolf,” “Speed Racer,” “Vespers” (an Afro-American work for MLK Day), and a classical ballet pas de deux. It’s all happening at the new Breen Ctr at St. Ignatius High School, 2008 W. 30th St. http://VerbBallets.org/index.htm

SPONSORED: This Sun 1/17, at 7PM, WCLV 104.9 will be live at Severance Hall for the 30th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Concert, conducted by Franz Welser-Moest with the Central State University Chorus and the MLK Celebration Cello soloist Tony Rymer, the first place senior division winner of the 2009 Sphinx Competition for Black and Latino string players, will be the cello soloist. Details on all of WCLV’s programming at http://www.WCLV.com.

MLK @ CMA MLK Day, Mon 1/18 is about championing Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of understanding and acceptance. In honor of this, the Cle Museum of Art offers a day of creative performances [pictured]. View the Spirit Tree, make art during Prayers of Hope, hear the sounds of the CMSD Jazz Trio and Motivation Through Excellence and more. 1-3:30PM @ 11150 East Blvd. Schedule

Severance opens its doors for a day of no-charge activities and performances on Mon 1/18 in honor of MLK. Hear music by Cle Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Chorus, Cle Metro Schools’ All-City Choir and Drumline and Opera Per Tutti. Plus, post your hopes and dreams on the “I Have a Dream Wall,” hear Hornapalooza and line dance in the Grand Foyer. 12-5:15PM @ Severance Hall. Schedule at http://ClevelandOrchestra.com.

GREEN Beyond Copenhagen: What Can We Do Together? International leaders couldn’t devise a plan to address climate change; but we, clever Clevelanders that we are, can do better. Join the Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) in partnership w/ Green Energy Ohio on Tue 1/19 to learn how we can take action to locally address carbon. 5:30-8:30PM @ Great Lakes Brewing Co Tasting Rm, 2516 Market Ave. Register

Opera in HD @ Cedar Lee See some of the most beautiful and cutting edge European opera productions from the comforts of the Cedar Lee Theatre. Verdi’s Falstaff, a dynamic comic opera [pictured], will be shown on Wed 1/20 at 7PM and Sun 1/24 at 2PM. Performed at Opera Royal De Wallonie in Liege, Belgium. See it at 2163 Lee Rd in Cle Hts. Read more at http://OperaInCinema.com/falstaff.htm and here.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

May I ask you, please…?

Music Director Franz Welser-Moest repeats this phrase at least 30-40 times during a rehearsal of The Cleveland Orchestra during a short stint in Cleveland, between tours. This particular week in October, the concert would feature a new work (Chor by Jorg Widmann) and the German Requiem of Johannes Brahms.

The conductor was as meticulous in his attention to the new work – replete with spikey dissonances and micro-tones – as he was in the Brahms, although there were no soloists or chorus for this particular rehearsal.

Especially during the Widmann, it was very much stop-and-go, sometimes repeating the same few notes over and over and over again, until it was exactly the way he wanted it to sound. There might be discussion between one or more of the players and the conductor, but each time he raised his baton to begin again, he would say “May I ask you, please?” and then give the starting point. (At letter A or measure 16 or whatever it might be.)

The composer and both assistant conductors were also seated in the auditorium as well, comparing the notes on the printed page to those wafting through the air at Severance Hall.

The intensity was palpable; the desire to get it more than right, to make it perfect…
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

Report from Vegas
Blake Squires visits CES

Blake Squires visited CES (Consumer Electronic Show) in Las Vegas for the fourth consecutive year, promoting his Playaway pre-loaded audio players that he designs and produces as co-founder and chief strategy officer of Findaway World of Solon. Download the short video here.

Blake writes: “Attached is a video clip from Vegas. Very short and just the highest of top line… The narrative is: Our kids certainly won’t view our generation as a two-dimensional World with the massive push of 3D TVs. Yes, 3D TVs. Very cool. The good ones still need glasses, so look out for the forthcoming 3D accessory market! (Sponge Bob helmet for your kids anyone?). Further, televisions are getting bigger and flatter than ever.

Beyond the living room, entertainment continues to expand along side gaming, business use and overall media management via mobile phones; big talk around the Google Android OS and Google+HTC Nexus One phone. Finally, the “new” device chatter revolved around the forthcoming “tablets.” Think a larger iPhone with all the capability of your computer. More of a computer than a phone. Clearly a new format for content and overall exciting new technology that brings the devices to life and makes them easy to use (touch screens, accelerometers, enhanced sound, etc.).” Playaway.com

The new office environment is the topic of this week’s NEOtropolis, broadcast on Western Reserve PBS at 8:30PM this Fri 1/8, hosted by CoolCleveland’s Thomas Mulready. Click here for your cable channel. Want to suggest a NEO business that has a cool office environment, or comment on this increasing trend? Leave a comment on our blog at http://www.NEOtropolis.org. Remember, this is not business as usual.

Click here to watch last week’s show on the challenges of new media like Twitter & Facebook, and how traditional media in NEO are making the transition. Our panelists [pictured] inculded Chuck Soder from Crain’s, Marcy Pappafava from WTAM Radio and Jim Kukral from the world of online media.

Suggest a businessperson or company that we should be featuring on NEOtropolis by sending us a note to NEOtropolis@CoolCleveland.com. After all, it’s your region, too. NEOtropolis.org.

Spiritual Aspiration and Inner Turmoil
Verb Ballets rocks in the rhythms

When winter throws its worst at us, we spring for the consolation of ART. Nothing iffy will get us out of the house in weather like this. It takes a sure-fire thing, like Verb Ballets.

True, just as lake effect snow is sure to hit the Snow Belt, misfortune can hit a dance company, but consider Verb’s previous scheduled concert at Saint Ignatius’ new Breen Center for the Performing Arts. A perfect storm of injuries to several dancers forced Verb to reshuffle their rep for the concert and – behold!

Verb still put on an excellent concert including 4 company premieres, an inspiring collaboration with Cleveland School of the Arts, and vibrant performances of their outstanding repertoire including Erin Conway Lewis in the best performance of Poverty Train we’ve seen to date…
Read more from Elsa Johnson & Victor Lucas here