Cleveland Rock And Roll

J.R. JAM - A benefit for drummer Jim 'JR' Richley will be held Sunday June 30 at the Sly Fox in North Olmsted, from 5-11pm. Featuring sets by WISH YOU WERE HERE, SUGAR MAGNOLIA, RUN AVRIL RUN, JUKEBOX HEROES, and jams by musical friends of JR, the benefit will help pay for major medical expenses from 9 recent surgeries to treat Necrotizing Fascitis.

Donation is $20, includes food & music, plus 50/50 raffle.

Online donations at http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/keep-jr-rocking-/60133

Jim ‘JR’ Richley is a full-time drummer based in Youngstown who has played with many artists both regional and national, including Glass Harp, Gloria Estefan, Bill “The Sauce Boss” Wharton, Esto Jazz, TieDye Harvest, ekoostik hookah, and others. Currently he is the driving force for The Gary Markasky Project, Run Avril Run, and Sugar Magnolia.

Recently JR was stricken with Necrotizing Fascitis, an often-fatal disease that is driven by flesh-eating bacteria, and spent several months in the hospital while undergoing a total of 9 surgeries. He is currently on the road to recovery and working towards a return to full-time gigging. Massive medical expenses have accumulated and ongoing living expenses continue to prevail. A strong network of musicians & friends in Northeast Ohio are rallying together to help a friend in need.

All bands have musical ties with JR. Wish You Were Here, Sugar Magnolia, Run Avril Run, and Jukebox Heroes are among Cleveland’s top bands that are donating their efforts. There will also be special segments where JR's "Musical Friends" will be jamming, either with their existing bands, or with players from JR’s circle of musicians. Ergo the title of the benefit - JR JAM !

JR will be there and playing with both Avril and Sugar Mags.

Goal: To raise revenue for JR thru an event that draws people for admission & the raffle; and to celebrate the friendship & musical bond that many of us share with JR and each other.

All funds go directly to Jim Richley.

A limited number of "JR Richley May 31 Benefit" T-shirts will be available for sale, with all proceeds to JR.

Fans who attend the Acoustic Side Of The Moon show at the Sly Fox on Saturday June 29 will receive a $5 discount voucher, good for $5 off the admission to Sunday’s benefit, which will be donated to Jim Richley by Eroc Music Inc.

Sponsors: Eroc Music Inc., After The Gig, Audio One, Bill Witwer Graphic Design, & The Fairview Tavern.

Online donations at http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/keep-jr-rocking-/6013

https://www.facebook.com/events/465282266892860

Congratulation to Albert King, Heart and Rush for being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

I didn't even know they were announcing the Rock Hall inductees today until the my phone started ringing and the text started flowing in from different news sources and music sites asking me for a quote of what I thought about the new crop of inductees. When the first person that got thru read the list to me, the first quote I gave was "You got to be f___ing kidding me." Look these news and music people reached out to me because it is long been known of what I think of the Rock Hall and it's policies (and I am a good quote). It's been documented here for years. It's a joke... Look they are pretty predicable. They inducted their one blues artist (King), their one rap artist (Public Enemy), their one obscure artist (Randy Newman) they have to have each year then they satisfy one of their biggest vocal critical fan base (Rush) so they could put in of all things a disco queen (Donna Summer) and then they actually got one right with Heart.

Look Heart, Rush and Albert King all deserve to be there and that is why I congratulate them. The rest....C'mon that really is a joke.

Like the great philosopher (and Rock Hall inductee) David Gilmour once said "If you liked Disco, then you really didn't like Rock And Roll"

Nuff said

Bear is the Editor And Chief of clevelandrockandroll.com. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Contemporary Youth Orchestra wants David Bowie to perform with them in 2013 and have made a video to try and woo the reclusive rock star. If you don't know anything about the Contemporary Youth Orchestra you should. This Cleveland based orchestra was founded in 1995 by Liza Grossman who is the music director. It is the only youth orchestra in the country dedicated to the study and performance of contemporary orchestral literature.

In the past they have performed with popular artists and bands including Ray Manzarek of The Doors, Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young), Jon Anderson of Yes, Pat Benatar and her husband Neil Giraldo, Styx, Mike Garson and Jefferson Starship and in 2013, a concert with David Bowie would be amazing.

Check out their video and pass the word about the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. For more information check out their website here.

Looking at the summer concert schedule for this year, I have to have...wow. It's been a long time since I can remember a summer concert schedule that was this packed with great shows. It seems that almost any night of the week this summer you can get a good if not great Live Nation show at either The Q, Blossom Music Center, House Of Blues, Jacobs Pavilion, Akron Civic Theatre and Cain Park. Acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers, B-52's, Todd Rundgren, Crosby Stills And Nash, Dave Matthews Band, Radio Head, Phish, Steve Miller Band, Bonnie Raitt, Sypro Gyra, Cheap Trick and Aerosmith are all coming and that only takes us into June! There is a lot of talent coming to the stages around Cleveland this summer.

(Click Here For The Full Story)

Looking at the summer concert schedule for this year, I have to have...wow. It's been a long time since I can remember a summer concert schedule that was this packed with great shows. It seems that almost any night of the week this summer you can get a good if not great Live Nation show at either The Q, Blossom Music Center, House Of Blues, Jacobs Pavilion, Akron Civic Theatre and Cain Park. Acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers, B-52's, Todd Rundgren, Crosby Stills And Nash, Dave Matthews Band, Radio Head, Phish, Steve Miller Band, Bonnie Raitt, Sypro Gyra, Cheap Trick and Aerosmith are all coming and that only takes us into June! There is a lot of talent coming to the stages around Cleveland this summer.

Tickets to all of the shows are available at LiveNation.com

Here is some of what you can hear this summer around town:

Quicken Loans Arena

June 2 - Red Hot Chili Peppers

June 19 - Aerosmith/Cheap Trick

July 1 - Neil Diamond

July 20 - Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks

July 28 - Van Halen

Jacobs Pavilion

May 12 - The Avett Brothers

May 25 - B'52's

May 26 - Todd Rundgren

May 27 - Stanid

May 28 - The Wailers

May 28 - Michael Stanley And The Resonators

June 10 - Crosby Stills And Nash

June 23 - Steve Miller Band

July 3 - Death Cab For Cutie

July 9 - James Taylor

July 26 - OAR

July 30 - Florence And The Machine

August 6 - Janes Addiction

August 14 - Donald Fagan/Boz Scaggs/Michael McDonald

Blossom Music Center

June 3 - Dave Matthews Band

June 6 - Radiohead

June 13 - Beach Boys

June 24 - Phish

June 30 - Styx/REO Speedwagon/Ted Nugent

July 25 - Slipknot/Slayer/Motorhead/Anthrax

Cain Park

June 18 - Counting Crows

July 6 - Fiona Apple

July 21 - Seal

Aug 15 - Jackson Browne

House Of Blues

May 13 - Jonny Lang

June 8 - Spyro Gyra

June 26 - Collective Soul

July 5 - Brandi Carlile

July 18 - Zappa Plays Zappa

July 31 - Head And The Heart

Akron Civic Theatre 

May 23 - Bonnie Raitt

SLASH's new album, Apocalyptic Love, will be available on May 22nd. By visiting this location, fans can order the Apocalyptic Love Limited Edition Photo Book Bundle which includes:

(Click Here For Full Story)

Thirty years after its eponymous debut album, ASIA ascended to the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart (where the album remained No.1 for 9 consecutive weeks). The legendary British classic rock band returns with a new studio album, a 30th Anniversary edition of their debut album, two DVDs, and a world tour that includes UK, Europe, Japan and America.

(Click Here For The Full Story)

Levon Helm, drummer and one of the lead singers of the legendary group "The Band" as well as an acclaimed solo artist, died today from throat cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York at age 71.

"Thank you, fans and music lovers, who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration," said his daughter, Amy, and wife, Sandy, in a statement released Tuesday before he died. "He has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage."

At Saturday's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Robbie Robertson told the audience that "We all need to send out love and prayers to my Band mate Levon Helm."

Levon was one of the greats. A musician and a man that will certainly be missed.

Guns N' Roses Get Together At House Of Blues - Chris Akin

Former GUNS N' ROSES band members Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke reunited on stage Friday night, (April 13th) at the House Of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio, where McKagan was celebrating the paperback release of his new memoir, It's So Easy (And Other Lies). The event - dubbed A Punk's Review - featured a book reading and saw musical accompaniment by Mike Squires on guitar, Jeff Rouse on bass and Paul Huxtler on pedal steel guitar.

(Click Here To Check Out The Video)

Guns N' Roses Get Together At House Of Blues - Chris Akin

Former GUNS N' ROSES band members Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke reunited on stage Friday night, (April 13th) at the House Of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio, where McKagan was celebrating the paperback release of his new memoir, It's So Easy (And Other Lies). The event - dubbed A Punk's Review - featured a book reading and saw musical accompaniment by Mike Squires on guitar, Jeff Rouse on bass and Paul Huxtler on pedal steel guitar.

The former Gunners jammed on 'Patience' - fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below:

Chris Akin is the editor in chief of PITRIFF.COM the leading metal website on the internet and now a contributor to clevelandrockandroll.com. Chris will be our chief reviewer of CD's, Albums and DVD's. Got something you want reviewed send your request to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it