New report shows Pennsylvania still behind other states on statewide LGBTQ protections
Pennsylvania still lacks a statewide law that would grant civil-rights protections to LGBTQ residents.
More MLK Day events in Pittsburgh include community collection of smoke detectors, water filters
Community groups is collecting and distributing smoke detectors, water pitchers with filters and more
Review: St. Vincent at Stage AE Jan. 9th
This tour features Annie Clark solo as St. Vincent, performing her guitar to tracks of the songs that she arranged and recorded.
Pittsburgh’s Racial Justice Town Hall facilitates intimate discussions between local leaders and constituents
The recent town hall served as a precursor to the annual Summit Against Racism later this month.
Critics’ Pick: Mark Dignam at Smalls
[FOLK] + SAT., JAN. 13 Singer-songwriter Mark Dignam, a Pittsburgher by way of Dublin, will celebrate his 50th birthday tonight by giving you a gift at the Funhouse at Mr. Smalls. Dignam lends his distinctive voice to heartfelt/heart-wrenching lyrics. He’s sure to do the awesome “Tallahassee,” about a guy who finally fucked up his relationship…
Pittsburgh Humanities Festival to feature local and national authors, artists and experts
TED Radio Hour host Guy Raz, John and Gisele Fetterman among the guests of Feb. 24-March 4 fest
Listen Up! Jan. 10 Issue
What the future sounds like: a playlist featuring all of the artists in the music section of tomorrow’s issue, including Just Fern, Driftwood, Richie Cole, Arlo Aldo and more
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/9/18
Video Archive For the first time this year, Lynn has her sister Suz on the show this morning. Cullen the younger has just moved to SoCal and is calling in at 6 am her time. So make sure you listen to honor her lost sleep to bring this show to you. Today, the sisterly banter…
MP3 Monday: Matt Aquiline and the Dead End Streets
Free MP3: a rock-tinged country song about turning off the GPS and learning to get by (and around) on your own
Pittsburgh’s frozen rivers will stick around despite warming temperatures
The National Weather Service says don’t expect the three rivers’ ice to melt quickly, and that’s a good thing.
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/8/18
Video Archive We’re sure you are turning on Lynn now and wondering why you are hearing a peppy theatrical melody over our typical intro, but Lynn just laughing her butt off over the creation of a random Twitter user in response to Trump’s “very stable genius” tweet. So, we’re leading on a musical note as…
One Oxford Center to open a new food hall in February
Oxford Center Downtown is opening a food hall in February with new choices and opportunities for diners and restaurateurs alike.
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/5/18
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Mayor Peduto officially begins second term
Photo highlights from Mayor Bill Peduto’s second inauguration
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/4/18
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
A final look at #AbovePittsburgh’s drone footage from Pittsburgh neighborhoods
#AbovePittsburgh, photo intern Jake Mysliwczyk’s weekly drone photography Instagram feature, took him to neighborhoods all over the city during his fall term. Here, he’s compiled his drone footage from each of those neighborhoods into a final video piece. Lucky for us, Jake is staying on for another semester and is starting a new weekly beat…
Lynn Cullen Live – 1/3/18
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Cinderlands Beer Company opens in Roasted’s former spot in Lower Lawrenceville
Another source for craft beer and gastropub fare has landed in Lawrenceville. Cinderlands Beer Company, owned by brothers Jamie and Steve Warden and with a kitchen headed by Joe Kiefer, opened in early December in Lower Lawrenceville. The spot was formerly occupied by Eclipse Lounge, and more recently by Roasted Barrelhouse and Eatery. The latter’s…
Quest
So many of our institutions — media, church, government — celebrate the American family and its value to both individuals and community, but often only in the abstract or idealized portraits. Rarely do we see, much less celebrate, intimate accounts of an everyday family — a collection of folks doing the day-to-day work of being…
Short List: Jan 4-11
SPOTLIGHT Fri., Jan. 5: Game Show Behind the façade of one of Pittsburgh’s best-known podcasters beats the heart of a frustrated game-show host. So to celebrate the 100th episode of Marta on the Move, Marta Mazzoni presents Marta Match: A Throwback of The Match Game, in which the podcaster pays homage to that classic game…
Critics’ Pick: Infernal Coil at Mr. Roboto Project
[HXC] + FRI., JAN. 5 ’Tis the season to listen to music that sounds like freezing to death in the icy wilderness of a Nordic forest, right? Tonight at the Mr. Roboto Project, grinding black/death-metal band Infernal Coil, of Boise, Idaho, will be taking the stage to transport you to that dark place. Infernal Coil…
This Week in Sports History
Jan. 5, 1997 The Pittsburgh Steelers entered this wild-card playoff game against the New England Patriots hoping to return to the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year. However, a tomb-like fog encases Foxboro Stadium and a lackluster performance by the black-and-gold ends the team’s sixth consecutive playoff run. Jan. 5, 2007 Steelers coach Bill…
2018 Sports Predictions: There’s Gold in Pittsburgh’s future, just not in the way you might think
Where would the world of sports be without predictions? There are countless sports-only networks that make a living off talking about what might happen in a game. This week, City Paper takes on the role of soothsayer as we gaze into the crystal ball of 2018. These are sports predictions much like the late Jimmy…
Pittsburgh City Paper resolutions for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Daryl Metcalfe and Tom Wolf
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, I’m really good at making them and really bad at keeping them. But where I really shine is making resolutions for other people. So, here is some advice that other people should take in the new year. Gov. Tom Wolf For your New Year’s resolution, Gov. Wolf, please…
Critics’ Pick: The Four Horsemen at Jergel’s
[TRIBUTE] + SAT., JAN. 6 Better raise your ears: The Four Horsemen ride into Jergel’s Rhythm Grille tonight. This Metallica tribute band focuses heavily on the golden-era ’80s material and has the chops (and flowing locks) to back it up. A quick perusal of its YouTube videos is enough to get even the mildest Metallica…
St. Vincent performs at Stage AE Tue., Jan. 9
St. Vincent has done very few interviews this album cycle, and the few that she has are curated by the location in which they take place. Nothing is done over email or phone. In doing so, she’s had control over the environment and the nature of the conversations. This may be frustrating for writers at…
Rat Film
Theo Anthony’s documentary essay is a mashup of topics designed to get viewers thinking about Baltimore, and what institutional systems, such as redlining, may have contributed to some of its current woes. And yes, there are rats — local Baltimore rats. Rats that were part of an influential Johns Hopkins study on slum life. Rats…
New Local Release: Benny Benack III’s One of a Kind
Benny Benack III One of a Kind BB3 Productions www.bennybenackjazz.com The name Benny Benack has been synonymous with Pittsburgh jazz for more than two generations. Trumpeter Benny Benack Sr. led a big band and recorded the single, “Beat ’Em Bucs,” which cheered on the 1960 Pirates. Junior became a saxophonist, and has played with a…
Critics’ Pick: Courtship at Cattivo
[POP] + SAT., JAN. 6 Courtship is the kind of bouncy, minimalist pop band that will have you shedding your many squishy winter layers, and throwing aside your hat and scarf to boogie down and stomp out those nasty cold-weather blues. Think Vampire Weekend, Foster the People, HAIM and Two Door Cinema Club — all…
New Local Release: Today Is The Best Day Ever’s Laugh More, You’re Dying
Today Is the Best Day Ever Laugh More, You’re Dying Self-released todayisthebestdayever.bandcamp.com/releases Laugh More, You’re Dying is an EP about pain and hope. From family illness and the death of a dear friend to fear of the future, Today Is The Best Day Ever uses its emo punk as a vehicle for telling hard stories…
Critics’ Pick: Cottontail at Roboto
[PUNK] + SAT., JAN. 6 The Mr. Roboto Project is back at it again with a bouncy fun one for all the ages. Cottontail, of Philadelphia, will be serving up some wildly sentimental pop music with an anarchist bent (yes, really). Also from Philly and playing tonight is Great Weights, a ’90s-inspired emo-tinged rock band.…
Molly’s Game
The true story of Molly Bloom — an Olympic-caliber downhill skier turned organizer of illegal high-stakes poker games, the titular Molly’s Game — seems tailor-made for the talents of Aaron Sorkin. And the screenwriter celebrated for his flashy insight and witty, rapid-fire dialogue in The Social Network, Steve Jobs and TV’s The West Wing delivers…
Critics’ Pick: Madison Douglas at Mr. Smalls
[SINGER/SONGWRITER] + WED., JAN. 10 Mr. Smalls Funhouse is one of those venues that feels incredibly intimate. It’s the kind of spot where you’d catch a band or see a performer for the first time, only to watch them blossom later at gigs in Mr. Smalls main room, or even become bigger-venue superstars. All three…
Local breweries form the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild
Every so often, an idea comes along that makes perfect sense. An idea that’s so good, it’s hard to believe it didn’t exist already. The Pittsburgh Brewers Guild is one of those. The Guild (PBG) is exactly what the name suggests. Led by Brian Eaton, of Grist House Craft Brewery, the group “aims at bettering…
We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
“We Are Nature,” proclaims the title of the big new Carnegie Museum of Natural History exhibit. But we humans are also, as the exhibit makes clear, very close to learning whether life on our planet can survive us in anything like its current form. It’s a seeming paradox that resonates throughout the ambitious installation, whose…
Omnipollo Pink Lemonade IPA, Evil Twin Brewing
“We just put this on tap a few hours ago. I like it because you can taste the raspberry, and it’s nice and light for an IPA, without being too hoppy. It’s great for the holidays.” Recommended by Bobbi Lynn, Industry Public House bartender Omnipollo is available at Industry Public House in Lawrenceville.
Short takes on three recent books by local authors
Reviews of the first 50 pages of recent books by local authors A HIDDEN CHILD IN GREECE: RESCUE IN THE HOLOCAUST. “I lost count of how many people saved my life,” writes Yolanda Avram Willis in her self-published memoir (326 pp., $34.99) about surviving as a Greek Jew during the Holocaust. Willis was 6 when…
Pittsburgh City Paper Booze Battles: Senti vs. Pizzaiolo Primo
Each week, we order the same cocktail at two different bars for a friendly head-to-head battle. Go to the bars, taste both drinks and tell us what you like about each by tagging @pghcitypaper on Twitter or Instagram and using #CPBoozeBattles. If you want to be a part of Booze Battles, send an email to…
Local author Carrie Ann DiRisio parodies YA-lit tropes
Carrie Ann DiRisio wears many hats: She’s a full-time professional with an office job; she’s an MBA student at the University of Pittsburgh; and, with the release in October of Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) as Awesome as Me, she’s a published author. The satirical novel follows Broody McHottiepants, a stereotypical self-absorbed,…
Celebrate Epiphany with anise-flavored fried dough
When I was 4, I walked into the kitchen to sit next to my Giddoo. From a red plastic serving tray, I grabbed a cracked green olive the size of the palm of my hand. I held it with the tips of my fingers and began to take bites around the pit as with a…
La Catrina, in Beechview, offers authentic Mexican food in a friendly spot
La Catrina 1603 Broadway Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 412-425-0352 website There are at least three kinds of international restaurants. The first, thankfully on its way out, is a mediocre translation, an entire cuisine simplified to its least-foreign elements. The second aims to emulate a sort of one-hour vacation abroad, with decor heavy on travel posters and…
Two special elections in the Pittsburgh region are already slated for 2018, and the governor’s and state legislature’s races could get interesting.
Many people in the Pittsburgh region are more keyed into local politics than they have been for years. In 2016, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton hogging the election headlines, local races received little traction. For example, G. Terry Madonna, a political pollster and professor at Franklin & Marshall College, said in 2016 that the…
Looking ahead to Pittsburgh music in 2018
As far as I’m concerned, 2017 was an awesome year for Pittsburgh music. I can rattle off more EPs and albums that blew my mind than I can count on my fingers and toes, and there were so many memorable concerts within Pittsburgh’s incredible music community. But now that 2017 is in the rearview, I’d…
Savage Love
I married my high school sweetheart at 17, had a baby, together a few years, mental illness and subsequent infidelity led to things ending. My ex-husband remarried, divorced again, and is now in another LTR. I’m in an LTR for a decade with my current partner (CP), we have a few kids, and I’m so…
Dawn Lundy Martin’s Good Stock Strange Blood
Readers seeking easy-to-follow narratives won’t find them in Dawn Lundy Martin’s new poetry collection, Good Stock Strange Blood (Coffee House Press. 144 pp., $16.95). One poem, “We untangle,” reads, “de-strange / our map-pings. / We are remove, / the warrior in / living outer space, / incandescent. Open scab / — legends — and find…
Big Sonia
When “Big Sonia” was little, just 14 years old in 1939, she was taken from her home in Poland and spent the next six years in Nazi concentration camps. But Sonia Warshawski survived, married a man she met in the camps, and moved to Kansas City, where she raised a family. Now, at 91, she…
The Post
The Post Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks Starts Fri., Jan. 12 One would think The Post had been created in a lab for the sole purpose of snagging Oscar nominations. Starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Directed by Steven Spielberg. An historical docudrama covering a well-known newspaper’s high-minded “act of courage”…
A tarot reading for Pittsburgh predicts sanctuary city, prosperity and more sparring with Trump
In these uncertain times, it often feels like an astrologer could predict what’s going to happen more accurately than could political pundits, economic analysts and local meteorologists. So City Paper talked to Angel Lozada, a Puerto Rican-born psychic with Journeys of Life, a Pittsburgh-based psychic community, to find out what’s in store for Pittsburgh in…
