In past festivals of international arts, starting with 2004's Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has hosted plenty of memorable exhibits and performances. The most recent of these, the 2008 Festival of Firsts, for instance, included the much-talked-about experiential-theater work Eco de los Sombras, by Teatro de los Sentidos.
The forthcoming Distinctively Dutch fest formally announced yesterday, looks promising too: a solid three months encompassing 10 mainstage shows or gallery exhibits. And these works of dance, theater, music, visual art, film, literature and more are all new to Pittsburgh. Most of them in fact, are new to the U.S., and in some cases they're new to planet Earth.
Indeed, a young Dutch-born fellow I ran into at the Trust's reception — which drew a couple of hundred arts-and-culture types to the Trust Arts Education Center — said he hadn't even heard of any of the festival performers or other contributors.
The festival begins Feb. 18 at the Byham Theater, with the U.S. premiere of Anatomica, a Dance Works Rotterdam show choreographed by André Gingras.
That's appropriate, in that the show's presenter, the Pittsburgh Dance Council, has been, over the years, this town's main conduit for Dutch arts. But it's also unusual: Even the Dance Council doesn't host many U.S. premieres by internationally lauded troupes.
That show is followed quickly by a world-premiere stage show: Detroit Dealers, the Wunderbaum theater troupe'swork about the romance of the car and the rise and fall of the U.S. auto industry, seen from a Dutch perspective (Feb. 23-25).
In March comes the U.S. premiere of Diespace, a puckishly titled work by six-member "tech-theater collective" PIPS:lab (who are pictured here). The troupe, which grew from Amsterdam's underground party scene, explores social networks, "life, death and the Internet."
April brings much more, including: another Pittsburgh Dance Council U.S. premiere, Last Touch First, a collaboration by choreographers Ji ří Kylián and Michael Schumacher; a pair of visual-arts shows at 707 Penn Gallery and Wood Street Galleries, Girls 'N' Guns and Global Navigators; and the world premiere of a "video opera" by composer Jacob Ter Veldhuis. Jacob TV's The News combines sampled and manipulated video and sound bites from broadcast news with the composer's own avant-pop music (played live by a chamber ensemble and two vocalists).
There's more in May, including Dutch acts at the Pittsburgh International Children's Film Festival and Dutch Women of Jazz at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. But that's enough for one post.
I will add, however, that if you're wondering how the Trust can afford to bring all this to town in straitened economic times, thank government funding of the arts. Dutch government funding, that is: According to the Trust, the key supporters for the Distinctively Dutch festival are the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Performing Arts Fund NL, Music Center for the Netherlands and Theater Instituut Nederland.
(Full disclosure: City Paper is among the fest's several local sponsors.)
Tags: Program Notes , Image
The internationally recognized Draves, who grew up in Monroeville, speaks Mon., Jan. 23. The talk prefaces dedication of his latest algorithmically generated artwork, to be displayed in the school's Gates Hillman Center.
The poster says Draves will discuss the software behind his famed "Electric Sheep" project, but Draves says non-geeks shouldn't be intimidated: He'll also illuminate the philosophy behind his work, which employs computers to demonstrate the collaborative possibilities between machines and humans — and is ultimately all about letting computers do beautiful things we haven't programmed them to do.
In 1976, when he was in second grade, Draves encountered his first computer: the school's lone Apple II. "Nobody really knew what to do with it," Draves says by phone from New York, where he lives. "I started programming."
But even in 1990, when he enrolled in a computer-science doctoral program at Carnegie Mellon, Draves didn't conceive of the machines as having artistic possibilities. He credits his graduate adviser, the late Andy Witkin, with encouraging him to submit his work to an international art festival.
When Draves walked away from the Prix Ars Electronica with an honorable mention for his Flame algorithm, he says, "I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is art and it's worth working on it.'"
Now computer art is Draves' profession, typically video works generated by software, often with human input.
For years, until quite recently, one of his works the "moving painting" titled "Dreams in High Fidelity" — was displayed in the lobby at Google's corporate headquarters. Another work is currently exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Contemporary Art; other venues have included art competitions in Montreal, Brazil, Madrid and Tokyo.
Draves' new commission from CMU, "Generation 244," is actually his second from the school (a still accompanies this post); "Generation 243" is also displayed at the Gates Hillman Center, on the fifth floor.
Both those works are drawn from Draves' best-known ongoing project, Electric Sheep. In 1999, Draves activated software that created complex, abstract digital animations; some images suggest celestial forms, others microrganisms.
But the work is not "his," exactly. "I want to create an image that is beyond my imagination," says Draves. "I want to create something I couldn't think of."
Electric Sheep is actually a collaboration between Draves' software and, at latest count, some 450,000 computers and their users. The images are rendered as screen-savers that participants vote on. The images that are most popular "mate with each other and reproduce," as Draves has put it.
Draves is intrigued by the question of whether democracy and asthetics are compatible. He notes that the favorite Electric Sheep images tend to be "flashy [and] trashy" and symmetrically shaped — not his own preferences.
But for commissioned work, like those at CMU, he exerts editorial prerogative, curating and reshaping his favorites into high-definition video works.
The works are not loops, by the way: They're composed of a large number of sequences that combine and recombine in countless formulations.
And yes, Philip K. Dick fans, Electric Sheep is named in homage to the cult-favorite author whose story "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" inspired the 1982 film Blade Runner.
Ironically, Dick foresaw advanced technology contributing to a dystopia. Draves' outlook is rather sunnier.
"He's a kind of techno-pessimist," says Draves. "I'm sort of a techno-optimist."
Draves speaks at 4 p.m. Mon., Jan. 23, in 6115 Gates Hillman; the talk is preceded by a reception and followed at 5 p.m. by an art tour.
The talk is free, see http://calendar.cs.cmu.edu/scsEvents/demo/7435.html for more information.
Tags: Program Notes , Image
The Greenfield Organization recently announced that it is at least temporarily shutting down, but board members for the neighborhood group appear to be keeping quiet about the reason why. (UPDATE: After this blog post was published, Greenfield Organization president Dolores Hanna sent us a statement citing fiscal problems as the reason for the closure. See below.)
"We regret to inform the Greenfield Community that the Greenfield Organization is temporarily closed and without a staff person for a major re-organization due to circumstances beyond the control of the Board of Directors," neighborhood group's board of directors wrote in a Jan. 12 letter circulated in a Connect Greenfield community newsletter on Jan. 16.
"The Board of Directors is working diligently to have this loss of service to the community be short term," the letter continues. "[W]e apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our neighbors and look for us in the spring for future updates."
The Greenfield Organization, among other things, has offered residents free income tax assistance and publishes a community newspaper. But the group will no longer be providing those services, according to the letter from the organization's board. Nor will private groups be allowed to use the group's building, located on Greenfield Avenue.
The Greenfield Organization's president, Dolores Hanna, did not respond to a City Paper email. A handful of board members also did not respond to requests for comment. In an e-mail received after this post was originally published, GO president Dolores Hanna wrote:
The Greenfield Organization has closed temporarily due to financial issues. The Board of Directors eliminated all paid staff positions and are re-organizing. We can't offer VITA Income Tax Services this year to our residents but have spoken to Councilman [Corey] O'Connor to see if he can find a way to assist the senior citizens with their taxes possibly out of Magee Senior Center and we have suspended publication of the Greenfield Grapevine. Councilman O'Connor has scheduled a neighborhood meeting for January 26 and the temporary closing of the GO will most likely be one of the topics for discussion. All of that being said look for us to be back in the spring with another update.
O'Connor, who represents Greenfield, declined to go into specifics about the Greenfield Organization's troubles, since he's not a member of the group's board. But he said the community can learn more about the organization's decision to close during the Jan. 26 neighborhood meeting, which is being held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Magee Recreation Center (745 Greenfield Ave.).
"We're going to have someone from the Greenfield Organization make a statement about what went on there," he says, noting that lots of rumors have been swirling about the organization. "They're going to make a statement about why they're going to dissolve for a while."
O'Connor says he wants to make sure that the closing of the Greenfield Organization doesn't have a negative impact on the neighborhood. He says his council office is going to step up its neighborhood outreach to help ensure that positive trends in the community continue.
Greenfield has recently seen its business district on Greenfield Avenue bolstered by the addition of Szmidt's Old World Deli and Copper Kettle Brewing, a brew-it-yourself brewery operated by the owners of the popular neighborhood bar, Hough's. In addition, O'Connor says, more young people are moving to Greenfield.
"We don't want to lose that momentum," he says.
"The Greenfield Organization was a big foundation for the neighborhood," O'Connor adds, "and it still may be in the future."
But for now, he says, the neighborhood needs to figure out how to manage without it.
Tags: Slag Heap
Morning!
Just wanted to update you all on the second annual Pittsburgh Rock Music Awards that took place Sunday night. As you may have heard about before — in the Local Beat space last year around this time, or in Critics' Picks last week — Backallie Music again put together the awards show, which was juried based on posts and likes on Backallie's Facebook page. Scientific? Absolutely not. But then, remember last week when it was revealed that of the five NHL players headed to the all-star game via fan vote were Ottawa Senators? For that matter, do you remember CP's reader's poll every year? Point is, nothing's all that scientific.
Without further ado, a list of the categories and winners from Sunday, courtesy of Backallie's Allie Nickel. (Sad to report that my favorite category, "Best 'Oh Shit' Moment," apparently didn't get enough nominations to go forward.)
Best Alternative Band
1) Fist Fight in the Parking Lot
2) Amplifiers
3) 28 North
Best Metal Band
1) Dethlehem
2) Delusions of Grandeur and Ascend the Fallen
3) Eyes Have Seen the Glory
Best Hardcore Band
1) Gutrench
2) Where Angels Fear to Tread
3) The Real 50 Caliber Dream
Best Punk Rock Band
1)Scattergun
2)Ernie and the Berts
3)Channel 4’s Finest
Best Indie Rock Band
1)Chux Beta
2)Red Hands
3) New Era
Song of the Year
1) Chux Beta: Fooled me Twice\
2) Delusions of Grandeur: Shaq Fu
Album of the Year
1) Chux Beta: Heartbroken Underground
2) Ascend the Fallen: Create. Conquer. Destroy.
Video of the Year
1) Dethlehem: Circle of Death
2) Delusions of Grandeur: Shaq Fu
Best Live Performance
1) The Bloody Seamen
2) Eyes Have Seen the Glory
Best Local Venue
1) Altar Bar
2) Fallout Shelter
Best Radio Station
1) Locals Only
Best Beard
1)Lucas Crisman
2) Ray Mears
Tags: Backallie Music , Pittsburgh Rock Music Awards , FFW>>
Howdy!
I know it's late in the day, I know you're weary, but it's my duty to bring you an MP3 for MP3 Monday! So, without further ado, let me give you a track by The Beauregards, whom I reviewed just a couple weeks ago. I thought the album was pretty good; hopefully you'll enjoy this track, "Work"!
Sorry, download link expired!
Tags: The Beauregards , FFW>> , Image
Discussions of bus rapid transit have been in the works since at least 2010 and community groups are ready to take the next step.
Last Thursday, Get There PGH, a coalition of more than 30 community groups, began the public input process to get feedback on a proposed bus rapid transit plan for Pittsburgh.
Bus Rapid Transit, as the Port Authority describes it, is a "high-quality bus service that offers the limited stops and faster service of rail, but with the flexibility and lower capital costs associated with buses." It features many elements of rail: more direct and streamlined service, simpler route structure, dedicated lanes and real-time data at stops.
The initiative was born out of a 2010 forum on BRT that found a "groundswell of support in the community" for the effort, says Court Gould, executive director of Sustainable Pittsburgh who presented Thursday's meeting. "This is the community saying to Port Authority, let's get on with it."
The Port Authority contracted Parsons Brinckerhoff to study offering BRT in Downtown, Uptown, the Hill District, Oakland and the city's eastern neighborhoods. But Gould stresses that the proposal is "not a predetermined plan. The public has to decide what they want."
The area being studied for the feature makes up a large portion of Port Authority's ridership, says Darryl Phillips with Parsons Brinckerhoff. The Oakland core alone has 46,000 daily riders -- mostly via the 61 and 71 bus routes -- accounting for 20 percent of the system's total ridership. The rest of the corridor routes have 78,000 daily riders, and, combined with Oakland, account for 33 percent of the system's ridership.
Those same areas, Phillips says, are also poised for significant growth in employment and population by 2040.
"The question is how do you accommodate that growth?" he says. "People need options for getting around."
Dedicated bus lanes in Pittsburgh aren't anything new. In fact, Phillips points out that the Port Authority was one of the first in the country to develop dedicated transit space with the Martin Luther King Busway and West Busway. And because BRT is a flexible technology, Phillips says such an endeavor doesn't have to be a "billion-dollar project that you have to build all of it or none of it. It's what you can afford." Considering the Port Authority's longstanding fiscal challenges, that's an important factor.
BRT has also spurred economic development in other cities. Cleveland's transit developments, through its HealthLine and other initiatives, have been credited for almost $5 billion new economic growth.
"Port Authority innovated [bus rapid transit] domestically," says Gould. "Other cities innovated it and took it farther and decided that instead of [transit] being a separate, fenced in thing, they guided it into the fabric of the community."
About 100 people turned out for the first of Thursday's two forums which featured a brief presentation on BRT and discussions with riders about their needs. Phillips said more meetings are on the horizon, and feedback is being accepted online.
Tags: Slag Heap
Hey friends!
Just a few quick alerts regarding upcoming shows that didn't get a peep in the paper; if you're looking for something to get up to this weekend, this might help.
Tonight (Friday):
— Local faves Triggers and Satin Gum play with the appropriately named The Winter Sounds at Brillobox.
— New outfit Torn Apart Hearts, featuring some old scene heads, debuts at Thunderbird Cafe.
— Richard Marx, seriously, is playing at the Palace Theater.
Tomorrow (Saturday):
— Cleverly named Columbus, Ohio horror punks The Suicide Ghouls headline at the 31st Street Pub with local support from The Wakening and Jericho Theory.
— Well-coiffed local outfit LoveBettie plays Altar Bar.
— Young-bucks-who-play-old-music-really-well Moldies & Monsters play Howlers.
— Donora headlines Thunderbird Cafe, with support from Allison Weiss and a band called Mitten, which is a thing you'll want to have two of if you're walking to this or any other show this weekend.
Go forth and party!
Tags: weekend , mittens , Richard Marx , FFW>>
Marking the two-year anniversary of the high-profile arrest and beating of Jordan Miles at the hands of three undercover police officers, more than a dozen Occupiers and police-accountability activists returned to the office of District Attorney Stephen Zappala this afternoon to demand that charges be filed against the officers.
Their demonstration, however, lasted only a few minutes before a large group of police officers nearly matching the number of protesters forced the peaceful demonstrators outside the Allegheny County Courthouse.
The protesters, led by Brandi Fisher, of the Alliance for Police Accountability, marched to the DA's third-floor office in hopes of meeting with Zappala to reiterate their call for the officers involved in the Miles arrest -- Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David Sisak -- to be prosecuted for beating the Homewood teen. But when they approached the office, they were met by a handful of police officers blocking the doorway.
"Why can't we go into the doors?" activist Paradise Gray asked the officers, who responded that it was a "private office."
"Is DA Zappala here?" Fisher added.
After a couple of minutes, Mike Manko, the DA's spokesperson, came out to address the protesters.
"Zappala is not available," he said. "We're extremely appreciative of the issues important to you and the community." But, he added, there is nothing new to report on the DA's ongoing investigation into Miles' Jan. 12, 2010, arrest.
Before Manko could continue, protesters interrupted the spokesperson with an Occupy-inspired "mic check."
"We are supporters of Jordan Miles, an 18-year-old who was brutally beaten by three racist police officers two years ago today," they yelled, prompting a disgruntled Manko to turn around and return to the DA's office.
As the protesters continued their mic check, officers began forcing them to leave the building.
"It's a peaceful protest!" one demonstrator screamed, as officers ordered everyone down the stairs and out of the courthouse.
"The whole world is watching!" protesters screamed on their way out. "Justice for Jordan!"
Outside the courthouse, Fisher addressed the media.
"We were not welcome," she said. "They didn't even give a reason asking us to leave.
"It is very disheartening ... that we as a community can't even see the DA," Fisher added, noting that Zappala has not returned their phone calls or emails about the investigation. Zappala has shown "blatant disrespect for the law ... and for Jordan Miles and his family.
"At this point," she concluded, "our DA needs to step down."
As Fisher spoke with the media, officers started locking the nearest entrance to the courthouse, pulling the metal gate shut.
"That is not what democracy looks like!" Gray shouted at the officers. Then, indicating the actions of the protesters, he added, "This is what democracy looks like!"
Tags: Slag Heap
Morning, friends!
Just dropping a quick line to let you know that Temporary Residence, the Brooklyn-based label that reps Majeure and Steve Moore, the two members of the Pittsburgh-born duo Zombi, is currently streaming the Majeure side of the upcoming split the two did. The LP is called Brainstorm, and the Majeure track, posted below for your listening pleasure, is a 20-minute ambient jam called "Atlantis Purge."
Tags: Majeure , A.E. Paterra , Steve Moore , Zombi , FFW>> , Video
Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald was not held in contempt of court Tuesday for defying a judge’s order and nullifying the 2012 reassessment numbers.
In fact, Judge Stanton Wettick indicated that nothing was likely to happen to Fitzgerald if he did it again. The same can’t be said, however, for any of his underlings who choose to follow the orders of Fitzgerald over those of the judge.
Wettick sent a stern message in form of an official court order to the Allegheny County Manager, the Chief Assessment Officer, the director of Administrative Services and the manager of the property assessor’s office that regardless of what order might come down from the chief executive’s office, the only order that matters is Wettick’s.
Wettick wrote that those officers "shall perform their duties professionally in implementing existing and future orders of the court regarding the reassessment and they shall not engage in or cause any actions to be taken that are inconsistent with the completion of the reassessment..."
Further Wettick wrote: "Noncompliance with this court order may result in contempt of court proceedings. In a contempt of court proceeding it will not be a defense that any Allegheny County Official gave instructions that would interfere with compliance..."
Wettick started off the hearing dealing with a motion by attorney Donald Driscoll to hold Fitzgerald in contempt of court for last week sending out certified tax valuations using the old reassessment data and not the new 2012 numbers.
The judge said he found no basis for contempt findings against Fitzgerald and said "the responsibility lies with me to closely define the responsibilities of the county officials" when it comes to administering the reassessment. He then issued his order which basically makes Fitzgerald powerless to make a decision about which numbers are to be used by municipalities to calculate their tax rates.
In other matters, Wettick heard a request from the Pittsburgh Public Schools to delay the reassessments until 2013, The district contends that a large number of assessments will be lowered following the appeals process and because state law restricts how much tax the district can levy, setting the tax rate before appeals are exhausted could leave a large hole in the district’s 2012 budget.
Wettick seemed sympathetic to the plight of the district, however he’s also a strong proponent of reassessment in Allegheny County because of the disparity in property values — the undervaluing of some homes and the over-valuing of others. Wettick says half of the property in Allegheny County is undervalued by 30 percent and half is overvalued by 30 percent.
"That is a huge difference," says Wettick. "What we have are smaller homes and probably people with smaller incomes are left paying more than their fair share and without property reassessment it creates more and more inequity.
UPDATE (5:20 p.m.): Fitzgerald has just issued a statement on Wettick's order, reprinted below the fold.
Tags: Slag Heap