WANTED: Your best (and worst!) Pittsburgh online dating stories
Pittsburgh City Paper is seeking the best (and worst!) tales of online dating in Pittsburgh. Submit your true story (500 words or less) with “Swipe Right” in the subject line to lcunning@pghcitypaper.com by Wed., Feb. 5. The five best submissions will be published in City Paper’s Feb. 12 issue. All printed submissions will also win a…
Pittsburgh Grooveline: Dance parties at Belvederes Ultra-Dive, Brillobox, and more (Jan. 30-Feb. 5)
Each week, the Pittsburgh City Paper compiles a list of Pittsburgh dance parties for you and your crew to bust loose to the best bangers, EDM, pop hits, and more. (All events are 21 and over unless otherwise stated.) Thu., Jan. 30 Synodic: w00dy, Malzof, Yessi at Belvederes Ultra-Dive. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. 4016 Butler St.,…
Troubled North Side intersection to get redesign following another pedestrian death
Since 2018, the intersection connecting the neighborhoods of Manchester to Chateau in the North Side has seen three pedestrians struck by vehicles, and two of them were killed. In 2017, a vehicle crashed into a home directly across the street from the intersection. Nick Ross of advocacy group Walk/Ride Northside says Chateau Street in Manchester…
Calls for Pitt to divest from fossil fuel companies renewed, with alumni joining the advocacy
University of Pittsburgh alumni are now joining the call for the university to divest from fossil fuel companies. A group of 35 people gathered on Pitt’s campus to show support. According to Pitt spokesperson Kevin Zwick, four alumni met with Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher’s Chief of Staff Kevin Washo on Tue., Jan. 28, hoping to…
BOOM Concepts calls on young artists to imagine Pittsburgh’s future with new art project and show
BOOM Concepts wants to give a platform to local young artists with an upcoming exhibition sponsored by the City of Pittsburgh. The gallery and community arts organization is calling on kids and teens from grades pre-K-12 to submit to Our Future!, a themed show that encourages young artists to create work that, as a press…
Enix Brewing in Homestead is up for sale
Enix Brewing has been listed for sale. The online brewery resource Brewing In Pennsylvania notes that three weeks ago, the Homestead brewery was listed for sale on Probrewer.com. This post advertised Enix’s 18,000-square-foot brewery and 4,000 square foot patio, which includes a second-floor bowling alley. The listing states, “EVERYTHING included in sale, including property, full…
MUSIC VIDEO: New release from Scratchy Blanket is the perfect pick-me-up on a cloudy day
Shannon Keating’s voice is soft and sweet, sometimes sung just above a whisper. But even when belting out lyrics alongside upbeat guitars and drums, Keating, the lead singer of Pittsburgh indie band Scratchy Blanket, has that perfect balance of pitch and tone that resonates as so trusting, it’s almost hypnotizing. Which is the perfect fit…
Iron City Front is a new, anti-fascist supporters’ group for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Supporters’ groups are an important part of a soccer team’s ecosystem. Iron City Front, a new independent fan club for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, formed as a group of friends and like-minded people with anti-fascist beliefs. Their logo, featuring three arrows pointed downward, is a popular anti-fascist symbol that originated with an anti-Nazi group called the…
National animal rights group ranks Pittsburgh Zoo as worst for elephants in US
Controversy surrounding elephants at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium has been ongoing for several years, and it doesn’t appear to be fading. Last week, the national animal-rights group In Defense of Animals (IDA) ranked the Pittsburgh Zoo the worst zoo in the country for elephants on its annual list of the 10 worst zoos…
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/28/20
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are covering a lot of topics today including the Impeachment trial, an article in New York Magazine on the possibility of Bernie Sanders being the Democratic candidate, the crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his 13 year old daughter, and seven others, and the complicated nature of people. Audio Only Archive…
No artist left behind: Devil Inside Records’ Music Mania contest launches April 6
For a second year, Devil Inside Records is hosting Music Mania, a contest for bands and musicians looking to get ahead in the music industry. And this time, every accepted entry will walk away with something. “No artist will be left behind in this contest,” read the Music Mania page. Starting April 6, Music Mania…
A Monessen Elegy: The political struggles and controversy of managing a declining Rust Belt town
There is nothing new about a mayor struggling to run a declining Rust Belt town like Monessen. The city of 7,700 people in the Mon Valley, about 28 miles southeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, hasn’t had a mayor win re-election since 1994. The last 20 odd years have seen mayors coming in with big expectations, falling…
After reaching agreement, North Side cafe Arnold’s Tea is asking for community support
Arnold’s Tea is still open and looking for a boost. The North Side cafe has been besieged by financial issues over the last several months and was issued an eviction notice in November, but chef Claudy Pierre recently told the New Pittsburgh Courier that he signed a consent agreement with the building’s owner to keep the…
Feralcat, Chalk Dinosaur, Buscrates: Here are the new releases we’re currently loving
From new albums to one-off covers, here are a few releases from Pittsburgh musicians and bands that City Paper is totally digging. Feralcat – “Ain’t it Fun” (Paramore cover) Roger Rafael Romero, or Feralcat, jazzed up “Ain’t it Fun” at Soundcastle Studios for a swinging instrumental take on Paramore’s 2013 radio hit. Romero also just…
Protesters gather in Pittsburgh to bring attention to religious oppression in India
On Sunday, around 80 people gathered at the Frick Fine Arts fountain in Oakland for a rally against religious and cultural oppression in India. The protest, which coincided with India’s Republic Day, was part of a day of action in India and around the world. The rally was in reaction to the passage of the…
Code Orange announces record release show in Pittsburgh to kick off their tour
Last week Code Orange announced the dates and locations for its Underneaththeskin_ Tour, yet Pittsburgh, the band’s hometown, was noticeably absent. It was odd, considering the hardcore punk would be hitting cities all over the country such as Philadephia, Boston, San Fransico, and Portland. But it turns out Code Orange was saving the best announcement…
Cirque du Soleil OVO alternates between amazing and absurd
Cirque du Soleil OVO and its fleet of multicolored insects landed in Pittsburgh this weekend, with multiple shows at PPG Paints Arena through Sun., Jan. 26. This production from the Montreal touring circus company takes viewers into the world of bugs and their fascination with a found egg (“ovo” means “egg” in Portuguese). After seeing…
How America’s new trade deal could undermine Pittsburgh’s plastics future
This month, President Donald Trump’s landmark trade agreement passed through Congress with bipartisan support. Only Congress’ most progressive, or most pro-free market, members opposed it, but they represented a small minority. It was widely supported in Pennsylvania; 19 out of 20 members voted for it, including Sen. Bob Casey (D-Scranton), and U.S. Reps. Mike Doyle…
Feed a cute bird, help save Australian wildlife at the National Aviary
As Australia struggles to contain its massive wildfires, reports estimate that a billion animals could already be lost the blaze. Now organizations around the world are rushing to help surviving wildlife, including Pittsburgh’s own National Aviary. This weekend, the Aviary will reopen its newly renovated Australian rainbow lorikeet habitat and invite the public to participate…
Now Playing: The Gentlemen, a Grateful Dead doc, and animated favorites
Every Friday, Pittsburgh City Paper compiles a round-up of new releases and second-run films playing around the city. This only covers films that are new to theaters this week; check out what movies opened previously here. The Gentlemen Do you love to watch handsome rich men get embroiled in schemes in an attempt to get…
Dan Koshute’s Music For The Film I’m a Stranger Here Myself is a masterclass in tone
“Lavenderesque,” the opening track to Music For The Film I’m a Stranger Here Myself, is the musical equivalent of the ice bucket challenge, or so I would imagine. Opening with cold, jangly guitar panned left, the song quickly splashes the same cold jangle to the right speaker. Enter the chunky, distorted guitar to push the…
Three questions about Bindley Hardware Co.’s three new songs
On this rainy, gloomy day in Pittsburgh, Bindley Hardware Co. fittingly dropped Solitaire, a slow-paced three-track EP that mixes country and folk elements in a soothing but dreary package. From “Future Tripping” which evokes feelings of a cowboy in solitude, to “Lonely Ride,” which could actually be about a lonely cowboy, Solitaire’s sparse arrangements paired with…
Why current regulations didn’t prevent an air quality warning during this week’s inversion
On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued its first Code Orange air quality alert of 2020 for the Liberty-Clairton area of Allegheny County. The alert warned of a temperature inversion, which occurs when warm air sitting above cooler air traps pollutant particles on the surface. A Code Orange alert means that the air quality…
City Paper Live – 1/23/20
Video Archive Ryan and Amanda talk about best Chinese restaurants for celebrating the Lunar New Year and close it out with the retirement of Pennsylvania House of Representatives Speaker of the House Mike Turzai. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Music writer Jordan Snowden’s earworms of the week
Sometimes without any real reason, a song just hits the right note, key, or beat, and gets stuck on a loop in your head. Listening to the track can help alleviate this problem, and so can sharing the tune with a friend. So to help rid my mind of a few songs, I’m passing along…
Bill Nye wants residents of Mars, Pa. to get a free SodaStream
On Super Bowl Sunday, the water carbonator brand SodaStream will have a treat for the residents of Mars — the human residents in the Butler County borough just north of Pittsburgh, that is. Not any extraterrestrials that may or may not inhabit our planetary neighbor. (Sorry, Martians.) Residents of Mars, Pa. can tweet at @SodaStreamUSA…
For Sale With Baggage: A match made in Craigslist heaven
Stuff can be complicated, especially when trying to get rid of it. The process can remind us that our things can have worth that’s hard to put a dollar amount on; they can call to mind other people from our lives; they can bring up memories of what they were (or weren’t) used for. For…
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/23/20
Video Archive In the second half of the show Lynn will be discussing single use plastics with Danica Buchanan-Wollaston. Before Danica gets here however, Lynn is spending a few minutes talking about the Impeachment trial. So far, she is very impressed by Hakeem Jeffries, and Adam Schiff. She is also covering the extreme restrictions placed…
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/22/20
Video Archive As Impeachment trial day two begins, Lynn is going over what happened on the first. One of the main topics she is discussing is the argument over witnesses, whether or not they will be heard, and if so when. In other news, Lynn is talking about the United Nations calling for the opening…
Venue Guide: The Government Center
Heading to a venue for the first time can be anxiety-inducing or at the very least cause inconveniences. Where’s will call? Is there parking? Will you have to hide your expensive bag behind a tree because it’s too big to pass security? Pittsburgh City Paper wants to help make attending shows as comfortable as possible.…
WYEP presents The Local 913: Wreck Loose
“I love being anxious. I mean, I think I’ve grown to embrace it. It’s who I am. If I wasn’t anxious, I’d probably be pretty boring. I’d probably stop writing songs and I would just be very content playing Myst on the computer.” That’s Max Somerville, the supposedly reclusive frontman of Wreck Loose (get it?).…
After almost closing in October, the Harris Theater is coming back in a ‘reel’ big way
Just a few days before Thanksgiving last year, Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media (PCAM) announced it was shuttering its film programs amid mass layoffs at the organization. This theoretically meant the end of programming at the Harris Theater and the Regent Square Theater, two of the handful of independent movie theaters left in the…
New DJ-focused music and art shop comes to Bridgeville
About two months ago, T.J. Harris was heading to a DJing gig when he discovered one of his cables was defective. “There were literally two stores that I could go to at the time, and both were 15 miles away from where I was,” says Harris. “And I wasn’t far from Pittsburgh or anything.” That…
Music meets the sexy and the strange for new Pittsburgh-only variety show Yinzer-lesque
In Pittsburgh, you don’t usually expect to see a fire-eater at an acoustic performance, or a comedian playing to a less-than amused crowd waiting to see their favorite punk band. Yinzer-lesque, a new variety show featuring local performers representing music, burlesque, comedy, and sideshow arts, seeks to change that. Persephone Paradise — a stage name…
Free Will Astrology (1/22 – 1/29)
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I’m a big fan of self-editing. For example, every horoscope I write evolves over the course of at least three drafts. For each book I’ve published, I have written but then thrown away hundreds of pages that I ultimately deemed weren’t good enough to be a part of the finished text.…
Big Cable has us right where they want us
As a seasoned politician, representing the underserved for a total of one township meeting, I have learned to speak truth to power. (I also learned my township has a secret pond and is getting a beach volleyball court!) Representing my voter(s) (me) and fulfilling my campaign promises (I did not campaign) are my first priority.…
Topless enquirer craves bearded beau
One of the most interesting things about writing this column has been interacting with readers who relatively frequently contact me to tell me about how my work relates to their thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Though less common, I also have folks ask for advice. This week, I have decided to tackle one of these questions. …
Owners of Parker’s in Brookline have traded breakfast for booze with their latest venture
Luke Parker and his family turned the former Zippy’s Saloon — a neighborhood dive said to be a true taste of Pittsburgh — into a trendy bar Rand soon-to-be gastropub Red’s Good News. But the full history of Red’s goes long past Zippy’s. During renovations, the family uncovered a trough built into the bar. These…
Fayette County native and award-winning comic creator comes to Carnegie Library Lecture Hall
“Life is short, I don’t want to do work that’s just a paycheck,” Jim Rugg says of life as a comic book artist, bookmaker, illustrator, and designer. The winner of Eisner and Ignatz awards for excellence in comics, Rugg has produced acclaimed titles including Street Angel, Afrodisiac, and the recently re-released The PLAIN Janes (Little,…
Where to celebrate the Lunar New Year with authentic Chinese flavors
Lunar New Year — widely referred to as Chinese New Year, though many other Asian countries honor it — is the most important and celebrated holiday of the year for cultures rooted in a lunar calendar. The festival is a spectacle that Marian Lien, president of the Organization for Chinese Americans Pittsburgh, can only describe as “Christmas,…
