Speak in Tongues

Speak in Tongues was a freewheeling, community-run underground music venue in Cleveland, Ohio that operated on a DIY basis throughout the late '90s. Travelling bands regularly booked shows there, including ones that went on to greater fame like Modest Mouse, Jimmy Eat World, Alkaline Trio, and J Church. A healthy BYOB policy ensured that everyone's memory is different, resulting in an entertaining story of a place that truly was what you made it. This comprehensive oral history forms a picture of a unique, weird, special place that deeply informed the next 20 years of Cleveland's underground culture.