Cover Story
Bread & Water Printshop questions the aesthetics of punk
Most people know a punk when they see one. Black clothes, dyed hair, studs, carabiners, band shirts. “Not all punks!” one might say, accurately. Artist and printmaker Rose Hermalin grew up in the punk community and it remains central to her life, but she became frustrated by a certain exclusivity to the punk look and…
Final weekend of TributeFest brings David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane to Club Cafe
For those playing in the ninth annual TributeFestPgh, participation is almost a yearlong commitment. The full lineup was booked in February, leaving the cover bands ample time to practice, gather their costumes, and get into character. TributeFest is a chance for local musicians to join forces and perform as their favorite bands. The event has…
Inside Chatterton, Quantum Theatre’s immersive, twisting mystery at Trinity Cathedral
Watching Chatterton unfold at Trinity Cathedral last week, I kept thinking about a short story I once read about two dense, fledgling writers who misinterpret the axiom about how good artists borrow and great artists steal. They conclude that the only way to become great artists is to first become professional thieves. As in, like,…
Specialty Coffee Week in Pittsburgh kicks off with Steel City Sip & Sweets
Pittsburgh’s tight-knit coffee scene is coming together for a week of caffeine-fueled events for the 2018 Specialty Coffee Week with the theme of “Coffee Connecting Community.” Specialty Coffee Week starts October 20 with Steel City Sip & Sweets. This tasting event, including over 20 coffee, juice, and pastry vendors, will benefit Lending Hearts. The organization aids pediatric…
Benji. releases new song, “Tamale”
As the cold weather sets in and it officially begins to feel like fall in Pittsburgh, Benji., formerly Courtesy, is warming up the eardrums with his latest release, “Tamale.” The hip-hop artist, along with rapper Slim Tha DJ, produced the spicy track which dropped today. Throughout four minutes and 15 seconds, Benji. takes listeners on…
Majority of Pennsylvanians support “Medicare-for-all” health care
In September 2017, U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Forest Hills) told City Paper that single-payer health care, aka “Medicare-for-all,” would become more popular as long it stayed in the national conversation. “The more people understand it, the more they realize it is a good way forward,” said Doyle. And a new poll shows that Pittsburgh’s congressman was right.…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/16/18
Video Archive There’s a chill in the air, and Susan is on the phone today. First she and Lynn are discussing the video of a black man being blocked from entering his own apartment by a white woman in St. Louis. They are also talking about Sears and it’s catalog over the years. Apparently it…
#MusicMonday Wrap-up: Oct. 15
The Vaccines cancel, a four-time Grammy winner announces retirement, and did someone say holograms?
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/15/18
Video Archive Lynn is starting out the week on a topic that she is greatly concerned with; the speed in which technology advances, and artificial intelligence. There is a new Stephen Hawking book coming out tomorrow: “Brief Answers to the Big Questions.” Lynn fears technological advancements going too far, and it seems Hawking had a…
Gov. candidate Scott Wagner tells Gov. Tom Wolf: “I’m gonna stomp all over your face with golf spikes”
At around 11 a.m. on Friday morning, Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner began a Facebook Live video, streaming from the side of a road in York, Pa. He stood under a billboard, next to stacks of checks sitting on a folding chair. “I’m standing in front of a billboard that Tom Wolf and his Democrat…
The Hate U Give embodies the exhausting cycle of police brutality
It’s overwhelming to think about how, even five years ago, national protests over police shootings were uncommon. Now, there are a few protests every year, like the ones earlier this year in Pittsburgh over the shooting of Antwon Rose. This organizing, mostly done by young activists, ignited other movements, like the work done by the…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/12/18
Video Archive Lynn is starting out today with obituaries that remind her that there are strong women out there. The first is a Pittsburgh notable, Mary Alice Gorman who was the owner of Mystery Lovers Bookshop, a life trustee of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and Executive Director of the Allegheny County Center for Victims…
Guitarist Bill MacKay and the creative magic of Pittsburgh
Bill MacKay had gotten a late start to his day. He was traveling by train as he spoke with City Paper and things were getting hectic. “Can I call you back in seven minutes?” he asked. The noise was proving to be too much, so we hung up, and in precisely seven minutes, MacKay called…
Judith O’Toole named Mattress Factory acting director in wake of sexual assault allegations
The former director and CEO of the Westmoreland will temporarily take over for suspended Mattress Factory executive director, Michael Olijnyk.
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/11/18
Video Archive Lynn is starting off with something local. She is talking about armed guards at sporting events between Penn Hills, and Connellsville. Earlier this year Penn Hills soccer players were subjected to racial slurs while playing Connellsville from both players and spectators. Now after the WPIAL found these accusations to be reasonably credible, Connellsville…
Concert photos: Elton John at PPG Paints Arena
Elton John said goodbye to Pittsburgh last night. Kind of. The 71-year-old “Rocketman” took the stage Wednesday night for his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour at PPG Paints Arena, decked out in rose-colored, heart-shaped glasses and sparkles for days. “It’s time to come off the road so I can fully embrace the next important chapter…
Preview: ReelQ film festival runs Oct. 11-14
ReelQ Film Festival. Times vary. Thu., Oct. 11-Sun., Oct. 14. Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. reelq.org Despite increased representation at awards shows, depictions of LGBTQ life in film are still rare – complex, nuanced, and relatable queer stories are even rarer. To combat this, the ReelQ film festival, started by the Pittsburgh Gay &…
With the MOMENTUM Gala, Focus On Renewal program celebrates 49 years in Sto-Rox
Community resources can be hard to come by, particularly in economically hard hit areas like McKees Rocks. The area has many programs that are not fully funded, and area nonprofit Focus on Renewal is looking for ways to fill the gaps. “We have a bunch of programs that are underfunded, everything from the food pantry…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/10/18
Video Archive Hurricane coverage has begun again, and Lynn can’t stand it. The idea that people lose their homes on the coastline, and then are able to rebuild in the same place time, and time again blows her mind. The lack of regulation, and consideration of climate change is astounding. She is also discussing the…
Know Your Local Bartender: Mai Jeans
How well do you know your local bartender? Probably not as well as you think. City Paper features Mai Jeans from Alla Famiglia for this week’s On The Rocks. Do you carry a phone charger with you or do you just live dangerously? I totally don’t carry one with me. I carry enough baggage as…
Which City Paper staffer pulled together a better design for her desk area?
Staff writers Jordan Snowden and Amanda Waltz were given an assignment: decorate a cubicle for Halloween for less than $25. Jordan went to Michaels, Amanda went to Rite Aid. How did they do? Jordan: It’s the middle of October, yet all the Halloween merchandise is already 50-percent off. Thanksgiving items have already taken over the…
Is the Pittsburgh airport building up a flight bubble?
Since 2013, the Pittsburgh International Airport has almost doubled its nonstop destinations — from 37 to 72. When US Airways closed its Pittsburgh hub in 2004, air travel in the region really began to slide. By 2013, PIT had its lowest passenger total ever. For many Pittsburghers, the rebound is a cause for celebration. “Certainly,…
Free Will Astrology
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My astrological analysis suggests that life is conspiring to render you extra excited and unusually animated and highly motivated. I bet that if you cooperate with the natural rhythms, you will feel stirred, playful, and delighted. So how can you best use this gift? How might you take maximum advantage of…
Johnstown is best explored by train, foot, and incline
Johnstown is an old school town in the best way. Its downtown is compact with restaurants, shops, bakeries, markets, and parks. This Rust Belt town has suffered from decades-long economic decline, but its charm is preserved. In that vein, enjoy Johnstown as it was originally intended — on foot. Just over 90 minutes from Pittsburgh…
Coney Island Lunch came back from the dead
It’s sad when a restaurant that survived for more than 100 years shuts down. It’s downright devastating when that happens in a town such as Johnstown, where many of the best and brightest regularly move away. That’s what happened with Coney Island Lunch, which served its iconic chili dogs for more than a century before…
Finding Body Acceptance in Unexpected Places
I stand in front of the mirror touching up red lipstick and thickening winged eyeliner before work. My thighs extend out from a high-cut, black lace bodysuit. I bemoan their thickness and cellulite. In a moment of self-doubt, I question my desirability. Why did I ever think I was cut out for online sex work? …
Local tea shop does Oktoberfest with a twist
The idea for Ok-Tea Beer-Fest arrived at the most fitting time: happy hour. Owner of Tupelo Honey Teas, Danielle Spinola, wanted to mix her love of beer, tea, and the Oktoberfest spirit. With food, music, booths, and room to roam, Ok-Tea Beer-fest is set up like the German festival, but with beer-infused tea. “We got…
Get lost in the Carnegie International, 57th Edition
One minor complaint Carnegie International guest curator Ingrid Schaffner hears is how easy it is to get lost in the Carnegie Museum of Art’s vast array of rooms and exhibits. To her, though, that’s a good thing. “Let’s get lost in the museum,” says Schaffner, who was previously chief curator at the University of Pennsylvania’s…
Dance Council’s season opens with show that almost didn’t happen
Brazil’s Deborah Colker Dance Company will open the Dance Council’s 2018-19 season — and offerings for Cultural Trust’s Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts — at Byham Theater on Sat., Oct. 13, with the U.S. premiere of multimedia work Cão sem Plumas (Dog Without Feathers). “It’s a show that almost didn’t happen,” says the Trust’s Randal Miller.…
North Side tours for bibliophiles
For years, people went to the North Side to watch the Pirates or Steelers, then quickly left for home lest they be stuck in what was considered a high-crime area. That perception has changed over the past three decades due to an influx of cultural attractions, restaurants and bars, and residences. But a big part…
7 Days of Concerts
Thursday Mae 8 p.m. Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale. mrsmalls.com Friday Great Lake Swimmers 7 p.m. Club Cafe, South Side. clubcafelive.com Saturday Kore Rozzik 10 p.m. The Smiling Moose, South Side. smiling-moose.com Sunday Stanley Clarke 8 p.m. The Rex Theater, South Side. rextheater.net Monday Titus Andronicus 7 p.m. Cattivo, Lawrenceville. cattivopgh.com Tuesday The Coronas 7 p.m.…
A star is born again, and again, and again
The title for A Star is Born refers to the career of one of the movie’s protagonists, but in theory could also point to the real-life stardom for its actor. Each version of this movie follows the same basic structure: struggling actor/singer falls in love with successful/alcoholic actor, and her fame eventually eclipses his. City…
For whom do women dress?
For whom do women and femmes dress? It is an issue celebrated, debated, and legislated throughout history, with complex and, maybe to some, surprising answers. Welcome to my first Style Column, completed with the help of some fashionable contributors who answer the question. “Not long after YouTube opened an outlet to many Asian and Asian-American…
