Stories from My Years in Cleveland Rock n’ Roll

Storyteller: Cindy Barber

 
 
 
 

Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm

• Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
• FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
• In addition to our regular menu, we will be offering affordable specials on these nights

Story topic this week…

Stories from My Years in Cleveland Rock n’ Roll
Cindy Barber, best known as the owner of Cleveland’s beloved Beachland Ballroom, has spent much of her life in the Cleveland rock scene. With a sharp ear, fearless instincts, and a deep belief in artists before the rest of the world catches on, she’s built a stage where legends and unknowns share the same spotlight. More than just a venue owner, Cindy is a community builder — the kind of person who knows that music isn’t just entertainment, it’s connection, memory, and home.

Cindy Barber Bio

Cindy Barber began working in the local music industry just out of high school. She did inventory control for MCA, bookkeeping at WEA and was assistant buyer at the ABC branch. After earning college degrees Media and Communications, she co-founded the Cleveland Express newspaper in the late ‘70s, in addition to managing local bands. In the ‘80s, Barber became production manager for Northern Ohio Live magazine, a job which included editing program guides for Playhouse Square and other arts organizations. Barber started her own publishing consulting business in 1986, and also co-wrote a music column for the Cleveland Edition with fellow music journalist Anastasia Pantsios. In 1992, she helped launch the Cleveland Free Times as assistant publisher and was moved into the editor’s position three months later. During her six years in that position, the paper won many awards including awards for Barber’s own writing. During this time she served on the national board of the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies. After the Free Times, she spent a year as editor of Northern Ohio Live. She then turned her energy to her own North Collinwood neighborhood, where she co-founded the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in March 2000, a concert venue that has become a favorite stop to hundreds of national touring bands. She has served as president of the board of her local CDC, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, and was also president of Arts Collinwood, when the organization won a Northern Ohio Live Achievement Award in Economic Development for its work in North Collinwood. Ms. Barber has also served on the City of Cleveland’s Fair Housing Board, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, and the former Cleveland Music Group. In 2007, she was honored with a Cleveland Arts Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts.
 

The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.

See all Cleveland Stories dates here.