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Legendary 1960s garage-rockers the Sonics will head up the Beachland Ballroom's 14 anniversary celebration in Cleveland.

(Merri L. Sutton)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Esquire has called it one of the top 100 bars in America. Bands across the country swear by it.

Yet Cindy Barber and Mark Leddy were seen by many as a bit eccentric when they opened the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in 2000.

A rock club in an old ethnic hall? In a neighborhood written off as dead?

My, how perceptions have changed.

The Beachland -- which celebrates its 14th anniversary this weekend with a series of shows -- not only has gained national attention as a great rock club, it's also become an incubator for development in Collinwood.

The Cleveland neighborhood has added shops and galleries that wouldn't have docked there if the Beachland, 15711 Waterloo Road, wasn't there to anchor them.

Barber counts five galleries and three more on the way as proof that artists are more than merely the first wave in the distressed neighborhood – only to get pushed out when the developers, the glitzy chefs and the luxury townhouses move in.

“We want to remain true to the original idea,” Barber recently told The Plain Dealer. “We want to keep it real and affordable.

But let’s not forget about the music – after all, without it the Beachland would be an empty, silent building.

Sleater-Kinney raved about it in Rolling Stone. Glenn Tilbrook even wrote a song about it, aptly titled “Beachland Ballroom.” It played host to amazing shows, like the Rocket from the Tombs reunion. Or the 2002 show by 1960s legends Arthur Lee and Love that might rate as my favorite ever.

This weekend, the Beachland will host another band from the 1960s that is just as much of a legend for its 14th anniversary weekend.

Bring on the Sonics. The garage-rock kings from Tacoma, Wa. rewrote the language of rock ‘n’ roll by penning raw, primal blasts like “Strychnine,” “Psycho” and “The Witch.” I could mention all the bands they’ve influenced, but who cares? You got the real deal coming to down.

The Sonics hit the Beachland Ballroom at 9 p.m. Friday and will be joined by latter-day garage-rockers the Cynics. The Pittsburgh quartet is always a stellar rock 'n' romp, not to mention a more-recent pioneer that has carried the torch for rock 'n' roll for decades.

Led by the dynamic duo of singer Michael Kastelic and guitarist Gregg Kostelich, the Cynics rocked when Don Henley was the closest thing to rock on the radio. They rocked when Guns 'N Roses "revived" it. They rocked when grunge ruled. They rocked when grunge gagged and lounge, techno and (fill in the blank) were proclaimed the Next Big Thing. They're still at it and doing quite well years after the neo-garage scene conked out.

Tickets are $25.

Other shows in the Beachland weekend:

At 8 p.m. Friday, the Beachland Tavern will host a rockabilly show with Cleveland ‘60s singer-guitarist Alan Leatherwood. Also on the bill: David Loy & the Ramrods and the Rocket 88s. $7.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the Beachland Ballroom hosts Stanley Clarke. Sold Out. The Tavern hosts All Dinosaurs, Night Sweats and Black Puddle Noise. $8.

At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Parquet Courts play the Ballroom, with Connections and Pleasure Leftists. $13; $15, day of show.

The Tavern will host a Lou Reed Birthday Celebration on Sunday. Mirrors, Kevin Junior and Friends and Rainy Day Saints paying tribute to Reed, who passed away in October.

The leader of the Velvet Underground and notable Pisces not only pioneered a new kind of rock 'n' roll, he also played a powerful role in the Cleveland music scene. Reed played countless early shows at La Cave (many of which made for treasured bootleg recordings) that shaped the attitude and sound of many Cleveland bands, including Mirrors. Free

For tickets and info, call 216-383-1124.