Lies, Damned Lies, etc.
A quick heads-up: it’s come to our attention that, per their website, The Damned have announced that they cancelled their impending U.S. tour due to visa troubles. It’s unfortunate because folks likely already bought tickets, and it’s unfortunate because we put their Friday show at Diesel on the Short List this week, and the announcement…
Ralph Nader at Point Park
There was little in the legendary activist’s talk to indicate that a half-century of battling injustice (and sometimes running for president) has discouraged him, let alone dimmed his sense of outrage. In fact, his address (part of the school’s Global Cultural Studies speaker series) was explicitly about spurring the mostly student audience to similar action.…
Following the money … and the logic
Before I get into the meat of this post — a back-and-forth over campaign promises in the mayoral race, and the broader issue of what “campaign finance reform” means — a bit of housecleaning: Early this morning, we got word that Dok Harris has been endorsed by NOW, the women’s group. Add that to his…
The Fatheaded ‘Calfe
If you haven’t heard about the latest Daryl Metcalfe outrage, you probably need to check your e-mail inbox. But just when you thought there was no one left for the Butler county state rep to insult, the Pride of Cranberry may have found a new group to demonize: veterans. Courtesy of the folks at Keystone…
Shepard Fairey at The Warhol
This past Saturday night, I was a bad arts editor and didn’t go to the museum’s big opening for Supply and Demand. But earlier that day I was involved in something arguably as interesting, as one of four journos doing a walk-through of the show for a documentary film on the artist. The documentary is…
P-G WTF
That tearing sound you just heard? It was bloggers, campaign aides, and political progressives tearing their hair out after they reached page B-2 of today’s Post-Gazette. The Post-Gazette endorsed Luke Ravenstahl today. Sure, there were some caveats: After three years as mayor, he has yet to articulate a vision for the future. He does not…
Debate 1: Ravenstahl Crushed It
People aren’t going to want to hear this, I know, and even before the debate aired today, the Dok Harris campaign put out a statement asserting that Harris “came out of the gates strong.” But I have to score today’s KDKA-TV debate as a convincing win by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. Obviously, in these situations an…
Chicago Blues
I’ll have that Sestak post up sometime today, I swear. But in the meantime, a super-secret contact from the Internet passed me along this story, from the Chicago Tribune: Chicago police are investigating a video of officers who allegedly forced a college student to pose with them after his arrest during last month’s G-20 summit…
CP Remixed videos!
It’s that time again: time to watch videos of the acts you (hopefully) saw last week at CP Remixed (or didn’t, in which case it’s even more important that you check them out). This edition was curated by Omar-Abdul Lawrence and featured Hands Down (Charon Don and DJ Huggy), MC Boaz, and BZE (with Omar-Abdul).…
Short List: Week of October 15 – 22
Zombies, like vampires, warrant endless metaphorical revision. George Romero cast the undead as living vessels for, among other things, racism and consumerism. Lately, with zombies only more popular in popular culture, we’ve heard (in The Wall Street Journal, no less) about “zombie houses,” foreclosed and vacant. Now North Hills native Scott T. Barsotti has a…
Mano a Mano
Local college instructor Manomano Mukungurutse is on a quest for ultimate truth. That’s no way to get tenure.
The Other Man
A man (Liam Neeson), happily married for more than 20 years, is stunned to discover that his shoe-designer wife (Laura Linney) has been having an affair. Enraged, he tracks down the Milan-based lover (Antonio Banderas) through trickery and stalking, before befriending him — the better to learn more about the secret side of his spouse.…
$9.99
The title of this feature from Tatia Rosenthal, adapted from the short stories of Etgar Keret, refers to the price of a mail-order book purporting to explain life that one character orders. Needless to say, the slim volume is something of a bust, and viewers shouldn’t expect much more fresh illumination despite the film’s eagerness…
Couples Retreat
Four couples — all friends — endure the comic indignities of beach-resort relationship counseling. Mostly, this lazy, predictable comedy just made me angry, and seemed to last for hours. First, let’s stipulate that we’re out of fresh jokes about churlish man-boys and the women who put up with them, but this film doesn’t even try.…
Jean-Michel Cousteau at the Pittsburgh Speakers Series
A couple times during this talk, I felt as though the ocean explorer and environmental advocate relied too heavily on video projections. He went to DVD four or five times, accounting for nearly half of the 90-minute program. Sometimes he narrated the footage from his films. But much of the time, if you looked down…
The Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
The 24th annual festival returns with entertaining and provocative feature films, documentaries and shorts highlighting gay, lesbian and transgendered experiences.
Easy Street
A relaxing Downtown venue succeeds with inventive bar fare
Ode to the Cow
A poem by Dorothy Holley
This Just In: October 15 – 22
Highlights from the local TV news: Rubbed the Wrong Way
Drum Talk 09 is a global summit you can dance to.
“It allows you to express music from the deepest part of you, not just from your head.”
Author and political commentator Andrew Sullivan speaks at Carnegie Mellon.
“I think the Nobel Prize is absolutely deserved, and it’s kind of brilliant.”
Real McCoy Sandwich Shop
This South Side institution has been serving up meaty hoagies for five decades.
Wait Until Dark
It’s how Knott gets us to that point that I find amazing.
Ella
Tina Fabrique sings the living daylights out of the role.
Pittsburgh Ballet opens its 40th season with The Sleeping Beauty.
“She is a fairy like the others in the ballet, it is just her heart has become a little bit perverted.”
Waiting at the Checkout
Deal is ready to go, but grocer still hasn’t signed lease for Hill store
Luke Ravenstahl: First Amendment Advocate
Mayor exercises free speech by tossing f-bomb at ACLU head
Food for Thought
“It’s a little deluded to think that simply by shopping we can change the world.”
Image Problem
Were cops targeting, destroying cameras during G-20?
Ocote Soul Sounds brings political Latin and Afrobeat grooves to Thunderbird Café
The funk backbeat makes movement seductive regardless of your take on contested lands.
With French death-metal pioneers Gojira, the lyrics matter as much as the blastbeats
Blending elements of technical death metal, prog and thrash, Gojira has created a unique, instantly recognizable sound.
Singer-songwriter Emily Rodgers releases the atmospheric Bright Day on Misra Records
“I don’t want to compromise and create a sound that I think people will like. I’ve tried to be authentic, and I’m pleasantly surprised when people respond to that.”
Savage Love
I’m a 25-year-old girl dating a 26-year-old guy. He likes to be tied up, put in women’s underwear and locked in a chastity device, and he has a strong urge to please. I hate the term, but I suppose you could call me a “feeder.” I am turned on by the idea of someone eating…
Specter Giving Up the Ghost?
Yet another poll showing that Arlen Specter is losing his mojo for the 2010 Senate race. This comes courtesy of Rasmussen: The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters shows 45% would vote for Toomey if the election were held today. Forty percent (40%) would vote for Specter, while six percent (6%) prefer a…
Read ‘Em and Weep
Library closings are the same old story
Pittsburgh acts converge on New York City for this year’s CMJ Music Marathon
Best of luck to all concerned — have a great time while the rest of us burn with envy.
For Shepard Fairey, it’s a long road from “Obey Giant” to “Obama Hope.”
Finding a balance between high-profile gallery exhibitions and his continued street campaign has proven difficult.
