Mantic Ritual Friday night at Howler’s
Once upon a time, in a land called Pittsburgh, four young men formed a thrash metal band. They looked like this: “Excellent,” you’re thinking. “Another story about 1986. Will you ever cease to bore us, Andy Mulkerin?” Except not: this was more like 2006. The band was called Meltdown, and I saw them once or…
Payne-ful lessons in District 6
This comes a little late, I guess, but as far as I know, no one else has taken a very close look at what happened in Pittsburgh’s race for City Council District 6. Which is weird, since for lots of people this was the most surprising outcome of the May 19 primary. So … how…
August Wilson Center Community Day
To the extent that August Wilson’s plays are about validating community — perhaps, in a larger sense, even creating it — Saturday’s festivities announcing the arrival of the Center’s new home felt on target. The block of Liberty alongside the striking, largely complete structure was closed for a street fair, with vendors of food, art…
MP3 Monday: Kardaz // The Mighty Guins
This Wednesday’s CP will feature a smattering of Penguins-related content, from a look at the Pens’ forward-thinking use of technology and social media to keep fans in the game to an interview I did with Bob Kardasz of the band Kardaz. Kardaz has been bringing out its Pens fight song, “The Mighty Guins,” since 1993…
Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll at PICT
True to form, Stoppard explores many ideas in this 2007 play, getting its local premiere in a solid, fast-paced production at Pittsburgh Irish & Classical. Maybe the most interesting of these ideas concerns what creates social change — cultural revolution, or the kind of revolution that alters who holds the political and economic reins of…
Pamela’s pancakes make the world go ’round
Let’s see … so just a few days ago, Barack Obama invites the folks at Pamela’s to make pancakes at the White House. And all the sudden, we hear that Pittsburgh is to host the G-20 Summit on September 24-25. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Naturally, county executive Dan Onorato and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl have…
Short List: Week of May 28 – June 4
Thu., May 28 — Comedy Comedian Scott Paparcuri is wife-less, childless and hasn’t had a day job in 16 years. His lifestyle affords him plenty of time to pursue the study of his favorite subject — himself. “The only regret I have about doing standup comedy is that I am not able to watch me,”…
Bench Strength
Magisterial District Judges serve on the front lines of the justice system – whether or not they have a law degree
Bella Luna Trattoria
Wood-fire pizza is the star among this menu of Italian comfort foods.
Valentino: The Last Emperor
Matt Tyrnauer’s breezy documentary catches up with Italian fashion designer Valentino, as the last of the fabled signature couturiers celebrates his 45th (and possibly) last year in business. Fashion fans will thrill to backstage peeks, as Valentino creates still more impossibly beautiful haute couture gowns, each hand-stitched by highly skilled seamstresses. Along the way, there…
Terminator Salvation
In a post-apocalyptic 2018, the predestined John Connor (Christian Bale, set on angry) leads humans in a war against artificially intelligent machines. The non-humans take the form of colossal Transformer-like weapons, Ducati motorcycles, metallic skeletons, badly behaving power cords that can swim and, in one case, a thing that looks like just a regular joe…
Up
Peter Docter’s film — the latest from Pixar, the critically adored powerhouse in animated family movies — delivers that successful combo platter: It’s sweet, funny, slyly smarter than you’d expect and awesome to look at. Our hero is a cranky old man, who shakes off his gloom, when he inadvertently goes on a deep-jungle adventure…
New Muslim Cool
“It’s a film about presenting Muslims as regular human beings.”
I want to eat you like an orange
A poem by Dorina Pena
Fayette County is the setting for American Rust, the gripping debut novel by Philipp Meyer.
Against the bleak, forbidding natural beauty and human decline of Fayette County, characters with uncharted depths destroy themselves in fruitless sacrifices trying to save one another.
Rob Zellers talks about how his new play honors his hometown of Youngstown — and the men there he calls his mentors.
“It was flawed people … and that’s very attractive to me. Flawed people making their way.”
Alice’s Adventures in “Wonderland”
The show bounces along with humor on several levels and a more disciplined cast, and not just on the usual dominatrix lines.
Beside Yourself
The doors don’t even swing; they only open once in a while.
Livin’ Fat
New Horizon’s take breezes along with laughs and heart-tugs in all the right places.
This Just In: May 28 – June 4
Highlights from the local TV news: Fox News.
Power Failures
Opportunities to strengthen the bill — and to weaken it — remain.
Paper Trail Off
South Pittsburgh Reporter facing adversity
Hammer Time
City cyclists are taking the game of polo for a ride
Sardonyx Music Conference offers music-biz educational panels and showcases for Pittsburgh musicians
The educational portion includes panel discussions on music promotion, record labels vs. DIY, licensing and publishing, songwriting and touring.
Geoff Farina returns to Pittsburgh with latest group Glorytellers
“I didn’t want to have a budget version of Karate when I was finished.”
Awesome Party offers classic metal mayhem and a sleazy good time
“Everyone thinks we’re going to sound like Andrew W.K., but we sound like Diamond Head and Accept and KISS.”
The Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival returns with the theme “Jews in America”
“This festival is for music lovers who respond to dance and spirit, as well as quite a bit of top-notch playing.”
Volant Mill Winery
Local grapes transformed into wine equal a local success story.
Savage Love
I have a problem with my happiness; he is a wonderful man who has a beauty that overwhelms me; we have a beautiful home; I am monogamous for the first time in a decade. But I just learned that I am the spitting image of a man in jail for raping my boyfriend. He says…
Artist Chris Kardambikis offers a brand-new creation myth (with plenty of room for interpretation).
Perhaps Kardambikis has even more of a personal appendix of lore than he lets on, suggesting a Henry Darger-type eccentric with tomes of stashed-away storytelling.
