Thomas Mulready is creator of Cool Networks LLC, an influencer-driven multimedia content network utilizing sites, podcasts, videos, and e-blasts to promote economic development, arts, culture and technology in Northeast Ohio. After creating the Performance Art Festival+Archives, he co-founded the Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, and has served as Senior Vice President of National City Bank and worked at Management Recruiters International, Richardson-Vicks, and Campbell Soup, presented his performance art in New York and Paris, and served as a Senior Research Consultant in the United Kingdom. His multimedia presentations on Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Glam and The Beatles have been presented at universities, jazz clubs and aquariums.

In the mid-90’s Queue Up was a musical force to be reckoned with: dark lyrics, emotionally disturbed imagery and over-the-top stage theatrics from leaders and co-writers Ali Garrigan and Dennis Van Crash. Vanity Crash was born on stage under hot lights in the crucible of sound and fury as the glam-punk band The Angry Inch in the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, opening for the likes of the New York Dolls, Poison, the Darkness and Gogol Bordello. Vanity Crash’s 5th original release, Phantasmagoria, includes an original track featuring David Bowie’s longtime pianist, Mike Garson. Garrigan joins Van Crash along with drummer Thomas Anonymous, guitarist Matthew Angel, and new bassist Julia Jewels.

Bizarros rose up from the muck created by their rubber worker fathers, standing as one of the most underrated bands from one of the most underrated regions for rock & roll in the 1970s. Akron-based vocalist Nick Nicholis was inspired by the debut of Cleveland’s Pere Ubu and in 1976 summoned lifelong pals Jerry Parkins (guitar), Don Parkins (bassist) and keyboardist Terry Walker to start the Bizarros. Along with a rotating cast of drummers, they worked up a ruckus and issued their own 4-song debut on Nicholis’ own Gorilla Records label. Hideo’s Discodrome carried the vinyl and store attendants David Thomas and Peter Laughner of Rocket From The Tombs/Pere Ubu suggested they send it to Robert Christgau of the Village Voice among others, all of whom began to sing the praises of the Akron & Cleveland scene. Nicholis next started Clone Records and issued releases by The Waitresses, Tin Huey, Rubber City Rebels, Human Switchboard, and Bizarros, who eventually signed to Mercury subsidiary Blank Records who had already signed Pere Ubu. Blank folded, but Mercury itself released the Bizarros’ self-titled debut. The band continues into their 50th anniversary with the Parkins brothers, Nicholis and Don May on drums carrying on a storied legacy.

 Hails from the punk capital of Ohio – Akron, where they are carrying on the rich experimental legacy of groups like Devo and The Pretenders, as well as Cleveland stalwarts The Dead Boys and Pere Ubu. They are more than just punk though. Gritty girl vocals set the tone for loud, intense drums so thick the ground shakes. But, this foundation is refined by intricate picking and rich tones reminiscent of The Smiths and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Things can get as chaotic as the Velvet Underground and as sprawling as John Coltrane. Patty No! features Kristin Casale on guitar and vocals, Joe McCormick on guitar, Lyle Witt on bass and lan Witt on drums and vocals.

Robert Conn Band features Bill DeGidio, the original vocalist on the Pagan’s first release, Six and Change in 1977. Soon after, it was apparent that Mike Hudson would be the better singer, and DeGidio went on to form AK-47, played bass on the Pagans’ Pink album, and joined the Plague. He moved to Houston in the 90s, but returned to Northeast Ohio, back to his punk & roll roots, where he was originally inspired by WIXY and WMMS radio and anarchic late-night b-movie host Ghoulardi, whose Shock Theatre railed against the establishment and set off small explosives during the telecast. DeGidio enjoys the freedom of punk: “Punk rock is freedom to me, letting loose, being yourself, no judging or following a set of rules. Who are you to define it or set rules? Are you going to take our punk rock card away?” Bill DeGidio goes by Robert Conn, the first words of Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, and is joined by son Curtis DeGidio on guitar, Hunter Lust on drums, Jon on bass and Jimmy Beautiful on vocals.

Massive Hotdog Recall refer to themselves as Midwestern Trashcan Trombone Rock. Al Mothersbaugh was heavily influenced by his cousins, Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh of DEVO and how they railed against the status quo. Hailing from Northeast Ohio which he calls, “A pretty insular place to raise your kids- there’s no beach, there’s no large city. You have to make your own fun. Idle hands. The people are real. We make art, we make music, because we want to, not as a career. And we can afford to.” His mother had perfect pitch and music was always playing in the house. He joined the Latin-influenced horn rock outfit the Twist-Offs and toured the nation until returning to raise a family. He parlayed his trombone and arranging skills into forming Massive Hotdog Recall, which broke up just weeks before PorchRokr, Akron’s leading annual showcase. He approached the 3-piece blues band Xtra Crispy, who learned the entire set in time for the gig, and they have been playing together as an 8-piece horn-driven combo featuring Al Mothersbaugh, John Gmerek, Jerry Principe, Tony Rockich, Paul Bezbatchenko, “Dirty” Dan Flowers, Ephraim Miller, Shane Adams and Kid Calhoun.

Mirrors has been described as “psychedelic garage” “art-punk” and “proto-punk,” but it’s essentially Jamie Klimek, vocalist and guitarist who passed away in 2024, and whatever musicians he could surround himself with. At first, it was Jim Crook on guitar, later Dave Franduto, and Mike Weldon on drums, along with a rotating cast of bassists: Craig Bell, Paul Marotta, Jim Jones, et. al. Obsessed with the Velvet Underground, whose leader Lou Reed found a rare Midwestern following at Cleveland’s legendary La Cave, Klimek attended all their local appearances and recorded entire performances on his Norelco cassette deck, recordings which have become legendary bootlegs. Mirrors initial set lists included plenty of VU, plus Kinks, Brian Eno and Troggs, and they released a 7” single on Pere Ubu’s Hearthan Records, Shirley, before breaking up. Klimek went on to form the Styrenes with drummer Anton Fier and members of the band electric eels. In 1986, the original lineup released an album, and in 2001 they released rare tracks. In 2010 and 2016, Klimek worked with original members Marotta and Franduto, along with Tom Fallon on guitar and Tom Madej on drums to record and album, High All The Time, released in 2026. Along with vocalist Buzz Kompier, this is the lineup that currently plays. Mirrors will perform at the Cleveland show only.