by David Budin

I’m going to Los Angeles in a few weeks. I was planning my trip a few days ago and I was thinking, “Cleveland’s really nice and there’s a lot to do here – but it’s not Los Angeles. But then I had three days that reminded me of why Cleveland is so cool (and I’ll tell you when we get to the really cool part).

The Rock Hall has a party on Tuesday, April 18, for the opening of its exhibit about Roy Orbison, one of the most influential artists in rock history. The party’s open to Rock Hall members, so on one hand, it’s a private party, but on the other hand, anyone can be a member, so you could have gone. Roy Orbison’s widow, Barbara, is at the party. As a media member, I get to talk to Barbara Orbison before the reception, so I feel privileged. Then, at the party, she’s walking around all over the pace and talking to anyone who wants to talk to her.

In the exhibit, there’s a photo of Roy Orbison performing at the last concert he ever played, at the old Front Row Theater. The photo is by Cleveland photographer Janet Macoska. The next night, April 19, I’m back at the Rock Hall for a lecture in the 4th floor auditorium and I find myself sitting next to Janet Macoska.

Originally on that night, I was going to go to the Beachland Ballroom to hear up-and-coming singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. But then someone gave my wife tickets to the Cavs game. I say, “Well, Josh Ritter is up-and-coming, he’ll be back. But this is the last Cavs game of the regular season and I haven’t been to a game this year.” So I’m going to do that.

But then I hear that on that same night, one of the greatest guitarists in the world, Pierre Bensusan, from Paris, is playing at Nighttown, so I say, “How often do you get the chance to hear someone like this in a small space like Nighttown?” So we give the Cavs tickets away and make plans to go to Nighttown.

Then I find out that on that same night, the Rock Hall is bringing in Geoff Emerick to speak. He was the Beatles’ recording engineer. I say, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” So my wife goes to Nighttown and I go to the Rock Hall. But on the way, I stop at Nighttown to say hello to the people we were going to the show with, and when we walk in, there’s Pierre Bensusan himself, standing around and chatting with people. So I get to talk to him for 20 minutes before I have to leave.

The talk by Geoff Emerick at the Rock Hall is amazing. This guy was in the studio for just about every minute the Beatles were recording, starting with their audition demo. He helped create the sound that was the Beatles. He talks about everything from the technical aspects of how they actually come up with the groundbreaking sounds, to the insider’s look into the Beatles’ personalities, which also shaped their creativity. It’s totally fascinating. Then he answers as many questions as time allows. I don’t get to ask mine.

The next night, I go to Severance Hall to hear the Cleveland Orchestra. And, by the way, this is the really cool part I was talking about before. I park in the garage, walk down the corridor and head for the elevator, and the first person I see is Geoff Emerick, who actually sort of recognizes me because the night before, after his talk, when he was sitting at a table and signing copies of his new book, I had been near the end of the line and said a few words to him about something he had just said in his talk.

We say hello and shake hands – he’s there with another couple – and we talk for a minute about how swell Severance Hall is. Then we get on the elevator. They get off at the first floor, which is not my stop, but I get off and follow him into the lobby and when he stops to talk to his host, I butt in and say, “Can I ask you the question I didn’t get to ask last night?” He graciously says yes. I ask my question and he gives me a good answer.

I go to my seat and spend the whole Beethoven thinking about how none of this would or could ever happen in Los Angeles. But it happens in Cleveland – because Cleveland’s big enough, and it’s small enough; because it has great clubs, like the Beachland and Nighttown, where the artists feel at home and make themselves accessible; and because it has unique attractions like the Rock Hall and world-class arts organizations like the Cleveland Orchestra. And that’s really cool. (:divend:)