Oakland Carnegie Museums offer free admission, expand hours
Free admission continues on third Sundays through November
Onion Maiden, in Allentown, offers inventive vegan fare
Name a restaurant that someone hasn’t heard of, and a likely response will be, naturally enough, “What kind of restaurant is it?” Usually, the answer is straightforward: Italian, Ethiopian, seafood, diner. Even “fancy,” while not really descriptive of food, gets at something essential about the dining experience. But to say a restaurant is vegetarian or…
#ColorPoll2017 examines the way we see color
Earlier this year, a research scientist named Janelle Shane designed an experiment to see whether a robot could generate believable names for different colors of paint. Shane fed the artificial neural network more than 7,000 paint names by Sherwin Williams, from which it identified patterns and produced new colors and short names for them, based…
Pittsburgh’s North Side to get protected bike lane on Allegheny Circle
The four-lane, “highway-like” roadway that circles Allegheny Center is getting a bike-friendly make-over
Listen Up! Sept. 13 Issue
Music from the Sept. 13 issue, on Sept 12
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/12/17
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Angry constituents work over Pittsburgh-area Pa. Rep Daryl Metcalfe on social media after anti-Labor Day diatribe
The controversial Butler County legislator dislikes immigrants, LGBTQ people, abortion access and, apparently, Labor Day, too.
MP3 Monday: CHOIR
Aggressive, incendiary riffs join the reverb-drowned screams to make for a sinister sprint in CHOIR’s “Eyelids.”
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/11/17
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Pittsburgh Steelers open season with 21-18 win over Cleveland Browns
Our top 10 photos from the Steelers’ win over the Browns
Chicago man stops in Pittsburgh on 672-mile walk to raise awareness about gun violence
Demetrius Nash spoke at a press conference in Pittsburgh today about gun violence in his hometown of Chicago and throughout the country.
Pittsburgh probably isn’t in the running for Amazon’s new headquarters
Lack of space, a smaller airport and small labor force are huge obstacles for Pittsburgh to overcome in its quest to attract Amazon’s second headquarters.
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/8/17
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Face The Music with City Paper
City Paper is throwing a battle of the bands this fall (open now) and you may be asking yourself: “why? Isn’t that a little 90s? Isn’t there enough war in this world?” Simply put, City Paper is interested in discovering all the talent that’s flying under the radar in Pittsburgh. We know how hard it is…
Phipps Conservatory lights up the night with extended hours for glass exhibit
Glass-art show SUPER.NATURAL warrants later hours through Nov. 5
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/7/17
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Protesters gather in Pittsburgh area and Washington, D.C. to defend DACA
Hundreds of Pittsburghers rally in Mount Lebanon, Ross and Washington, D.C., and call for Congress to support keeping DACA
Allegheny County leads Pennsylvania in clean-energy jobs, according to new report
Allegheny County leads the state with 8,100 workers employed in the clean-energy field.
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/6/17
Video Archive Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland: The Rivalry Issue
The Steelers are better than the Browns. Everybody knows it. There’s no denying it. And while the Pittsburgh-Cleveland rivalry may have started with a football game, it goes way beyond that. In this issue, we team up with our less-competent journalistic counterparts from Cleveland Scene to debate the merits of our city. Check out the…
Savage Love
I’m a lady considering taking on a foot fetishist as a slave. He would do chores around my house, including cleaning and laundry, and give foot rubs and pedicures in exchange for getting to worship and jack off to my model-perfect feet when I’ve decided he’s earned it. Am I morally obligated to tell my…
Critics’ Pick: Sextile at Brillobox
[PUNK ROCK] + SAT., SEPT. 9 Los Angeles punk rockers Sextile are named after an astrological term signifying cooperation and harmony, which the band certainly has, but not in the calm way you’d imagine. Its sound is dark and energetic, drawing from punk, ambient music and the occult. It’s like the music that would play…
The Rivalry Issue: And Action
Cleveland Both Cleveland and Pittsburgh have played prominent roles in major superhero movie franchises. Significant portions of both The Avengers and Captain America: Winter Soldier were shot in Cleveland. Pittsburgh was converted to Gotham for the The Dark Knight Rises. Cleveland, with its verdant landscape and rich architectural diversity, was converted to Stuttgart, Germany, Washington,…
Critics Pick: Sheer Mag at Cattivo
[ROCK] + MON., SEPT. 11 Over the past few years, Philly-based Sheer Mag has drawn praise for its vibrant, soulful rock. So much praise, in fact, that the group began to feel overhyped and didn’t sign with a record label or even start a Twitter account. It’s an endearing but unnecessary self-effacing gambit, since the…
That’s What Happened
I never owned a Barbie doll. There were no sleepovers, hide and seek, or shopping sprees with friends. I was a secret, folded and hidden from the sun. Me and my piano, always. Juxtaposed against antique mahogany chairs and couches covered in plastic. Paisley wall paper stared at me hour after hour. Outside was a…
This week in Pittsburgh Sports History
Sept. 7, 1903 The Pittsburg Pirates (no “h” at that time) lose the first World Series of the modern era, falling 3-0 to the Boston Americans in game 8 of the best-of-nine series. The Pirates came out hot, taking a 3-1 series lead. However, the Buccos were hampered by injuries to Honus Wagner, who went…
Café at the Frick offers more than just special-occasion dining
Perhaps it’s the lingering air of Gilded Age privilege on the former Henry Clay Frick estate, or perhaps it’s the (deserved) reputation for high tea, that most genteel and pampering of rituals, but dining at the Café at the Frick is always wreathed with a sense of occasion. Certainly it is a place for which…
A guide to Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest always sneaks up on me. I never think of it until October actually rolls around, by which time Oktoberfest is all but over. Despite the name, the celebration mostly takes place in September. (Originally held in October, it was pushed earlier to take advantage of the warmer weather and longer days.) This year, let’s…
The feature film The Mutineer is the focus of this month’s Film Kitchen
The monthly series for local and independent artists presents a rare feature-length offering, John Jaquish’s The Mutineer (2016). This darkly comic fiction concerns a rural white guy leading a small band that, following a standoff with police, seizes a farm and attempts to found its own country. Though the mutiny’s only opposition is a relatively…
As a performer and producer, John Dick Winters is a big part of Pittsburgh’s comedy scene
THE LOADED SHOW 10:30 p.m. Sat., Sept. 9. Hosted by Sean Collier and featuring John Dick Winters, Norlex Belma, Ed Bailey, Collin Chamberlin, Blair Parker, Jesse Irvin and Derek Minto. $10 (21 and over). 866-468-3401 or clubcafelive.com In a favorite bit, comedian John Dick Winters wonders: What would it be like if he, someone who…
The Rivalry Issue: Food Fight
Primanti’s sandwich I’m actually sort of embarrassed for you, Cleveland. You brag about your “signature sandwich?” You open up a package of Hillshire Farms, slip it into a hot-dog bun and slap some Bullseye BBQ sauce on top. “Sad!,” as our president would tweet. The Primanti’s sandwich is a work of art starting with the…
It’s not just football — in pro sports in general, Pittsburgh has it all over Cleveland
In the urban rivalry explored in this week’s City Paper, it’s too easy to tout Pittsburgh’s superiority over Cleveland in football. That’s like comparing the awards and accolades of Mork (Robin Williams) to the awards and accolades of Mindy (Pam Dawber). So let’s look at baseball. The Pirates have not won a World Series since…
Andrew Ooi’s folded-paper sculptures at BoxHeart
I0I OOI: NEW PRIMITIVES continues through Sept. 22. BoxHeart Gallery, 4523 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. 412-687-8858 or boxheartgallery.com Canadian artist Andrew Ooi offers his first local solo outing with the strikingly intricate IOI OOI: NEW PRIMITIVES, at BoxHeart Gallery. In a dozen small to medium-sized works, Ooi unites sculpture and painting using techniques traditionally found in Japanese…
Short List: Sept. 7-14
Fri., Sept. 8 – Stage For years, Rick Maue might have been Pittsburgh’s most famous magician you never heard of. His act included sleight-of-hand but was focused on mentalism (mind-reading and the like); he performed nationally and toured constantly, though mostly for corporate clients. It all ended one day in 1996, when the Pittsburgh native…
A Masterpiece of Comic … Timing at Little Lake Theatre
A Masterpiece of Comic … Timing continues through Sept. 16. Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg. $13.75-21.75. 724-745-6300 or littlelake.org Not much hubris in this title, eh? The official printed script includes a screamer (!) at the end, but Little Lake Theatre Co. is happy to confine the exclamation points to one character in…
Ratboys capture the sublime with new release, GN
RATBOYS, DIET CIG, RUE 8 p.m. Wed., Dec. 13. Mr. Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $12-14. All ages. 412-821-4447 or mrsmalls.com Ratboys’ GN is the kind of album that feels enormous, with rich instrumentals and lyrics that create entire worlds in a few minutes. The songs sound huge, but they feel intimate, capturing moments of…
Chicken-Liver Pâté
Most chefs will tell you how strong a role nostalgia can play when it comes to our everyday experiences with food. Most will say their first food memories equate to something along the lines of “shucking peas at my grandmother’s feet” or “Sunday gravy with the entire family.” Mine was something a touch less fortunate. …
Sixto Rodriguez, of Searching for Sugar Man fame, continues his reborn career
RODRIGUEZ with CAT CLYDE 8 p.m. Wed., Sept. 13. Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead, 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $45-65. 877-987-6487 or libarymusichall.com In an age when many so-called celebrities are famous for being famous, Sixto Rodriguez is a notable exception: He became famous for being unknown. The musician known simply as Rodriguez released…
The Rivalry Issue: Down the Hatch
Every city is only as good as its watering holes. Let’s see how Pittsburgh and Cleveland stack up when it comes to local libations. Local Booze Pittsburgh With another distillery or brewery opening up seemingly every week, it’s safe to say that Pittsburgh is a great place to enjoy a beverage while supporting your community.…
WESA’s Music From India celebrates 45 years on the air
The longest-running Indian-music program in the country has a home right here in Pittsburgh. Music From India has aired weekly on 90.5 WESA for 45 years. Each Sunday from 8-10 p.m., you can hear a mix of tunes from the golden age of Indian music (1950s through the 1970s), classical Indian and modern Indian music.…
Tom Green on pranking well
TOM GREEN Fri., Sept. 8-Sun., Sept. 10. Pittsburgh Improv, 166 E. Bridge St., The Waterfront, West Homestead. $25. 412-462-5233 or pittsburgh.improv.com Tom Green was a boy when he began practicing the irregular and original brand of comedy that made him popular on college radio, public-access television and MTV, and later in Hollywood. Prior to his…
The Rivalry Issue: Sport Status
It seems nonsensical to even think about comparing Cleveland and Pittsburgh sports. The whole rivalry started because of the Browns and the Steelers. But those days are behind us. The Steelers are really good, and the Browns are very, very bad. But we do have other sport topics worth arguing about. Sidney Crosby vs. LeBron…
Just The Facts: Comparing Pittsburgh and Cleveland
Pittsburgh Metro population (2016): 2,342,299 Demographics (2015): 87.3% white, 8.2% black, 2.1% Asian, 1.5% Latino Median household income (2015): $52,499 Unemployment rate (June 2017): 5.3% Gross Metropolitan Product (2015): $138.8 billion Beloved nicknames: City of Bridges, City of Champions, Steel City, The Burgh Cruel nicknames: Shitsburgh, The Pitts Cleveland Metro population (2016): 2,055,612 Demographics (2015):…
New Local Releases: Ugly Blondes’ Drag
Ugly Blondes Drag Self-released www.uglyblondes1.bandcamp.com Rock ’n’ roll riffs fuse with grungy effects and an alternative spark on Drag by Ugly Blondes. Drag’s eight songs move intently ahead with driving guitar work and high-energy choruses, the kind of music that wouldn’t sound out of place on 105.9 The X. The vocals trade off between gruff…
Jazz Poetry Month features a Charlie Hebdo survivor, a Jump Up reunion, and U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith
CITY OF ASYLUM JAZZ POETRY MONTH Sept. 7-Oct. 1. Alphabet City, 40 W. North St., North Side. Free; reservations at alphabetcity.org Last year, after 11 years of running its Jazz Poetry concert as a huge one-night event, City of Asylum Pittsburgh launched Jazz Poetry Month, with multiple weekends of free smaller-scale events. Attendance almost doubled,…
The Trip to Spain
The Trip to Spain Directed by Michael Winterbottom Starring Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan In Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip to Spain, two British entertainers take a week-long tour of Spain, ostensibly to review a number of quite nice restaurants for publication. For Steve Coogan, it’s a useful tie-in to his latest film about a chef.…
Critics’ Pick: Xfest at Stage AE
[FESTIVAL] + SAT., SEPT. 9 Local alt-rock radio station 105.9 The X hosts its annual Xfest at Stage AE tonight, headlined by movie-trailer pop group Bastille, accompanied by FRENSHIP, Highly Suspect and K.Flay. All those bands seem like a fun time, but I’m here specifically to recommend the rambunctious rock of J. Roddy Walston &…
MP3 Monday: Short Fictions
Each week, we post a song from a local artist online for free. This week, it’s a new song from Short Fictions’ upcoming album The Heart Is A Kaleidoscope. “Ellen (A Song About A Book)” delivers some classic guitar-driven 90s indie (Built To Spill comes to mind), with earnest, clever lyrics and smart production. It’s a…
