FFW>>, Pittsburgh City Paper

Tonight: Bridgette Perdue at the August Wilson Center

Andy Mulkerin — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:27:00 -0400

About a year ago, Bridgette Perdue put out her first album of piano-pop tunes, Enjoy This Moment. Tonight, the irrepressively positive Perdue presents a special live event at the August Wilson Center, combining a concert with dance and other art forms.…

Johnny Angel off the air for now

Andy Mulkerin — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:03:00 -0400

Despite its storied rock-DJ history, even Pittsburgh has fewer and fewer regular old-fashioned oldies radio shows — and as of a few weeks ago, it's down to one less. The Johnny Angel Heavenly Soul Show, which had been on the air at 1320-AM WJAS since 2011, went off the air at the end of March, because DJ Johnny Angel — a longtime local performer and DJ — was unable to find the sponsorships needed to keep it afloat.…

Calliope announces 2013-14 concert series, with Vieux Farka Toure, Bruce Cockburn

Andy Mulkerin — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:19:24 -0400

Calliope, the folk society, has announced its 2013-14 concert series, running from October through April. The shows will all take place at Carnegie Lecture Hall in Oakland.…

The Composure covers "Closing Time," plays Altar tonight

Andy Mulkerin — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:29:00 -0400

Know what's BIG right now? '90s nostalgia!…

Kendrick Lamar now playing Stage AE, not Rostraver Ice Garden

Andy Mulkerin — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:52:37 -0400

One for the FYI files: The previously announced Kendrick Lamar show at Rostraver Ice Garden June 3 was cancelled, and the tour package was picked up by Stage AE; it'll take place there the same night, Monday, June 3.

The full details for the new show:

Kendrick Lamar with Schoolboy Q, AB-Soul and Jay Rock
6:30 p.m.…

'Tis the Post-Season!

Andy Mulkerin — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:00:08 -0400

Tonight marks the first playoff game of 2013 for the Penguins, and of course some local musicians have stepped up to the plate (to mix my sports metaphors) with fight songs for our hockey puckers.

Every year, Kardaz revises its "The Mighty 'Guins," a take on Dylan's "Quinn the Eskimo," with the names of the current team.…

MP3 Monday: Idle Drifters

John Lavanga — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:49:13 -0400

Afternoon, everyone! It's another installment of MP3 Monday, and this week we're featuring a fantastic local band by the name of The Idle Drifters.…

Summer free-concert dates start rolling in

Andy Mulkerin — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:24:18 -0400

Today marks the announcement of both the Allegheny County Parks concert series and the Three Rivers Arts Festival concerts. The TRAF concerts have been trickling out all morning on WYEP; big names include Glen Hansard (Wed., June 12); Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (Fri., June 7), and bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley (Sat., June 8).…

Review: Fleetwood Mac

Nicole Chynoweth — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:55:00 -0400

Three years have passed since Fleetwood Mac’s last tour, but their performance at Consol Energy Center last night proved their on-stage spark is hardly exhausted. For about two and a half hours, the band sent the crowd on a nostalgic journey through their back catalog with many of their greatest hits, as well as a long lost demo and a new track from their upcoming EP.…

Welcome Home Taylor Gang's Chevy Woods

Rory D. Webb — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:49:10 -0400

Hazelwood native Chevy Woods has been touring the world with Wiz Khalifa and their Taylor Gang conglomerate. This Friday, April 26, Pittsburgh can catch him live in concert as he returns home for an all ages show at Club Zoo.…

Event Review: The RZA Shares the "Wisdom of the Word"

Rory D. Webb — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:40:00 -0400

On Thursday, April 18, Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA visited Pittsburgh as part of his Wisdom of the Word Tour. The speaking engagement was held at the New Hazlett Theater, presented by Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, and hosted by local poet and National Book Award winner Terrance Hayes.…

MP3 Monday: The Wave

John Lavanga — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:33:26 -0400

Happy Monday everyone! Plenty went down this weekend, from Lupe Fiasco playing at CMU's Carnival to Pissed Jeans rocking 6119 Penn Avenue, to the Penguins coming through against the Bruins.…

Stream this Ish: April 19 issue

John Lavanga — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:18:04 -0400

This week in CP:

—The Joy Formidable finds its sound on its new album Wolf's Law

The Joy Formidable- This Ladder is Ours

—Critics' Picks including Dinner and a Suit, Generationals, Betty Lavette and Lovely Little Girls

Dinner and a Suit

Generationals- Put a Light On

Bettye Lavette

Lovely Little Girls- Undulate

Cleaning the Filth From a Delicate Frame by Lovely Little Girls

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Warhol offers Silver Studio Sessions for web visitors

Andy Mulkerin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:43:22 -0400

Here's a new cool thing: The Andy Warhol Museum, which hosts plenty of up-and-coming acts and well-respected musicians alike as part of its Sound Series, is now offering what it calls the Silver Studio Sessions: video performances by Sound Series artists, available on its website.

Here's a sample, from The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merrit's session:

Check the whole series — with songs by Dean & Britta and Valgeir Sigurðsson and Nadia Sirota — out here.…

Stream This Ish: April 10 Issue

John Lavanga — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:43:00 -0400

This week in CP:

—RZA of the Wu-Tang clan talks about his ties to Pittsburgh and Steubenville, and Iceage explains their new album in our Music Features.

RZA and The Black Keys — Baddest Man Alive

Iceage — Coalition

—Reviews of new albums from Jasiri X and Pointillists.…

Talking pinball with Dave Hartley of Nightlands and The War on Drugs

Ian Thomas — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400

Hundreds of pinball enthusiasts have converged upon Pittsburgh to test their mettle in the Pinburgh 2013 Match Play Championship, held by the Professional & Amateur Pinball Association (PAPA) from April 11-14. With a prize package of $60,000 and a portion of proceeds going to charity, the championship is among the premier events of the pinball community.…

Interview: Jasiri X

Rory D. Webb — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:49:00 -0400

Jasiri X couldn’t have come up with a better title to describe his new album, Ascension. While at the core the album remains consistent with the path that he’s taken to this point, calling out and taking action against corruption in politics and society, Jasiri mixes in some of the raw elements of hip-hop that have influenced his rap career.…

Review: Lou Donaldson Kicks Off National Jazz Appreciation Month In Pittsburgh

Rory D. Webb — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:24:32 -0400

Last week was a big one for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and JazzLive International. They announced their annual summer festival lineup, which includes headliners Chaka Khan, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Marcus Miller and Pat Martino.…

MP3 Monday: Stosh Jonjak

John Lavanga — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:29:28 -0400

Hey everybody, looks like we're staring down the barrel of a week of nice weather, and I for one am absolutely thrilled. Nothing like lounging outside on a sunny day.…

Stream This Ish: April 3 edition

John Lavanga — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:47:16 -0400

This week in CP:

—Musician and former member of The Monkees Mike Nesmith talks about his ongoing projects and work with MTV, and Sean Bonnette of Andrew Jackson Jihad elaborates on his position as the Michael Jordan of Netflix in our Music Features.

The Monkees

Andrew Jackson Jihad

—Our weekly Critics' Picks featuring Purity Ring, John Scofield, and Zola Jesus.…

Tonight: Mason Bates appears at Static for Mercury Soul event

Andy Mulkerin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:36:43 -0400

A few months back, our Kate Magoc explored the classical-meets-electronic world of PSO composer-in-residence Mason Bates. Bates straddles the classical and club worlds, working alternately under his given name and his DJ name, DJ Masonic.…

Creative Expression: Ayinde Bomani Goes From Hip-Hop To Football Coach

Rory D. Webb — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:19:03 -0400

Today, Ayinde Bomani is the running backs coach of the football team at Chaminade College Preparatory School, which finished first atop the Daily News Los Angeles rankings this past season. He is also head coach of the Chatsworth Chiefs youth football team.…

Pittsburgh Jazz Live International lineup announced

Andy Mulkerin — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:17:02 -0400

The annual JazzLive International festival, which takes place Downtown each June, has announced its 2013 lnieup.

The biggest name this year is someone who might make you think "funk" more than jazz: Chaka Khan.…

MCG Jazz announces 2013-14 season: Ahmad Jamal, Chucho Valdes, Ramsey Lewis, more

Andy Mulkerin — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:51:47 -0400

The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild 2013-14 MCG Jazz concert season has been announced, and it includes some big names — some local, some global.

Ahmad Jamal and the Pittsburgh Jazz Legends — which includes Roger Humphries, Joe Negri, Harold Betters and plenty of other well-known local jazz musicians — kick off the season Sat., Sep. 28.…

MP3 Monday: Badboxes

John Lavanga — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:24:31 -0400

Looks like the sun showed its face in the steel city this weekend. How about a little bit of celebration music from this week's MP3 Monday band, Badboxes?…