Jay Reatard dies at age 29
It was less than two months ago that I scrawled down a short piece on the phenomenon of Jay Reatard, the garage rock genius and/or charlatan who came from Memphis and swept the nation. Pitchfork is reporting this afternoon that Reatard died last night at 29. Ever the entertainer, he’ll be missed, as will so…
Why can’t we all just get along?
So, will 2010 witness the rise of a new, more elevated form of political discourse in city hall? A dialogue in which — no matter how the final vote proceedes — all participants feel their viewpoints are considered? Maybe not. For example, on Monday city councilor Doug Shields sent out an e-mail notifying his colleagues…
Lavelle supports prevailing wage; key Parking Authority appointments made
First things first: Daniel Lavelle has now added himself to the list of cosponsors supporting the city’s proposed prevailing wage bill. That’s according to remarks councilor Doug Shields made at a press conference announcing the bill’s introduction a few minutes ago. Lavelle, who was not on the list of sponsors last night, is a late…
MP3 Monday: Peter King
Local singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter King released Dancing On a Long Leash in November; at the time, I wrote, “On his new album, playful lyrics and Steely Dan-esque changes combine with jazz-pro instrumentation and King’s disarmingly vulnerable, unembellished voice.” Nowhere is that Dan influence more apparent than on “Thank You St. Jude”: You’ll hear some Babylon sisters…
Prevailing wage support still veto-proof, but less so
Just a quick update on the prevailing wage situation. As expected, last year’s prevailing wage legislation — vetoed at the last minute by Luke Ravenstahl — will be submitted to council again. A press conference on the legislation has been scheduled for tomorrow morning. According to the advance statement, the bill will have six sponsors.…
Ravenstahl strikes a different tone on prevailing wage bill (UPDATED)
As has been reported elsewhere, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is proposing his own prevailing wage legislation, after vetoing a measure council passed late last year. At first blush, Ravenstahl’s measure appears to be a dramatically scaled-back version of what council voted on: For example, it would put prevailing wages in limbo until they were passed at…
Sympathy for Lavelle?
Here’s an argument that really hasn’t surfaced in the commentary surrounding the city council president shenanigans: “The district made me do it.” Obviously, a big part of what drove events this week was the fact that councilor Bill Peduto, who sought the presidency, was counting on the vote of newcomer Robert Daniel Lavelle. But…
Ravenstahl statement on Hlavac
I’ve expressed some misgivings about this move before. And it’ll be interesting to see how Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s attempt to extend his domestic-abuse policy to all employees goes over. While domestic-abuse is a crime no matter who commits it, I’d argue that police need to be subjected to stricter scrutiny than, say, a parks worker.…
Short List: Week of January 7 – 14
Thu., Jan. 7 — Comedy Harland Williams is probably best known as the droopy-looking pothead in Half-Baked, or the murderous hitchhiker with the idea for seven-minute abs in There’s Something About Mary. As a standup comic, however, he’s known for odd observations about completely disconnected subjects. Performing a blend of standup and sketch comedy in…
Lost in the The Hype: African Americans in a Super Sports Town
Discussions about sports and society usually start and end with whether some point guard’s a good role model. The 45-minute 2009 documentary titled “Lost in the Hype: African Americans in a Super Sports Town” is a thoughtful and provocative change of pace. Local activist Aisha White, of the group Rights & Responsibilities, offers a fast-paced…
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Terry Gilliam’s latest is what we expect: an elaborate fantasy from an eccentric filmmaker, and not without some amusement. The actors are wonderfully game, the production is beautifully designed, and the themes are mercifully secondary, at least until the end, when Gilliam goes for broke rather than for smarts. His titular doctor (Christopher Plummer) who…
Flavor of India
Despite regionally themed buffet nights, northern-style cuisine predominates here
Two authors offer a fresh take on Warhol in the ’60s
To attain the art-world acceptance he yearned for, Warhol had to remake that world in his own image(s).
This Just In: January 7 – 14
Highlights from the local TV news: Pie in the Skybus
Explaining Climate
“You can’t look at a particularly cold winter in the Northeastern U.S. as evidence against global warming.”
Compromised Position
Harris selected council president to avoid giving power to mayor’s choice
Shady Venture
The future’s so bright, Todd Smith has to wear shades
Shooting Blanks
No one has been prosecuted under the city’s lost/stolen gun ordinance, but does that mean it’s a failure?
America’s post-World War II cultural crossroads are the subtext of Julius Shulman’s photos in Palm Springs Modern.
In Shulman’s vision, it’s all still water, cactus and clouds, an Ozymandian splendor more likely to be disturbed by a wild horse than a person.
richgirl poets
A poem by Davka
Gypsy Café Brunch
Turns out brunch goes great with comic books
New Year’s Irresolution
A holiday season to forget
Chicago’s Velcro Lewis Group unleashes primordial roots rock at Howlers
In addition to his caterwauls, the band’s legally blind frontman Velcro Lewis plays an electric diddley bow, a rudimentary one-string guitar.
Rochester metal band Crucifist takes two swings at Pittsburgh this week
Not only is Crucifist too much metal for one hand, it’s also too much metal for just one show.
Music on the Edge presents International Contemporary Ensemble at the Warhol
“Each one of the players is a virtuoso in his or her own right and, when they get together, it’s absolutely thrilling.”
Get on The Guest List(?)
A few weeks back I wrote a Short List piece about a local band called The Guest List. (Scroll down . . . keep going . . . THERE, right toward the bottom!) I mentioned in said piece that the band was gearing up for a pretty serious start to 2010; I did not lie.…
The Berlin Project reunites for acoustic show Friday at Club Café
In 2009, we heard rumblings from a number of groups in our Bands That Aren’t There Anymore file.
Savage Love
I am a queer lady in my 20s. My boyfriend and I recently discovered that we are both into BDSM. We started with some light bondage and spanking, added some role-play, and are moving toward heavier stuff. I’ve spent some time reading online BDSM erotica, and here’s what’s stressing me out: I tend to gravitate…
