Pittsburgh Grooveline: Dance parties at Cake, COBRA Lounge, and more (Feb. 27-March 4)
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.) Sat., Feb. 29 Electric Chapel Leap Year Dance Party at Cake Pittsburgh. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. 1900…
These are the Pittsburgh fish fries where you can drink
Look, we know it’s lent. And to those practicing Catholics, that may mean giving up alcohol for the next 40 days. But for others, washing down a fried fish sandwich with a beer, glass of wine, or mixed drink, is just the best. In Pittsburgh and the surrounding area, fish fries are celebrated just about…
Study shows rural Pennsylvania school districts not benefiting from nearby fracking
Natural-gas industry boosters make several arguments for why natural-gas drilling, aka fracking, is beneficial for Pennsylvania. But their main argument, and one that is often repeated by Republican and many Democratic politicians, is economic. Industry boosters claim the economic growth and jobs, especially in rural areas, that come with the growth in the fracking industry…
Cats, the musical, adds a fresh layer of litter to mask the stink of Hollywood’s turd
This is how it starts. First, a friend sends a link to the Wikipedia pages for the musical Cats, because neither of you have ever read it before and it’s filled with alien names and a nonsense plot. Then the film adaptation of Cats is announced and the thought crosses your head to maybe see…
Move Through The Grief: Dance to support the safe return of Tonee Turner
It’s been almost two months since 22-year-old Tonee Turner was last seen at Dobra Tea in Squirrel Hill. The date was Dec. 30 and that same night, a firefighter reported finding Turner’s wallet, keys, and cell phone about three miles away from Dobra Tea on the Homestead Grays Bridge pedestrian walkway. Turner, a full-time metal…
10 concert photos from The Lumineers at PPG Paints Arena
The Lumineers played in Pittsburgh last night for the band’s biggest headlining show in the city to date. The Denver-based band, which rocketed into fame with their 2012 radio hit, “Hey Ho,” is touring in support of its third studio album, fittingly titled III. The album is broken into three parts and chronicles one family…
Black to the Future festival looks at past and new possibilities for Black arts and social justice
For four days, the University of Pittsburgh will highlight Black music, dance, poetry, and more for Black to the Future: A Festival of Art, Social Justice and Dreaming. Presented during Pitt’s official K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month celebration, the festival — running Feb. 26-29 — highlights local, national, and international Black artists. As reported by Pittwire,…
Protesters call on AG Josh Shapiro to pardon more prisoners serving life sentences
More than 50 protesters gathered today outside the Pittsburgh office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomery), calling on him to increase his support of pardoning prisoners serving life sentences. Despite saying he believes in second chances for prisoners, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star found that Shapiro has the lowest rate of yes-votes on commutations among those…
Roger Harvey turns a Christmas gift for his partner into a song
Roger Harvey isn’t being metaphorical on his Dec. 2019 release “You & I” when he sings, “caught lightning in a bottle for awhile / with a quarter moon and a thousand fireflies.” The song came to Harvey — a Pittsburgh native previously in bands such as White Wives, among others — after spending a few days with his partner,…
Lincoln Avenue Brewery and First Sip Brew Box team up with transitional housing nonprofit HEARTH for its 25th anniversary beer
This is a monumental year for HEARTH, a local nonprofit that provides transitional housing to homeless women and children who are survivors of domestic abuse. In 2020, they celebrate 25 years of serving the Pittsburgh community along with the 10th iteration of Hops for HEARTH, a beer festival at Nova Place on Fri., March 20.…
Where to get your ashes to-go
Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, Wed., Feb. 26, and for some, this means heading to church to get a little cross painted on your forehead. (For everyone else, this is a reminder to not be surprised by the dirt on strangers’ foreheads.) But if you’re a person on-the-go, you might not have the time or ability…
Weekly Food Truck Schedule: Feb. 26-March 3
Are you tired of tracking down food trucks? Welcome to the Pittsburgh City Paper food truck roundup, where we do the hard work for you. Each week, we’re compiling a list of city trucks and their schedules. (For the most up-to-date schedule, visit each truck’s website.) AFRICAN Kilimanjaro Flavour @kilimanjaro_flavour Wednesday: 2000 Technology Drive, Oakland…
Good news for Butler Street: Pusadee’s Garden announces reopening and Pita My Shawarma goes brick-and-mortar
Pittsburghers could barely contain their excitement last week when a photo surfaced of Pusadee’s Garden storefront with “Spring 2020” written on the windows. It’s been three years since Pusadee’s, known for its beautiful garden and authentic Thai dishes, closed for renovations. This closure was supposed to be temporary, but the owners – who also run…
Satirical opera The Last American Hammer delivers absurdity, poignancy, Toby Jugs
To a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To a guy who used to build hammers, everything looks like a government conspiracy to exploit, dominate, and subjugate American workers. And if that hammersmith is Milcom Negley, there’s only one thing to do when the paranoia gets to be too much: hunker down at The National…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/25/20
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are starting off today telling dog stories. They are also remembering Katherine Johnson, one of the amazing NASA mathematicians highlighted in the book/movie Hidden Figures. She died yesterday at the age of 101. Then there is the news that Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, has been…
Howlers confirms it canceled hip-hop shows; claims lack of interest
Amber Epps, aka HollyHood, has canceled her upcoming event, PMS vol 6 – Pittsburgh Womxn’s Music Showcase. Her reasoning behind the cancelation? She says Bloomfield-based music venue, Howlers, is not allowing any more hip-hop performances until further notice. “Although my event is all-genre, I canceled it myself because as a hip-hop artist, I am not…
How a local beer festival helped the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company support new works
Usually, the only time craft beer and theater go together is when patrons sip a brew before a show. But another connection emerged recently when Mike Potter, one of the co-founders of Fresh Fest, a local event dedicated to showcasing Black brewers, gave a helping hand to the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company (PPTCO). According to…
Making it in the music industry is hard. The Inside The Industry Music Seminar is here to help
As a local artist or band, you can have all the talent and skills needed to excel, but without knowledge of the music industry, it can be hard to expand beyond the city’s market. On Sat., March 7, Pittsburgh musicians will have the chance to gain that vital intel with Inside The Industry Music Seminar,…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/24/20
Video Archive The results of the Nevada primary, and the possibility of Bernie Sanders being the Democratic candidate are Lynn’s first topics. Last week a NBC poll on the most unpopular qualities for a presidential candidate to have include being a socialist, having a heart attack in the last year, and being over 70 years…
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Beauty and the Beast comforts and dazzles
I have become a bit of a Beauty and the Beast expert over the last week. I recently watched the original French film, La Belle et la Bête, which story aligns very closely to the fairy tale from 1740. Then I watched the live-action remake of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which is almost shot-for-shot…
Six hidden bars in Pittsburgh, that actually want to be found
Pittsburgh and the surrounding area are home to a lot of bars. Drinking establishments can range from huge breweries, fancy restaurants, neighborhood dives, and trendy eateries. Pittsburgh is also an old-school town that is still home to dozens of locales that have liquor licenses, but aren’t exactly inviting to strangers. Some “bars” are hidden away…
Lego-themed pop-up bar comes to Pittsburgh this weekend
One million Legos. That’s how many plastic blocks it takes to build Brick Bar, a Lego-themed pop-up coming to Pittsburgh this weekend. Brick Bar, a traveling Lego pop-up, is taking residency in the SouthSide Works from Feb. 21-22. Spencer Warren, of The Warren Downtown and popular holiday pop-up Miracle, will be leading the Lego-inspired bar…
Now Playing: Zombi Child, Call of the Wild, and another haunted doll horror movie
Every Friday, Pittsburgh City Paper compiles a round-up of new releases and second-run films playing around the city. This only covers films that are new to theaters this week; check out what movies opened previously here. Zombi Child This French zombie movie is not like other zombie movies. A Haitian teenager, with a dark family…
Sample drinks from Pittsburgh’s best bartenders at city’s first cocktail shake-off
Bartenders, start your shakers! On Thu., Feb. 27, Pittsburgh City Paper is throwing Pittsburgh’s first cocktail shake-off. You’re probably thinking, “What exactly is a shake-off?” It’s a contest between some of the city’s best bartenders. Think of it like a beer fest, but instead of beer, there’s gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey. 16 of Pittsburgh’s…
Nameless in August’s Jeremy Colbert unveils project at new Homestead venue this weekend
For most of 2019, Jeremy Colbert, singer/guitarist of Pittsburgh folk-rock band Nameless in August, was working on a solo project. The project, an album titled Spirit Maze, out Sat., Feb. 22, is centered around the handpan, an instrument Colbert learned about in 2015 after meeting Australian musician Sam Maher at a Hambone’s open stage night.…
PublicSource holding a ‘Talk to Me Civil’ event to foster better conversations among opposing groups
Kicking off PublicSource’s new Better Talk conversation series, Talk to Me Civil will provide a forum for Pittsburghers to discuss important issues surrounding the topic of civil discourse. Talk to Me Civil, which will be held at East End Cooperative Ministry in East Liberty on Thu., Feb. 27, will allow participants to “flex [their] conversational…
City Paper Live – 2/21/20
Video Archive Amanda and Ryan talk about the Allegheny County Democratic Committee endorsements and the resulting fallout. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Rep. Mike Doyle calls for Allegheny Democratic chair Eileen Kelly to resign
In a statement issued today, U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Forest Hills) called for Allegheny County Democratic Chair Eileen Kelly to resign. Yesterday, Kelly held a press conference to explain the committee’s vote to endorse candidate Heather Kass (D-Carrick), who had past social posts showing support for Donald Trump and criticism of Obamacare. At the press…
Fashion designers, musicians, and artists get wild at Mr. Smalls Theatre for Battle of the Beasts
When Troy Johnson decided to create Battle of the Beasts, an animal-themed show combining art, music, and fashion, he knew he’d need help in the fashion department. “I don’t consider myself a fashionista or someone that’s really, really into [fashion],” says Johnson, a member of the hip-hop duo Abstract Theory, an event organizer, and freelance…
For the first time ever, East End Brewing Company’s hard cider is available outside its taproom
This weekend, East End Brewing Company’s hard cider will be available outside the confines of its taproom for the first time ever. East End has been producing Along Came a Cider since 2009, but due to the unclear regulations around cider production, it has only been available inside the brewery’s Larimer location. Scott Smith, owner…
Congressional candidate Jerry Dickinson endorses Bernie Sanders, supports fracking ban
Jerry Dickinson, a University of Pittsburgh Law professor and congressional candidate for the 18th district, endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) for president today. Dickinson cited several points on which he and Sanders align, including climate action, Medicare for All, criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and a broader mission of tackling inequality. “I am today endorsing…
Watch: How could Pittsburgh media better cover the city’s Black communities? Here are some thoughts from residents.
On Feb. 12, more than 100 people gathered at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center for a conversation on media coverage of Pittsburgh’s Black communities. The event, hosted by the Pittsburgh City Paper and PublicSource with support from the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and California University of Pennsylvania, featured two discussions in which panelists…
Annual Women who Rock benefit concert announces lineup
Women who Rock, an annual benefit concert that raises money to support women’s health, is back for its fourth year on Fri., May 15 at Stage AE. The event takes place during National Women’s Health Week and proceeds will benefit Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI). Based in Pittsburgh, MWRI is the nation’s largest research institute dedicated…
Following Democratic committee snub, Jessica Benham endorsed by local trades union
Disability-rights advocate Jessica Benham (D-South Side) has been running for Pennsylvania state House District 36 for several months and picked up a number of Democratic endorsements along the way, including Pittsburgh City Council President Theresa Kail Smith (D-West End) and state Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-West View). But on Sunday, the Allegheny County Democratic Committee (ACDC)…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/20/20
Video Archive Last night’s debate was certainly more lively than the past ones, but Lynn isn’t sure it was helpful. Her main opinions are that Bloomberg was awful, and Warren won the debate based on performance. She is also talking about Richard Grenell’s appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence. Locally the August Wilson Center…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/19/20
Video Archive Lynn is talking about her trip to New York this past weekend. She was there to see her niece perform as Hamlet. It ends up that the location of the theater was Weehawken, New Jersey, the same place that Alexander Hamilton was shot by Aaron Burr. She’s discussing the history of the place,…
Gimme Gimme Disco highlights everlasting appeal of disco in Pittsburgh and beyond
History tells us that disco died on July 12, 1979, when Chicago radio DJ Steve Dahl caused a disco record-destroying riot at the Comiskey Park baseball stadium. But don’t tell that to Ethan Maccoby, co-founder of the ABBA-themed Gimme Gimme Disco touring party. The event, which launched a little over a year ago, will make…
Pittsburgh had its own disco era, and now local dance parties are bringing it back
For most people, the disco era conjures up a series of familiar images: packed dance floors, late-night revelers, unmistakable fashion, and lots of flashing lights. But what did the disco scene actually look like in Pittsburgh during its heyday? According to Harrison Apple, not much different than you’d expect. “Obviously, disco explodes in the…
The Assistant shows how abuse of power can be cloaked in the mundane
When the waves of the #MeToo movement first started crashing in, so many reactions from the outside were, “How could this have happened?” and from the inside, “We always knew.” Creating a workplace where the boss can do as he pleases, with whomever he pleases, without fear of retribution, does not happen overnight. That kind…
Brittney Chantele’s new album reflects on her time in the military, and how she got out
Brittney Chantele recalls the exact moment when her mindset about the military changed. Right around the end of 2012 — about a year and a half into her Army National Guard enlistment — Chantele was on a date. Throughout the evening, Chantele’s date noticed that she kept staring at one person, a man of Middle…
The parking chair as art and an homage to Pittsburghers
Pittsburgh likes parking chairs. It’s a cultural touchstone referenced in jokes, on t-shirts, or in an ad promoting tourism to the Steel City. But like most things Pittsburghers claim as uniquely Pittsburgh things — pierogies, basement toilets, hills — the parking chair is not exclusive to Pittsburgh. So why, and when, did Pittsburghers start embracing it…
Reach whiskey and seltzer zen with Cobra Lounge’s Toki Highball machine
A whiskey highball may seem like a simple cocktail. There are only two ingredients, whiskey and seltzer, and for many people, it’s interchangeable with a whiskey soda. But in Japan, whiskey highballs are serious business. Every detail, from the ice to the carbonation of the soda, is meticulously crafted to elevate the relatively simple drink…
Free Will Astrology (2/19 – 2/26)
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1908, British playwright W. Somerset Maugham reached the height of success. Four of his plays were being performed concurrently in four different London theaters. If you were ever in your life going to achieve anything near this level of overflowing popularity or attention, I suspect it would be this year.…
First Annual Global Black History Month, 2021
My love/hate relationship with Black History Month has not waned since I admitted it out loud several years ago. But after the month I just spent in India, I have come to realize that what the world needs now is a Global Black History month. The worldwide lack of understanding of the Global Black Experience…
A story in partnership with PublicSource: How decades at Pittsburgh’s Hill House shaped the lives of these three women
For five decades, the Hill House served as a community anchor in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Residents across generations saw it as a community center, a hub for services such as dental care and work training, and a venue for local performers and headliners like Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend. It also acted as a neighborhood…
Is Smithfield News Pittsburgh’s only true bodega?
On the corner of “I Probably Shouldn’t” and “Thanks, I’ll Pass” lies the Mecca of morsels, the sultry siren of savories and sweets, a veritable vice-a-palooza. Here, you’ll come just to grab a bag of chips, but instead leave with 30 scratch-offs, a glass pipe, and a pocket full of gas-station aphrodisiacs. Let me take…
Princess Berpl and the business of cosplay porn
In 2014, Princess Berpl was working full time as a nurse and would come home from work only to start her side hustle: making independent amateur pornography clips and working as a cam model. After about two years into these double shifts, she had an idea. Berpl, who is also an avid gamer, thought it…
Apeirogon is based on the real-life stories of an Israeli and Palestinian who both lost their daughters to violent deaths
The title of Colum McCann’s new novel, Apeirogon (Random House), means a shape with a “countably infinite” number of sides. The book is set in Israel and Palestine, where, as the title suggests, there are thousands of stories with different points of view. Based on the real-life experiences of Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian, and Rami…
The Local 913: Spish
Like a lot of songwriters, Nate Die from the band SPISH got his start writing stories. “I went to school for fiction writing,” he says. “I love to tell stories and for me, the thing that I saw a lot in professors was that no one was able to sell books. Music is a lot…
The 412 with Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers
On Tuesday, The Lumineers touch down in Pittsburgh to support their third album, III, with a show at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh City Paper chatted with The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz for The 412, CP’s feature where you can stay up to date with your favorite bands/musicians and learn fun, random tidbits about them. questions about…
Housed in the refurbished Millvale Moose Lodge, Sprezzatura is relaxed, accessible, and fresh
Loosely translated, the word “sprezzatura” means to look and feel effortless, and that’s pretty on-the-nose for Jen Saffron’s new cafe in Millvale: Sprezzatura, housed in the refurbished Millvale Moose Lodge, has the chatty, laid-back nature of a diner. The service is hospitable and relaxed, and the menu is accessible and fresh. But behind the easygoing…
The Frick Art Museum highlights the dual roles of women in art jewelry with Maker & Muse
For centuries, the art world has relegated women to the passive role of muse, a body to be painted and sculpted. Even today, the representation of female artists in museums still lags, contrary to cultural institutions’ claims to care about addressing the problem. One study by Artnet showed that, between 2008 and 2018, only 11%…
