Cleveland Rock And Roll

A Decade of Decibels: The Photography of Joe Kleon Opens at Space: ROCK Friday June 7

In the last decade, Cleveland-based photographer Joe Kleon has built a huge portfolio of concert shots, producing work that is striking and evocative, as he’s become the area’s premiere music photographer working today. 

Now he’ll have his first-ever one-man exhibit, showcasing the full range of his work. “A Decade of Decibels The Photography of Joe Kleon” will open at Space: ROCK, 15721 Waterloo Road in North Collinwood, with a reception from 6-10 pm Friday June 7. DSNRadio.com is cosponsoring the show.

June 7 has special significance for Kleon: it’s his tenth wedding anniversary. And he bought his first professional-quality camera to take on his honeymoon with his wife Nicole.

Kleon’s work grew out of his involvement in music. He was a radio announcer for 25 years, with top-rated stints on WNCX and WRQK, and worked as sound-effects tech for area Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here. He started shooting for photos for Wish You Were Here and quickly recognized his true passion and gift.

In the last ten years, Kleon has photographed nearly 100 shows and events a year. Slide shows of his concert shoots appear regularly at Scene’s website, featuring such artists as Rush, Bruce Springsteen, Britney Spears, the Dave Matthews Band, Radiohead, Barry Manilow, Toby Keith, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Kiss, Aerosmith and Taylor Swift. They are among the dozens of artists whose photos will be part of “A Decade of Decibels.”

Kleon has also been staff photographer for Michael Stanley and Auburn Records for the last ten years, as well as for the yearly Kumite Classic, a national martial arts championship, held in Pittsburgh. His work has appeared in many newspapers, magazines, television commercials, and CD artwork.

While shooting concerts can be difficult and challenging, Kleon consistently produces shots that capture the artist’s personality and the excitement of the music in technically high-quality work.

"I love capturing the energy of a performance and the vibe of the venue,” he says. “I want viewers to be transported through my photos to the concert. I want them to feel the electricity in the air and the emotion of the music."

A Decade of Decibels will run through the end of July. 25% of all sales will go to benefit the North Collinwood-based nonprofit Waterloo Alley Cat Project, which neuters and cares for feral cats.

For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Space-ROCK/577928505565228?ref=hl . To find out more about Kleon and see some of his work, go to www.joekleon.com.

(Photo - Rush Courtesy Of Joe Kleon)

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