More Cleveland
While walking around downtown yesterday I noticed, sadly, the nearly deserted sidewalks of Euclid Avenue, even in the heart of the Playhouse Square entertainment district where millions of dollars have gone into making it more people-friendly.
Yesterday's weather didn't encourage strolling, but even on a warm and sunny day I doubt that there'd be many more people. I noticed a similar emptiness in Milwaukee, which also has put lots of money and effort into rebuilding its downtown. It's hard to bring life back to a central city abandoned by its citizens.
David Byrne was in Cleveland recently and wrote an even bleaker assessment of Euclid Avenue. His account starts with an unpleasant ripoff attempt by a cabbie, moves along Euclid ("For about a mile, I pass building after building, boarded up, abandoned or empty.") and ends with a visit to Major Hoople's to hear Cleveland's stone-crazy guitar genius Glenn Schwartz.
If you've never heard Schwartz perform, Byrne's video captures both his smokin' guitar playing and his crazy hellfire and brimstone preaching.
I feel bad that Cleveland wasn't so good for him, since we sure enjoyed the hell out of his visit.
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