Get 20 percent off of Southern Accents – Tom Petty Tribute tickets at Roxian Theatre
When he died on Oct. 2, 2017, Tom Petty left behind a lifetime of classic songs — songs that are woven into the very fabric of popular culture. Those songs live on in Petty’s dozens of albums, both as a solo artist and with the Heartbreakers, but now that the man himself is gone, so…
Pittsburgh Grooveline: June 27-July 3
Each week, the Pittsburgh City Paper compiles a list of Pittsburgh dance parties for you and your crew to bust loose to the best bangers, EDM, pop hits, and more. (All events are 21 and over unless otherwise stated.) Fri., June 28-Mon., July 1 gfx Summer Breakout. Various locations. $20 each event unless otherwise stated/$30…
Environmentalists critical of natural-gas storage hub in Southwest Pa. regional plan
In May, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), which is responsible for funneling federal funds to address regional infrastructure needs, released a 25-year plan for the Pittsburgh area. The plan, called “SmartMoves for a Changing Region,” included more money and bold visions for public transit, and mentioned how infrastructure changes could have a big impact in…
Former Pa. congressman and presidential candidate Joe Sestak might be a NIMBY
When former Navy Admiral and Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak ran for a Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat in 2016, he relied on sidewalks more than most candidates, as he walked 422 miles across the commonwealth, including stops in Pittsburgh. On Sunday, Sestak announced his candidacy for president, becoming the 24th Democrat to run for the nation’s…
Lyn Starr drops an EP inspired by John B. Calhoun, Resonance Works ups its woman-composed work, and more Pittsburgh music news
Lyn Starr Universe 25 Using John B. Calhoun’s 1973 study on rats as inspiration, Pittsburgh rapper Lyn Starr released his third solo EP Universe 25 today. Funded by a Lift Grant from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, the seven-track hip-hop EP uses Calhoun’s work to break down the Pittsburgh rap scene. For the study, Calhoun created a…
How a fan’s car accident inspired COIN’s newest album and changed the way they make music
Chase Lawrence remembers seeing fun. and Panic! at the Disco at Stage AE when he was 16-years-old. “It was a defining show for me,” he says. “I remember watching that show and thinking, ‘I want to play here one day. This is what I want to do.’” Now, Lawrence and his band COIN are gearing up…
Lynn Cullen Live – 6/25/19
Video Archive A bunch of very serious topics are on the docket for today’s show. New sanctions have been imposed on Iran, and many are saying this makes a terrible situation even worse. The response to Trump’s comments on the latest rape allegations are being discussed as well. And in some better news, due to…
This Week’s Events: Thorgy and the Thorchestra pairs classical musicians with RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Thorgy Thor
Tue., June 25 Photo: Kaitlyn Clem Van Gogh in Bloom [Art] To many, the work of Vincent Van Gogh nearly rivals the beauty of nature. So the Phipps Conservatory decided to combine the artwork with the outdoors in Van Gogh in Bloom. Look for garden recreations of some of the artist’s most famous paintings. 9:20 a.m.-5 p.m.…
UPMC and Highmark agreed to a new contract ensuring patient access. What’s next?
Today, feuding health-care giants UPMC and Highmark agreed to a 10-year contract that ensures Highmark patients have in-network access to UPMC doctors and hospitals. A longtime conflict between the two nonprofits had led to a split that meant most of the patients with Highmark health insurance would have to pay out-of-network costs to UPMC doctors…
Negroni Week 2019 kicks off, changes at or, The Whale, and other food headlines from this week
Negroni Week The negroni was invented a hundred years ago in Florence, Italy, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with Imbibe Magazine’s annual Negroni Week. The cocktail is traditionally made from equal parts gin, Campari (an Italian herbal liqueur), and sweet vermouth. You can shake it or you can stir it, but if…
Lynn Cullen Live – 6/24/19
Video Archive A town in West Virginia, Green Bank, has the strictest ban on technology in the United States. This is because it’s the location of an observatory with the most sensitive radio telescopes. There are no cell phones, WiFi, or microwave ovens for example. The people in this town are different from the rest…
This is your grandmother’s Oklahoma! — and it’s still great
Between the lyrics, the exclamation point in the title, and the sheer number of stalks onstage, musical theater doesn’t get much cornier than Oklahoma! Pittsburgh CLO’s production is the “classic” version of the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein hit, not the sexy, modernized revival that took home two Tony Awards earlier this month. This Oklahoma! carries…
Dance if you want to aboard the Attack Theatre boat party
On Tue., June 25, the Strip District-based dance company Attack Theatre will mark the end of its 24th season out on the water with its We’re On a Boat party. And audiences are invited. The company has hosted the annual boating event for the last several years as an end-of-season celebration. At this year’s event, Attack…
Faye Webster talks music, yo-yos, and flossing
So much of the greater pop zeitgeist is immersed in such an anonymous blend of genres, that its biggest rising stars can be both everything and nothing at once. But Faye Webster takes a more laser-focused approach, zeroing in on warm folk-pop, R&B, and slight textures of the Atlanta hip-hop community that’s embraced her. Her…
Lynn Cullen Live – 6/21/19
Video Archive To start things off today today on a lighter note, The New York Times asked the Democratic candidates what is their comfort food. In many cases the answers are a bit out there, not things the average person would answer. There is also a woman out there who just earned a PhD named…
Bad Religion & Lawrence Arms are coming to Pittsburgh’s newest concert venue – Roxian Theatre on August 4th!
Acclaimed Los Angeles punk rock band Bad Religion have released a new album entitled Age of Unreason. Since the group’s formative years innovating their iconic fast and melodic sound, the band has steadfastly advocated for humanism, reason, and individualism. Today, as these values are in decline, and nationalism and bigotry are on the rise, Bad…
Playing disc golf with J. Mascis in the Catskills
I’m a pretty big Dinosaur Jr. fan. I also love Aldi. So, it stands to reason that somehow the two would come together to offer what is sure to be a life-altering experience. Four months or so ago, I was standing in a longer-than-usual Aldi line waiting to buy what I’m guessing were their protein-packed…
Lynn Cullen Live – 6/20/19
Video Archive The lack of safe places, the increased entry searching and metal detectors are the topics Lynn is starting off with today. Does this actually make it safer, and where can we expect to have a security entrance added to next? In major news, a Pittsburgh man was arrested on terrorism charges. Audio Only…
Lynn Cullen Live – 6/19/19
Video Archive The number of open positions in the White House is really adding up, and that’s the first topic of discussion today. Just a few of the openings right now include the Secretary of Defense, head of Homeland Security, head of FEMA, and representative to the United Nations. These are major positions, and it…
2019 Music Issue Playlist
Behold! A playlist featuring musicians/bands from Pittsburgh City Paper’s 2019 Music Issue. Put it on shuffle and listen while you read. Didn’t know about the music issue? Check it out here.
New concert venues, fresh radio personalities, and a plethora of local music showcases
Pittsburgh’s music scene looks a lot different than it did a year ago. Since the start of 2019, the ‘Burgh has gotten multiple new concert venues, fresh radio personalities, and a plethora of local music showcases. Here’s a recap of the latest additions: Roxian Theatre When the McKees Rocks venue Roxian Theatre first opened in…
De’VIA works to create ASL term for Andy Warhol as part of deaf art education workshop
What’s the American Sign Language (ASL) term for “Andy Warhol”? That’s what De’VIA, a curriculum development workshop for deaf art educators, and The Andy Warhol Museum intend to figure out. De’VIA, which stands for Deaf View/Image Art, wants to give the pop art pioneer and Pittsburgh native a name sign as part of a bigger initiative…
Comedian Tracey Williamson channels her frustrations, sadness, and anger into laughs
Tracey Williamson is becoming a force in the Pittsburgh comedy scene. Her show “Three Women, One Mic” debuted in February, featuring improv by Williamson and two other female comedians, Samantha Bentley and Shaun McCarthy. With Bentley, she also co-founded BentWilli Entertainment, a public relations company for local comedians offering marketing, design, and project management services.…
A space for comics makers by comics makers
Name: Juan José Fernández, Greenfield Title: Comics Community Organizer What is a Comics Community Organizer? It manifests in a lot of ways. I partner with a bunch of different people and organizations, but at the heart of it, the goal is to motivate comics making and reading in Pittsburgh, particularly across the whole spectrum of…
Celebrate Juneteenth
“I get it,” a Kenyan man of Indian descent said, as I finished a presentation in Nairobi, Kenya. “The chain necklace, it represents your slave ancestors.” Actually, I was thinking that my vintage silver chunky chain necklace had more of a Hermès vibe, a kind of Paris Rive Gauche meets Fort Greene, Brooklyn-via-Lake Elizabeth picnic…
Expanding Pittsburgh’s music scene beyond the city comes with rewards and challenges
Anytime Thomas Hricik, aka Tenova, tells people he’s from Pittsburgh they usually raise an eyebrow and ask questions. “I could be 5,000 miles away, and I still meet the occasional party promoter wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates hat,” says the house/techno DJ who performs internationally and has much to do with the existence of the after-hours…
The Last Black Man in San Francisco vacillates between relevant and overwrought
There’s a specific pain in loving a place that’s changing — or has already changed — beyond recognition. At this point, no city, big or small, is safe from rejuvenation, gentrification, restoration, displacement, or whatever other words are used to describe the replacement of lived-in places with the garish sleekness of new apartments. The film…
Pittsburghers flock to unconventional music venues
An evening at a bowling alley or an afternoon shopping for plants don’t often feature live music, but a few local businesses have added just that to their repertoire of services. Shadyside Nursery, located on Maryland Avenue, has made live music a summer tradition with its recurring event Weather Permitting. The event brings tunes, food…
How more established, traditional cultural institutions are harnessing modern technology to push their missions forward
If you’ve ever been to the Pittsburgh Opera and felt that you really needed to know more about the principal oboist, or became so moved by a performance that you felt compelled to donate before the end of intermission, you’re in luck. The Pittsburgh Opera app, launched in March 2019, includes information for all upcoming…
As the concert industry booms, how are local Pittsburgh promoters adjusting?
Earlier this year, Billboard reported that eight out of 10 of the largest indie promoters a decade ago have since been acquired by one of two giant promoters: Live Nation and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). Locally, the Midwestern company Promowest, which books more than 100 shows a year at Stage AE, was acquired by AEG…
How Pittsburgh’s metal scene fits into the city’s expanding live music events
A healthy metal scene, more than almost any other genre, needs a healthy live-music scene. And in that regard, metal is thriving in Pittsburgh. It has venues ingrained into the culture, festivals that cater to subgenres throughout the year, and most importantly, the bands, fans, and promoters to keep it active. “There’s almost too much…
Local music recommendations from iconic Pittsburgh musicians
You may know the more established bands and artists in Pittsburgh, but there’s always great work happening under the radar. City Paper asked a few Pittsburgh musicians and bands to give their thoughts on acts we should be paying attention to. The Living Street Recommended by Greg Joseph, bassist in The Clarks “The Living Street…
Sewickley’s Mediterra Café is inventive without being inaccessible
Before Mediterra Café, there was Mediterra Bakehouse. The family-run bakery opened in 2001 with artisan bread and pastries and soon became a household name. Their commitment to baking the “old way” and the stone hearth-baked dark, nutty crust were unprecedented in the city. In the summer of 2018, Mediterra Café opened in Sewickley. The…
The Music Issue
Not a single day goes by in Pittsburgh without some sort of live music. Whether a national touring act like Ariana Grande plays at PPG Paints Arena, a DIY show takes place at The Mr. Roboto Project, or Wallace’s Whiskey room in East Liberty hosts a jazz guitarist during happy hour, live music can be…
Squirrel Hill-based author Anjali Sachdeva mines inspiration from the solitude of backcountry trails
There are no personal revelations in Anjali Sachdeva’s short-story collection, All the Names They Used for God (Spiegel & Grau). If there are any references to her life or her family, they are discreet and known only to the author. Sachdeva is instead a keen and curious observer who relies on technology to collect “bits and…
Mastering the art of the pop-up bar
The unspoken pop-up rule — decorate until there’s no empty space left — is honored at Pittsburgh’s two newest pop-up bars, Red White & Booze and Level Up. Red White & Booze started as Zombie Den, opening for its first run in the Fall of 2018. The space, adjacent to The Original Oyster House, was…
Joseph Rusnak discusses new album and the credence of ‘background music’
Fall Deep, the new album from Joseph Rusnak, aka Glo Phase, marks a minor departure for the Pittsburgh producer. After a steady stream of mostly instrumental EPs and LPs over the past few years, Fall Deep introduces the lyrics and vocals of Jocelyn Rent. The result is a collection of stunning, dreamy, and expertly composed…
How phone sex is like a job interview — a very sexy job interview
Lying on my bed, I talk to a new phone sex client. I am trying to feel out his desires. I ask him about his past, his sexual experiences, and his unfulfilled fantasies. We casually discuss his feelings about his body, what turns him on, and what he thinks about when he masturbates. One of…
Pro-immigrant groups advocate for drivers’ licenses and in-state college tuition for non-citizens
Undocumented immigrants live, work, and go to school in Pennsylvania. They live just like those born in America. They pay taxes and volunteer in their communities. Studies even show that they commit fewer crimes than their native-born neighbors. But there are everyday things that they can’t do legally, and they don’t have access to some…
A Sporting Vision at the Frick Art Museum isn’t just for horse girls
There was a time when I showed horses competitively, both as a 4-H kid and in rodeos. While I left that life — partly because of allergies, partly because avowed horse people are insufferable – I still feel drawn to equine art. As 30 Rock character Jack Donaghy once declared, “We know what art is!…
Glass art first-timers explore the medium in Idea Furnace Retrospective exhibit
Due to its fragility, glass is not usually seen as a playful or interactive medium. There is always the lingering childhood fear of breaking your mom’s favorite vase. But a new exhibit at the Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC) upends that feeling. Idea Furnace Retrospective features the work of 17 artists who completed PGC’s Idea Furnace…
