Cindy Barber, co-owner of the Beachland Ballroom, has been involved in rock music professionally since her days of writing about it in publications like The Edition. Recently she decided that the rock and roll capital needed a way of preserving that rock heritage and parlaying it into beneficial endeavors. She founded an organization called Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present and Future.
The name is lifted from Ian Hunter's anthemic song "Cleveland Rocks". What better way to kick off the organization's agenda than by inviting Ian Hunter to speak about his ties to the city of Cleveland.
He'll do just that tonight, first at the Rock Hall and then at a private soiree at Crop. That'll be followed by a performance at the Beachland tomorrow night.
Here's John Petkovic's story on it from the Plain Dealer, Ian Hunter and Beachland Ballroom owner Cindy Barber team up to show Cleveland rocks
I'm looking forward to hearing Hunter speak tonight. The, rather shockingly, 73 year old has been creating some great music the past decade including a brand new release entitled When I'm President. His old band Mott The Hoople was the first rock concert I ever attended, taking place at the Allen Theatre. Kansas was the warm up act, called in at the last minute when Brian May got hepatitis and Queen had to cancel. Damn.
My hair style used to be just like Ian Hunter's as well.
