Pittsburgh Record Label Roundup: Darling Recordings
Follow along with us (almost) every other weekday, as we will feature a different Pittsburgh-based label … until we run out.
Pennsylvania Libations expanding to new wine store and Helltown Brewing taproom
Christian Simmons is dedicated to preserving and promoting Pennsylvania spirits. The founder of Pennsylvania Libations spirit store has spent the last three years working to form connections between local distillers and their fans. And this winter, he’s moving on to wine and beer. In December, Simmons is launching the first phase of Pennsylvania Libations’ expansion…
While you’re out on Small Business Saturday, support Healing Totes by donating at these local women-owned spots
15 local women-run spots are collecting donations for the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh until Dec. 1
Pittsburgh Grooveline: Dance parties at Casa Brasil, Spirit, and more (Nov. 28-Dec. 4)
Each week, 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.) Fri., Nov. 29 LazerCrunk Presents Wiggin Aht 3 in The Vault at Spirit. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. 242…
Diiviine Time Productions presents first Black Friday Artist Mixer
Pittsburgh has more than its share of holiday markets for shoppers to find handmade gifts while also supporting small businesses in the community. Adding to the list is the first-ever Black Friday Artist Mixer, a place for local Black artists and Black-owned businesses to sell this season. Curated by Diiviine Time Productions, a Pittsburgh arts…
You’re going to see Les Misérables whether we liked it or not, aren’t you? (Spoiler alert: We did.)
Ever spend weeks psyching yourself up to see your favorite musician in concert by playing their hit song over and over on repeat, only to become crushed when the day finally comes and instead of belting out the album cut you’ve been singing along to, they switch up the chorus or the beat, ruining everything?…
Screenings return to Harris Theater after PCAM decision shakes local film community
On Monday, the fates of two local independent theaters, the Harris Theater and Regent Square Theater, became uncertain when leaders at the Pittsburgh Center for Film and Media (PCAM) fired the organization’s entire film staff. PCAM announced a major downsizing and decided to close the Regent Square Theater while they “determine the future of that asset,”…
Weekly Food Truck Schedule: Nov. 27-Dec. 3
Are you tired of tracking down food trucks? Welcome to the Pittsburgh City Paper food truck roundup, where we do the hard work for you. Each week, we’re compiling a list of city trucks and their schedules. (For the most up-to-date schedule, visit each truck’s website.) AFRICAN Kilimanjaro Flavour @kilimanjaro_flavour Wednesday: Station Square. Commerce Drive,…
Princess Jafar caps a busy 2019 with two late-night variety shows this weekend
Last December, Pittsburgh drag sensation Princess Jafar debuted her late-night, adult-themed variety show “inspired by ’90s era sitcoms and Disney movies, after-school specials, and live-action Nickelodeon specials” at Kelly Strayhorn Theater. It kicked off a busy year that included a handful of memorable appearances and single releases. Now, she’s capping it off with two shows this…
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalists enter second week of byline strike
Last week, journalists at the the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had been through enough. As Pittsburgh City Paper reported, staff at the P-G alleged several instances of mistreatment from management over the past year, which included a newsroom tirade by publisher John Block, forcing out longtime editors, firings, and reassigning beats of reporters who were supported by the Newspaper…
Knives Out is good, bloody, family fun
To inherent wealth is to believe that the world is the oyster and that your family invented oysters, even if you’ve never been to the sea. It’s not a crime to be born into wealth, although it almost guarantees greed, which encourages crime. In the unrelentingly fun murder mystery Knives Out, written and directed by…
Pittsburgh Record Label Roundup: Devil Inside Records
No matter how ingrained you are in the Pittsburgh music scene, you still might not know just how many record labels are operating locally. Many of them fly under the radar, but they’re definitely worth knowing. So, Pittsburgh City Paper decided to create a Pittsburgh Record Label Roundup, featuring larger labels like the North Side’s…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/26/19
Video Archive Lynn is being joined by her sister Susan today. They are starting off the show discussing a researcher’s findings that dogs simply can’t help falling in love. It’s hard wired into their makeup. They are talking about recent statements by Reverend Franklin Graham and Rick Perry. Graham said those who oppose Trump are…
Photos: Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s sold-out Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes performance at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens early Monday evening featured abbreviated excerpts from The Nutcracker, with dancers silhouetted by a beautiful winter sunset. The event was attended by a lot of young kids, many in their dance outfits, who sat there mesmerized. Members in attendance…
Jessica Benham picks up five progressive endorsements in state Rep. race against conservative Democrat
State Rep. Harry Readshaw (D-Carrick) has served in his Pennsylvania House District 36 for more than 24 years. The district encompasses many of Pittsburgh’s Southern neighborhoods such as South Side, Allentown, Carrick, and Brookline. Readshaw has a very conservative record on social issues and even supports bills many Democrats oppose. At times throughout his decades-long…
New holiday festival brings 2 million lights to the Strip District
Still looking for the perfect backdrop for this year’s holiday cards? If you love all things that sparkle and shine, there are 2 million lights calling your name at a new holiday festival in the Strip District. Lumaze, featuring the theme of “A Fairytale Christmas,” opened to the public this weekend at the 31st Street Studios.…
Carnegie Library pilots eliminating fines at three locations
A growing number of libraries across the country are eliminating fines on overdue materials to make the system more equitable, and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is the latest to test out the idea. Beginning on Nov. 1, CLP started a pilot program eliminating fines at its Knoxville, Allegheny, and East Liberty branches. The test is…
Pittsburgh arts leader calls out Mailchimp for stealing Small Mall idea
Local arts leader Casey Droege believes the email marketing giant Mailchimp has stolen the name and idea for Small Mall, her concept store focused on growing Pittsburgh’s art economy. On Nov. 21, Mailchimp opened its Small Mall at Ponce City Market in Atlanta, Ga., where the company is based. Described on the company’s website as a…
Celebrate Record Store Day: Black Friday edition at The Government Center
We are all familiar with the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season: Black Friday. And most vinyl lovers are familiar with Record Store Day, an annual event when record stores all over the world offer exclusive vinyl releases, special pricing, and more. But you might now know about Record Store Day’s Black Friday — an event predating…
Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media staff out in mass firing and termination of film programs
Just two days after the end of the Three Rivers Film Festival, its host organization, the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media (PCAM), fired all film staff, including employees of the Harris and Regent Square theaters, and will end its cinema arts programs, as well as any programming in its galleries. The announcement and firings happened…
Arnold’s Tea in the North Side is getting evicted
After a considerable amount of community support and a second chance to stay in the North Side, it was announced today that Arnold’s Tea is facing eviction. The cafe and restaurant was opened in 2015 by Verna Arnold, a retired Pittsburgh Public School principal, and was taken over by chef Claudy Pierre in October 2018. According to a…
Concert photos: Luke Combs with Morgan Wallen at PPG Paints Arena
Luke Combs is currently one of the biggest acts in country music. Last week, Combs broke a 22-year Billboard Hot Country Songs chart record when 16 of his tunes landed on the chart – the most seen in a week for one artist, ever. Garth Brooks previously held the title with 12 songs in 1997.…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/25/19
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized over the weekend. First today Lynn is sending her well wishes. She is also talking about the children’s section in the New York Times. There was an article explaining to kids what impeachment means, and what is currently going on. It’s extremely well explained and could even help adults who…
Get help finding a health insurance plan for you and your loved ones at open enrollment events
In 2019, about 367,000 fewer people signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act than in 2018. Health-care access proponents blame the Trump administration for this national increase in people without health insurance. Not only has the current administration been supportive of lawsuits to appeal the ACA, but the length of time that people…
Artists play trumpet to tulips at SPACE’s new exhibit
Trumpet to the Tulips, the latest exhibition at SPACE gallery, takes its name from a quote by George Darwin, a physicist who espoused the need for experimentation, saying it’s worth “blowing the trumpet to the tulips for a month” if only to see if something will happen. The three artists featured in the group show…
Frozen 2 will do well simply because it’s Frozen 2
When Frozen debuted in 2013, it became an unexpected hit. The Disney film was the top-grossing film of the year — surpassing $1.3 billion in revenue worldwide — and currently holds the spot for the top-grossing animated film in box-office history. (A Broadway adaptation was even made!) So it wasn’t a surprise in 2015 when…
Andrew McCutchen is still delivering for Pittsburgh
Back in 2015, when the Pittsburgh Pirates were still having winning seasons and the Roberto Clemente Bridge was always guaranteed to be full of excitement before home games, Pittsburgh City Paper readers crowned Andrew McCutchen as their choice for Best Local Male Athlete in the annual Best of Pittsburgh readers’ poll, winning him the spot…
Labor leaders and Democrats decry Amazon for not using local contractors to build fulfillment center
Back in July, the announcement that Amazon would be opening up a fulfillment center in Findlay Township was received well by just about everyone, and local leaders were excited to announce the 800 jobs the center would bring. But labor leaders are now raising concerns about the jobs for the people constructing the Amazon facility.…
Human pin cushion Mick Foley brings #NiceDayTour to Pittsburgh Improv for a night of storytelling
On Nov. 25, World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Famer and perpetual open wound Mick Foley will bring his humorous, painful, and engaging stories of his #NiceDayTour tour to the Pittsburgh Improv. The tour commemorates the 20th Anniversary of Foley’s No. 1 New York Times bestseller Have A Nice Day! A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks,…
Now Playing, local Pittsburgh film roundup, Nov. 22-28
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 last week here. Queen and Slim Love on the run stories are usually about romance of a white couple interrupted/bound by…
CMU students protest university’s involvement with Palantir, a company contracted with ICE
Carnegie Mellon University students gathered outside of Wean Commons on Tue., Nov. 19, to inform students about the university’s involvement with Palantir Technologies Inc. Palantir — which first launched in 2004 and is now valued at $20 billion — specializes in software development and data analytics and operates out of Palo Alto, Calif. The event…
City Paper Live – 11/22/19
Is Pittsburgh still a Steel City? Senior writer Ryan Deto talked to editor Lisa Cunningham about the loss of manufacturing jobs in Pittsburgh, how the fracking industry has failed to replace them as promised, and a call for a @RepConorLamb endorsement from @MichaelKeaton. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the…
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a movie for both lifelong fans and skeptics
What’s smart about A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is that it’s built for both lifelong fans of Fred Rogers and his show as much as it’s built for non-believers. You either grew up watching and loving Fred Rogers on TV, carrying an even stronger admiration into adulthood, or, like me, you never watched or…
Pittsburgh photographer Mark Perrott shows the heart behind the ink in Tattoo Witness
The eyes. It’s the eyes that capture one’s attention when first flipping through the pages of photographer Mark Perrott’s newest book, Tattoo Witness. In a book full of black-and-white photographs of inked bodies, many of which are unclothed — tattoos circling pierced areolas and escaping from behind low waistlines — it’s the eye contact with each turn…
Catch release shows from Hemlock for Socrates, Buffalo Rose, Kiwano Sour, and The Hawkeyes this weekend
Hearing music from your favorite artists in concert is incredible, but there’s nothing like that feeling when the sounds of live unreleased tracks hit your eardrums for the first time. Below are four release shows happening in the city this weekend, so you can hear new music from Pittsburgh musicians/bands before anyone else. Thu., Nov.…
Fans of the Carrie Deer sculpture, meet Little Buck
When local sculptor Tim Kaulen and a group of fellow artists built a sculpture of a giant deer head at the former Carrie Furnace facility in Swissvale two decades ago, they had no idea how iconic it would become. “At the time it was made, it was not even considered public art,” says Kaulen of…
Winghart’s whiskey bar hit by a four-alarm fire, one firefighter injured
Today, just before noon, Winghart’s in Market Square caught on fire, with visible flames coming out of the roof and dark smoke billowing from the popular whiskey bar in Downtown Pittsburgh. The fire started at around 11:45 a.m., according to Pittsburgh public information officers, and Pittsburgh firefighters responded quickly. At 12:35 p.m., firefighters could be…
Get ready for the new Mister Rogers movie with Joy Ike’s cover of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
Things don’t always happen according to plan, and sometimes that works out for the better. In Pittsburgh-native Joy Ike’s case, fallen communication led to the delayed release of her “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” cover and accompanying music video, which dropped Wed., Nov. 20, two days before the new Mister Rogers movie, A Beautiful Day…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/21/19
Video Archive In good news humanitarian Scott Warren was found not guilty of harboring immigrants in Arizona. He was charged after providing them with food and water. In addition to this Lynn is talking about the the Mister Rogers movie ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ which she saw the premier of yesterday, and an…
Migration Fest III announces its initial lineup
Next year, 20 Buck Spin, a Pittsburgh-based record label, along with Gilead Media, a label based in Oshkosh, Wisc., will host the third edition of Migration Fest, a biennial music festival focused on music in the darker/heavy spectrum and underground metal. The festival will take place over Aug. 1-2 at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale, with 10…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/20/19
Video Archive Gordon Sondland is giving his testimony as the show airs today. Lynn caught some of the opening statement, and she’s talking about the little she heard so far, in addition to revisiting the testimony of Vindman yesterday. She is also discussing an opinion piece in the New York Times by Thomas Friedman on…
Dessert beers are having their Pittsburgh moment
If the proliferation of craft beer culture over the past decade has taught us anything, it’s that anything wine can do, beer can do better. Or at the very least, try. For the latest example of the wineification of beer culture, look to the recent proliferation of dessert brews, which champion sweet profiles with adventurous,…
The Pretzel Shop does everything, but they do toppings the best
The Pretzel Shop in South Side has been slinging its signature twists since 1927, but these days, the menu is a bit more robust. The pretzels take pretty much every form and flavor imaginable, including parmesan and garlic, cinnamon sugar, jalapeño cheddar, and tomato basil. For lunch, pretzels provide the foundation for steak and cheese,…
Keep that elf on Target’s shelf
The holidays are approaching, and while planning all the trappings of a jolly Yule is festive and exciting, there are also some unappealing tasks that attach themselves to the season like a suckerfish. Wrapping presents is more difficult than solving a Rubik’s Cube. There will be nonstop parties, featuring nonstop cheese and nonstop booze consumption.…
Free Will Astrology (11/20-11/27)
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Louvre Museum in Paris displays 38,000 objects throughout its eighteen acres of floor space. Among its most treasured 13th-century artworks is The Madonna and Child in Majesty Surrounded by Angels, a huge painting by Italian painter Cimabue. When a museum representative first acquired it in the 19th century, its price…
Hey, Artists. This is what a gallery owner wants to see
Name: Nicole Capozzi, Bloomfield Work: Owner and director of BoxHeart Gallery How did you open BoxHeart? This was a gallery. My husband, Joshua Hogan, and myself had shown here. It was closing. I said, “This is stupid, we’re delivering papers, selling real estate, cleaning beauty salons, we’re starving. If we’re going to starve, we might…
The complicated questions that come with cancer don’t get any easier the second time around
At my husband’s appointment last week, his doctor turned to us and said, “Do you plan on having any more kids?” We both kind of stumbled. The fact of the matter is that while we haven’t planned on having more kids, we also hadn’t ruled it out. Despite the fact that I am in my…
New Sharpsburg gallery features 17 artists and variety of media for its debut show
There are three meanings to the word “current” and Zynka Gallery, a new art space in Sharpsburg, employs them all in its opening exhibit, Current: The Art of Now in Pittsburgh. Gallery owner Jeffrey Jarzynka was inspired by the proximity to the river, as well as the modernity of the pieces in the exhibit. “And…
Sister Epic brings colorful cowhides and other luxurious leather goods to Pittsburgh fashion scene
When local fashion entrepreneur Adrienne Guariglia had to come up with a name for her new leather goods business, she drew from an unlikely source: her Catholic school days growing up in Chicago. “My school nurse had the best sense of style,” says Guariglia, who now lives in Lawrenceville. “This woman had every color of…
Disney Plus is an overt nostalgia grab, unless you’re a kid
The increasing number of streaming services feels like the battle scene in a movie where the gang defeats the first crop of soldiers and breathe a sigh of relief, only to turn around see an even bigger mass of soldiers coming over the hill. I thought I knew how to watch TV, but more just…
Metaphysical Milkshake is an opportunity to ‘go deep, get weird, and search for the meaning of life’
Metaphysical Milkshake, Reza Aslan’s podcast with actor Rainn Wilson, might seem like an unlikely outlet for a scholar of religious studies whose works include God: A Human History and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. But as Varun Soni, dean of religious life at the University of Southern California, stated on a recent…
The Empty Space Project melds live music with construction sites
During the weekends at AK Valley Research Park in New Kensington, music can be heard floating up through the rafters at one of the massive campus’ three under-construction buildings. But it’s not a concert or a warehouse party, there is no audience or ticketed entry. These are sessions for the Empty Space Project, which pairs…
Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Award winners use writing to examine darker side of American history
Two Pittsburgh writers focused on racism and xenophobia in America are receiving grants to help them complete their current projects, courtesy of the Carol R. Brown Achievement Awards. Adriana Ramirez, a writer, critic, and performance poet, is 2019’s “established artist” and plans on using the $15,000 grant to explore the legacy of generational conflict in…
Mahmoud Yacoub personifies his bipolar symptoms with his music
Talking to moudebabe on the phone is a lot like seeing him perform. The rapper, whose real name is Mahmoud Yacoub, specializes in freestyle performances, letting whatever comes to mind make its way from his head straight to his mouth. Yacoub’s brain works in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, due in part to his bipolar disorder. “I…
