FYI, our local musicians FAQ
A month or two back, our intrepid music editor and my partner in this blog, Aaron Jentzen, took it upon himself to put together a pretty comprehensive FAQ for local musicians. I helped an eensy bit. The idea is that we all profit when you, the local musician looking for a little press, look it…
I guarantee you …
… that you’ll be seeing a photo like this on the evening news tonight. What’s going on here? Isn’t it obvious? It’s a polar bear testifying before City Council. About goddamn time too, if you ask me. More details as events warrant.
Because you are cheap … and because I have an expense account
… I bought myself a one-month subscription to the PG Plus. Some early thoughts. — As of just before lunchtime today, the site had nearly 430 members, a little less than 100 of whom were online at the same time I was. Not surprisingly, many of them are P-G staffers. — Speaking of which, there…
Health-care reform: from town halls to phone calls with Mike Doyle
Last night, I spent about an hour listening to a conference call on healthcare hosted by Congressman Mike Doyle. Residents throughout the district were invited to call in, and at one point, Doyle claimed 2,000 people were listening in. But in contrast to the town-hall fiascoes of recent weeks, the event was mostly — and…
Pay to Play at the P-G
It’s official: As first reported here last week, the Post-Gazette is launching a new members-only online site at midnight tonight. Here’s an excerpt from the press release, which I just received. A thought or two of mine below: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tomorrow will launch PG+, a rich, dynamic members-only Web site that will offer an…
MP3 Monday: Boca Chica “Lake Erie”
If you haven’t encountered Boca Chica already, either live or on WYEP’s airwaves, the Americana group consists of singer-songwriter Hallie Pritts surrounded by a sizeable roster of local musicians. As a follow-up to its acclaimed 2007 full-length, Transform into Beasts, Boca Chica is releasing another album, Lace Up Your Workboots, which kicks off with today’s…
This Weekend in Media (with updated bonus item)
Just a couple media gleanings over the weekend. — Interesting piece in the New York Times magazine — complete with a photo of angry white guys taken in Kittanning — about Barack Obama’s relationship with older voters. The story, by Matt Bai, observes that one thing that plauges Obama’s efforts to overhaul health care is…
BREAKING: Gertrude Stein Political Club endorses Harris
Here’s a little political news for a Friday afternoon: The Gertrude Stein Political Club, the city’s longstanding LGBT voters’ organization, has endorsed Franco “Dok” Harris for mayor. From the group’s endorsement: An active Democrat for many years, Harris is currently running as an independent/third party candidate. Mr. Harris is a well-spoken and well educated businessman…
Quantum Theatre’s 36 Views
Some themes in art appear over and over because they need to. That’s the case with this play, whose story is built around a forgery. It’s about deception, authenticity, and our need to believe. It’s all stuff we “know” but often have trouble remembering – or simply find agreeable to forget. Just as with the…
Savage Love
There was a letter in your column recently that must have been painful. I refer to the letter signed God Hates You. I’m sure you’re no stranger to hate mail, being an openly gay sex-advice columnist, but I hope you get fan mail too. But just in case: I wanted you to know that your…
Eat Local Challenge
Two organizations can help you make September the month of eating locally
Forget biker rock — a new South Side establishment aims for bike rock
“Exactly how the music scene fits in with the whole idea of cycling is still undetermined.”
Newly relocated to Pittsburgh, Moop offers made-to-order shoulderware that embraces simplicity.
“People enjoy it — the wait makes you aware of the process.”
Did the state budget impasse just get resolved?
I’ll admit for a moment just now, I thought the state must have wrapped up that whole budget mess, overnight. True, I hadn’t seen or heard anything about it from the governor’s office, or the legislature, or other media outlets. But I couldn’t figure out any other reason why State Sen. John Wozniak would be…
P-G poised to take another step into the electronic frontier
The Post-Gazette appears ready to make a serious upgrade of its online offerings. But enjoying some of it will cost you. According to the rumblings emanating from the Boulevard of the Allies, in the weeks ahead — perhaps as soon as Sept. 1 — the paper will begin offering premium online content for those willing…
Field Trips
A guide to off-campus education, courtesy of Pittsburgh’s mass transit system
Short List: Week of August 7 – September 3
Fri., Aug. 28 — Art Anybody feeling “radically optimistic” about the future? Us neither. But those are the words with which the Miller Gallery describes the visionary proposals in its new exhibit, 29 Chains to the Moon: Artists’ Schemes for a Fantastic Future. Inspired by an old Buckminster Fuller quote about conserving resources through better…
Tamari
Creative, confident and comfortably swank, this new Asian-Latin fusion restaurant is a triumph
Taking Woodstock
The film never quite takes us to Woodstock. We see the stage only once, from very far away, through the acid-bright miasma of our protagonist, 34-year-old Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin), who is instrumental in getting the music festival rolling. The film is never less than charming and occasionally even tender, but it’s never much else,…
Global Meltdown
“What do these people hope to accomplish?” That question comes up almost any time you talk about plans to protest the upcoming G-20 summit, slated for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Sept. 24-25. What are these anarchist and hippie types trying to say? And do they really believe world leaders give a damn?…
Renowned journalist John Hoerr returns to the steel-making McKeesport of his youth in his first novel.
“I had set down technically all the facts I knew … and I still felt I really hadn’t explained what had happened to the mills and the towns in the Mon Valley or anywhere.”
Beyond Therapy
The production at Little Lake Theater, as directed by Art DeConciliis, pulls out all the stops in putting a zany, gleefully absurd Durang onstage.
This Just In: August 27 – September 3
Highlights from the local TV news: Rulers of the Road
Why passing a clean-energy bill might depend on health-care reform … and what progressives can do about it.
“Progressives are still so siloed. … We need a counter-industry.”
The Good Fight
Martial Artists unite to battle street violence
Restricted Access
Protest groups granted some permits, with limitations
Caught Off Guard
Were City-County Building guards axed for trying to unionize?
Jump Around
Extreme pogoists hit Steel City
Soulfully suave D.C. outfit Vandaveer plays Club Café
Songwriter Mark Charles Heidinger clearly favors experimenting with personas, characters and genre, and maneuvers between them with grace and confidence.
New event “Deck Wreckr’s Revival” debuts with legendary NYC DJ Danny Krivit
“Sunday is just a good day to relax and chill.”
Instrumental duo Zombi plays first local show in forever
“Having a chance to play in your hometown is always a romantic idea for a band that hasn’t played in so long.”
