Yes, you could hit the Westlake Champps on Sunday nights for itsGuitar Hero jam night from 10 p.m. till closing or swing by ROC Bar on the East Bank of the Flats to show off your best Pete Townshend moves three out of four Thursday nights each month. But may we also suggest paying proper tribute to one of the guys who made you want to stand in front of a television pushing buttons on a plastic guitar in the first place? Nov. 15, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will recognize iconic guitar and recording innovator Les Paul during the ’08 installment of its American Music Masters Series tribute concert. Paul (now 93 years old) gave the world the Gibson Les Paul, an instantly recognizable electric guitar design that grew into a visual shorthand for cool in the hands of everyone from Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page to Guns N’ Roses’ Slash. And since the Rock Hall has landed big names to perform at its American Music Master Series concert in recent years — Robert Plant, Chrissie Hynde and John Mellencamp, to name a few — we’re looking forward to learning which musicians will hit the stage to honor Paul. This is the guitar hero night you can’t just catch again next week if you miss it. State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; rockhall.com
The Best of Cleveland - Guitar Hero Night
best of cleveland
12:00 AM EST
September 24, 2008