Contestational Cartographies
One of the first things I recall learning about the familiar Mercator projection map of the world is that it is wrong. This is the most common two-dimensional rendering of the globe, where the perceived need to reproduce its likeness rectilinearly, on a page, means that Greenland, for instance, ends up looking bigger than the…
Philly-ing a gap
PoliticsPa is reporting that the field of Democratic gubernatorial wanna-bes is likely to get more crowded. State Senator Anthony Williams, who hails from Philadelphia, says he hopes “to, at minimum, force the Republican and Democratic candidates to begin addressing issues such as gun-control and inner-city poverty.” Out in Philadelphia itself, there’s been talk about this…
Voters may be undecided in governor’s race, but the big money has made up its mind
Ever since the US Supreme Court cast aside federal laws limiting corporate and union influence on election advertising, I’ve heard the same nightmare scenario. Thanks to the court’s decision, critics of the ruling warn, special interests will buy up the airwaves days before an election, filling our heads with ads in support of their cronies.…
MP3 Monday: Melissa St. Pierre
This week’s MP3 Monday is a pleasant little joint courtesy Melissa St. Pierre, local-via-Brooklyn-via-Massachussetts prepared pianist. Her first solo LP, Specimens, was released on the Radium imprint of Table of the Elements; this track, recorded more recently, is from the yet-to-be-released Anthophagyphilia. Without further ado, eh: Generative Aural Leading, A Waltz. PS — Melissa figures…
Chris Doherty, we hardly knew ye
Today’s Scranton Times Tribune is reporting that gubernatorial candidate Chris Doherty — who was just in Pittsburgh for a candidates’ forum yesterday — may be dropping out. Citing anonymous sources, the paper is reporting that Gov. Ed Rendell is trying to broker a deal in which Doherty would take a run at lieutenant governor instead,…
Four gubernatorial candidates battle to be king of Squirrel Hill
What to say about this afternoon’s Democratic gubernatorial debate in Squirrel Hill, hosted by the 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club? There weren’t a ton of fireworks: Probably the most newsworthy development, in fact, was an idea the four rival candidates agreed on. In response to a question from moderator Jon Delano, all the candidates agreed…
Adam Welch at 709 Penn
Local artist and curator Welch’s show at the Downtown storefront gallery is titled A Few Objects — On a Theme of Contradiction, but the term “objects” doesn’t really do these works justice. Contraptions, microverses or perhaps “phenomenological gadgets with cryptic narrative overtones” would be more appropriate. Several of them are packed into the small Pittsburgh…
Get mystical: Higgs returns to MoGlo tomorrow
Perhaps it makes me a bad rock journalist, but I’m not a major collector. I recently realized there are only a couple of artists I feel the completist compulsion toward: Arthur Russell is one, and Daniel Higgs is another. I attempted last spring to sum Higgs up in 400 words or so, as he was…
Sestak draws a bead on McCain over “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Earlier this week, I noted that one of the distinguishing characteristics of Senate candidate Joe Sestak is the way he invokes his military service in support of a progressive agenda. Here’s some more evidence this morning, prompted by Sen. John McCain’s opposition to Barack Obama’s promise to end “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell.” Here’s the response of…
Life Sentences
The brother of one of Pittsburgh’s most famous authors speaks out from behind bars
Short List: Week of January 28 – February 4
Thu., Jan. 28 — Words Many famous portrait-style paintings, from the Mona Lisa on, are of essentially anonymous people. Yet today’s celebrity might be tomorrow’s trivia answer. Nobody understood the intersection of art, celebrity and commerce quite like Andy Warhol. It all comes together tonight around a gallery tour and talk exploring the Mattress Factory’s…
Until the Light Takes Us
My knowledge of Norwegian black metal is pretty basic, stemming from a couple articles read nearly two decades ago when one musician murdered another. If I’ve already lost you, then this documentary is going to be tough sledding, despite its intriguing promise to reveal the truth about the cultish music scene.
Working mostly with contemporary…
Extraordinary Measures
Just what we need to take the edge off these fraught times — a feel-good movie about the pharmaceutical industry. Tom Vaughn’s light drama is “inspired by real events,” but something about its telescoped breeziness feels more Hollywood than history. Nonetheless, there is some truth to this story of a dad (Brendan Fraser) who quits…
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
It’s nominally a riff on Abel Ferrara’s 1992 Bad Lieutenant, which Herzog says he has never seen, and is so dreadfully made that a viewer is left wondering if the whole thing is some post-postmodern joke. In any case, you’ll likely be laughing, and maybe you’re supposed to.
Port of Call stars Nicolas Cage, set…
Crazy Heart
Country singer Bad Blake is 57 years old, with his glory days long behind him. He headlines dinky bars and bowling alleys, backed by pick-up bands and politely applauded by fans as old as he is. Then, he meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a winsome single mom, and Blake drinks less, gets re-inspired for song-writing and…
Serendipity
Location: 422 Foreland St., North Side. 412-918-1496. www.serendipity01.com Hours: Mon.-Wed. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thu.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Prices: Starters, soups and salads $4-6; pizza and pasta $8.50-15; entrees $16-25 Fare: “Hip American Cuisine” Atmosphere: Exposed brick and candlelight Liquor: Full bar As with so many other cultural touchstones, we have California to thank for…
This Just In: January 28 – February 4
Highlights from the local TV news: Happy Daze
The Kelly-Strayhorn’s artist-in-residence program continues bearing fruit with two promising dance performances this weekend.
“Its underlying theme is the loss of Pittsburgh urban radio station WAMO, which ceased operations this past September.”
Raisin
Stephanie Akers creates a believable portrait of Lena, conveying vulnerable sweetness in a role more often played dynamic and sturdy.
Room Service
Keitel has the insight and theatrical sense to know the exact playing style required by the script, and has done miracle work forging this solid student company into a cohesive whole.
Hough’s
563 Greenfield Ave., Greenfield 412-586-5944 Mon.-Sat. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. (Kitchen: 4 p.m.-10 p.m.); Sunday brunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Date Visited: Tue., Jan. 19 (during a Penguins game). Years in Business: Two. Crowd: Mostly young professionals and graduate students. Known For: American bottled beer. Hough’s boasts more than 200 different bottles from breweries across the…
A chemical engineer and sustainability advocate seeks cultural solutions, not technological ones, to the environmental crisis.
“We cut up the world into increasingly smaller pieces, and we believe we understand the world if we put the pieces back together.”
Reporting Off
Progress reports still few and far between at troubled CEP school
Domestic Policy
Advocates say mayor’s abuse policy should focus more on victims
Carrie Rodriguez and her mandobird swoop down on Rex Theater
In the case of Carrie Rodriguez, a big part of her distinctive sound comes from a deceptively small instrument: a solid-body electric mandolin.
Multi-culti mixer DJ /rupture and horrortech innovator King Cannibal play Pittsburgh this week
Gird yourself for battle.
D. Rider finds former U.S. Maple guitarist in search of heavy, dystopian grooves
“Who’s to say the apocalypse can’t be fun? I think you can dance to it.”
Drummer John Roman divulges his musical faves … following a bribe of pancakes
While you mix the flour and the baking powder, Roman mixes in some Meshuggah, specifically their most recent release obZen.
At Future Tenant, artists look for new ways to engage modern communications technology.
What does being connected mean when we receive information so quickly that it’s difficult to comprehend events we can do little or nothing about?
Savage Love
I’m a single (mostly) gay guy who is curious about women. A hot bisexual mate is interested in a friends-with-benefits arrangement. I’m not looking for an LTR just now, so no-strings sex sounds great. However, his girlfriend doesn’t know he’s bisexual, and I’d feel uncomfortable having sex with him behind her back. My mate would…
