Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra seeks works from new composers for annual Reading Session
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is looking for composers in the early stages of their careers to submit new works for its annual Reading Session in order to showcase blooming talent. Applicants must be residents of Pennsylvania and cannot submit works that have ever been played at a performance or reading by a professional orchestra. Submissions…
Pittsburgh International Airport calls for performers
Ever wanted to serenade travelers as they scramble to and from gates in our very own Pittsburgh airport? Now’s your chance: The Allegheny County Airport Authority will be expanding its Performing Arts program at Pittsburgh International Airport in 2015, and is inviting musicians, ensembles, groups, and performing artists of all genres to submit an application…
A behind-the-scenes look at City Paper’s Best of Pittsburgh Photo Shoots
For those of us that work at City Paper we always knew we were as fun a place to spend the afternoon as Kennywod Park, but now we know it for sure because Rick Sebak made a little documentary about us: City Paper readers honored the local filmmaker as their Best Media Personality and Sebak…
Documentary Filmmaker at Melwood Tomorrow
Stephen Wetzel to screen three experimental shorts
New weird computer-Simpsons Girl Talk and Freeway video, featuring A$AP Ferg
Earlier this year, Girl Talk released a new EP with Philly rapper Freeway. Yesterday, artist Lisa Ramsey debuted her official video for one of the GT/Freeway songs, the remix of “Suicide,” featuring A$AP Ferg. Peep it below in all its weird computer-Simpsons glory, and remember that tickets are still available for Girl Talk’s big New…
Festival of Free Plays Begins Tonight at CMU
Carnegie Mellon University gets attention these days mostly for computers and robots, but the school has a long tradition in the performing arts, too. Get a taste of what’s up lately as a week-long program featuring three fully produced new plays by graduate dramatic-writing students there runs through Friday. The plays are directed by John…
Lynn Cullen Live 10/21/14
Video Archive Suz gives us the news from her side of the country. Seamus McCaffery brings scandal to PA court system. The link between theatre star Jane Hoffman and Lynn. Siri and autistic child form a friendship. Janet Yellin continues to hold forth on income disparity. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on…
New free sampler download from A-F Records and Commonwealth Press
The other day, the folks at A-F Records and the folks at Commonwealth Press got together to issue a free sampler compilation with songs from a bunch of their affiliated artists. Local acts like Anti-Flag, Roger Harvey, Edhochuli and Mace Ballard rep on the free download, available via Bandcamp — stream or download below! It’s…
Zoning Board rejects arts corridor AutoZone proposal on former Babyland site
Courtesy of Evolve Architects In a much-anticipated decision for community groups stretching from Friendship to Highland Park, the Zoning Board of Adjustment rejected a developer’s current plan to construct an AutoZone store at Penn and Negley Aves — the prominent former Babyland site. The decision came after a contentious July hearing where dozens of residents…
1Hood presents new video, “Young, Gifted, and Black”
1Hood — the group founded by Jasiri X and Paradise Gray, devoted to hip-hop-related education and challenging media perceptions of African-American youth — released its first music video this weekend. The song, “Young Gifted, and Black,” is slated to be on 1Hood’s forthcoming mixtape; the song features Jasiri X along with young rappers Tyhir Frost,…
ARThouse launches book drive for new space
With school back in session, Homewood-based artist Vanessa German has been noticing a new trend at the ARThouse. What started more than two years ago as a space for children and neighbors to express their creativity, has morphed into an after-school program of sorts. “I noticed the kids started coming straight to the ARThouse after…
2014 Best Of Pittsburgh Party
The Best Of Pittsburgh Party was held on October 14th at CAVO Nightclub in the Strip District. Check out the photos from the event! Sponsored by: Rohrich Automotive Group and Bud Light
Lynn Cullen Live 10/20/14
Video Archive The hustle and bustle of downtown PGH. Ebola panic continues with paid leave for school employees in Maine and Mississippi. Has Obama lost his passion? Callers disagree. A follow up from the little blue parakeet. Francis McDormand and Janet Yellen lend words of wisdom. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on…
Hill District pastor opens community center in son’s memory
On the anniversary of his son’s death, Rev. Glenn Grayson joined his family, elected leaders, and the community for the grand-opening of a new Hill District community center created in his son’s memory. “Four years ago today, our family received the worst news that has ever happened to us,” Grayson said. “We didn’t think we…
In Case You Forgot: Judas Priest is TOMORROW at the Petersen Events Center
I’m generally against bands sticking it out for multiple decades, but in the case of Judas Priest I’m willing to make an exception. Rob Halford may have some complaints about his aging voice, but judging by Redeemer of Souls, which the band released in July, Priest —who are touring with hair metal goofballs Steel Panther…
Local horror-movie buff’s travel guide
A local photographer’s new travel book covers some scary ground in Western Pennsylvania and around the country. Danielle Fox has details in Program Notes.
Local horror-movie buff’s travel guide
Somerset-based writer Tony Urban maps out horror-movie filming locations and paranormal sites in his first book, Travelogue of Horror.
Music on the Edge presents its new Chamber Orchestra
Music on the Edge (MOTE) presents about six concerts every year and is devoted to the performance of contemporary music. The organization just announced its new Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Roger Zahab. The MOTE orchestra is composed of violinists Dawn Posey and Juan Jaramillo, violinist Jennifer Gerhard Mangone, bassist Jeff Mangone and cellist…
August Ruins hosts album release party tomorrow at The Smiling Moose
Pittsburgh punk-rock group August Ruins is hosting an album release party Sat., Oct. 18, at The Smiling Moose. Since forming in 2009, the band has gone through a number of lineup and name changes before releasing two independent EPs. Its debut album, Momentary Victory, released September 2014, was produced and recorded in Cleveland in only…
GMO Foods Forum Tomorrow
CMU-based expert among speakers
Pa. House GOP makes sure medical marijuana won’t see a vote this session
Barring some sort of 11th-hour miracle, the state’s medical marijuana legislation — passed a few weeks ago by the state senate will not get a vote on the house floor. The news came in Friday from state Rep. Ed Gainey who attempted to have the language from Senate Bill 1182, which would legalize certain forms…
Lynn Cullen Live 10/17/14
Video Archive Amachi Pgh! Be a mentor to a child whose parent is incarcerated. This is something everyone can to do help! Differences in funding between city schools. Synod revises all of the most progressive parts of the churches new vision. One step forward, twenty steps back. Ebola panic continues. Audio Only Archive Listen to…
UPDATED: Daryl Metcalfe really doesn’t like immigrants
Anyone who has followed the illustrious career of Butler County’s own state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe wouldn’t ever mistake him for a supporter of Latino immigrants. He has introduced numerous pieces of legislation to make English the state’s official language, supported measures to punish businesses found to be employing undocumented workers, and tried to pass a…
Screaming Crow Tattoo and Piercing hosts four-year anniversary party and Customer Appreciation Day
Screaming Crow Tattoo crew: from left, Rev Lower, Steev Barncord, Aaron Harding, Eric Corbin Photo courtesy of Rich Schiavoni/Valley Mirror It’s easy to forget that some of our favorite local musicians spend their “other lives” in different industries during the day time. Todd Porter, front man of The Cheats, is currently co-owner of Screaming Crow…
Lynn Cullen Live 10/15/14
Video Archive Jews in strange places. 46 school boys still missing in Mexico. camel kills it’s caretakers over a coke. Iggy Pop gives a lecture in England. Culture of non-participation just observation. tickets are selling for Lynn Cullen’s Wild Ride. Get yours today! Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new…
Video premiere: Dylan Ryan (Rainbow Arabia, Cursive)
New video and tour dates from avant-garde drummer Dylan Ryan
Monthly discussion series Speakeasy Science begins tonight
An informal talk by a wind-power expert from Carnegie Mellon begins CMU’s new series held at bars and cafes. Danielle Fox has details on this event at Biddle’s Escape in Program Notes.
Monthly discussion series Speakeasy Science begins tonight
Sit back and discuss wind energy with Carnegie Mellon University researcher Stephen Rose at Biddle’s Escape
A conversation with Boaz: Extended version
In this week’s issue, I ran a short version of my chat the other day with Larimer-born rapper Boaz, who releases Intuition, his Rostrum Records debut, next week. Our talk was too good not to share, so here’s the long version for you — Boaz’s release events are a listening party Friday evening at Daily…
Short List: October 15 – 23
FREE EVENT: Sat., Oct. 18 — Words As a college student, Khet Mar (pictured) participated in the Burmese liberation movement. For distributing her political poems, Khet spent a year in jail, where she was tortured; after her release, her writings were censored by the military dictatorship. In 2009, she became a writer in residence at…
Best Local Bookstore
929 Liberty Ave., Downtown (412-471-1899 and 2030 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill (412-436-5535) or amazingbookspgh.com Both the Downtown and Squirrel Hill locations of Amazing Books boast ample collections of literary fiction, work by local authors and a solid section of history and religious texts. If only the owner had more time to peruse them. “These days…
Critics’ Picks, Oct. 16-22
[GARAGE ROCK] + THU., OCT. 16 The Forty Nineteens are a Los Angeles band, but there’s a way-back Pittsburgh connection: Before this band, and before his days in The Leonards and Mary’s Danish, drummer Nick Zeigler hailed from Beaver County. His current band makes it back to his hometown a couple times a year, and…
Best of Pittsburgh 2014
Every year at this time, our readers tell us about their favorite Pittsburgh things. Sometimes they celebrate the same things they loved last year, and sometimes they find new things to adore. And of all the best-of-the-best winners noted here, and the friendly arguments sure to follow, there is one undeniable truth: Pittsburghers love Rick…
Best Hair Salon
SALON IVY 1213 E. Carson St., South Side 412-488-4488 or salonivy.net “I would sit in any one of these girls’ chairs and let them do my hair,” says Chelsea Bruce-McCrommon, referencing the seven women who join her on the staff at Salon Ivy. Bruce-McCrommon and co-owner Bethany Novak opened the salon just three years ago.…
On the Record with Ben Horowitz of The Gaslight Anthem
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM with AGAINST ME! 7 p.m. Fri., Oct. 17. Stage AE 400 North Shore Drive North Side. Sold out. Before The Gaslight Anthem heads to Europe in support of its latest album Get Hurt, the group will play a sold-out Stage AE this Friday. Drummer Ben Horowitz called in to talk about the…
Stuff We Like
Pole2Polls. A yarn-bombing campaign aimed at voter engagement. Instructions online for how to help: Make and hang your own mini-banner and, of course, vote. www.pole2polls.com House of the Dead. The Walking Dead is back on TV, and that’s the perfect excuse to visit this Lawrenceville shop for all your zombie-fandom needs: clothing, toys, books and…
Best City Tour
Just Ducky Tours 125 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square 412-402-3825 or www.justduckytours.com “Quack, quack, quack!” A ride with Just Ducky Tours means visitors truly get their duck on: quacking, traveling over land, quacking, taking to the river and more quacking. But unlike local waterfowl, who live and quack in a state of ignorant bliss,…
Silent Vote: Tea-party Congressman Keith Rothfus is seeking a second term, so how come nobody seems to care?
Tea-party Congressman Keith Rothfus is trying to escape the Shannopin Country Club, wrestling with a door handle that won’t budge. He has just finished blasting the Affordable Care Act and “bureaucratic elites in Washington, D.C., who think they know best what kind of light bulb you should have in your house.” “The American people,” Rothfus…
Sukhothai Bistro
Sukhothai Bistro 5813 Forbes Ave. Squirrel Hill. 412-521-8989 Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Prices: Appetizers, soups and salads $4-10; entrees $10-19 Liquor: BYOB Squirrel Hill has a lot of, if not exactly hole-in-the-wall venues, then small storefronts well-suited to modest establishments specializing in the take-out, snacks and treats trade. Turnover in…
Artists in residence bring the earnest angst to the Mattress Factory
ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE continues through spring 2015. Mattress Factory 500 Sampsonia Way North Side. 412-231-3169 or mattress.org The Mattress Factory’s leg of the Pittsburgh Biennial, Artists in Residence, includes five distinct installations, by Pittsburgh-based artists Danny Bracken, Ryder Henry, Kathleen Montgomery, John Peña and Ben Sota. While the exhibition has no specific theme, there are…
Bill Delivered: Advocates hope city’s legislation is just a first step in workplace rights for pregnant women
During a pregnancy, doctors often advise women to stay hydrated and spend less time on their feet. But in most workplaces across Pennsylvania, a pregnant woman could be fired for following her doctor’s orders. “[W]hen an employer denies a pregnant employee’s request for an accommodation, she is faced with an alarming and untenable choice: Continue…
Suzanne Cope connects old and new trends in food in new book
While eating locally and cooking slowly have come into vogue recently, Suzanne Cope’s new book, Small Batch: Pickles, Cheese, Chocolate, Spirits and the Return of Artisanal Foods, looks to connect the new foodies with their heritage. Cope’s grandmother is from Clarion, where she lived on a dairy farm, and her relatives own Cope’s Corn, a…
Jason Baldinger’s new poetry collection travels the country
While the long literary tradition of wanderlust spans from Gilgamesh and The Odyssey to On the Road and beyond, the journey typically finishes with the hero’s transformation. The speaker in Jason Baldinger’s newest poetry collection, The Lower Forty-Eight (Six Gallery Press), usually ends up in a bar. Even so, the book employs its down-to-earth tone…
Documentary series focuses on environmental solutions, not problems
In explaining how we should solve environmental problems, writers, scholars and activists face many challenges. One of the toughest is that it’s much easier for, say, fossil-fuel companies to scare people about a hypothetical “green” future (“You’ll freeze in the dark!”) than it is to persuade people to help create an environmentally sustainable society. As…
The bourbon news is good for Pittsburgh
One of my favorite things about autumn is that it’s the perfect time to transition from bright summertime cocktails to sturdy brown spirits. I prefer Scotch and Irish whiskies, but Pittsburgh is quite clearly a bourbon town, and that’s just fine. Butcher and the Rye got a nice first-anniversary present when trade publication The Bourbon…
The Glass Menagerie at Pittsburgh Public Theater
THE GLASS MENAGERIE continues through Nov. 2 Pittsburgh Public Theater 621 Penn Ave. Downtown. $15.75-56 412-316-1600 or www.ppt.org When I was in high school, I bought a subscription to the premiere season of Pittsburgh Public Theater. Its first production was of Tennessee Williams’ heart-shattering classic The Glass Menagerie. Here we are 40 years later, and…
Former New York Times columnist Bob Herbert on what’s wrong with America — and how to fix it
Heard of Mercedes Gorden? How about Dan Berschinski? In 2007, Gorden was among those grievously injured when a bridge over the Mississippi River in Minnesota suddenly collapsed. In 2009, Berschinski, a U.S. army lieutenant, lost both legs — and nearly his life — to an IED while on patrol in Afghanistan. Gorden and Berschinski are…
Best of Food & Drink
Best New Restaurant Butcher and the Rye 212 Sixth St., Downtown 412-391-2752 or www.butcherandtherye.com “Downtown dining” was once long on sophistication, but short on innovation. No longer: All three of this year’s top new restaurants are based there, with the winner distinguished by the inventive, protein-forward menu of Richard DeShantz. And Butcher’s cocktail program, pioneered…
Macbeth at PICT Classic Theatre
MACBETH continues through Oct. 25 Stephen Foster Memorial Theatre 4301 Forbes Ave. Oakland $25-48 412-561-6000 x207 or www.picttheatre.org Murder, mayhem and witchcraft: Is there a more Halloween-appropriate play from Shakespeare than Macbeth? PICT Classic Theatre pulls out all the stops for this incarnation of the proverbial Scottish play, remaining faithful enough to please purists while…
Best of Culture & Nightlife
Best Local Theatre Company City Theatre 1300 Bingham St., South Side 412-431-2489 or www.citytheatrecompany.org City Theatre’s unique in town: It’s a big, established company that stages all new work, including commissioned world premieres, by both up-and-coming playwrights and names like Daniel Beaty, Jessica Dickey and Christopher Durang. Enter City’s converted church (or its adjacent studio…
A new dance work explores love and friendship between African-American men
FRESH WORKS: ANTHONY WILLIAMS’ LOVING BLACK 8 p.m., Fri., Oct. 17 The Alloy Studios 5530 Penn Ave. Friendship $10-15 412-363-3000 or kelly-strayhorn.org Beyond simply entertaining audiences, concert dance is an important means of self-expression for its creators and performers. Some artists employ dance as a forum to air their thoughts and feelings on issues important to…
Best of Goods & Services
Best Local Bookstore Amazing Books 929 Liberty Ave., Downtown (412-471-1899) and 2030 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill (412-436-5535) www.amazingbookspgh.com A bookstore named “Amazing” is giving itself a lot to live up to, but owner Eric Ackland has been delivering to otherwise under-served shoppers in Downtown and Squirrel Hill. Local writers get upfront display — Amazing also…
The Judge
The Judge Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D’Onofrio Directed by: David Dobkin The two-word title is the leanest thing about David Dobkin’s over-stuffed film. It’s as if the writers bought every dusty marked-down-to-move plot at the Genre Store and rolled them up into one 141-minute sentimental ball. He may have saved…
Best of People & Places
Best News for Cyclists More bike lanes Last year the best news for cyclists was new bike lanes. This year, guess what? More bike lanes! This summer, the city began installing protected bike lanes, the first of their kind in Pittsburgh. Eventually, the bike lanes will run along Penn Avenue, in the Strip District, and…
Fury
One thing to like about Fury: Unlike every second movie these days, this World War II film doesn’t claim to be “based on a true story.” But while being a fiction might promise plenty of room for insight, Fury adds little to our understanding of World War II, or of war in general. David Ayer’s…
Best Downtown Lunch Spot
Ten Penny 960 Penn Ave., Downtown 412-318-8000 or tenpennypgh.com Two years ago, when a business associate asked Adam DeSimone if he was interested in a property across the street from the convention center, he shrugged it off. “We wanted to wait until the area ripened a little bit more,” says DeSimone, a founder of the…
The Best of Me
Oh, Nicholas Sparks, will the world ever tire of your soft-Southern-rain, tinged-with-tragedy romantic melodramas? Michael Hoffman directs this latest adaptation, and it’s a double-header: two romances for the price of one! Former high school sweethearts (Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden) return to their hometown for a funeral. This will-they-or-won’t-they is intercut with the tale of…
Best New Restaurant
Butcher and the Rye 212 Sixth St., Downtown 412-391-2752 or butcherandtherye.com Sitting along Sixth Street at a café table, Joseph Watson and his wife, Kristine, finish up a small plate of pork belly and cauliflower. As she describes textures and flavors, he takes a big swig from a tumbler with ice. When asked if there’s…
The Book of Life
This digitally animated comedy from Jorge R. Gutierrez is packed wall-to-wall with gorgeous, colorful imagery, much of it set in Mexican folkloric lands of the dead. (There might be a million sugar skulls in this film.) Amid a sprawling cast, reluctant young bullfighter Manolo (voice of Diego Luna) must undertake a quest and face down…
Best Wings
Bigham Tavern 321 Bigham St., Mount Washington 412-431-9613 or bighamtavern.com At lunchtime on a Wednesday, Bigham Tavern is starting to fill up. The Mount Washington eatery isn’t exactly well-placed for foot traffic: “It’s a kind of long walk from the Mon Incline, and a hilly walk from the Duquesne,” notes co-owner Amelia Yoder. And from…
Housebound
After a bungled robbery, Kylie (Morgana O’Reilly) is sentenced to house arrest at her childhood home, a place her chatty mom (Rima Te Wiata) thinks is haunted. Kylie ignores her mom, per usual, but the weird sounds, power failures and spooky things that do seem to be happening catch her attention. Gerard Johnstone’s horror comedy…
Best Bartender
Richie Walter, Cavo 1916 Smallman St., Strip District 412-610-1384 The first thing patrons notice about Cavo bartender Richie Walter is his smile. “He’s not only easy on the eyes, but it’s truthfully impossible not to think he’s charming,” says Christie Neff, a Cavo regular and friend of Walter. “He makes every guest feel like they…
Exposed program brings Wareham back into the fold as Warhol soundtracker
EXPOSED: SONGS FOR UNSEEN WARHOL FILMS featuring TOM VERLAINE, MARTIN REV, DEAN WAREHAM, ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER, BRADFORD COX 8 p.m. Fri., Oct. 17. Carnegie Music Hall 4400 Forbes Ave. Oakland $20-25 All ages 412-237-8300 or warhol.org Six years ago, Dean Wareham spent some quality time here in Pittsburgh: The Andy Warhol Museum, under the umbrella of…
Best Gallery for Local Artists
Best Gallery for Local Artists Most Wanted Fine Art 5015 Penn Ave., Garfield, and 143 W. Bridge St., The Waterfront, West Homestead 412-328-4737 or most-wantedfineart.com Welcome to Jason and Nina Sauer’s gallery, Most Wanted Fine Art. Jason’s the burly guy in horn-rimmed glasses and denim overalls, blonde hair buzzed short. The Mercer County native served…
Boaz has high hopes for his Rostrum Records debut
Boaz is a veteran of the local hip-hop scene, having developed his voice while growing up in Larimer, and through self-released several records. On Tue., Oct 21, his first full-length on Rostrum Records, Intuition, comes out, and this weekend, he hosts a listening party and release show on consecutive nights locally. He talked with CP…
Savage Love
Four years ago, I met a man on a “married but looking” website. We exchanged fantasies, which included wanting to have threesomes and a D/s relationship. He was 19 years my senior. I was 42 at the time. For three years, we met twice a week for drinks or sex. The sex was amazing. We…
Best Sports Bar
Buffalo Blues 216 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside 412-362-5837 or www.buffalobluespittsburgh.com If there’s a place where Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns fans could potentially join hands and sing “Kumbaya,” it just might be Buffalo Blues in Shadyside. “It’s non-judgmental and inclusive,” says Edward Verdream, a Shadyside resident for 10 years. He sat in a pack of…
Effects-pedal enthusiasts have a place to meet and swap this weekend
PITTSBURGH EFFECTS PEDAL SWAP Noon-7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 18. The Shop 4314 Main St. Bloomfield. $1. facebook.com/events/ 556639841102216/ Inspired largely by the frequent record swaps held around the city — and at least partly by the documentary Fuzz: The Sound That Revolutionized the World — local musician and visual artist Craig Freeman has put together…
Lynn Cullen Live 10/15/14
Video Archive Nurse’s union at Texas hospital where Ebola patient was treated are filed a complaint that staff was not given protocols or proper protective gear. Woman and her fiancee survive Ebola and use their immunity to help others infected with the virus. Self driving cars: the living rooms and offices of the future? Richard…
MP3 Monday: The Van Allen Belt
Photo courtesy of Andy Johanson Hey there, this week our MP3 Monday comes from The Van Allen Belt, a psych-pop group that constructs complex, layered tracks. This song comes from their new album, Heaven on a Branch. [Download link expired!]
