Why rock music fans need to visit its greatest American shrine

Why Cleveland rocks

Thirty years ago, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors in Cleveland, an honour bestowed on the city after it beat off competition from the likes of Memphis, New York and New Orleans to host rock’s holiest shrine.

loveEXPLORING’s senior features writer Peter Moore visited this venerable institution during its annual induction ceremony, and discovered a whole host of reasons music lovers should visit the USA’s city of rock…

It’s the birthplace of rock and roll

Cleveland is widely regarded as the birthplace of rock and roll after local DJ Alan Freed coined the phrase to describe the Black music he was playing to primarily white audiences on his radio show on WJW in the early 1950s. Freed also hosted the world’s first rock and roll concert in 1952. Held in the Cleveland Arena, the Moondog Coronation Ball was cancelled in true rock and roll fashion when crowds of overexcited teenagers broke through the gates to get in just 45 minutes into the set.

The beat still goes on

Freed's WJW studios sat in the heart of Playhouse Square on Euclid Avenue. The spot is marked today by an unassuming plaque that sits in the shadow of the world’s largest outdoor chandelier (the plaque is visible here beneath the furthest-right traffic light).

Today, the area is the heart of Cleveland’s buzzing theatre district. It is home to 12 venues, many of which present popular 'jukebox musicals' based on the lives and music of the world’s most popular artists. When shows like Tina and Jersey Boys come to town, this is where you’ll see them.

It's the final resting place of Mr Rock and Roll

You can pay your respects to Freed – 'the father of rock and roll' – at his grave in Cleveland’s serene Lake View Cemetery. Tucked away towards the back of the park-like grounds, the large marble headstone features a portrait of Freed on one side and a jukebox on the other.

The headstone was designed by Steve van Zandt from Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band, and music fans leave entrance wristbands from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as small stones, around its base. Rock fans are nothing if not literal.

It was voted the home of rock and roll

Freed’s contribution to rock and roll was a major factor in Cleveland being chosen as the venue for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The building was conceived by Atlantic Records founder and R&B producer Ahmet Ertegun, and other cities considered included Memphis, New York, San Francisco, New Orleans and Philadelphia.

In 1985, a national competition was held, with rock fans encouraged to vote in a poll in the USA Today newspaper on where to build the hall. Spurred on by local radio station WWMS, Clevelanders voted in their droves and, in May 1986, the city was chosen as the home for this prestigious shrine to rock music.

Rock royalty were on hand to ensure it got built

Complicated funding arrangements, problems finding a suitable site and disputes with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation about where to hold induction ceremonies, meant that it was another seven years before work began on building the Hall. But when the first sod was finally turned on the North Coast Harbor site on 7 June 1993, rock and roll royalty like Pete Townshend, Chuck Berry, Sam Phillips and Billy Joel (pictured) were on hand to see that the job got done.

And celebrated its grand opening in 1995

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally threw open its doors on 2 September 1995. The event was marked with a parade through downtown Cleveland and a star-studded ribbon-cutting ceremony where Little Richard and Yoko Ono performed the honours (pictured).

The celebrations continued with a blockbuster concert at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, just down the road. The epic show featured once-in-a-lifetime performances by greats of rock and roll, including James Brown, Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Booker T and the MG's.

The Hall of Fame exceeds expectations

Today, the Hall of Fame is Cleveland’s most popular attraction and the first place you’ll want to stop on your rock and roll pilgrimage. Close to 600,000 people visit each year, bringing a staggering $199 million (£160m) to the local economy.

Before you enter, take a moment to appreciate the Hall’s eye-catching architecture. It was designed by IM Pei, the architect behind the Louvre’s iconic glass pyramid in Paris. The original plan included an 18-storey glass tower but had to be modified when the site was moved to North Coast Harbor, next to Burke Lakefront Airport.

The entrance foyer is suitably epic

The vast sense of spaciousness afforded by Pei’s design is apparent as soon as you enter the foyer. It boasts a café, a gift shop and a performance stage but doesn’t feel cramped. And an upwards glance will reveal the Trabant cars from U2’s 1992-1993 Zoo TV tour hanging from the glass ceiling.

Get your ticket scanned and head down the escalators to the Ahmet Ertegun Main Exhibit Hall. You may be tempted to visit the gift store but it’s best to save that until the end, as there’s no point carrying your inevitable swag around the whole exhibition.

It's home to rock's greatest treasures

The main exhibition hall is designed to lead visitors through the story of rock and roll through the generations, from the genre’s earliest artists to the newly emerging musicians of today.

The story of rock and roll is told via artefacts from the genre’s biggest stars, from Jerry Lee Lewis’ battered piano to the original lyrics of 'Rhymin' & Stealin'' by the Beastie Boys, handwritten on a Tide detergent packet. There are also dazzling displays dedicated to artists like Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Elvis (pictured) and more.

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Monumental moments are celebrated too

Throughout the hall you’ll find special exhibitions, only displayed for a short time, focusing on particular moments or themes in music history. When I visited, there was one celebrating the music of 1986 ('Pop music’s best ever year'), and another recognising revolutionary women.

The biggest and most impressive was 'Holla if ya hear me', a monumental retrospective of 50 years of hip hop and a recognition of how the genre continues to carry the flame of rock and roll defiance. Want to know how Biggie got his nickname? Check out the display of his suits.

You can channel your inner rock star

Aspiring musicians will want to head to 'The Garage', an interactive playground on Level Two where budding rock stars can try out coveted instruments like Gibson guitars, Fender basses, Hammond organs, Ludwig drum kits and Technics turntables, all played through Marshall amps. Opened in 2019, The Garage is filled with replicas of vintage concert posters for added inspiration. There’s also an area for impromptu jams with fellow visitors and an interactive kiosk where you can design a logo for your new band, should things really click.

And indulge in other rock and roll pastimes

Just outside The Garage, you’ll find one of my favourite parts of the museum – a collection of rock and roll-themed pinball machines that are free to play for visitors. I fired up the AC/DC one, and the 'skills' I picked up in my misspent youth came back in an instant.

Note: if your time on the flippers gets you addicted again, Cleveland boasts its very own retro pinball parlour, Superelectric Pinball. This dimly lit venue on Detroit Avenue boasts 18 pinball machines dating from 1971 right up to 2024, and even sells pre-loved machines.

You can help choose future inductees

Located on Level Three, the actual Hall of Fame lists every inductee according to the year they were inducted. From inaugural inductees like Elvis Presley and James Brown right through to 2024 entrants like Ozzy Osbourne and Cher, these are the greatest names in rock and roll.

Nearby, there’s a bank of interactive screens for you to vote for who you think should be inducted, as well as an exhibit dedicated to the current year’s crop. I got to see fabulous outfits belonging to Kool and the Gang and the talk box Peter Frampton played on 'Frampton Comes Alive'.

And explore secret corridors

If you go on one of the guided tours, you’re in for an additional treat. Not only will you be able to draw on your guide’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the exhibits, you’ll also get the chance to visit 'the secret wall'.

Tucked away in the warren hallways that staff use to make their way around the vast complex, the walls of this corridor are plastered with the signatures of the artists and figures that have toured the museum. Most are indecipherable, but I spotted Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. I think.

Rock gods are honoured with epic events

Each year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame holds a glittering event where the artists from that year’s cohort and their music are celebrated. The event alternates between New York and Cleveland, a hangover from the early days of the foundation.

If you’re in Cleveland when it’s on, move heaven and earth to get yourself a ticket. The concert is renowned for its legendary performances, including Prince’s scene-stealing guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps during George Harrison’s posthumous induction in 2004. The 2024 ceremony saw Cher duet with Dua Lipa and Jack Black induct Ozzy Osbourne (pictured).

There's a thriving local music scene

Cleveland isn’t just about celebrating rock and roll’s past glories. The city also boasts a thriving live music scene dedicated to ensuring it has a bright future as well. In Cleveland’s buzzing East 4th Street entertainment district, that task falls upon the venerable House of Blues.

Once a Woolworth's department store, this 2,500-capacity venue was expertly repurposed while retaining many of the building’s historical features. Since opening in 2004, it has hosted everyone from Tom Waits and Willie Nelson through to Green Day and Machine Gun Kelly.

And legendary venues

For a more alternative vibe, head out to the Beachland Ballroom in North Collinwood. Once the preserve of immigrants from Eastern Europe, the area is fast becoming Cleveland’s hippest neighbourhood, with this converted Croatian community hall on Waterloo Road leading the way.

The venue features a tavern, a subterranean lair selling vintage clothes and second-hand records, and a ballroom decorated with murals of Croatian peasants where the main gigs are held. The owner, Cindy Barber, is currently redeveloping an old Slovenian community hall a little further down the road, so keep an eye out for shows there in the near future.

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And quirky ones too

Happy Dog on Detroit Avenue bills itself as Cleveland’s neighbourhood corner bar, with a racetrack oval wood bar that is open and inviting, plenty of old chrome bar stools and a retro vibe that is lived in rather than manufactured.

The bands that play here exude the same effortless cool, and you’ll hear everything from rock and country to punk and polka. The bar is also famous for its fully loaded hot dogs, which boast a menu of 50 toppings, including a sunny-side-up fried egg, pimento mac and cheese and even SpaghettiOs. Come for the music. Stay for the dogs.

Other genres are celebrated

It’s not just rock and roll that Cleveland helped shape. Thanks to an influx of Slovenian migrants after World War II, it was also instrumental in the development of another distinctive genre – polka.

Set in the old City Hall in Euclid, the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum traces the history of this infectious style and houses some of the most important artefacts from polka’s biggest stars. It’s very much a living scene – and a community one too. During my visit, I was asked to draw a raffle ticket for a competition on the weekly polka radio show on 101.5 WINT FM.

You'll find 'the best jazz club in America'

If jazz is more your vibe, you’ll want to catch a show at the Bop Stop, located in Hingetown and offering sweeping views of Lake Erie. It's Cleveland's premier listening room and was ranked 'the best jazz club in America' by readers of All About Jazz in 2019.

The night I visited, noted trombonist John Fedchock, a Cleveland native, was performing a centennial tribute to JJ Johnson. While every other bar in town was tuned in to the World Series baseball match between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees, the Bop Stop was an oasis of calm.

It has America's coolest record shops

There’s no shortage of cool record shops in Cleveland. You’ve got Bent Crayon Records, Mistake by the Lake, My Mind’s Eye, Hausfrau Records and Gotta Groove, which even has its own record pressing plant.

But if you have to choose just one, I’d recommend Blue Arrow Records in North Collinwood. Set in an old 1950s laundromat, the store is famous for its flooring, made from thousands of old record covers. They were playing one of my favourite records, 'This Year’s Model' by Elvis Costello, when I walked in the door.

And Hi-Fi listening bars too

It will come as no surprise that there are a number of music-themed eateries and bars dotted around Cleveland. In Ohio City, Dave’s Cosmic Subs serves gourmet sandwiches in a classic rock atmosphere. Just around the corner, Jukebox serves delicious pierogi and beer to the sound of tunes picked by customers on the well-stocked jukebox.

My favourite place was Bad Medicine (pictured), a brand-new 'Hi-Fi listening bar' out on Lorain Avenue. The staff play vinyl as they mix cocktails, matching the mood with music and drinks.

Even the football is rock and roll

The local NFL team, the Cleveland Browns, may have had a hard time of it recently, but you can’t question their rock and roll credentials. 2024 saw the first ever Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, held on the weekend of the 2024 induction ceremony.

Flavor Flav from Public Enemy smashed a guitar just before kick-off. Inductees Foreigner provided the half-time entertainment. And back at the tailgate party, local rapper OG Shanksta (pictured) was performing his song Walk Em Like A Dawg.

And so is the duty free

Are you regretting not buying the T-shirt listing all this year’s inductees while you were in the Hall gift shop? Or kicking yourself for not picking up a Beatles fridge magnet for your Fab Four fanatic uncle?

Fear not, as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has an official outlet in the main terminal at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. It can sort all your last-minute rock and roll purchases, and boasts several screens showing famous rock moments should your flight be delayed.

Getting there

Cleveland is served by Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, only 12 miles (19km) from downtown. Aer Lingus offers flights to Cleveland four times a week from London via Dublin, where you will also pass through US preclearance ensuring a hassle-free arrival in the States.

Peter Moore visited in October 2024 and was a guest of Destination Cleveland.

Read on for more American music landmarks everyone should visit

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