Cleveland . . . Soccer & Rock n Roll

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
1100 Rock & Roll Blvd.
Cleveland, OH
PH: 216-781-ROCK
www.rockhall.com


As I sat in my hotel room on Saturday night, I found myself thumbing through the Cleveland tourist guide. When I reached the fifth or sixth page, there was a half-page ad for the Bruce Springsteen special exhibit "From Asbury Park to the Promised Land." All I could think was how could I come to Cleveland and leave without seeing what the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame had to share regarding the life and music of one of my all-time musical inspirations. While I do not agree with his political positions on most things (more on that later), I do feel that he represents the average working man, woman and family in America. Anointed the future face of rock and roll back in the 70’s, today he is one of the most prolific song writers and performers. Cover boy of Time and Newsweek back in 1975 . . . he was the most recent cover story on AARP’s magazine as he turned 60 in September.

With my Sunday meeting scheduled to go until 12:00noon and a 2:45pm flight, my challenge was to figure out a way to squeeze in a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum. Luck was on my side, as our meeting adjourned shortly after 9:00am making a 10:00am opening hour a real possibility! I figured that would give me about 90 minutes to take in the Springsteen exhibit. When I told folks of my plan, everyone said "Oh it is six floors of great exhibits . . . you’ll need at least three or four hours to take it all in." That’s OK I responded . . . I only need to do two of them!

David and I visited the tribute to music along Cleveland’s Lake Erie back in 2004 so I didn’t need to view the costumes, vehicles, music and other exhibits of the many outstanding hall of fame members. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great place to really take in the stories of all the music that I grew up with. I remember back in 2004 how cool David thought it was to see the car from the ZZ Top Eliminator tour. Yes, that was pretty cool, indeed. There is a lot to see and experience and I would encourage anyone making their first (and perhaps only) visit to allow at least half of a day.

For me, it was to be a breeze through visit. Once I had my ticket and wristband, upstairs I headed to the "special exhibits" floors (the top two of the pyramid shaped building). If there was any disappointment, it was that they had the two smallest floors dedicated to the Boss. Surely they could have filled two of the larger floors with the music and life spanning over 40 years. That’s OK . . . what they had was outstanding!

Before I headed upstairs, however, the friendly guide on the main level said that while I had limited time and didn’t plan on taking in the other exhibit areas she strongly recommended I check out the Springsteen "car" on display on the lower level. OK sure, I though as I hustled by the wrist-banding station to seek out "the car". I wasn’t even sure what make or model car I was looking for. I figured, however, I would know it when I saw it.

As I turned one corner, there was a huge purple Lincoln Continental, circa probably 1965 or so, from the Elvis Presley collection. Wow, a Lincoln I thought . . . I expected a Cadillac. From there, the next turn brought me upon a beautiful white on black 1960 Corvette. I immediately recognized the car from the many photos taken of a young Bruce cruising probably post "Born to Run". The body was in good shape from what I could tell; the interior was a bit worn which was nice actually. The leather seats were showing the age of a car that is nearly 50 years old. Like Bruce, this was a classic to be admired for many years to come.

After checking out "the car" I headed up to the fifth floor. As I exited the elevator, it was total Bruce emersion. While it emptied you right at what most know as the beginnings of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, it was on the far side of the room where visitors needed to start the tour to fully trace his life and music.

The memorabilia included show posters and ticket stubs from his days with the Castiles (1966-1968), Child (1969), Steelmill (1970-1971) and Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom (1971). Story goes that in 1971 he formed the Bruce Springsteen Band from just about anyone who could play an instrument. How fortunate for E Streeters everywhere, he eventually connected with the likes of Clarence Clemons, Steve Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Danny Federici, Garry Tallent and Roy Bittan to form what would later become the E Street Band.

Springsteen’s first release "Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ" was a commercial flop by most standards (it sold around 25,000 copies the year of release). It would however, set the stage for those who were fortunate enough to see him when he was truly a nobody, playing local bars and music clubs up and down the eastern seaboard. I fondly remembered my first "Bruce Spring-who?" concert in 1974, right after the release of his second album "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle."

OK enough about my waltz down memory lane. In that same area are photos and drawings that are contained in scrapbooks. While the books are there in the museum area under glass, they have done a nice job of scanning all of the pages and photos to create a video slideshow. It was interesting to see his skill as a sketch artist through his pencil drawings. I suppose for those who have artistic talents, they are not limited to lyrics or musical composition.

Nearby was a poster for a show in Red Bank, NJ for George McGovern’s 1972 Presidential campaign. It would appear that Bruce has long been supportive of the Democratic Party and the liberal positions taken more recently by Presidential hopeful John Kerry and our current US President Barrck Obama.

Back where I entered the fifth floor was a continuous running film of Bruce and the various band members discussing the events leading up to and after the 1975 "Born to Run" explosion. Everyone felt the pressure, probably not as much as Bruce himself as the record label needed for his third release to be not only a creative success, but also a commercial success. Who would be ready for what was to come next?

The video is a beautiful weave of storytelling and performance, including Bruce strumming his guitar singing lines from such classics as "Jungleland" and "Tenth Avenue Freezeout" (which Springsteen states "I have no idea what that means today." Me neither Bruce, but I can appreciate having "my back to the wall" and looking for a way out only to be hit with a Tenth Avenue Freezeout!

Bruce and the members of the E Street Band share the recollection of the pressure to produce something that the label would find financially rewarding. Bruce explained how he wanted to tell the story of people wanting and needing to get out; out of bad situations, relationships, whatever. As he strummed and began humming and then singing the words to "Thunder Road" I could feel tears welling up as I remembered the first time I heard that song . . . "Roy Orbison singing for the lonely . . . that’s me and I want you only . . ." There always has been something about how he writes, the images he projects and ultimately, the passion within that he captures that has drawn me to his music. The moment there, alone, was beautiful!

(continued in part two)

continuation . . .


On up to the sixth floor, there is a huge screen playing concert footage which doesn’t seem to be from any particular show that I recognize. There is a round bench area in the center of the room facing the exhibits along the walls throughout, making it a nice way to sit back to enjoy the music. On one entire wall are scads of handwritten lyric sheets, mostly in or from spiral bound notebooks. In some cases ("The River" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town" albums) the entire notebooks are on display, opened to one of the many familiar songs. Other displays are photocopies or full poster sized displays of the scribbled lyrics. Perhaps as fascinating as the words themselves are the stories that go along with the notebooks as Springsteen was often inspired to write more than what might reasonably fit on an album (or CD).

Case in point is the heart pounding "Murder Incorporated" which was released in 1995 for the first time on his "Greatest Hits" collection. WOW – a song not previously released going straight to "greatest hits" status. That is impressive. The song was written however in 1982 as part of his "Born in the USA" work, but was subsequently held for later. Springsteen’s lyrics notebook for the album documents the origin of the song even if it wasn’t released for over 10 years.

In that same room, on the adjacent wall are displays of the iconic blue jeans, white tee shirt and red baseball cap worn on the cover of "Born in the USA." Also on the wall is blue and white plaid shirt he wore on the cover of "The River." Of course, he had cooler threads too including the uber- cool black leather jacket worn on the "Born to Run" cover. As I walked around the assortment of wardrobe items on display, I couldn’t help but to realize what a small man he is. While he has bulked up through obvious work in the gym sometime between the "Born to Run" and "Born in the USA" releases, he really has a slight frame. As I looked at that leather jacket, I thought it looked like about a size six.

No rock and roll museum exhibit would be complete without the instruments used to create the wonderful music enjoyed by millions from around the world. There are several guitars on display, including the 1968 Gibson Les Paul that he traded in 1973 because it was too heavy. The exhibit also includes a couple of his harmonicas, as well as a guitar from Miami Steve/Little Steven Van Zandt, an early saxophone from The Big Man himself (Clarence Clemons) and an accordion from the late Danny Federici.

All and all, the "Asbury Park to the Promise Land; the Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen" special exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was well worth the price of admission ($22 for adults less a $2 discount offered by their local CVB to our US Youth Soccer group). If there is a negative, it is the fact that you cannot take photos inside the museum. In fact, when the wristband person noticed I had a small camera around my wrist, she made me take it to the coat check for the duration of my visit. HUGE BUMMER!

The entire facility is accessible via escalators and elevators. There is a café serving food & beverages on the third floor; and a gift shop on the main level where you buy your admission tickets. I look forward to wearing my Bruce Springsteen Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum tee-shirt to his Milwaukee show in just two weeks!

Hours are 10:00am to 5:30pm with extended hours on Wednesdays. They are open seven days a week, year round and are only closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Come in the summer and enjoy a picnic lunch there by the shores of Lake Erie.

Note there is limited street parking adjacent to the museum; so you may need to park in the parking deck that is caddy-corner from the entrance.

In town for the US Youth Soccer Region II fall meetings; there were 40 of us ready for a great meal. Our hosts Ohio Youth Soccer/North made arrangements for us to dine at the Cleveland ChopHouse & Brewery, which was a short walk from our downtown hotel.

The restaurant itself is spacious, with several somewhat private booths, as well as tables throughout. Our large group had a nice room that was not really closed off from the rest of the restaurant so it afforded us the privacy for the group and yet allowed us to see and experience the rest of the ambience of the restaurant. The tables set in rounds of ten were perfect for conversation around the table or with a nearby table mate.

With beverage orders taken, we were encouraged to enjoy the appetizer set up prepared just for our group. The first area was a nice assortment of cheese, vegetables and dips along with crackers. Next was the shrimp cocktail, with huge tender shrimp. (The cocktail sauce was probably the best I had ever had!). Last, there were a couple of warmer trays with stuffed mushrooms, jumbo sea scallops wrapped in bacon and grilled chicken tenderloin skewers. Who needed dinner? This could be a meal!

Back from the appetizer spread, the wait staff was ready to take our orders. With a group of our size, they had narrowed down the menu to three dinner choices on our special group menu: chicken marsala, sea bass and a 24 oz. porterhouse steak. I was ready for a good steak, even though I knew I stood no chance of finishing one of that size. Served with white cheddar mashed potatoes and steamed mixed vegetables, it was a large meal.

Starting with pie pans of cornbread, a nice sized dinner salad and ending with perhaps the most perfect tiramisu I had ever had . . . this was a feast of a meal! I was going to need the six block walk back to the hotel to get the digestion going.

By all accounts, everyone's meals were perfectly prepared and served piping hot. Not a single complaint or steak sent back. Mine was outstanding, and as expected too much for one sitting. I barely touched the mashed potatoes as I didn't want to fill up on them.

A bit about the restaurant . . .

They are part of a small chain under the Rock Bottom Restaurants brand which would help to explain the micro-brew side of their business. Several at our table enjoyed one of the locally brewed beers. Favorites seemed to be the American wheat and the Irish red. They also offer authentic German Growlers (2 liter jugs) to go of your favorite, with refills of your bottle for just $8.

They are open for lunch and dinner; providing fine dining as well as tavern pub food menus. On Sunday they feature a brunch buffet at $24pp for adults and $11 for kids ages five to 12.

They are located in the historic warehouse district downtown. The building appears to be a renovated warehouse and from the historical photos inside, I'm guessing a clothing manufacturing business may have been here many years ago. The red brick interior walls really added to the atmosphere of the dining areas.

If you are not staying downtown and walking in, they do offer valet parking.

Hours are:
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am - 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11:30am-11pm
Sunday: 10am-9pm (closed Sun from 2-4)

Reservations are accepted by calling 216-623-0909.

For more information, including menus check them out at www.ChopHouse.com.

Upon our arrival my board president and I were ready for dinner. A bit tired from the day, we agreed the restaurant in our hotel (The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel) would suffice. Suffice it did . . . and then some! It was outstanding!

There were three in our group, as another state president joined us. It's always nice to meet with other soccer leaders from around the county, or in this case the Midwest Region. We generally get together or see one another three or four times a year and the fall meeting of the Midwest Region is really focus on just our 13 states.

While we didn't have reservations for a Friday night, we were immediately seated. The dining room was simply exquisite, as was the entire hotel. I must admit a bit of envy towards the two groups dining on the opposite side of the room, along a huge wall of windows. The view out into the city on a warm fall evening was beautiful, even if I had to enjoy it from across the dining room.

Our server was very attentive almost immediately taking our beverage orders. Having come down from the hospitality suite where we each enjoyed an adult beverage (or two), soft drinks, iced tea and/or water were good for now. Personally after a beer on an empty stomach, I needed food before I had any more alcohol.

I struggled with the menu as the Alaskan Halibut caught my eye, but I worried about how good it would be, this far inland and away from Alaska. The selection of steaks also looked good, but I knew I'd be having steak the next night for dinner so I took a pass on those. Not much for the heaviness of pasta with a creamy lobster sauce, I was back to the fish. They did have a salmon dish, but I thought I would go ahead and be adventurous with the halibut.

Being a French Mediterranean restaurant, their dinner preparations were a bit beyond my "meat & potatoes" tastes so it was a real adventure when the menu described my meal as "pan roast classic ratatouille (with) tomato fondue." Frankly, I had no idea what that meant.

I did order their seasonal greens salad as a starter. It was a basic mix of leafy greens, but the red wine vinaigrette with poached pears, and gorgonzola cheese was very flavorful.

When dinner arrived, I was in awe of my dining companions' plates. One had the filet mignon and the other the Delmonico steak. While both were steak dinners, they had very different accompaniments for potato and veggies. Almost too pretty to eat, both said it their meals were outstanding. Travis from Missouri said "Now this is a tender steak when you can cut it with your fork!"

As for my meal, it was outstanding. I was relieved to see that the tomato fondue wasn't on top of my sizeable portion of fish. It was beneath it, and served as a nice taste accompaniment to the light flakey white fish. I am so terrible about knowing what is actually in such a preparation, or what spices give the lovely flavors that they do, all I can really say it that it was fabulous! While I did eat all of the fish, there was about half of the tomato fondue left which I'm guessing would have tasted great over pasta as well. Had I not been staying in a hotel, I would have taken home the leftovers for dinner another night.

We were offered the dessert menu, but nothing really struck our fancy . . . not to mention I personally was a bit too full for a late night meal topped off with sweets. They did have a flourless chocolate cake and a fresh berry tart that caught my eye however. But alas, perhaps another time.

In total our dinners came to $133 including tax and gratuity. The only alcohol was one glass of wine ($15), I thought for the high quality of our meal, while a bit pricier than some places, it wasn't as expensive as it might have been especially given its downtown location in a high-end hotel.

Serving dinner nightly 5:00 to 10:00pm, I would highly recommend the fine dining provided by Chef Anna Kim at Sans Souci!

Web site including menu: http://www.sanssoucicleveland.com/.

The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel is located in the historical warehouse district in the downtown area of Cleveland. As part of the Public Square, the Renaissance Hotel is adjacent to the Tower City Center, a large shopping area with many upscale stores, boutiques and restaurants. The hotel is lavish and stylish, rich in appointments throughout whether it is in the ballrooms (we met inside the Ambassador Ballroom), the lobby and open areas, or the beautiful staircase.

Onsite they have two restaurants, San Souci (check out my separate review of our dining experience) and Brasserie (breakfast and lunch). We did breakfast with our counterparts from Minnesota on Sunday morning and thoroughly enjoyed their full buffet offerings including eggs and omelets cooked to order, fruits, bakery goods including muffins, croissants and pastries and breakfast meats. There is also a lobby bar where folks could be found enjoying a cold adult beverage and sports on the TV's.

As for the sleeping rooms, mine was very nice. I love the Marriott bedding package, very comfortable. The bathroom was also spacious and well supplied. The work area was also adequate for the business traveler needing to do some work in their room. With that being said, I think their $13 price tag for the "business communications package" is a rip-off. For that price you receive internet connection and free local telephone calls, so essentially you're paying the money for internet because most business travelers are with cell phones or other personal communication devices that are more cost effective than paying local (or long distance) phone charges.

Speaking of other rip-offs, let me preface this comment with I generally have a good idea of how the hotel and meeting industry work relative to "REVPAR" and making their financial model work. That being said, $500 per day to provide wireless access in a meeting room is highway robbery!

To meeting planners considering this property, pay particular attention to the full cost of meeting here. I found that the $119 group rate was not special as it was their featured online price for the weeks leading up to our meetings.

All in all, I enjoyed the hotel. Their staff was exceptionally helpful and friendly. The location is perfect, right on the RTA (local rail) which makes it accessible from the airport for just $2.50, versus a cab for $33-$35. There are over 35 restaurants within walking distance, including nationally known chains such as Morton’s Steakhouse, Hard Rock Cafe, Houlihan's and House of Blues.