As tempting as it was to load this newsletter with “upbeat” things, a natural theme emerged while I was putting it together: ghosts.

Just because it’s the start of a new year — though I’m more invested in the lunar one next month — doesn’t mean the problems from last year have disappeared. But, if you’re lucky, hopefully they don’t hurt as much.

With another year gone by, I’ve included an animated series about a Ghost Club, a spooky but relatively quick video game, and a power-pop piano ballad to propel you forward.

You’ll also find details about a can’t miss Pokémon-themed drag show this Saturday, and an update about more drama at the Cleveland Music Awards.

Happy reading,
Dakotah

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Ghosts can be more than just scary stories to tell in the dark. Sometimes, they are a way to talk about what’s been lost or left unresolved. This week’s recommendations aren’t really spooky, but more about exploration, and might even warm your heart.

Although it’s been out for more than five years and even won a freaking Peabody Award, you likely still missed out on the hope and beauty of Elizabeth Ito’s City of Ghosts. The series is only six short episodes, and for me, this is the type of storytelling that could change the world. 

I know that might sound a bit dramatic, but hear me out. City of Ghosts is – for all intents and purposes – a kid’s show. It features characters – voiced by actual kids – leading a documentary style project across their Los Angeles neighborhoods. In each episode, they meet a ghost and  explore cultural history that’s been washed away by gentrification. The show has been praised for amplifying Indigenous languages and featuring a nonbinary character.

Despite the show’s success, Netflix canceled it after one season. Ito, who worked on popular shows such as Adventure Time, publicly expressed her frustration at Netflix for not promoting the series. I mean, I only heard about it because it was on a list of recommendations I read. The Netflix algorithm didn’t feed it to me. 

If you’re looking for a quick and cozy watch that is also massively educational without being preachy, look no further than City of Ghosts. And, of course, following Ito’s instructions: Don’t watch it on Netflix.

This week, I’m not really recommending a specific song or album, but a band: Jukebox the Ghost. Not only did they fit in with this week’s “theme,” but they’ve been one of my favorites for more than a decade. I’ve seen them live, I think, five times, including one of their HalloQueen shows which is exactly what it sounds like.

If you are a full album listener like me, I’d start with their self-titled one from 2014. Otherwise, go with where I started and listen to  “Don’t Let Me Fall Behind.”

I don’t play video games much, but when I do, I gravitate more toward shorter time commitments because I get too addicted. I also get overwhelmed by open-world games or ones with too many customizations or options. (I did absolutely love Animal Crossing though, of course). In general, the less decisions I have to make, the cozier the game is for me.

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of teenagers who accidentally open up a ghostly rift. There are two games, but each one follows a girl on an island with… secrets. It’s fun because you get to choose how you respond to certain situations and affect the outcome. 

All in all, the controls are typically pretty easy and you won’t get lost in the puzzles. You get to operate radios and search for frequencies while solving a mystery about why you’re there and what exactly it is you’ve been hired to do. The musical score is also original and the characters are fully voice acted. Gameplay probably lasts less than 10 hours, depending on how many sidequests you choose to complete. 

You can find Night School Studio’s games on Steam, PlayStation, Switch, etc. These games won’t break the bank, and range from $10-$20 each. I’ve also played Afterparty by the same studio, which is about trying to win back your mortality in a drinking contest against the Devil himself. 

Prepare for trouble, and make it double! Midwest drag queens Omega and Pineapple Honeydew are back again for the next Pokémon drag event on Saturday, Jan. 10. Now in its second year, the category is: Shiny Edition.

“I absolutely love Pokémon and have since I was very young,” Omega told Upbeat Nonsense. In 2024, she won Cleveland Scene’s Drag Queen of the Year Award. Gotta Catch ‘Em All features 11 performers, including drag queens, kings and burlesque artists. 

For more than a year, Omega has hosted the event at No Class. These shows typically happen every three months, and this is her fifth time hosting. She also hosts a weekly LGBTQ+ Trivia Tuesdays at Twist Social Club.

Nearly all the performers are from Cleveland, including: Ryder Slowly, Cloudy, Marquis Gaylord, Radius Linze, Vicea Verse, Rosie Quartz, Homer E. Roddick and Angel. Evelyn Everything is from Cincinnati and Pineapple Honeydew is based in Pittsburgh.

In addition to the live performances, you can check out the queer-focused Pokémon vendors or play games on vintage Nintendo consoles. There will also be a costume contest, with themed prizes going to the winners who dress in their gym leader best. 

Pokémon celebrates its 30 anniversary later this year. A few days ago, the Pokémon Company released a new logo featuring the adorable “Fat Pikachu” to commemorate the milestone. The official anniversary is Feb. 27.

Tickets are $10 (plus $5 if you’re under 21 years old) and can only be purchased at the venue. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 9 p.m at No Class in Cleveland.

Voting for the Cleveland Music Awards may have started, but the frustration continues. Within the first two days of voting, the app was shut down to deal with alleged cheating detected by the app’s owner, Mark Rasmussen, who also founded the awards in 2022. 

Problems with the app, a new requirement to participate in the Cleveland Music Awards (CMAs), started before the app launched. Several musicians and fans have left comments on the CMA’s social media page, but many have not received a reply. 

Prior to the app’s launch, Rasmussen assured nominees that his app would lead to a more secure process than Google Forms. In the past, musicians complained about cheating, he told Upbeat Nonsense in December. On Dec. 28, Rasmussen announced that he found “repeated attempts to manipulate voting results.”

In response, he reset the votes to zero and paused voting while the cheating was “handled,” according to his comment on social media. If the cheating continues, the nominees will be “eliminated from the competition.” Neither the CMAs nor Rasmussen have communicated with nominees about whether or not “legitimate” votes had been restored. At this point, no one has been disqualified.

It’s been less than two weeks since the music awards mandated that nominees not only register through an app, but get fans to download it too. Users are required to download the app, create an account and upload a photo. The app does collect data, and Rasmussen previously denied any interest in using it to make a profit. (Note: Rasmussen does, however, charge licensing fees to cities who want to “be a part of the music business.”)

A growing number of people have publicly questioned why the CMAs are putting people through the hassle of downloading an app that has repeatedly glitched and required maintenance. 

“I really want to support the Cleveland Music Awards, but the new voting app was honestly a rough experience,” wrote Mackie Nagelkirk, a photographer based in Northeast Ohio, on Facebook. “It’s discouraging real fans and artists while still failing to stop cheating. I really hope CMA listens to the feedback and adjusts the process — because the artists deserve better.”

For musicians in Cleveland, the CMAs represent one of few opportunities to receive recognition louder than the crowd at a show. Some have contacted Upbeat Nonsense privately to express their disappointment in the process so far. 

Previously, Rasmussen said “he fucked up” rolling out the app on such short notice. Since he claimed that individuals were cheating, he has not responded to further requests for comment. 

Multiple negative reviews have been deleted from the app store, causing the overall score for the No Cover app to fluctuate over the last few weeks. The app has consistently boasted a five-star rating on the Apple Store, though it recently fell to a 3.8 after one negative review has been left to stand.

“I have reinstalled this three times now,” the one-star reviewer wrote. “It crashes as soon as you start to use it. Cannot seem to load anything.” This is the only negative review remaining, as others were confirmed to have been deleted via screenshot. 

The app has also received a 1.7 star overall rating in the Google Store. One user, Melissa Cole, said she found the app to be “horrible” and just gave up.

So far, the only five-star review comes from Apostle Jones frontman, Michael Harnichar, who also goes by Mikey Silas: 

“Very excited about this launch of the new app!! [...] It is ultimately very user friendly and recommend doing in with the idea of growth. Would hate to be left behind when this app takes off as a tool for booking and networking for professional gigs! Every artist should be excited about this.”

When Rasmussen moved his media company to Cleveland in 2023, Apostle Jones was the first band on the cover. This is the second year in a row the band has been nominated for the CMAs.

Rasmussen did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Many outstanding questions remain, even setting aside the allegations of cheating and the app’s effectiveness. Venues, for example, are allowed to vote, and new this year, each venue’s vote is worth five times any other vote. 

This has also raised questions by musicians and fans alike about how venues are vetted before participating. According to Rasmussen, venues must create an account and upload at least one “legitimate” event to the No Cover app. 

So far, aside from No Cover’s headquarters in Berea, all of the venues are outside of Cuyahoga County. For example, one of the venues is Garfield High School in Akron.

Given the lack of communication from Rasmussen, musicians report to Upbeat Nonsense that they are asking themselves numerous questions:

The unspoken concern underlying all of these questions: 

Is the recognition worth it?

Alright, fine, I have one more ghost-related recommendation for you. If you enjoyed Animal Crossing, check out Cozy Grove. You play as a small scout soldier collecting materials on a small island to help bears discover their lost memories. It’s actually 50% off for Switch at $7 and also available on Steam for $14.