Cop Girl Talk and Freeway’s new Broken Ankles EP
A couple weeks ago, we noted that Girl Talk was about to emerge with a new record, a collaboration with Philly MC Freeway. It dropped today; below, you can check it out free on DatPiff (see below). It’s meant to be listened to as a whole, continuous track, so DON’T PUT IT ON RANDOM OR…
Remembering Peter Matthiessen
On the late novelist and nature writer’s final Pittsburgh visit
New Chevy Woods video: “Pick Ups & Drop Offs”
Hazelwood native and Taylor Gang recording artist Chevy Woods — who our Rory D. Webb profiled in 2012 — just released a new video, “Pick Ups & Drop Offs,” featuring Young Scooter. The song is from his Gangland 2 mixtape; Woods is reportedly planning to drop a new EP soon. Video below. Not sure what…
Comics Legend Neal Adams Makes Local Appearances
Artist hits Phantom of the Attic, Steel City Con
Lynn Cullen Live 04/08/14
Video Archive Would you pay $11.99 to find out if someone died in your house?; hope for the August Wilson Center?; parents take baby on sailing trip, baby gets sick & has to be rescued by Navy; polio, measles, and other diseases making a comeback & the anti-vaccination trend; book binding w/ human skin; Callers:…
“It scared the living shit out of me”: Adam Duritz recalls finding out about Kurt Cobain’s death
The Counting Crows frontman recalls being one of the first to find out about Cobain’s death in April of 1994.
Pittsburgh Speakers Series’ New Season Announced
Subscription-only series at Heinz Hall includes Alan Alda, Arianna Huffington, P.W. Singer
Exit Interview With Jayne Adair
The longtime head of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures introduces her last speaker tonight. Adair discusses the group, and her tenure, in Program Notes.
Exit Interview With Jayne Adair
Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures head reflects on seven years on the job
Lynn Cullen Live 04/07/14
Video Archive Guest: Bob Mulvihill, ornithologist at National Aviary; Obit: Lynn Hines, former WTAE news anchor; eaglets eating sea gulls; chances of all 3 eaglets surviving; eaglet personalities; how they kill prey; we’ll never know the sexes of the eaglets; how do eagles meet? Audio Only Archive
The final (we hope) word on 2014 Democratic committee battles
Once again, I’m overdue for an update on the great Wagner/Coghill battle for control of city’s 19th Ward – probably the last one I’ll write before Election Day. And if that doesn’t renew your zest for life, consider this: At the end of this post, I’ll quibble with the only other journalists taking Democratic committee…
R.A.R.E. Nation to Host Pittsburgh Hip Hop Summit
You may remamber that we recently profiled R.A.R.E. Nation in a previous issue. R.A.R.E. Nation is a hip-hop music company and the members are working to make their mark on the hip-hop world. Tonight, the company will be hosting the Pittsburgh Hip Hop Summit. There will be a group of panelists who are all involved…
Burgess asks to withdraw his district from land bank bill (UPDATED)
In an email sent shortly after 8 this morning, City Councilor Ricky Burgess requested that an amendment be drafted that would exclude his council district from a controversial land-bank bill. It was addressed to Kelly Mistick, an assistant solicitor who is the liaison to council, and cc’d to other City Council members. Here’s the unedited…
Lynn Cullen Live 04/04/14
Video Archive Guest: Chris Potter; quote correction; Supreme Court ruling to ban limits on campaign spending; Mozilla CEO stepped ( pushed? ) down for giving money to Prop 8; where we are on social vs. economic issues; re-iterate & iterate mean the same thing; Brad Pitt bought movie rights to Stubenville / Anonymous story; Guns…
Lynn Cullen Live 04/03/14
Video Archive Guest: Tom Sokolowski; no limit on campaign spending; what is going to happen to This American Life?; Andrew Jackson on our most commonly spent bill, responsible for largest ethnic cleansing; quotes from yesterday’s show; 3rd eaglet hatched, gonna have to fight to live; Pirates look good so far; museum @ the World Trade…
Listen to new tunes from 1,2,3 — new album due in May
The new one from the local band stems from the volatile atmosphere.
Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival lineup announced
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has announced the lineup for its fourth annual Pittsburgh JazzLive Internation Festival, taking place June 20-22 this year. It’s headlined by vocalist Dianne Reeves; head on over to our music blog, FFW>>, for more on the full lineup.
Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival lineup announced
Dianne Reeves headlines the free June 20-22 event.
Short List: April 2 – 10
FREE EVENT: Fri., April 4 — Festival Last July, city firefighters saved most of Penn Avenue’s mural-highlighted Bride Row houses from a blaze. Christine Bethea’s Geek Art/Green Innovators Festival is saying thanks, partly by giving this eco/art/tech street fair’s fifth annual incarnation the theme “Earth, Wind and Fire.” The “fire” part includes actual firefighters, who…
A nationally touring dance work was inspired by stories collected by the LGBT Elders Oral History Project.
Sean Dorsey Dance performs THE SECRET HISTORY OF LOVE 8 p.m. Fri., April 4, and 8 p.m. Sat., April 5. Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave, East Liberty. $15-25. 412-363-3000 or kelly-strayhorn.org The rights of the LGBT community have been in the news, with state courts and legislatures extending or denying those rights to residents. But…
BZ Bar and Grill
BZ Bar and Grill 140 Federal St., North Side. 412-323-2924 Hours: Mon.-Sun. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Prices: Appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza $6-12; entrees $15-26 Liquor: Full bar Once, we had very low expectations of bar food. If it was greasy, salty and meaty, it was doing its job, which was, essentially, to support the consumption…
Noah
Noah Directed by: Darren Aronofsky Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone Warning: This review will discuss how Noah ends. If the tale of Noah and his ark is new to you, stop reading now, and check out Genesis 6-9. A brief recap: Earth has been ruined by man’s industrial exploitation, but one keeper of…
Allegheny City Market brings grocer back to War Streets
The building at 1327 Arch St. has been a corner grocery store since 1895. In fact, the original sign is still bolted to the North Side property’s wall. But in early December 2013, Robert Collins heard that Doug’s Market — the most recent grocer to occupy that address — was closing. “I really had no…
Sabotage
In 2012, director David Ayer made the kinetic, amusingly profane cop-shopper, End of Watch. But his latest, Sabotage, pretty much just lives up to its name. It’s meant to be a kinetic, amusingly profane actioner, but it’s undermined throughout by incoherent plotting and video-game dialogue. (If you just want a loop of hollered curses and…
Squirrel Hill landmark Mineo’s opens full-service bar
One thing hasn’t changed since Mineo’s Pizza House first fired up its Squirrel Hill gas oven in September 1958. “It’s the exact same pizza recipe my dad” — Giovanni “John” Mineo — “used when we opened,” says owner Dominic Mineo. What has changed are the extras: the famed rivalry with Murray Avenue neighbor Aiello’s that…
Le Week-End
A middle-aged English couple (Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan) celebrates their wedding anniversary in Paris, hoping to recapture the excitement of their long-ago honeymoon. But the weekend proves to be a mixed bag — the food is grand, but the hotel they booked is “too beige,” and the fissures in their long relationship make the journey…
PNC Park’s new menu offerings go far beyond peanuts and Cracker Jack
With an all-star closer nicknamed “Grilled Cheese,” it was only a matter of time: The folks at the Rivertowne Brewing Hall of Fame Club in PNC Park came up with a lights-out sandwich to rival Jason Grilli’s lights-out performances in the ninth. The Closer — a sandwich special costing $14.50 — is a quadruple-decker grilled-cheese…
Visitors
Director Godfrey Reggio is best known for his Qatsi Trilogy (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi and Naqoyqatsi), non-narrative films that combine visual images with music to create provocative or contemplative states. Reggio’s latest film — made again with collaborators Philip Glass (composer) and Jon Kane (editor) — is perhaps even more stripped-down and basic. It’s about us —…
Demitrius “Fake Pedro” Thorn is a genuine fan
Addition Articles: Demitrius "Fake Pedro" Thorn is a genuine fan Despite some gaps on the roster, Pirates have reason for optimism Five to Watch: The Pirates’ fortunes in 2014 might depend on these X-factors Utility player Josh Harrison can play anywhere in a pinch For veteran PNC Park vendor Gary Hall work begins in the…
Film Kitchen, monthly local film and video screening
A clever exploration of a problematic Hollywood icon highlights this installment of the series for local film and video. “Chan(geling)” is tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE’s 30-minute video essay on Chinese screen detective Charlie Chan, as played by Warner Oland in 16 hit films in the 1930s. While racism gave the Swedish-American Oland a role that might…
Despite some gaps on the roster, Pirates have reason for optimism
Additional Articles: Demitrius "Fake Pedro" Thorn is a genuine fan Despite some gaps on the roster, Pirates have reason for optimism Five to Watch: The Pirates’ fortunes in 2014 might depend on these X-factors Utility player Josh Harrison can play anywhere in a pinch For veteran PNC Park vendor Gary Hall work begins in the…
Jasmine Tate finds music to be a calling
JASMINE TATE CD RELEASE with JOEL ANSETT. 8 p.m. Fri., April 4. 720 Music, Clothing and Café, 4405 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $10. All ages. 412-904-4592 or 720records.com It’s a Wednesday night, and Jasmine Tate hits the stage at Eclipse Lounge’s open-mic night wearing a sweatshirt that simply says: “Genius.” On some it might seem like…
Five to Watch: The Pirates’ fortunes in 2014 might depend on these X-factors
Additional Articles: Demitrius "Fake Pedro" Thorn is a genuine fan Despite some gaps on the roster, Pirates have reason for optimism Five to Watch: The Pirates’ fortunes in 2014 might depend on these X-factors Utility player Josh Harrison can play anywhere in a pinch For veteran PNC Park vendor Gary Hall work begins in the…
White Like Fire warms up to Pittsburgh fans
With kinetic performances that have been the stuff of Pittsburgh legend, White Like Fire has expanded its reach beyond the Steel City. But as the band gears up for the release of its LP, Apocalypstic, bassist Tyler Clawson, guitarist Blake Clawson and drummer Joe Killian are reminiscing as well as looking forward. At the band’s…
Utility player Josh Harrison can play anywhere in a pinch
Additional Articles: Demitrius "Fake Pedro" Thorn is a genuine fan Despite some gaps on the roster, Pirates have reason for optimism Five to Watch: The Pirates’ fortunes in 2014 might depend on these X-factors Utility player Josh Harrison can play anywhere in a pinch For veteran PNC Park vendor Gary Hall work begins in the…
Laura B. found music success in early-’90s L.A., but calls Pittsburgh home now
LAURA B. AND THE OFF LABELS with ROCK PITT. 9 p.m. Sat., April 5. Hambone’s Pub, 4207 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $5. 412-681-4318 or hambonespittsburgh.com When Laura Baricevic (a.k.a. Laura B.) talks about the early ’90s, she can’t help but get a little nostalgic. And who could blame her? Around 1989, the singer and guitarist —…
For veteran PNC Park vendor Gary Hall work begins in the offseason
Additional Articles: Demitrius "Fake Pedro" Thorn is a genuine fan Despite some gaps on the roster, Pirates have reason for optimism Five to Watch: The Pirates’ fortunes in 2014 might depend on these X-factors Utility player Josh Harrison can play anywhere in a pinch For veteran PNC Park vendor Gary Hall work begins in the…
Critics’ Picks: April 2 – 8
[INDIE POP] + FRI., APRIL 4 Indie-pop duo Phantogram has had a busy 2014 so far, largely stemming from the release of the band’s second studio album, Voices. The pair, originally called Charlie Everywhere, has been making moves in the hip-hop scene as well: Big Boi, of Outkast, has become one of their frequent working…
A Pittsburgh writer’s audacious first novel blends corporate satire, science fiction and conspiracies
Jacob Bacharach is publishing his first novel. The Bend of the World, he quips, is “a coming-of-age story in which no one comes of age.” Set in Pittsburgh, the book is a rollicking, occasionally mad blend of dark workplace comedy and crooked love triangle(s), improbably suspended in a web of conspiracies and conspiracy theories involving,…
Solving county sewer problems will require a regional approach, officials say
Whenever there’s a public discussion of the county’s aging sewer infrastructure, the people you’re most likely to hear from are familiar names like Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. The two men represent the region’s largest governments, and they appoint the leadership of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN), which handles…
Blaine Siegel’s Dream Body engages – and unnerves.
DREAM BODY continues through April 13. 709 Penn Gallery, 709 Penn Ave., Downtown. trustarts.org Blaine Siegel describes himself as a storyteller. His 709 Penn Gallery exhibit Dream Body, which incorporates video with sculptural elements, offers viewers two accounts, and the choice to read them as tales separate or connected. Either way, a clear narrative of…
Name Game: Incumbent Adam Ravenstahl faces suburban challenger, brother’s past in new 20th District
In most years, state Rep. Adam Ravenstahl would figure to have an easy path to re-election: He’s the 20th district’s two-term incumbent, and he has one of the most notable names in local politics. On the other hand … he has one of the most notable names in local politics. And the 20th is no…
Les Misérables at Pittsburgh Musical Theater
LES MISÉRABLES continues through Sun., April 6. Byham Theater, 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $24.75-44.75. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org Do you hear the people sing! Singing the song of angry men? I heard them loud and clear hours after the Pittsburgh Musical Theater/Robert Morris University production of Les Misérables had ended. Angry? I was basking in delight, especially since I…
New Releases
Patton Patton (Self-released) Hard-rock EP from a “concept band” made up of ex-personnel of Long Time Darlings. The idea: dirty riff-rock based on Gen. George Patton, utilizing samples from the famous 1970 biopic. Hammering drums and wailing guitars rule here; the only vocals come from the man himself. (Well, at least from George C. Scott…
In the Heights at the University of Pittsburgh
IN THE HEIGHTS continues through April 6. Charity Randall Theatre, Stephen Foster Memorial, Forbes Avenue at Bigelow, Oakland. $12-25. play.pitt.edu Combining rap music with Latin rhythms, the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights bursts onto the stage of the Charity Randall Theatre as the current offering from the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Theatre Arts.…
Savage Love
My boyfriend of three months, “Marcus,” told me last week that he is a trans man. He has performed oral sex on me and fingered me, but he never let me reciprocate and told me he didn’t want to have penis-in-vagina sex yet because to him that was a large commitment. We go to college…
Lynn Cullen Live 04/02/14
Video Archive Overheard on the elevator…; the most important lesson in life; our eagles on NBC news last night; comparing the eagles to Republicans; live each day as if it were your last, learn each day as if you’ll live forever; the PG’s attempt at correcting a typo; 10 million Americans now have health insurance;…
