Wilbert’s Food
& Music
812 Huron Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio
216.902.4663
WILBERT'S WINS15 GRAMMY'S!
15 of this years 2010 - 53rd Gammy Awards winners have played for mike miller owner of Wilberts!
Chubby Carrier,
Dee Dee Bridgewater,
Jack White III, Robert Gordon
, John Scofield
Steven Bruton,
Buddy Guy,
Pinetop Perkins,
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Grupo Fantasma,
Patty Griffin,
Stanley Clark,
Keith Urban, Train & Larry Carlton
People have asked me to Compile a List of people who have played for me-I'll start with the Blues guys first-OK-Everybody!!!!!!!Ha Ha!
Now here you Go-
5 Chinese Brothers
A, Johnny
Adcock, C. C.
Michael Allman
Allison, Bernard
Allison, Luther
Alvin, Dave
Amble Eric
Andersen, Mike
Pete Anderson
Andrews, Jake
Michael "Tunes" Antunes
Armstrong, James
Ben Aurther
Arvey, Steve
Assembly Of Dust
Asleep At The Wheel
Austin Lounge Lizards
Austin "Walkin' Cane"
Austin, Reneé
The Bad Examples
Bacon, Billy and the Forbidden Pigs
Ryan Adams (Whiskey Town)
Backsliders, The
Dan Baird
Bad Livers
BaldryLong John
Ball, Marcia
Ballinger, Daniel Slick
Barefoot Truth
Pato Banton
Roosevelt 'Booba' Barnes
Barton, Lou Ann
The Beat Farmers
Beard, Chris
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
Bell, William
Benoit, Tab
Tony Bennett, (will I did meet him in a restaurant on Captiva Is) Hey it's my list!!
MARCO BENEVENTO Trio
Big Brother & the Holding Co
Big Leg Emma
BIG SAM"s Funky Nation .
Big Sugar
BIRTH
Blue Highway
Blue Rodeo
Bluerunners
Black 47
Jeff Black
Blackwater Surprise
Bland, Bobby 'Blue'
Blind Boys of Alabama
Block, Rory
Blood Oranges
BLUE LUNCH
Bogart, Deanna
Bohren, Spencer
Bonerama
Bon Ton Roulet
Boozoo Chavis (That's Who!)
The Bottle Rockets
BR549
Robert Bradleys Blackwater Surprise
Bramhall, Doyle
Branch, Billy
Brave Combo
Brewer & Shipley
Dee Dee Bridgewater
The Bridge
Jonatha Brooke
Brooks, Lonnie
Brooks, Ronnie Baker
Savoy Brown
Stephen Bruton
Brooks, Wayne Baker
Charles Brown
Brown, Clarence 'Gatemouth'
Brown, Junior
Sarah Brown
Bruso, Nora Jean
Buchanan, Roy
Jeff Buckley
Buckwheat Zydeco
richard buckner
Burks, Michael
Kenny Burrell
Bx3 - Stu Hamm, Billy Sheehan and Jeff Berlin
Cain, Chris
Buddy Cage
Troy Campbell
Caravan of Thieves
Larry Carlton
Ralph Carney
Carrier, Chubby and the Bayou Swamp Band
Jim Carroll
Caitlin Cary
Peter Case
Hayes Carll
Paul Carrack (Squeeze vocalist on "Tempted")
Chris Castle
Castro, Tommy
Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans
Chenier, CJ
Chirgilchin
The Clarks
Guy Clark
STANLEY CLARKE
Clark, W.C.
Clay, Otis
Slaid Cleaves
Clearwater, Eddy 'Chief'
Cobham, Billy
Commander Cody
Codetalkers
HOLLY COLE
Freddy Cole (Nat's Brother)
Coleman, Deborah
Coleman, Wallace
Company Of Thieves
Connor, Joanna
Copeland, Shemekia
Johnny ' Clyde ' Copeland
Larry Coryell
Costello, Sean
Cotton, James
Albert Collins
Ralph Covert
The Brothers Creeggan
Cummings, Albert
Curfman, Shannon
Curran, Nick
Mary Cutrufello
Dangermuffin
Rick Danko
Olu Dara
Dash Rip Rock
David Gans
Davies, Debbie
Davis, Guy
Ray Davies - came in, had dinner and stayed for the show!
Davina & The Vagabonds
Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie
Ronnie Dawson
Delta Highway
Delta Moon
Zach Deputy
The Derailers
Rick Derringer
DI3
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Disco Biscuits
Dixon, Floyd
DOGTOWN ALLSTARS
Dollar Store
Donna the Buffalo
Double Trouble
Downchild Blues Band
Driftless Pony Club
Drive-By Truckers
Drums & Tuba
Duarte, Chris
Slim Dunlap
Zach Deputy
Stacy Earle & Mark Stuart
Tim Easton
Alejandro Escovedo
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Kurt Elling
Eddie Money
Bleu Edmondson
Earl, Ronnie
Edwards, Honeyboy
Fred Eaglesmith
Ellis, Tinsley
Joe Ely
EOTO
Wreckless Eric
Ernie and the Automatics
Estrin, Rick
John Alec Entwistle (WHO?)
evan and jaron
Fabulous Thunderbirds
Fairport Convention
Danny Federici
H-Bomb Ferguson-Wiggin' Out!
Steve Ferguson
Melissa Ferrick
File'
Foley, Sue
Steve Forbert
Ford, Robben
Forsyth, Guy
Radney Foster ,
Pete Fountain - My Great Uncle produced over 45 LP for him! and Hoagy Carmichael-Bud Dant
Michael Fracasso
Stewart Francke
Kinky Friedman
Freund, Steve
Funderburgh, Anson
w/ Sam Myers & the Rockets,
Robbie Fulks
Lowell Fulson
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
Gaelic Storm
Chris Gaffney
Frank Gambale
GALACTIC
David Gans
Garaj Mahal
Greg Ginn ( Black Flag)
Donna Jean Godchaux
Goober & the Peas- With White Stripe/Raconteur Jack White on drums under the moniker of Doc Gillis!
Jon Dee Graham
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Gomes, Anthony
Gongzilla
The Gourds
Kevin Gordon
Robert Gordon
Gordie Johnson (made me go and get everyone ear plugs before he when on!)
Garaj Mahal
Barry Goudreau (From the band Boston)
Greyboy Allstars w/
Karl Denson
Great Big Sea
Green, Peter and the Splinter Group
Patty Griffin
Grupo Fantasma
Gruenling, Dennis and JumpTime
Guy, Buddy
Guy, Phil
Guyger, Steve
GUSTER
Gym Class Heroes
Hammond, John
Col. Bruce Hampton
Harman, James
Bill Harvey
Colonel Bruce Hampton
Wayne "The Train" Hancock
Jimmy Herring
Hart, Alvin Youngblood
Hacienda Brothers
Sib Hashian (Fron the band Boston)
Ronnie Hawkins
Ron Hawkins and the Rusty Nails
Ted Hawkins
Hayes Carll
Brian Henke
Scott Henderson
The Holmes Brothers
Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks
Peter Himmelman
Tish Hinojosa
Hubert Sumlin
Deborah Harry
Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys
Hole, Dave
Holland, Jools
The Hollisters (
Mike Barfield
)
Holmstrom, Rick
Holt, Scott
The Honeydogs
Hot Club of Cowtown
Hubbard, Ray Wylie
Stu Hamm
Hummel, Mark
Wayne Hancock
Candye Kane
Hunt, Kelley
Smoking Joe Kubek & Bnois King
Hunter, Long John
Hunter, Charlie
Hypnotic Clambake
Iko Iko
The Iguanas
Indigenous
Jack Ingram
Jason & the Scorchers
Mike Ireland
Jabali Afrika
James, Colin
Jason and The Scorchers
Jazz Mandolin Project
John Brown's Body
John, Colin
Johnson, Jimmy
Johnson, Big Jack
Johnson, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
Johnson, Luther 'Guitar Jr.'
Syl Johnson
Chris Thomas King
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Jordan, Stanley
Kaiser Cartel
Kane, Candye
Karp, Peter
Mamar Kassey
Kazanoff, Kaz
Keb' Mo'
Shawn Kellerman
Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins
Will Kimbrough
Chris Thomas King
King Johnson
Chris Knight
Kirchen, Bill
Kirkland, Eddie
Jann Klose
Kooper, Al
Adam Kowalczyk (Of Live)
Kubek, Smokin' Joe
Landreth, Sonny
Lane, Jimmy D.
Lang, Jonny
Patty Larkin
Jim Lauderdale
Jimmy LaFave
Bettye LaVette
Lazy Lester
Ledet, Rosie the Zydeco Sweetheart
Lee, Floyd
Amy LaVere
LEYITO Y SU ORQUWSTA
Lenz, Mike
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
Little Brian
Little Malcom & the Houserockers
Lindell, Eric
Lindley, David
Liquid Soul
Little Charlie and the Nightcats
Little Milton
Richard Lloyd (
Television)
Lil' Brian & the Travelers
Lockwood, Robert Jr.
Logan, John 'Juke'
Mike Lombardo
Loose Diamonds
Los Straitjackets
Louisiana Red
Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans
Claire Lynch Band
pat mAcdonald
Lonnie Mack
Buick MacKane
Magic Dick
Magic Slim and the Teardrops
Lil' Malcolm & the Houserockers
Mallory San Marco
Margolin, Bob
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
Tift Merritt
Mathus, Jimbo
Mayall, John and The Blues Brakers
Ashley MacIsaac-Did a sound check-but stepped on his fiddle and got mad!!!
Natalie MacMaster
Mamar Kassey
Mama's Black Sheep
Mamou
Jessica Lea Mayfield
Pat McDonald
Roger Mcguinn
Jamie McLean Band
Larry McCray
McLagan, Ian
Tift Merritt
Michael Hill's Blues Mob
Mifune
Mighty Lester Band
Bill Miller
Scott Miller & the Commonwealth
Mighty Sam McClain
Milligan, Malford
Buddy and Julie Miller
The Modulators
Katy Moffat
Ryan Montbleau Band
Montgomery, James
Montoya, Coco
Moonshine Still
Ian Moore
Allison Moorer (well she didn't play for me-but kept my $200 deposit!)
Morgan, Mike and the Crawl
Teddy Morgan
Morganfield, Big Bill
Shana Morrison - (Van's Daughter)
Moss, Nick & TheFlipTops
Mountain
Mouth Music
Moxy Früvous
Muldaur, Maria
Shawn Mullins
Peter Mulvey
Trish Murphy
Matt "Guitar" Murphy
Musselwhite, Charlie
Myers, Sam
Norman Nardini
Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas
Hani Naser
Neal, Kenny
Neal, Lil Ray
Neal, Rafu
New Birth Brass Band
Paula Nelson
Nelson, Tracy
Németh, John
Carrie Newcomer
New Monsoon
New Orleans Klezmer All*Stars
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Cyril Neville & Tribe 13
Ivan Neville & Dumpstaphunk
Nighthawks
Willie Nile
John Novello
NRBQ
Nulisch, Darrell
Omar and the Howlers
Oranj Symphonette with Ralph Carney and fellow Waits alumni Joe Gore and Matt Brubeck
Beth Orton
Osborne, Anders
Judith Owen The Paladins
Paleface
Palmer, Sue
Papadosio
Bobby Parker
Graham Parker
Maceo Parker
Parnell, Lee Roy
Pearl and the Beard
Jaco Pastorius (long story!-of course!)
Paul & Storm
Nicholas Payton
Ann Peebles
Perkins, Pinetop
Perry, Bill
Peterson, Lucky
Perpetual Groove
PHILOSOPHER KINGS, THE
Phelps, Kelly Joe
Chandler Travis Philharmonic
Piazza, Rod and the Mighty Flyers (Fist National I Booked)
Piccolo, Greg
The Legendary Marvin Pontiac
Popa Chubby
Popovic, Ana
Portnoy, Jerry
Grace Potter, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Preacher Boy
Ben Prestage
Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band
Toni Price
Primer, John
Primich, Gary
Principato, Tom
psychodots
Rabson, Ann
Ramos, Kid
Ramsey, Bo
RAQ
Rays Music Exchange
Rebirth Brass Band
Leon Redbone
Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band
Reckless Kelly
Red Hot & Blue
Reverend Horton Heat
Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys
Rhodes, Sonny
Richey, Kelly
Kim Richey
Steve Riley & The Mamuo Playboys
Rishell, Paul and Annie Raines
Amy Rigby
Tabu Ley Rochereau
Robillard, Duke
Tad Robinson
Charlie Robison
Rocker, Lee
Jimmy Rodgers (Blues)
Rogers, Roy
Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom
Roomful Of Blues
Rubblebucket
Rupa and the April Fishes
Rush, Bobby
Rush, Otis
Russell, Leon
Tom Russell
Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women
Salgado, Curtis
Joe Sample
Satan & Adam
Satisfaction
Sauce Boss (Bill Wharton)
Merl Saunders
Savoy Brown
Sayers, Hadden
Saw Doctors
Schleigho
Schultz, Alex
Scofield, John
Scott, E.C.
Seals, Son
RON SEXSMITH
Martin Sexton
Shannon, Mem
Shannon, Tommy
Shaw, Eddie and the Wolf Gang
Shepherd, Kenny Wayne
Shorty, Guitar
Guitar Slim
Sicilia, Gina
The Silos
16 Horsepower
Simien, Terrance
Simmonds, Kim
Simone (w/ liquid soul)
Keaton Simons
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
Alex Skolnick Trio
Slim, Lynwood
Too Slim and the Taildraggers
The Slip
Slobberbone
Anna Nicole Smith (well she came in and danced one night!)
Smith, Byther
Darden Smith
Smith, Josh
Steve Smith
Smith, Willie 'Big Eyes'
Smither, Chris
Clem Snide
Todd Snider
Solberg, James
Solas
Sol Driven Train
Soul of John Black
SpikeDrivers
Sprit of the West
Split Lip Rayfield
The Spring Standards
Michael Stanley Band
Steep Canyon Rangers
STEPPIN' IN IT
Mike Stern
John Stewart ( Kingston Trio-fame not the TV guy-which I did have some people show up for!)
Storyville
Strange Folk
Strehli, Angela
Studebaker John
Stuve, Bill
THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT w/Keller Williams
Subdudes ,The
Sugar Blue
Sugar Ray and the Bluetones
Sumlin, Hubert
Trent Summar & the New Row Mob
Sun Ra Arkestra
Sweany, Patrick
Taj Mahal
Greg " Fingers " Taylor ."
Taylor, Koko
Taylor, Melvin
Mick Taylor
Taylor, Otis
Tea Leaf Green
Tedeschi, Susan
Telepath
Ten Years After
Thackery, Jimmy and the Drivers
The Bridge
The Brothers Creeggan
The Claire Lynch Band
The Clancy Brothers
The Jazz Passengers
The Magnificent Sevens
The Nields
The SLIP
Todd Thibaud
the Zen Tricksters
Poet Daniel Thompson
Richard Thompson
Thomas, Irma
Too Slim and the Taildraggers
Tony Rice
William Topley
Wayne Toups & ZyDeCajun
Train
Chandler Travis Philharmonic
Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra
Tony Trischka
Greg Trooper
Trout, Walter
Trucks, Derek
Tumatoe, Duke and the Power Trio
Two High String Band
U-Melt
Keith Urban "The Ranch"
Ulmer, James Blood
The V-Roys
Brian Vander Ark of
The Verve Pipe
The Ventures
Kate Voegele
Joe Louis Walker
Walker, Phillip
Seth Walker
Don Walser
Walter "Wolfman" Washington & the Roadmasters
Monte Warden
Watson, Junior
Dale Watson
Weathersby, Carl
Dave Weckl
Taj Weeks
Welch, Monster Mike
Wells, Junior
Susan Werner
Leslie West
Wilder Web
Kelly Willis
Keller Williams
Valerie Wellington
Wide Mouth Mason
Willson, Michelle
Dar Wiiliams
Wilson, Kim
Wilson, Roger 'Hurricane'
WINTER SOUNDS
Whiskeytown
Todd Wolfe
Carolyn Wonderland
Wirtz, Reverend Billy
Lenny White
Lavelle White,
Woods, Mitch
Yat-Kha
Young, Mighty Joe
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
Dan Zanes
ZERO-w/ Steve Kimock
I'll keep adding as I remember more.
Cleveland’s premier restaurant-slash-roots music venue. With a huge room and an great sound system, WILBERT’S FOOD & MUSIC is the place to go downtown for a great meal and a top-notch concert.
Open for the quality music showcase features a
bistro-style menu with new ideas alongside old Ninth Street favorites, affordable appetizers, and a stellar draft list.
An adult music venue that’s still in the hospitality
business; a place where you can get a drink, full-service food, and an intimate concert experience-Wilbert’s promises to deliver some of the finest in live national, regional, and local roots, blues, folk, world, jam, reggae, jazz, acoustic, pop, rock, indie and soul music downtown at a
safe and conveniently located club at 812 Huron Rd E. Also accessible on Bolivar, directly across from Progressive Field and next to the The "Q" Arena and the thirsty parrott (the old Pete and Dewys)
The Place to go before and after any Gateway event
OK-You Asked For It-We now Sell Our Own Salsa-All Fresh Ingredients
Get It ToGo!!!
Our first salsa sale!
Photo By Craig Paterson
Michael Miller of Wilbert's Food & Music appreciates his role on music scene: Tastemakers
Gus Chan,
"Expect nothing. Appreciate everything."
It's a nice little aphorism, and it happens to be Michael Miller's new mantra. It explains why Wilbert's Food & Music is still around, 17 years and two locations after its launch in Cleveland's Warehouse District.
The District and the Flats back then contended for hottest spot for music, with scores of national and regional acts thumping out sounds at several clubs. But few were packed as often as Miller's tiny spot on West Ninth Street. And the names of the acts that he introduced to the city are just about legendary.
A band called the Ranch got $250 to open for local songstress Anne E. DeChant first time and
Howard Micenmacher"s "
Al's Fast Freight
" the second time. The lead guitarist and vocalist for that trio was a fellow named Keith Urban. The same Keith Urban who sold out The Q a few times and, we suspect, made a bit more than $250.
Want a few more names? How about Jonny Lang? Kenny Wayne Shepherd? Alejandro Escovedo? Buckwheat Zydeco? Nanci Griffith? → see list!
The same names aren't playing the club's "new" home at 812 Huron Road in the Caxton Building -- where it's been longer than the seven years he called the West Ninth location home -- but as Miller pointed out, nobody knew a lot of those acts when he booked them.
Also, there was no House of Blues and no
Winchester Music Hall
, both places likely to bring in blues, indie or alt-country artists today.
Seated in one of the open booths of his club, Miller talked about the changes in the music scene in Cleveland since he opened Wilbert's (named for his grandfather and father) in 1992. The national economy was booming, with a surging Cleveland riding the wave.
Memories are as thick as the atmosphere when it comes to the Warehouse District site, where patrons often shared tables with strangers.
When he finally left, Miller said, "we were outgrowing the space. People walk in here all the time and go, 'I really miss that old place.' I'm like, 'So do I.'
"But I've learned how to survive more here than what I've ever learned throughout my career," he said.
It's not easy, given the downturn in the economy, the paucity of visitors to downtown -- Miller said he never considered any location other than downtown CLEVELAND for a new club !
But learning to pinch pennies has been a good thing for the Gilmour Academy grad who got his start as the food and beverage manager at Barney Google's in Richfield after earning a degree at Xavier University.
"I go to the [West Side] Market because know I can get what I need and it's a better deal," Miller said. "I go to the Restaurant Depot and just get what I need. Then I know my prices on everything."
Other things have changed for him as well. .
at 53 -- he's a family man now. He and Rachael have two sons (7-year-old Evan and 5-year-old Jonah) and an 2yr-old daughter, Maegan. Laughing when advised that he'll be 70 when Magaen graduates from high school, he joked that at least he'd get preferred parking and a seat up fromt for senior citizens.
Of course, it's been replaced by a bit of workaholic's guilt; not long ago, he decided that lunches were just not making enough money for him to justify being open. So he's not. He went from working typical restaurateur hours -- 80 to 90 hours a week -- to 40 or 50.
He admitted to feeling a bit like a slacker, but he's content with the decision. And the club has grown beyond the "just music" bugaboo.
Miller, who created all the dishes on the menu, said he cuts his own steaks, makes his own barbecue sauce (he's recently started bottling and selling it) and jerk seasoning. Plus, he has a homemade veggie burger that he said is a hit with the vegetarian set, who often are surprised to find such an offering in a bar setting.
Call it a non-meat fan's way of adhering to Miller's guide: Expect nothing and appreciate everything. Even a veggie burger.
Zero Live at Wilbert's on 1997-09-26 (September 26, 1997)
Gus Chan, 
Zero Live at Wilbert's on 1997-09-26 (September 26, 1997)