Fan Expo Cleveland, CIFF 48, Guardians vs. Yankees, Joe Satriani & Steve Vai in concert and more

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Entertainment | Music | Events

THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

Fan Expo Cleveland

Comic, cosplay and entertainment convention returns to entertain fans for another weekend in 2024. Fans have a chance to meet with their favorite celebs, pose for photos, get autographs and much more. Guests include director Sam Raimi, “Lord of the Rings’ actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan, actor Randy Quaid, actress Rose McGowan and many more. Tickets start at $38. See site for more details guest availability. Huntington Convention Center, 300 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland. 3 - 8 p.m., April 12;10 a.m. - 7 p.m., April 13; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., April 14. DETAILS

Cleveland International Film Festival

The 48th Cleveland International Film Festival will present 140 feature-length films, including “Thelma,” “The Idea of You,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” and “Devo” as well as 225 short (under 40 minutes) films, during its 11-day in-person festival, April 3-13, at Playhouse Square. If will be followed by CIFF48 Streams, an online version of the festival April 14-21. Tickets for in-person screenings are $16 for CIFF members and $18 for non-members. Tickets for CIFF48 Streams screenings cost $12 for CIFF members and $14 for non-members. Through April 13. Playhouse Square, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. DETAILS

Guardians vs. Yankees

Cleveland concludes its first homestand of the 2024 with three games against New York. Tickets start at $15. Progressive Field, Cleveland. 7:10 p.m., April 12; 6:10 p.m., April 13; 1:10 p.m., April 14. DETAILS

Cavaliers vs. Pacers, Hornets

The Cavs make their final push towards the playoffs with a pair of home games this weekend, first against Indiana and then Charlotte. Sunday’s game is Fan Appreciation Day. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland. 7:30 p.m., April 12; 1 p.m., April 14. DETAILS

Joe Satriani and Steve Vai

Legendary rockers bring their Satch Vai tour to the MGM Northfield Park this weekend. Tickets $37 and up. This is a 21 & over only show. 10777 Northfield Rd., Northfield. 7:30 p.m., April 13. DETAILS

Broadway Rocks

Join the Cleveland Pops Orchestra for a concert featuring some of your favorite hits from “Tommy,” “Mamma Mia,” “Rent” and many more shows. Tickets start at $37. Severance Music Center 11001 Euclid Ave. 8 p.m., April 12. DETAILS

Tom Green

Actor, stand-up comic and former MTV personality makes a stop in Cleveland this weekend with his own unique twist on comedy. 21 and over only. Tickets start at $25. Both Saturday shows are sold out. Hilarities 4th Street Theatre, Cleveland. 7 p.m., April 11;9:45 p.m., April 12; 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., April 13. DETAILS

The Cleveland Orchestra: Elgar’s Cello Concerto

Featuring cellist Sol Gabetta, the night also features works by Bellido and Walton and performance by The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus (except for Friday matinee show). Tickets $25 and up. Severance Music Center 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. 7:30 p.m., April 11; 11 a.m., April 12; 8 p.m., April 13. DETAILS

Monet in Focus

This special exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art showcases five exquisite paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet created during the tail end of his career, including three works on loan from the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris. Free. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Now through Aug. 11. DETAILS

Cleveland Play House presents “Amadeus”

Enjoy Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning show focusing on the rivalry between composers Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Outcalt Theatre at Playhouse Square, Cleveland. Through April 28. DETAILS

Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival

Cleveland State University becomes home to the largest Indian classical music festivals outside of India, drawing participants and fans from around the world. Festival features traditional Indian dancers as well as vocalists and orchestral groups. Most events are free. Ticketed programs, $25-$40. Weekend pass available for $125. 2001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Through April 21. DETAILS

Monsters vs. Laval

Cleveland hosts the Laval Rocket for the final pair of home games this season. Saturday night’s game is Fan Salute Night. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland. 7 p.m., April 11 & April 13. DETAILS

Walk About Tremont

The second Friday of each month, vendors spill onto the sidewalks and into the businesses of Tremont’s Professor Street for Walkabout Tremont. Entertainment in a family-friendly atmosphere lasts late into the evening as shops and galleries extend hours. Free. 5 p.m., April 12. Tremont, Professor Avenue and nearby streets. DETAILS

Strongsville Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Featuring dozens of vendors their artistic and craft creations to the public. Tickets $3, free for children under 12. Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center, 18100 Royalton Rd., Strongsville. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., April 13; 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., April 14. DETAILS

2024 Bach Festival

Featuring performances by Baroque Band ACRONYM, BWV, the BW Symphony Orchestra and Bach Festival Choir and more. See website for location of each performance and individual ticket prices. Baldwin Wallace University, Berea. April 12 – 14. DETAILS

RubberDucks vs. Erie

The Ducks are back in Akron for the second time this season and will host the Sea Wolves for six games in a row. Canal Park, 300 S. Main St., Akron. April 16 – 21. DETAILS

Cleveland Browns: A Legacy Unleashed

This limited exhibition celebrates the rich history of the Cleveland Browns with artifacts, special displays and player appearances. Learn about the franchise’s eight championships, 18 Hall of Famers and trailblazing founder, Paul Brown. Former Browns running back Gregg Pruitt will be on hand Friday and Saturday to meet fans, take photos and sign autographs. Admission $36.50-$43.50. Player appearances require a separate fee. 2121 George Halas Dr. NW, Canton. Now through April 21. DETAILS

Quilts 2024

Lake Metroparks Farmpark is presenting its 2024 quilt show with more than 200 pieces of work on display. Quilts from both local and regional artists will be on display. 8800 Euclid Chardon Rd. (Rt. 6), Kirtland. Through April 28. DETAILS

FOOD & DRINK

Chardon Restaurant Week is April 15-21, just before Maple Festival

Sixteen local restaurants are participating in Chardon Restaurant Week, April 15-21. They are scattered around the town square and as far away as Brown Barn Tavern on Mayfield Road. The week kicks off at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, April 10, with a launch party at Eleventhree Brewing Company. The party, which includes food samples from participating restaurants, is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. READ MORE

Wild West Whiskey Fest

Fundraiser benefitting A Special Wish Foundation of Northeast Ohio featuring live music and other Western-themed activities and entertainment. Enjoy tastings, a raffle, seminars and much more. Tickets are $90. A designated-driver option is also available for $35.

Gordon Green, 5400 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. 2-6 p.m., April 13. DETAILS

Tequilas & Tapas

Akron Civic Theatre is holding the first Tequilas & Tapas tasting fest. If you like margaritas and trying tequila, the fest will offer multiple stations and food from local restaurants. The tasting is in a cool setting – the venerable old theater in the heart of downtown Akron. Tickets $60. 182 S. Main St., Akron. 6 p.m., April 13. DETAILS

The Riverwood Cafe

Lakewood has no shortage of dives with solid bar food, but Riverwood Cafe is one with food worth coming back to. The menu is simple — burgers, wings and fried things make up the majority. The weekly specials, like $3 taco night or half-off appetizer Mondays, make it even more worth stopping for a no-brainer meal. Riverwood Cafe is located at 18500 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. DETAILS

Nature’s Oasis Café & Market

There’s this crazy idea that “fast” food is unhealthy. The three locations of Nature’s Oasis (Lakewood, Shaker Heights, Ohio City) deliver on fast healthy breakfast and lunch options that dodge added hormones, artificial preservatives and sweeteners and many of the other additions that people could stand to do without. The coffee café vibe meets micro-market aesthetic is perfect for dine-in and grab n’ go all at once. They source from over 150 unique local food and beverage purveyors. The region has long needed a Nature’s Oasis and having three is a bit like winning the Triple Crown. DETAILS

Edwins

Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute has a great mission – the Shaker Square restaurant hires and trains recently released incarcerated individuals to work in the French restaurant. So it makes you feel good to go there. But the food and service has been consistent over the years. And it offers what might be the best artichokes you will ever taste. It’s at 13101 Shaker Square, Cleveland. DETAILS

Lucky’s Café

Arrive early or wait in line for breakfast at Lucky’s Café in Tremont. The cool thing is, you can leave your number and get a call when your table is ready. The food is hardy and wholesome, sourced from local purveyors and served up in generous portions. It’s rhubarb season, the perfect time for vanilla bean waffles topped with warm strawberry-rhubarb compote, honey-infused whipped cream, drizzled with house-made caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of turbinado. Looking for something less sweet, the Shipwreck is enough for breakfast and lunch -- baked hash browns, eggs, veggies, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Served with house made como toast and fresh fruit. A vegetarian option is also available. Lunch sandwiches are equally yummy. Lucky’s closes at 2 p.m. The restaurant is at lucky 777 Starkweather Avenue, Cleveland. DETAILS

TV & MOVIES

‘Dora the Explorer ‘

"Dora the Explorer" debuted in 2000 as a groundbreaking, award-winning children's show about an adventurous young Latina. The character returns in a new CG animated series called "Dora" on Friday, April 12 on Paramount+. She's still got her purple backpack and sidekick monkey named Boots, but this "Dora" has evolved with the times. Dora has family from Peru, Mexico and Cuba, and the show celebrates a variety of Latin culture including music, folklore, architecture and food. Diversity exists behind the scenes as well, with a majority of the writing staff identifying as Latino. DETAILS

‘The Sympathizer’

HBO has adapted the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Sympathizer" by Viet Thanh Nguyen into a new series of the same name. It follows a North Vietnam plant known as the Captain (played by Hoa Xuande) in the South Vietnam army who flees to the United States when the Vietnam War is ending. The Captain lives among South Vietnamese refugees and continues to spy on the community by reporting back to the Viet Cong. This leads to struggles as the Captain attempts to build a new life. Recent Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. plays multiple roles. "The Sympathizer" premieres Sunday, April 14 on HBO and streams on Max. DETAILS

‘Food, Inc. 2 ‘

Sixteen years after "Food, Inc." changed the way many think about where their food comes from, filmmakers Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo reunited with "The Omnivore's Dilemma" author Michael Pollan and "Fast Food Nation" writer Eric Schlosser to take another look at the current state of food in the U.S. With a special focus on the rights of farmworkers and the downsides of corporate consolidation and ultra-processed foods, "Food, Inc. 2" will be available on VOD starting Friday, April 12. DETAILS

‘Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker ‘

Dating expert Patti Stanger has a new TV show called "Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker" where she once again helps single people looking for love. On this show, Stanger teams up with former "Bachelor" Nick Viall, who was also rejected twice on "The Bachelorette" — he knows a thing or two about the ups and downs of dating. In each episode, the duo gives clients tips, tricks and brutal honesty to help them become truly ready to find a partner. The show premieres Thursday on The CW and also streams on The CW app. DETAILS

‘The Greatest Hits’

A song can transport you back to a different time in your life with just a note. The new film "The Greatest Hits," starring Lucy Boynton, draws on this idea and makes it literal for a woman mourning the death of her boyfriend (David Corenswet, aka the new Superman). The random bouts of time travel, which can happen any time a familiar song comes on the radio, make it tough for her to live in the present and move on. The film comes from writer-director Ned Benson, who made the underappreciated "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby," and of course boasts a great soundtrack including Beach House and Roxy Music. "The Greatest Hits" is streaming on Hulu starting Thursday. DETAILS

‘Strange Way of Life ‘

Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal play cowboys and former lovers in Pedro Almodóvar's "Strange Way of Life," his 31-minute Western streaming on Netflix starting Sunday, April 14. At the film's Cannes premiere last year, Almodóvar, who famously turned down the opportunity to direct "Brokeback Mountain," said unlike the characters in that movie, he imagined these guys were really gunslingers in the vein of "The Wild Bunch." AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote at the time that "it's delightful to see Almodóvar at work in a new genre, yet just as at home, filling the frame with pops of color (Pascal's character wears a lime green jacket) and flourishes of emotion" and that it "extends yet another vibrant chapter in Almodóvar's filmography, now in its fifth decade." DETAILS

MUSIC

Billy Joel

There is peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, peace and love, and Billy Joel and Madison Square Garden. Some things just go together. Joel and MSG have long been synonymous; he's sold out more shows than any other performer at the famed venue, first performing there in 1978. To celebrate his triumphant run, a new concert special, "The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden — The Greatest Arena Run of All Time," will air on CBS and can be streamed on Paramount+ on Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific. It was filmed at Joel's 100th consecutive performance at Madison Square Garden just a few days ago — March 28. Prepare to watch the Piano Man at the height of his powers. And then consider seeing him live, because he won't be at MSG for much longer: He will conclude his residency in July with his 150th lifetime performance at the venue. DETAILS

Linkin Park

One of the defining American rock bands of the 2000s, Linkin Park will release their first career-spanning greatest hits collection, "Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000 – 2003)," on Friday, April 12. Headbangers should expect a comprehensive retrospective from the band as well as a previously unreleased track, "Friendly Fire," originally recorded around their 2017 album "One More Light" and featuring their late vocalist Chester Bennington. DETAILS

Rhiannon Giddens

Rhiannon Giddens' music and scholarship has highlighted the contributions of Black Americans in folk and country. That work continues on "The Ballad of Sally Anne," a remarkable Alice Randall cover and choice cut from the forthcoming covers compilation "My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall." Randall is the author of a new book also titled "My Black Country" and the first Black woman to write a country No. 1 hit in Trisha Yearwood's "XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl)." This compilation celebrates her legacy. Other contributors to the album include Leyla McCalla, Valerie June, Rissi Palmer, and many other Black female country performers working to evolve the genre. "My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall" is a necessary listen for Randall and Giddens fans old and new. (And if you've just learned about Giddens through her contributions to Beyoncé's "Act ll: Cowboy Carter" — well, welcome!) DETAILS

Entertainment | Music | Events

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