Street-side With Captain Beefheart
On a Liberty Avenue pole, near the Bloomfield Bridge, somebody has carefully pencilled the lyrics to Captain Beefheart’s “Orange Claw Hammer.” A tribute to the late musician? Or just bored waiting for the bus?
Here’s a quick read on dubstep, by a Pittsburgh writer
Hey, just a quick heads-up: Folks with a few minutes wouldn’t waste it by reading this piece on The Verge. Verge features editor Lenny Flatley is a Pittsburgher (and was bassist in the wonderful Pittsburgh band Big Hurry). His piece is on the history of dubstep — and it starts with a scene at Belvedere’s.…
Think diversity is a problem for city police now? Just wait
Last week, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the city’s police department, alleging that its hiring practices discriminate against blacks. I’ll have a column about that in tomorrow’s paper. But in the meantime, here’s the first of a couple posts that take a wider-angle look at the problem: First we’ll look at where the bureau…
Heads Up: Morning headlines for Aug. 28
PA gains an entrant for dumbest Senatorial candidate of 2012 … new voter IDs are out (still no decoder ring) … and Team Romney may be taking its ball and going home.
Lynn Cullen Live 08/28/12
Video Archive Phone guest: Susan; Republican National Convention; Chris Christie is getting fatter; Anne Romney is a better candidate than Mitt; deeds, not creeds; Obit: Mo Wimbish, church leader & great caller / listener of the show; megachurches; Bible study CAN turn your life around; Catholics voting for Obama; men are becoming obsolete; without women,…
Wino & Conny Ochs at the 31st Street Pub, Aug. 20
As soon as I heard the music booming out of the open door of the 31st Street Pub and into the empty street last Monday, i regretted arriving late — only a song or two late, it turned out — and wondered if I’d regret forgetting my ear plugs. Though Scott “Wino” Weinrich and Conny…
Secrety society plate, beast in the harbor and more
Some finds on locally run Etsy shops.
Arts group formulates talking points on transit rescue plan
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council worries more money for transit means less funding for local arts groups.
Heads Up: Morning headlines for Aug. 27
Former Regional Asset District board member Rick Pierchalski offers a contrarian take on plans to use RAD sales tax money to fund the Port Authority. Pierchalski’s assessment: “The recent proposal … to tap into Regional Asset District money to fund the Port Authority will be a disaster for the RAD fund and its recipients.” But…
15th Annual Shadyside Arts Festival
Pittsburgh City Paper was at the Shadyside Arts Festival from 10-4 Saturday afternoon giving away prizes & interacting with local artists! Home to many upscale stores, boutiques, and restaurants, Shadyside, a traditional Pittsburgh neighborhood, is segmented into three corridors. Given the compact nature of this historic residential neighborhood, the three business corridors are all within…
Lynn Cullen Live 08/27/12
Video Archive It’s not raining in Tampa yet…; is Isaac God’s wrath on the Republicans?; Trump booted from his scheduled speech; Isaac may hit New Orleans on the anniversary of Katrina; how dogs can create a force 70 x the force of gravity; NBC reports Neil Young dead; Obit: Neil Armstrong, astronaut; tie-in between Armstrong’s…
USW Rallying for Striking Frozen Pizza Makers
United Steelworkers will be rallying in Homestead at noon Saturday to show support for striking workers at Palermo’s frozen pizza in Milwaukee.
Analysis: Despite concerns about transit plan, don’t expect Ravenstahl to throw himself in front of the bus
Sometimes, it’s almost like Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is trying to look like the bad guy. While everyone else in town was celebrating an apparent deal to stave off massive cuts at the Port Authority, Ravenstahl went on record to express concerns about the use of county sales-tax proceeds to shore up the system. Although Ravenstahl…
Stream this ish: Aug. 22 issue
Stream tunes from the bands we wrote about in this week’s CP!
Heads Up: Morning headlines for Aug. 24
The ACLU sues the city (again) … solid polling for Obama (again) … and the Tribune-Review is displeased (again)
Lynn Cullen Live 08/24/12
Video Archive Shooting outside Empire State Building; Lance Armstrong not going to fight dope charges, is stripped of his titles; Norway bomber sentenced only 21 years; cobra bites man in Nepal, man retaliates by biting cobra to death; president of Equitorial Guinea charged with embezzlement; ACLU vs. the corrupt Pittsburgh Police Dept.; civil service exam…
Amy Goodman coming to Pittsburgh Sept. 13
Democracy Now! host to appear at benefit/book signing.
Extended Q&A: Josh Verbanets from Meeting of Important People
Longer version of the Q&A with Meeting of Important People’s Josh Verbanets, from our print issue this week.
Reflective shirts, horror theater, PortaKegs and more
Some current crowd-funding campaigns based in Pittsburgh.
EDMC layoffs hit Art Institutes nationwide
EDMC layoffs hit Art Institutes nationwide
Peduto hits Ravenstahl on PAT funding criticisms
Peduto hits Ravenstahl on PAT funding criticisms
VIA starts name-the-lineup contest
FYI: VIA, the annual music-and-visuals-and-other festival that’s making its home base in East Liberty these days, opened up its 2012 guess-the-lineup contest. Go here and you can see a spinning set of photos of 2012 festival artists; name as many as you can, and you can win free passes. The tiebreaker is time-based, so hurry,…
Heads Up: Headlines for Aug. 23
Today’s top story: Former PSU president Graham Spanier speaks out on the Paterno scandal — and boy is he pissed at the Freeh report. KDKA-TV’s Jon Delano interviews Paul Ryan — watch Ryan dodge and weave questions on abortion — and gets love from everyone from the New Yorker to Rachel Maddow. Try to restrain…
Lynn Cullen Live 08/23/12
Video Archive Guest: Tom Sokolowski; farts!; Prince Harry gets naked in Vegas; how Lubbock, TX is preparing if Obama is re-elected; Ted Cruz wants to ban paved roads & golf courses; The Onion isn’t as funny as reality right now; Romney & Ryan’s abortion opinions differ; hurricane names; why don’t we have memories of being…
UPDATE: Mayor voices concern about RADical transit solution
A quick update to yesterday’s post about Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s plan to shore up the county’s transit system by tapping the Regional Assets District for $3 million a year. The Tribune-Review is now reporting that Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has misgivings about the plan to use proceeds from the 1 percent sales tax. Ravenstahl…
Community-gardening initiative takes root, arr arr
Interested in local food? Gardening? Why not combine the two to start a community garden next year? Grow Pittsburgh, in partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, is assisting communities to start community food gardens. From GP’s web site: “The garden program lasts for two years, with the goal of garden self-sufficiency by the end of…
About police hiring …
A quick thought prompted by all the news surrounding hiring and promotions at the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, especially a pending lawsuit to be filed by the ACLU: There’s been a lot of talk about diversity this week: Just today, the Ravenstahl administration appointed a new Zone commander, among whose qualifications, we’re told, is the…
ACLU to file suit alleging discrimination in police hiring
This just in: The ACLU apparently intends to file a class-action federal lawsuit against the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, alleging “a longstanding pattern and practice of racial discrimination against African Americans” in hiring black applicants. The ACLU plans to hold a press conference on the suit tomorrow — notable timing, considering that just this week,…
Nail dissatisfaction, misplaced rabbits and bats
Recent police blotter items include a dissatisfied nail-salon patron and more bats in people’s houses.
Heads Up: Morning headlines for Aug. 22
Today’s top story: Paul Ryan comes to Pennsylvania and wields a Terrible Towel. (You can see what he adds to the GOP ticket: Romney would have used it to polish the Bentley or something.) Also, did you know Ryan is a “Catholic deer hunter” who digs guns and religion? Oh, it’s true. Hangover for the…
The Last Romance
THE LAST ROMANCE continues through Sept. 1. Little Lake Theatre 500 Lakeside Drive South (off Route 19), Canonsburg. $12-20. 724-745-6300 or littlelaketheatre.org There’s something to be said for a playwright who knows how to please an audience. You’d think most would get that right off the bat. But writers aren’t necessarily about giving an audience…
A former bank in Lawrenceville is being rehabbed as a bar and restaurant
Jeff Catalina points to a heavy imprint on the floor of the former Arsenal Bank, the last trace of where the tellers used to be. “It has a lot of history to it,” he says of the Lawrenceville building where he started demolition work this month, the first step in opening what will be his…
Kathleen George discusses her sixth detective novel.
Release party for SIMPLE , by Kathleen George. 7 p.m. Fri., Aug. 24. Mystery Lovers Bookshop 514 Allegheny River Blvd. Oakmont. Free. 412-828-4877 or mysterylovers.com Kathleen George’s sixth mystery novel, Simple, is her first to delve into the world of politics. Centered on the murder of a beautiful young law student who had an affair…
Steven Kowalczuk teaches the art of the cocktail
Steven Kowalczuk has been bartending for nearly 20 years. He’s so passionate about his craft that he hopes you’ll spend a few hours learning how to do what he does. So about a year-and-a-half ago, he brought his “The Art of Mixology” series to Pittsburgh . “I love spreading the word of mixology,” he says. …
Sparkle
Sparkle Directed:by Salim Akil Starring: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Carmen Ejogo Beware the siren call of fame. Though it may bring you prettier dresses, it will surely drive you into the arms of a bad man, poison your body with drugs and tear your church-going family apart. I know this is true because I have…
Lynn Cullen Live 08/22/12
Video Archive Guest: Chris Potter; Paul Ryan’s visit to Pittsburgh; why it’s frightening to live in this country; Akin’s legitimate & forcible rape; Republicans want to ban abortion, even in cases of rape & incest; no bus cuts!; definition of unborn child; transition to HD TV vs. transition to new voter ID law; new Art…
Kumaré
In Kumaré, a lo-fi documentary from Vikram Gandhi, the New Jersey-born filmmaker transforms himself into “Kumaré,” an Indian guru, as an experiment in exploring how people seek out and adapt religion into their lives. Gandhi initially seems interested in exposing how fraudulent religious leaders convert seekers into marks, but the project shifts when Kumaré is…
Downtown’s Simpatico Espresso offers coffee and personalized service
Nestled in the lobby of the Regional Enterprise Tower on Sixth Avenue, Simpatico Espresso has provided a respite — and a caffeine fix — for Downtowners for more than five years. The shop strives to be local, featuring coffee from La Prima, biscotti from Enrico’s, and frittatas and other snacks from Colangelo’s Bakery, in the…
Dad is my co-pilot
SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB with THE STERLING SISTERS. 8 p.m. Wed., Aug. 29. New Hazlett Theater 6 Allegheny Square East North Side. $12-18. 412-320-4610 or newhazletttheater.org “It’s hard when you’re a certain age and you tell people your dad’s in a band,” explains George Cessna. “People have certain notions about that: ‘Dad’s in a bar-blues…
Once again, the Steelers’ offense starts the season with something to prove
On the one hand, it might come as a relief that this year, the only questions the Steelers are facing concern their behavior on the field. Over the past two seasons, the team was contending with player suspensions, criminal investigations and a spate of other bad press. This year, at least, no one is talking…
Lava Lounge Revives Emo Glory Days
EMO NIGHT 7. 10 p.m. Thu., Aug. 23. Lava Lounge 2204 E. Carson St. South Side. $3 412-431-5282 or lavaloungepgh.com Emo: In the past decade the word went from being a descriptive term for an obscure subgenre of punk to a household buzzword garnering mixed reviews, worrying parents and media outlets nationwide. Now, thanks to…
Replacement refs add uncertainty to NFL season
There was just over a minute left in the first quarter of the Steelers’ first preseason game when backup quarterback Byron Leftwich got leveled. Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had just committed a textbook illegal hit — launching from his feet, shoulder-first into a defenseless player’s head — on the Steelers backup quarterback. It’s the…
Critics’ Picks: August 22 – 28
[AVANT-GARDE] + THU., AUG. 23 One thing to know about Guardian Alien is that the band heavily features former members of Liturgy (drummer Greg Fox and guitarist Bernard Gann) and otherworldly weird vocalist Alex Drewchin. Another thing to know is that its latest, See the World Given to a One World Entity (on Thrill Jockey),…
80-Year Book: Steelers history recounted in Encyclopedia
For the past 80 years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have racked up countless memorable moments. For nearly 30 of those years, working mostly as a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Chuck Finder documented many of the team’s highs, lows, hits and misses. His work, supplemented by more than six months of research, has resulted in…
On the Record with Josh Verbanets of Meeting of Important People
MEETING OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE CD RELEASE with PET CLINIC, THE GREAT ANS, TEXTURE BALLET. 8 p.m. Fri., Aug. 24 Mr. Small’s Theatre 400 Lincoln Ave. Millvale. $10. 412-821-4447 or mrsmalls.com Led by singer/guitarist Josh Verbanets, local pop rockers Meeting of Important People will release new album My Ears Are Having a Heart Attack this Friday. …
2012 Steelers Preview
Stories Offensive Questions Unsportsmanlike Conduct? 80-Year Book Slideshows Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field, Aug. 19, 2012Photos by Heather Mull Scenes from Steelers training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Aug. 14, 2012Photos by Heather Mull
Out of the Shadows: East Liberty club receives unusual complaints
The first complaint came in late June. Justin Strong, the owner of East Liberty’s Shadow Lounge, says he found a card on his door telling him to call Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Building Inspection. The BBI, he says, was concerned that his nightclub — which has been in business for 12 years — might not have…
2 Days in New York
It’s two days of family craziness in this madcap comedy from French actress Julie Delpy. These 2 Days are a sequel to 2007’s 2 Days in Paris. Now, Marion (Delpy) is living in New York with a toddler and a new man, Mingus (Chris Rock), an NPR host, and his daughter. They’re living that fussy…
Making Concessions: New transit worker contract will stave off PAT cuts for now
Transit riders may have heaved a sigh of relief on Aug. 19 when the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85 approved a tentative contract with concessions that would help stave off a massive Port Authority service cut. Whether they’ll be able to keep from holding their breath again next year, however, is still to be determined.…
Dog Days in Pittsburgh
Photos by Al Hoff and Lisa Cunningham
Formulaic Response
A few weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that UPMC’s Magee Hospital had decided it would no longer offer free infant formula to newborn parents. As one administrator explained, “We don’t want to give the mixed message that we are promoting bottle feeding when really we want to encourage breast-feeding.” Magee isn’t alone in that:…
Savage Love
I am a college-age gay male. Last year, I dated two guys. The first — let’s call him Mitt — I dated for five months. He broke up with me, and it hurt, but I got over it. A few months later, I dated another guy — let’s call him Paul — for a month.…
Light, Matter, Memory captivates at Wood Street.
LIGHT, MATTER, MEMORY continues through Sept. 9. Wood Street Galleries 601 Woo 412-471-5605 or woodstreetgalleries.org The combination of art-and-technology continues to develop … not exactly as a genre, certainly not a medium, too varied and anarchic to constitute a movement. Rather, art-and-technology might best be characterized as a form of agency — an imprecisely defined…
Barefoot
In the morning, she’d put on her father’s shoes. They were too big and conformed to someone else’s feet but they were familiar, and he promised she’d grow into them someday. The shoes walked on the footprints her father had made years before, always leading her forward. She wore them to bed and in the…
The August Wilson Center offers a rare chance to see Richmond Barthé’s exquisite sculptures in person.
RICHMOND BARTHÉ: HIS LIFE IN ART continues through Sept. 15. August Wilson Center for African American Culture 980 Liberty Ave. Downtown. 412-258-2700 or AugustWilsonCenter.org If you’ve ever visited Fallingwater, you may have noticed an outdoor sculpture of the actress Rose McClendon in a prayerful pose. Made by Richmond Barthé in 1932, it is one of…
Short List: August 22 – 28
Nora Matthews moved to Pittsburgh a year ago — just before New York-based The Moth launched its StorySLAM series here for storytellers who work without notes. The playwright began volunteering at the themed monthly shows, and even performing. In December, Matthews, 26, won over judges with her story about the Camino de Santiago — the…
Funny Chekhov
FUNNY CHEKHOV continues through Sat., Aug. 25. Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre at the Charity Randall TheatreStephen Foster MemorialOakland. $25-48. 412-561-6000 or picttheatre.org While critical curmudgeons can poke holes in the “laughter through the tears” description of Anton Chekov’s full-length plays as “comedy,” no such linguistic legerdemain is necessary for his briefer works. Pittsburgh Irish…
Olives and Peppers
Olives and Peppers 6052 William Flynn Highway (Route 8) Bakerstown 724-444-7499 Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Prices: Appetizers, soups and salads $4-13; pizza and pasta $8-18 Liquor:Full bar If the Italian dining scene is a spectrum, with neighborhood pizzerias at one end and fine-dining establishments showcasing authentic…
