WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM | 03.25/04.01.2015 X PGHCITYPAPER XX XX PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER XX XX PGHCITYPAPER
BIG TALKERS: GEORGE TAKEI, AZAR NAFISI AND MORE AT PITTSBURGH’S INAUGURAL HUMANITIES FESTIVAL 28
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
EVENTS 3.28 – 8pm CYNTHIA HOPKINS: A LIVING DOCUMENTARY Warhol theater Tickets $15 / $12 Members & students
3.31, 4.1 & 4.4 BUNCHER FAMILY FREE DAYS The Jack Buncher Foundation is sponsoring three days of museum admission during Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Spring Break week. FREE museum admission
4.4 – 10am HALF PINT PRINTS Education Studio A monthly silkscreen printing activity for families with children ages 1 to 4 years old. Free with museum admission
4.10 – 8pm SOUND SERIES: ROB MAZUREK AND BLACK CUBE SP Warhol theater Tickets $15 / $12 Members & students
4.18 – 2pm CORITA KENT IN HER CONTEXTS: ART, CRAFT, POLITICS, AND SOCIETY Warhol theater FREE with museum admission
4.18 – 8pm SOUND SERIES: MEETING OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE AND THE VAN ALLEN BELT, WITH SPECIAL GUEST MORGAN ERINA Warhol entrance space Tickets $10 / $8 Members & students
SOMEDAY IS NOW: THE ART OF CORITA KENT
through APR 19 • 2015
Image: Mary’s Day Parade, Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, 1964, courtesy of Corita Art Center, Los Angeles
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The Andy Warhol Museum receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency and The Heinz Endowments. Further support is provided by the Allegheny Regional Asset District.
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The future of transit is now and we are working to improve your ride. Look for bus tracking technologies and other innovations to keep you better informed. Getting around town has never been so easy.
FUTURE OF TRANSIT IS NOW THE
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
03.25/04.01.2015 VOLUME 25 + ISSUE 12
{EDITORIAL} Editor CHARLIE DEITCH Arts & Entertainment Editor BILL O’DRISCOLL Music Editor MARGARET WELSH Associate Editor AL HOFF Multimedia Editor ASHLEY MURRAY Listings Editor CELINE ROBERTS Assistant Listings Editor ALEX GORDON Staff Writers REBECCA NUTTALL, ALEX ZIMMERMAN Staff Photographer HEATHER MULL Interns SHAWN COOKE, ZACCHIAUS MCKEE
{ART} Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Production Director JULIE SKIDMORE Art Director LISA CUNNINGHAM Graphic Designers JEFF SCHRECKENGOST, JENNIFER TRIVELLI
{ADVERTISING}
{COVER PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}
[NEWS]
There’s no certainty about what’s 06 “covered and not covered.”— Dr. Marty Seltman on the health-care uncertainty faced by transgender patients
Director of Advertising JESSIE AUMAN-BROCK Senior Account Executives TOM FAULS, PAUL KLATZKIN, SANDI MARTIN, JEREMY WITHERELL Advertising Representatives DRA ANDERSON, MATT HAHN, JEFF HRAPLA, SCOTT KLATZKIN, MELISSA LENIGAN, ERICA MATAYA, DANA MCHENRY, MELISSA METZ Classified Manager ANDREA JAMES Radio Sales Manager CHRIS KOHAN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529
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[VIEWS]
has also been linked to 10 “Exposure problems like obesity, diabetes and
Marketing Director DEANNA KRYMOWSKI Marketing Design Coordinator LINDSEY THOMPSON Advertising and Promotions Coordinator ASHLEY WALTER Radio Promotions Director VICKI CAPOCCIONI-WOLFE Radio Promotions Assistants ANDREW BILINSKY, NOAH FLEMING
attention-deficit disorder.” — Bill O’Driscoll on the threat posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals
[TASTE]
meatballs offered a good 12 “The blend of beefiness and seasoning.”
— Angelique Bamberg and Jason Roth review Trapuzzano Italian Chophouse
[MUSIC]
group of people is more interested 16 “This in doing what we believe in than doing what would help our career.” — Lady Beast drummer Adam Ramage on what makes the band tick
[SCREEN]
Robert Mitchell arranges the 25 “David tropes of the teen-horror film into a fresh, compelling take.” — Al Hoff reviews the new indie horror It Follows
[ARTS]
come wanting more education, 28 “People more conversation around what they’re seeing.” — Paul Organisak on why we’re ready for the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival
{REGULAR & SPECIAL FEATURES} NEWS QUIRKS BY ROLAND SWEET 11 EVENTS LISTINGS 32 SAVAGE LOVE BY DAN SAVAGE 40 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY 41 CROSSWORD BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY 46 N E W S
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{PUBLISHER} STEEL CITY MEDIA GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2015 by Steel City Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Steel City Media. LETTER POLICY: Letters, faxes or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Steel City Media and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper. FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $175 per year, $95 per half year. No refunds. PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 650 Smithfield Street, Suite 2200 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.316.3342 FAX: 412.316.3388 E-MAIL info@pghcitypaper.com www.pghcitypaper.com
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THIS WEEK
ONLINE
“GOVERNORS HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY OVER THE MEDICAID PROGRAM AND THE BENEFITS THAT ARE INCLUDED.”
www.pghcitypaper.com
Lady Beast’s frontwoman Deborah Levine on her music and life philosophy. A feature on the band’s record-release show appears on page 16.
Aspie Seeks Love documentary subject David Matthews discusses dating on camera in a CP Q&A. A feature on the film is on page 25. www.pghcitypaper.com
Listings editor Celine Roberts takes over the reins of the #CPWeekend podcast, which goes live every Thursday at www.pghcitypaper.com.
CITY PAPER
INTERACTIVE Get enhanced events listings and highquality video, audio and photos on CP’s NEW mobile site for iPhone, Android or tablet devices! citypapermobile.com
Tag your photos #CPReaderArt, and we’ll regram and print the best submissions! See instragrammer @best_ friend711’s shot of Phipps Conservatory on page 30! Download our free app for a chance to win tickets to see Aretha Franklin at Heinz Hall! Contest ends April 2, 2015.
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Health-care advocates say Gov. Tom Wolf has the authority to cover transgender health care without legislative approval {BY ALEX ZIMMERMAN}
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ARTY SELTMAN is used to con-
veying uncertainty to his transgender patients. Lately, it’s not a concern over which hormones to prescribe, or in what doses, or their effectiveness. It’s whether prescriptions for his trans patients, many of whom are on Medicaid, will go through at all. “There’s no certainty about what’s covered and not covered,” says Seltman, medical director at Metro Community Health Center in Swissvale. “I tell [trans patients] that we’ll put it through and see what happens.” That uncertainty comes in part because Medicaid coverage of transitionrelated care isn’t consistent. State Medicaid regulations prohibit treatment including hormones and surgery for
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
trans patients, but sometimes, hormones are reimbursed. “If their insurance says that they’re a man, but they’re a trans woman and they get a prescription for estrogen, chances are they won’t be covered because it’s a male getting estrogen,” Seltman says. “But if they’re officially female, it’s much more likely they’ll get covered.” As for surgery — often a crucial part of the transition process — forget it. LGBT health-care advocates across the state are hoping to make what are increasingly seen as medically necessary interventions consistently available for transgender people who receive Medicaid. Earlier this year, a bill (HB 304) was introduced to the state legislature that would require all plans to
cover transition-related care. But even that bill’s sponsors acknowledge it could take a generation to shepherd it through the legislature. That’s partly why some advocates are quietly pursuing a different strategy, one that would need support from Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, but not the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Their approach would take advantage of the governor’s authority to shape the state’s Medicaid benefits package, something he’s doing anyway as part of his promise to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. And it would also tap into his power to initiate a process that can undo the Department of Human Services regulations that currently exclude trans-related health
coverage under Medicaid. “Governors have a lot of flexibility over the Medicaid program [and] the benefits that are included,” explains Erin Ninehouser, education and advocacy director for the Pennsylvania Health Access Network. “The steps that [Wolf] has taken for [LGBT] antidiscrimination protections are a good signal he’s open to it.” THE PATH TO expanded Medicaid for
transgender people turns out to be way more complicated than Ninehouser and her colleagues imagined. The original idea, spelled out in a March 2 letter to the governor, hinged on Wolf’s authority to define coverage under the state’s Medicaid plan. Redefining certain Medicaid benefits was something Wolf was planning to do anyway as part of his promise to transition from former Gov. Tom Corbett’s Healthy PA plan to a traditional Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. According to the letter sent by the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, “The transition from Healthy PA to a straightforward Medicaid Expansion presents an important opportunity to address longstanding disparities in access to care for underserved populations and craft a well-functioning system that will meet the needs of lowincome Pennsylvanians into the future.” The letter, signed by about 50 groups including the Women’s Law Project, Just Harvest and the Disability Rights Network of PA, urges the governor to require that “Medicaid MCOs [managedcare organizations] not be allowed to discriminate against people with the
pre-existing condition of gender dysphoria by excluding medically necessary care, including hormone therapy, counseling, surgery and other transitionrelated treatment.” Earlier this month, simply expanding Medicaid benefits seemed like the easiest way to create coverage for low-income transgender people, since it could be folded into a new adult-benefits plan Wolf was planning to announce as this story went to press. But what some advocates, including Ninehouser, didn’t realize is that there are state Department of Human Services (DHS) regulations that explicitly prohibit Medicaid reimbursement for “surgical procedures and medical care provided in connection with sex reassignment,” including hormones. And the governor can’t simply override those regulations just by announcing a new Medicaid benefits package. “We should’ve known about that,” Ninehouser acknowledges, referring to the specific regulations that prohibit transrelated health coverage. But there’s a new, albeit more complex, strategy. Wolf has the authority to start a process that can undo the state regulations without a vote in the legislature. (Regulations, unlike statutes, are written by agencies themselves and can be changed as long as there’s no conflict with state law.) He would have to get DHS to present the regulatory change to the Independent Regulatory Review Commis-
sion, a five-member panel that considers whether the change is possible under the agency’s statutory authority or is in the public interest, among other considerations, according to David Sumner, the IRRC’s executive director. T h e p r oc es s in c lu des a 30-day public-comment period and input from the appropriate standing committees in the legislature — whose input “would have weight to it,” Sumner says. But the final authority rests with the commission itself. The commission currently has two appointees from legislative Republicans, two from legislative Democrats and is awaiting the fifth appointee from the governor. That means that if all three Democratic appointees voted down the DHS regulations prohibiting reimbursements for transition-related care under Medicaid, the governor could then issue a directive that would require coverage, Ninehouser says. But will the governor initiate that process? His press secretary, Jeffrey Sheridan, did not return multiple requests for comment. But DHS spokeswoman Kait Gillis wrote in an email that getting rid of the Medicaid exclusions for trans coverage “is currently under review by DHS. As Gov. Wolf has said, he looks forward to a robust conversation with the legislature, community and all other parties regarding this issue.”
“THIS IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE, MERELY AN UPHILL BATTLE.”
NO ONE, including DHS, knows
how many transgender people receive Medicaid in Pennsylvania. But roughly 4,800 of the state’s 1.6 million Medicaid recipients could benefit from dropping the exclusions, assuming about .3 percent of the general population is transgender, a widely cited rate that demographers acknowledge is an educated guess. Seven other states and the District of Columbia have already taken steps to affirmatively provide such care, something Michael Silverman calls a trend. Silverman, executive director of the New York based Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, argues Medicaid reform is especially important for the transgender population. “Transgender people are far more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than the population at large,” Silverman says. “As a result of that they tend to be poorer and more likely to receive health care through Medicaid programs across the country. “Despite that, Medicaid programs … routinely exclude transition-related health care [and] all that does is target transgender people for poor health outcomes that lead to unnecessary suffering and continued marginalization.” But getting the Medicaid restrictions lifted in Pennsylvania is politically tricky; advocates are nervous that conservative legislators will try to derail the process. “I worry that if socially conservative legislators get wind of the possibility to make these changes without a big public fight,” Ninehouser says, “they could use it as an opportunity to politicize and CONTINUES ON PG. 08
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demonize transgender people and derail any attempt at ending discrimination in benefits.” One eventual way around a political fight could be to rely on an interpretation of the Affordable Care Act, which “prohibits discrimination [on] the basis of sex, and in the regulations, with respect to gender identity,” according to Kellan Baker, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. While Baker notes that it is not yet settled whether the ACA’s non-discrimination provisions will require public and private plans to affirmatively cover transitional care, he points to the federal government’s decision last year to cover transgender-related care under Medicare as a sign of where coverage is headed. “The federal government has not taken any steps … to require state Medicaid programs to require coverage for transgender people,” Baker says. “But I think the indications of where we’re going as a country, both in private and public coverage, is that these exclusions are, by nature, discriminatory.”
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But even if the writing is on the wall, there are plenty of trans Pennsylvanians who are caught in a system of inconsistent care where the prospect of a full transition remains out of reach. Jordan Gwendolyn Davis was one of them. A trans woman, activist and Medicaid recipient, she recently moved to San Francisco from Philadelphia to take advantage of California’s Medicaid program, which covers transition-related care — and will allow Davis to finally get surgery. “People are really suffering right now,” Davis says, noting that it was “tricky” to get even her hormones covered in Pennsylvania. She says getting the regulations changed will in part depend on trans people mobilizing to advocate and tell their stories. “A lot of people don’t have hope or think we’re chasing rainbows. There needs to be unity. This is not impossible, merely an uphill battle,” Davis says. But she doesn’t regret leaving Pennsylvania. Being in California “feels a lot better … I can actually see a way out. I can actually be who I am and have the full surgery and move on,” she says.
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
JENSORENSEN
LEAKS IN THE SYSTEM Some PWSA customers say new water meters are all wet {BY REBECCA NUTTALL}
presents
LAST APRIL, the Pittsburgh Water and
Sewer Authority began installing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) throughout the city. The new AMI uses wireless signals to transmit meter data to PWSA and promises to help residents better monitor their water usage. But in the past three months, when the software component of the new AMI was implemented, some residents in Mount Washington and other Pittsburgh neighborhoods say they began experiencing problems with the water authority. In Mount Washington, recent spikes in water usage have distressed some residents, and communication issues between residents and PWSA have caused further concern. This year, some residents began receiving estimated water bills because the AMI system doesn’t yet work for approximately 3,500 customers whose homes have older meters that cannot be read by the new technology. PWSA has asked for residents’ understanding while it transitions to the new system. But the authority has also claimed that the spike in water usage some customers are experiencing isn’t related to the new system. After City Councilor Theresa KailSmith was flooded with complaints about PWSA, she hosted a meeting between the water authority and a few of the affected residents. “The complaints were very broad. It seemed to be concentrated in the Mount Washington area, but then as we started getting additional phone calls, we realized there were issues in other areas,” says Kail-Smith. “There’s just been so many.” Some of those complaints include: higher bills due to higher-than-usual water usage; bills not being delivered; and extended wait times when calling customer service. “Some people are receiving shut-off notices the day after they receive the bill. Some people are receiving bills that [have increased by] 600 percent,” says Kail-Smith. “They’re having a difficult time getting in touch with customer service, even though
A graph from Lucinda Wolff’s most recent water bill shows an increase in usage.
PWSA says they have 250 people [answering phones]. Which tells me if 250 people are busy, this issue is much broader. They must be dealing with a lot of issues.” At the meeting, on March 18, Kail-Smith asked PWSA to stop sending out shut-off notices to people who have not paid increased bills, or who have not received their bills at all, until issues are resolved. “It’s startling when you hear these numbers,” says Kail-Smith. “When I started hearing these stories, I thought, ‘There’s definitely something wrong here.’” According to PWSA spokesperson Melissa Rubin, the increased bills are the result of leaky pipes possibly exacerbated by cold temperatures over the winter, not faulty water meters or glitches in the new system. But she advises anyone experiencing a problem to call customer service. “There are a variety of issues that can cause someone to have a higher-than-usual bill, and it’s not necessarily due to the conversion or the new equipment,” Rubin says. “They could have a problem inside of their home, especially in the winter.” Problems with the new system, Rubin says, should be occurring only at homes with older meters because they are not compatible with the new system. But these customers are receiving estimated bills until their old meters can be replaced, and should not be receiving increased bills. “Estimates are based on each individual customer’s history of usage,” Rubin says. “The first thing I would tell someone if they say their bill is wrong, is they should look at whether it’s an estimated bill or actual. If it’s an actual bill they’re receiving, and it’s higher than normal, it’s very likely they have a leak inside their home.” But inaccurate readings from advanced meter-reading infrastructure are not un-
“SOME PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING SHUT-OFF NOTICES THE DAY AFTER THEY RECEIVE THE BILL.”
heard of. In recent years, problems with smart meters have been reported in cities in Washington, Michigan and New York. And water meters manufactured by Sensus USA Inc., the company that manufactured Pittsburgh’s newly installed meters, were found to be defective in Phoenix, and Faribult, Minn.; there, the cities lost money because the meters were not reading accurately. Lucinda Wolff, of Mount Washington, says she has been experiencing two of the most common problems cited — reported increased usage and late-arriving bills. “The problems started this new year,” Wolff says. “Maybe if they get swamped with thousands of complaints, they’ll correct it.” For the past three months, Wolff’s water bills have been mailed to her late. Her February payment, for example, was due on Feb. 22, but she didn’t receive a bill until Feb. 28. As of March 23, she still had not received this month’s bill. At her son’s house, bills have been arriving but are greatly increased from average usage over the past three years. According to her records, her son’s water bills have averaged between $20 and $50. But his February “estimated” bill was $109.77, and his March “actual” bill was $221.69. “The customer had [two] consecutive estimates in the system followed by an actual reading. The estimates were comparable to their previous months’ usage,” said Rubin, after reviewing the usage at Wolff’s son’s home on Clarence Street. “During the estimated period, the customer had increased consumption that became evident when the actual reading was received.” But Wolff says water usage has not increased at the home, and their inspection of the water meter showed there are no leaks. “This is not just one or two or three people,” Wolff says. “It’s a bigger issue, and they just don’t seem to grasp that, or they don’t want to. It’s ridiculous.” R NU T TAL L @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
[GREEN LIGHT]
BLOOD WORK {BY BILL O’DRISCOLL} ENVIRONMENTAL poisons aren’t at all like
they used to be. Sure, tobacco smoke and asbestos still kill. But a more insidious — and more pervasive — class of chemicals is increasingly getting scientists’ attention. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances that imitate natural hormones in the body. We absorb them constantly, mostly through plastics and personal-care products. And a growing stack of studies links these synthetic chemicals to everything from asthma to low IQ, cancer and altered reproductive development. One widely publicized EDC was bisphenol-A, found in places like the linings of food cans. Possibly even more prevalent are a group of EDCs called phthalates. Though mostly used as binding agents and softeners in plastics, phthalates (“thale-ates”) are found in hundreds of products, from vinyl flooring and raincoats to cosmetics, personal-care items and food. In 2012, responding to research about risks to infants, Congress banned some phthalates in children’s toys and some child-care products. A 2014 Columbia University study tied prenatal phthalate exposure to a more than six-point decrease in IQ. Now, research from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health suggests further risks to pregnant women and their babies. The study explores how phthalates affect hCG, a pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta that affects fetal sex development. Data collected from more than 350 women (in states including California) found that among women with high phthalate exposure, there was lower hCG in those carrying male babies and higher hCG in those carrying female babies. Higher hCG, in turn, correlates with a shorter anogenital distance — the distance from anus to scrotum — in male babies. And shorter anogenital distance is strongly associated with low sperm count. The findings were presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, March 5 in San Diego, by Pitt epidemiologist Jennifer Adibi. “Our study is the first to look at hCG as a target of phthalate exposure in pregnancy,” Abidi said. Because a mother’s blood does not reach the fetus directly, the study suggests how maternal exposure to EDCs might influence fetal development. Though worrisome in itself, the Pitt study is only the tip of the EDC iceberg. Be-
sides phthalates, other EDCs include pesticides and flame retardants. In another study presented at the Endocrine Society meeting, Canadian researchers examined exposures by rats to both phthalates and the flame retardants on foam furniture cushions. (Flame retardants are also found in mattresses, children’s pajamas, electronics and car seats.) Researchers found that rat pups whose mothers received low doses of these compounds exhibited increased behaviors like those seen in humans with autism-spectrum disorders: less social interaction, for instance, and more hyperactivity. Study of EDCs — a field that barely existed 20 years ago — produced about 750 research papers last year, according to pioneering, New York-based researcher Shanna S. Swan, on whose work the recent Pitt study expanded. Some effects of EDCs might seem small: In the Pitt study, for instance, the average decline in anogenital distance was 5 percent. But these changes add up. As Adibi says, “We’re talking about something like lead and IQ,” where tiny toxic exposures, at levels once thought safe, proved disastrous in large populations over time. Prenatal EDC exposure has also been linked to problems like obesity, diabetes and attention-deficit disorder. A recent paper in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology estimated that EDC exposure costs the European Union 157 billion euros (about $209 billion) a year in medical expenses and lost earning potential. (Most of that is from pesticides, and most impacts are neurological, researchers said.) But that estimate accounts for only a fraction of the 1,000 or so likely EDCs. Most of those substances are neither regulated nor rigorously tested for health effects (let alone for interactions with other chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, in human bodies). Many will ask how individuals can protect themselves. And indeed, scientists say checking product labels and not microwaving plastic food containers are smart strategies for avoiding EDCs. But Adibi says we have to address EDC exposures on a bigger scale — with consumer advocacy, education of health-care providers and, yes, regulation: “The research is raising the red flag that the only way to tackle these exposures is to address them as a society.”
“THE RESEARCH IS RAISING THE RED FLAG.”
D RI S C OL L @ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM
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NEWS QUIRKS {BY ROLAND SWEET}
Rocco Tumbarello, 41, stole stuff from a home in West Boynton, Fla., authorities there said, but he didn’t get far. He lives across the street. The victim came home to find his 42-inch TV and his mother’s laptop gone, the sheriff’s report said, and spotted his neighbor “running across the street with his television in his hands.” (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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The civil marriage of Zubair Khan, 48, and Beata Szilagyi, 33, was exposed as a ruse to skirt British immigration laws when Khan couldn’t remember Szilagyi’s name. He delayed the ceremony to call his marriage broker for the name. The suspicious registrar called authorities, who arrested bride and groom for what Home Office immigration official Andy Sharpe called “a farcical, but nonetheless serious attempt.” (New York Daily News)
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The month after an inebriated government employee crashed a small drone on the White House lawn, the Secret Service announced plans to test its own “unmanned aircraft systems” to help protect the White House from drone attacks and other incursions. “I don’t think we’re talking about a battle of drones in the skies,” Michael Drobac, executive director of the pro-drone Small UAV Coalition, said. “This isn’t Battlestar Galactica gone drone. I think this is simply an ability to monitor. I’m confident they’re not intending to use weaponized drones.” (The Washington Times)
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted job opportunities for doctors to help monitor suspected smugglers’ bowel movements at N ew York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Applicants must be available around the clock to use X-rays to examine body cavities of suspected “swallowers.” If drugs or other contraband materials are detected, “the detainee may be held for a monitored bowel movement (MBM) to wait the passage of the contraband,” according to the CBP, which uses a high-tech toilet to recover the material from the waste passed by the suspected smuggler. (The Washington Times)
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Human waste left by climbers on Mount Everest is causing pollution and threatening to spread disease, according to the head of N epal’s mountaineering association. Ang Tshering told reporters that more than 700 foreign climbers and guides spend two months climbing the world’s tallest peak during the brief climbing season, leaving feces and urine at four camps where they stay to acclimate themselves to the altitude. “Climbers usually dig holes in the snow for their toilet use and leave the human waste there,” Tshering said, adding the waste has been “piling up” for years. (Associated Press)
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Erik Johnson spent 10 days in a hospital burn unit in Lindenhurst, N.Y., recovering from second- and third-degree burns after his iPhone exploded in his pocket. “I bent over to get keys, and all I heard was a ‘pop’ and after a little ‘ssshh,’ smoke coming out and just like an instant burn,” Johnson said. “My leg just starts going on fire, try to get it out, can’t get it out.
I was literally jumping up and down to get the phone out of my pocket, but I had dress pants on. I think the phone melted my pockets shut so I couldn’t get into it, and I had to rip my pants off. A couple of people actually said they could smell my body burning.” Apple said it is looking into the case. (CNN)
UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINMENT!
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Christopher Miller, 41, served 15 years in prison for robbing three businesses, including a Stride Rite shoe store in Toms River, N .J. The day after he was paroled, he returned to the same Stride Rite store and robbed the same clerk, who had been notified of Miller’s release. Miller pleaded guilty and faces 10 to 20 years in prison. (NJ.com)
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Mary McKaig, 54, asked a Florida court to void her online bid of $100,500 for a foreclosed home because she was under the influence of “judgment-altering” prescription diet pills. After her bid was accepted, McKaig discovered the property has more than $400,000 of debt. “The diet pill seems like a convenient excuse for not doing their research before bidding,” said Lloyd McClendon, CEO of RealAuction.com, which handled the transaction. (ABC News)
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Drug companies boost sales with promotional campaigns to create awareness of medical conditions that their drugs treat. A recent example is Vyvanse, which the Food and Drug Administration approved to treat binge eating, even though it previously forbade its maker, Shire, from promoting Vyvanse as an obesity drug because of its amphetamine content. The American Psychiatric Association officially recognized binge-eating disorder in 2013, opening up the new market for Vyvanse. “Once a pharmaceutical company gets permission to advertise for it, it can become quite widely prescribed, and even tend to be overpriced,” said Dr. B. Timothy Walsh, professor of psychiatry at the N ew York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University. (The New York Times)
ROB SCHNEIDER COMEDY SHOW
SATURDAY, APRIL 11
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Pfizer’s anti-smoking drug Chantix, which carries the FDA’s strongest warning label, following reports of suicidal tendencies and violent or bizarre behavior among patients, now will add an FDA warning that the drug can intensify the effects of drinking alcohol, sometimes leading to aggressive behavior or amnesia. The new warning follows Pfizer’s proposal that the FDA remove the old warning based on the company’s findings suggesting the drug doesn’t increase those problems. (CBS News and Associated Press)
7:30PM & 9:30PM
BANQUET SPACE | TICKETS START AT $35 Visit RiversCasino.com or the gift shop to purchase tickets.
SLOTS | TABLE GAMES | DINING | NIGHTLIFE 777 CASINO DRIVE, PITTSBURGH PA 15212 RIVERSCASINO.COM DOWNLOAD OUR APP RIVERSCASINO.COM/PITTSBURGH/APP
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Cho Hyn-ah, the former Korean Air vice president who ordered a plane back to its gate after a first-class flight attendant served her macadamia nuts in an unopened package instead of on a plate, received a year in prison for violating aviation safety law. Park Chang-jin, the steward who was removed from the plane, said Cho, one of South Korea’s wealthiest women, forced him and the junior attendant to apologize on their knees, “like slaves in a medieval era.” (The N ew York Times)
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21 years or older to be on Rivers Casino property. Artist’s performance may contain adult-themed or suggestive material.
C O M P I L E D F R O M MA INST R EA M NEW S SOURCES BY ROL AND SW EET. AUTHENTICATIO N O N D E M A N D.
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THE MEATBALLS OFFERED A GOOD BLEND OF BEEFINESS AND SEASONING
A BETTER PRETZEL {BY AL HOFF} There’s a lot to like about hard pretzels. The cool, loopy shape. They’re a lowerfat snack alternative to chips, and they stay crunchy for a long time. Introduced to the New World by the Pennsylvania Dutch, they were local long before eating local was a thing.
{PHOTO BY LISA CUNNINGHAM}
Twirly Girl’s “fennel and orange” pretzels
So why are bowls of pretzels left untouched at parties? For all their positive attributes, pretzels often taste pretty blah — like compressed paper covered in salt chunks. In a snack industry that covers everything in everything, there isn’t much to entice the more adventurous pretzeleater, besides a dusting of “honeymustard.” (The chocolate-covered pretzel is awesome, but that’s a candy bar with a pretzel inside.) Fortunately for Pittsburghers, there’s Verona’s Twirly Girl Baking Company, where Julie Steinhaus makes multi-grain hard pretzels in intriguing flavors. Like “fennel and orange,” which delivers a slightly sweet pretzel whose aromatic seasonings call to mind a sunny Mediterranean afternoon, rather than a dark, beer-soggy tavern. Still sweet, but also savory and spicy are the curry pretzels — like an Indian meal compressed into a crispy nugget. Other flavors include: rosemary, chipotle, snickerdoodle, and garlic and parmesan. The pretzels are large-format — their “tubes” at least a ½ inch thick — and are packaged pre-broken up for easy snacking; they are satisfyingly crunchy but not so dry they drain your mouth. (Butter is among the ingredients.) Sure, they cost more than standard pretzels, but it’s a good bet party-goers won’t leave these snacks languishing. AHOFF@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
Available at many local grocery and specialty stores. See list at www.twirly girlbakingco.com.
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{PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}
Bone-in veal chop, rosemary-and-garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted tricolored carrots and zucchini
MEATBALLS, MARINARA AND MORE {BY ANGELIQUE BAMBERG + JASON ROTH}
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HE ITALIAN chophouse may not be exactly a groundbreaking restaurant concept, but there’s a reason it’s never gone out of style. The chophouse menu naturally covers a broad range of prices and preparations, from kid-friendly spaghetti-and-meatballs to a hungry man’s porterhouse steak, from Alfredo to arrabiata, and filet of fish to filet mignon. A little more upscale than your average family weeknight meal, but neither exotic nor extravagant, the chophouse is well suited to first dates, birthday gatherings and just about any remotely special occasion involving people of disparate, or unknown, tastes. Trapuzzano Italian Chophouse, which opened recently on Walnut Street in Sha-
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
dyside, follows the current fashion for espresso-stained wood, fieldstone accents and arty black-and-white photography.
TRAPUZZANO ITALIAN CHOPHOUSE 5533 Walnut St., Shadyside. 412-688-8727 HOURS: Tue.-Thu. and Sun. noon-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. noon-11 p.m. PRICES: Appetizers, soups and salads $4-15.50; entrees, full portions $15-48, half portions $11-16.50 LIQUOR: Full bar
CP APPROVED The photographs’ subject — Pittsburgh streetscapes — and the restaurant’s second floor location give it a bit of a neigh-
borhood clubhouse feel. This was accentuated by the lounge, comfortably appointed with leather chairs and sofas and the source of the live jazz music that filled the adjacent dining room and bar. All signs pointed to relax. The menu was standard, featuring traditional Italian meat, seafood and pasta dishes. There’s nothing wrong with by-thebook preparations as long as they’re solid, and we quickly spotted a number of favorites from which we composed our order. Trapuzzano’s beans-and-greens was first rate. A rich, not thin, broth enhanced the tender, wilted escarole and creamy cannellini. Some recipes add meaty texture and savory flavor through sausage, but this one utilized pancetta, a brilliant
stroke. The little morsels of cured pork were chewy and intensely flavorful amid the milder backdrop of the earthy greens and beans. Only a slight over-saltiness, perhaps also attributable to the pancetta, kept this dish from perfection. The menu credits Trapuzzano’s polpe — meatballs — to a family recipe, and it’s a worthwhile one: The meatballs offered a good blend of beefiness and seasoning and a texture that balanced on the fine line between firm and loose, well away from dense and tough. The sauce was a simple marinara darkened with meatball juices, and a pleasing garnish of flat square shavings of Parmesan delivered bigger flavor than ordinary grated shreds. After these superb appetizers, we expected the kitchen to dispatch a dish as ubiquitous and almost uniformly competent as fried calamari with ease. But alas, Trapuzzano’s was sub-par at best. Beneath a tough, too-thick batter, the meat was rubbery and slightly dry. At our table, even mediocre calamari seldom goes unfinished, but this was an exception. The chef’s choice risotto — primavera — was another big disappointment. Gummy rice was bound into a sticky mass by a too-thick sauce, and the spring vegetables promised in the name, instead of being plentiful and flavorful, seemed thrown in just for color. Fettuccine Alfredo was better, with a sauce that consistently clung to the noodles without weighing them down. Jason thought he noted a hint of smokiness in the sauce, but we both agreed that the flavor was too restrained, without the big Parmesan punch that defines this dish. Bistecca Abruzzo, the best of our entrees, was also flawed. The beef was quite good, a tender cut of New York strip, expertly grilled so that it had enough presence to hold up under caramelized, almost melted onions and pungent Gorgonzola. Alongside was a pleasing presentation of tricolor carrots and tricolor potatoes, simply cooked and buttered. Only, they were not consistently cooked: One variety of carrot was too firm, while one of the potatoes was simply underdone. We could forgive this sort of thing at a humbler establishment, but at this location, at these prices, and in these surroundings, we expect execution to meet aspiration. We were charmed by Trapuzzano Italian Chophouse’s handsome dining room, comfortable lounge and welcoming service. As for the food, when it was good, it was very, very good. But, unfortunately, the kitchen lacked consistency in preparation, resulting in dishes that could use improvement.
On the RoCKs
{BY CELINE ROBERTS}
NOT JUST FOR GRANDPAS Grapperia takes a new look at a venerable drink
GRAPPA HAS A REPUTATION AS A DRINK FOR THE HARDENED, TOUGH AND WISE.
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“Most people’s first grappa experience is at 3 a.m. after a long night, when someone’s grandfather pours them a glass,” says Domenic Branduzzi, chef/ owner of Piccolo Forno and now of Grapperia, his newest venture. Opened in early March, the bar was dreamt up as the charming, cozy companion to the Lawrenceville restaurant, where guests can enjoy an aperitivo, a pick-me-up or a nightcap. In the context of Italian dining, this means amaro, espresso, grappa and wine, and at Grapperia it means beverages of Italian origin only. Beautifully and simply decorated and tucked away on a side street behind Piccolo Forno, Grapperia makes it easy to imagine life at a more Mediterranean pace. As the name suggests, the bar’s focus is grappa, a drink that’s been around since the Middle Ages and is distilled from pomace, the leftover pulp of grape seeds, stems and skins from wine-making. In the same family as liquors like akvavit, eau de vie and even vodka, grappa has earned a reputation as a drink for the hardened, tough and wise — or, as writer Italo Calvino put it, “suitable only for defrocked priests, unemployed bookkeepers and husbands who have been cuckolded.” If any of this holds true, my future lies in and then out of “the cloth.” My first delicate, tulip-shaped glass of Nardini Riserva, a barrel-aged grappa with a smooth, honeyed taste, not unlike top-shelf bourbon, will have me returning for more post haste. Poli Merlot Secca, a clear, pungent grappa derived from only Merlot grapes, was delivered when I asked for something Italian grandfathers would drink. It was slightly bitter, with strong notes of fruit and a satisfying after-burn. The menu also offers grappa cocktails as a familiar way to try something new. The G&T (grappa and tonic), with orange peel, rosemary and pink peppercorns, was summer in a glass and went down even easier than its more common cousin.
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THE FOLLOWING DINING LISTINGS ARE RESTAURANTS RECOMMENDED BY CITY PAPER FOOD CRITICS
DINING LISTINGS KEY
J = Cheap K = Night Out L = Splurge E = Alcohol Served F = BYOB
BENJAMIN’S WESTERN AVENUE BURGER BAR. 900 Western Ave., North Side. 412-224-2163. A casual-chic burger-and-sandwich joint is a tasty addition to the North Side. The menu consists of a matrix of burgers (two sizes, nine topping combos, beef or veggie patty), four other sandwiches and eight beer-friendly “snacks” (from nuts to a charcuterie platter). Prices aren’t dinercheap, but then some burgers come with red-wine-braised onion and truffle mustard. KE
A Taste of the Caribbean
Curry & Jerk Chicken, C Fish or S Shrimp.
EL BURRO COMEDOR. 1108 Federal St., North Side. 412-904-3451. A casual Southern California-style taqueria offers a variety of tacos, burritos and Cal-Mex specialties, such as carne asada fries, Tijuana dogs and chilaquiles (a homey casserole). Tacos are come with a variety of fillings, including mahi mahi and shrimp, and burrito fillings run from standard to breakfast and French fries and steak. JF
Daily Specials!
823 East Warrington W Ave | Pittsburgh TAKEOUT AVAILABLE | 412-431-5366
Serving Breakfast & Lunch
Did d yo you know you kno k now n ow we offer... ow offer f • B Breakfast Br kf t All All D Day • Vegetarian Options • Gluten-Free • Preservative Free • Sausage & Angus Beef • Locally Home-Grown Vegetables • And so much more
NAKAMA JAPANESE. 1611 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-6000. Pittsburghers are crazy about this sushi bar/ steakhouse, and every weekend pretty people crowd inside to watch the knife-wielding chefs. Presentation is key for customers and restaurant alike: The interior is smart, the chefs entertaining, and the food is good, if pricey. LE
1718 Mt. Royal Blvd Mt. Royal Plaza | GLENSHAW Next to Shaler Middle School
NICKY’S THAI KITCHEN. 856 Western Ave., North Side (412-321-8424) and 903 Penn Ave., Downtown (412-471-8424). This restaurant offers outstanding
www.colecafe.com (412) 486-5513
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NU MODERN JEWISH BISTRO. 1711 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-422-0220. This modern take on the traditional Jewish deli makes the argument that such Eastern European cuisine deserves to be served alongside the world’s favorites. Stop in for matzoh-ball soup, egg creams, blintzes and classic deli sandwiches, including one made with “Montreal meat,” a sort of Canadian hybrid of corned beef and pastrami. JF
THE LIBRARY. 2304 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-0517. The entrée list at this bookishthemed bistro is short, usually a good sign that the chef is focusing on the strengths of his kitchen and the season’s freshest foods. Dishes revolve around the staples of meat, seafood and pasta, but in fearless and successful preparations that make the menu a worthwhile read. KE
blogh.pghcitypaper.com
Work yourself into a lather. Rinse. Repeat.
GREEN PEPPER. 2020 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-2277. At this family-run restaurant, diners will find authentic Korean recipes refreshingly not reconstituted for timid Americans — no egg rolls or ChineseAmerican stir-fries. Dumplings contain kimchi, and the soup is pumpkin. Entrees include the more-familiar bulgogi (barbecued beef), as well as bibimbap, in which meat and veggies are mixed with rice. KE
Benjamin’s Western Avenue Burger Bar {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL} Thai cuisine — from familiar options to chef’s specials that are truly special, such as gaprow lad kao (a Thai stir-fry) and salmon mango curry. The flavors here are best described as intense, yet without overwhelming the fresh ingredients. KF
and impeccable service. LE OSTERIA 2350. 2350 Railroad St., Strip District. 412-281-6595. You won’t get better casual Italian cooking for your money than here. The menu has been pared to the essentials of Italian cuisine: antipasti, pizza, panini and pasta — and their preparations represent a unique marriage of Old-World recipes and local ingredients. JE PLUM PAN-ASIAN KITCHEN. 5996 Penn Circle South, East Liberty. 412-363-7586. The swanky space incorporates a dining room, sushi bar and cocktail nook. The pan-Asian menu consists mostly of well-known — and elegantly presented — dishes such as lo mein, seafood hot pot, Thai curries and basil stir-fries. Entrées are reasonably priced, so splurge on a signature cocktail or house-made dessert. KE ROOT 174. 1113 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-2434348. The foundation of the menu is also a basic formula: fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. To this, add an adventurous selection of meat products, such as bonemarrow brûlée and smoked salmon sausage. Dishes have lengthy ingredient lists, but it all comes together in satisfying and surprising ways. LE
The Library {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL} OFF THE HOOK. 98 Warrendale Village Drive, Warrendale. 724-719-2877. This fine-dining fish restaurant features a menu almost exclusively from the sea; even the pastas are seafood-centric. The fresh-fish section has a variety of suggested preparations, from classic (almondine) to modern (finished with chimichurri). Off the Hook also offers a fresh-oyster bar, expertly curated wine selection
SELMA’S TEXAS BARBECUE. 9155 University Blvd., Moon. 412-329-7003. The decor suggests humble and down-home, but the ingredients and preparation seem tailored to appeal to foodies, with everything from lemonade to tartar sauce and baked beans made in-house. Best of all, each meat has its own custom rub and is dry-smoked for hours, then served unsauced so that diners can choose from the six different styles on offer. KF
40 Craft Beers w
ontap w
BRUNCH 10am-2pm Sat & SUN Off The Hook {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}
Tuesday
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TSUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT. 11655 Frankstown Road, Penn Hills. 412-242-0188. Most of the myriad sushi rolls on offer center on just a handful of raw options, rounded out with traditional cooked ingredients such as eel and shrimp. The menu offers the full gamut of maki, from classics like cucumber or tuna to truly original creations, some of them just short of gimmickry. KF
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$2 Yuengling 16oz Draft ____________________
1/2 Price Wine by the Bottle ____________________
TWISTED THISTLE. 127 Market St., Leechburg. 724-236-0450. This cozy restaurant, set in a restored 1902 hotel, offers above-average fare, reasonably priced. Alongside the contemporary American flavors are numerous Asianinspired dishes, such as soup made from kabocha pumpkin. From po’boy oyster appetizers to STONEPEPPER’S GRILL. crab cakes and over-sized 1614 Washington short ribs, each dish is Road, Upper St. Clair. carefully conceived 412-854-4264. Though and prepared. KE seemingly calculated www. per pa to be just another VERDE. 5491 Penn pghcitym .co chain, StonePepper’s Ave., Garfield. 412-404relies on good 8487. The menu here isn’t proportions and expert straight Mexican, but presents preparations to give some some traditional items, including distinction to familiar fare like tableside-prepared guacamole pizza, burgers and salads. Don’t and grilled corn-on-the-cob, with miss the signature dessert: reconceived classics, invented, cinnamon-bun pizza. KE fusion-y dishes like tacos with roasted sweet potatoes, fried TOAST! KITCHEN & WINE BAR. chickpeas and Mexican-style 5102 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield. tzatziki. There is also an extensive 412-224-2579. In this intimate tequila list and a patio for restaurant, the emphasis is on warm-weather dining. KE local, seasonal ingredients simply yet inventively prepared. WAFFLES, INCAFFEINATED. Menu items change frequently 1224 Third Ave., New Brighton and feature combinations both (724-359-4841) and 2517 E. Carson straightforward (shrimp and grits) St., South Side (412-301-1763). and unexpected (add habañero The fresh-made waffles cheddar and brown-sugar butter here are a marvelous foil for to that). Or try the chef’s tasting, sweet and savory toppings. a unique four-course dinner just Sweet options include the for you. LE Funky Monkey (chocolate chips, bananas, peanut butter and TRAM’S KITCHEN. 4050 Penn chocolate sauce). The Breakfast Ave., Bloomfield. 412-682-2688. Magic has bacon, cheddar This tiny family-run storefront and green onions inside, café packs in the regulars. Most topped with a fried egg and begin their meal with an order of sour cream. Or customize fresh spring rolls, before moving your waffles with a dizzying on to authentic preparations of array of mix-ins. J
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Pork & Pounder $10 ____________________
• 1/2 Off Draft Beers • $1 Off Bottled Beers • $2 Off Margaritas • “Beer of the Day” specials and Nacho specials.
Friday
Sangria $2.95 ____________________
Saturday & Sunday 10:30am-3pm
24th & E. Carson St. in the South Side 412-390-1111 100 Adams Shoppes Mars/Cranberry 724-553-5212 DoubleWideGrill.com
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Brunch Specials & Bloody Mary Bar
----- HAPPY HOUR ----1/2 OFF SNACKS $2 OFF DRAFTS $5 WINE FEATURE
Mon- Fri 4:30 – 6:30pm ____________________
2031 Penn Ave. (at 21st) • 412.904.1242
900 Western Ave. I NORTH SIDE
now open 7 days a week!
@casareynamex
412-224-2163
BenjaminsPgh.com
The FRESHEST Local Produce from The Strip
NNING SAND W WI
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STOKE’S GRILL. 4771 McKnight Road, Ross Township. 412-3695380. There is an art to making a really good sandwich, and the technique has been mastered here. The lengthy menu spans traditional sandwiches but also burgers, quesadillas and wraps, as well as salads and homemade soups. Originality is a hallmark: “Green fries” are shoestrings tossed with pesto, artichoke hearts and bits of brie. FJ
pho, noodle bowls and friedrice dishes. The menu is small, but the atmosphere is lively and inviting. JF
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THE SMILING MOOSE. 1306 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-4314668. The Carson Street bar and nightclub offers a top-notch sandwich and salad menu, by bringing creativity, quality preparation and a knack for wellselected ingredients to the burgers, sandwiches and appetizers. Options include: shrimp skewers with smoked peppers, corn-andblack-bean fritters and a roster of inventive sliders. JE
Famous BBQ RiBS! Vegan &Veggie Specialties,too!
NorthSide Sandwich ars Running! Winner 3 Ye
TIC THAI CUISINE AUTHEN
HAPPY HOUR
1/2 /2 OFF ALL DRAFTS & $2 OFF MUNCHIES
TACOS & CARIBBEAN FUSION
East Liberty
Mon-Thurs 5-7 Fri & Sat 4:30-7:30
130 S. Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15206 412.362.7969
ALL LUNCHES
Beechview
OPEN DAILY • 11AM - 1:30AM
862 WESTERN AVE. 412-321-4550
2056 Broadway Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15216 412.344.4700
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1906 PENN AVENUE STRIP DISTRICT 412-586-4107 LITTLEBANGKOKINTHESTRIP.COM
themoderncafe.com
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LOCAL
“WE’RE FLYING THE FLAG FOR TRADITIONAL HEAVY METAL.”
BEAT
{BY ZACH BRENDZA}
From the opening notes of “Species,” the first single of Balloon Ride Fantasy’s new self-titled full-length, the band makes something very clear — the song could only be theirs. The six-piece “fantasy rock” band sounds like something out of a sci-fi thriller — think Daft Punk meets Swimming With Dolphins, with spacey vocal harmonies. “I can’t be [generic]. I’ll have to add shit until it’s not,” explains singer/guitarist Chris Olszewski. “Even if it’s not as good. I don’t care. I wanna be different.” It’s that need to stand out that drove the creation of the band’s LP, which will officially be released on April 7 — the band will play its release show a little early, on Saturday. BRF started in 2009 as a Postal Service-like collaboration between Olszewski and guitarist Phil Conley, both of whom had been members of prog-rock band Federali. Conley would send music to Olszewski, who would add lyrics. After releasing Monocle City in 2011, the two solidified a larger lineup, and in 2013 started working on Balloon Ride Fantasy. Even without knowing the band’s distinct sound, the name will likely stand out. Years ago, during a post-Federali practice hangout at Dee’s Cafe, Conley joked that they should start a side project called Balloon Ride Fantasy. Others at the bar thought it was stupid, but Olszewski liked it. Immediately, he knew what he wanted the band to sound like: something from the ‘80s, something that could have come out of the movie Legend. The band may have started as a joke, but Olszewski took the making of this record seriously. Everything on the forthcoming LP, apart from the live drums, was recorded in Olszewski’s bedroom in Sharpsburg. Taking a meticulous approach, he re-recorded the guitar and bass parts multiple times, and even mixed the record himself which, in this case, was a particularly daunting task: to get the sound wanted, he created 70 to 100 tracks on each song. “[I’m] not a professional by any means, but I can pull it off … I’ve been doing it for awhile,” adding with a modest chuckle, “I’m alright.” INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
BALLOON RIDE FANTASY with WICKED CHIEF. 9 p.m., Sat., March 28. Pittsburgh Winery, 2815 Penn Ave., Strip District. $12. 412-566-1000 or www.pittsburghwinery.com
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Balloon Ride Fantasy {PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN PELUSO}
FLOAT ON
LADY BEAST MODE {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}
{BY SHAWN COOKE}
T
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be the first to agree that there’s nothing wrong with reinventing the heavy-metal wheel. It’s just not for them. Forget about anything after 1988 — they’re unapologetically committed to reviving the golden age of heavy metal. In their world, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motörhead might as well be The Beatles, The Stones and Led Zeppelin. “We’re flying the flag for traditional heavy metal,” says drummer Adam Ramage. The flag flies again this Saturday, when Lady Beast plays a record-release show at Cattivo for its second LP, Lady Beast II. It’s a follow-up to 2012’s self-titled debut, but it’s also the recording debut of Lady Beast’s current lineup. At a bar in Bloomfield, the members of Lady Beast behave like a pack of siblings, occasionally talking over one another. It’s endearingly apparent that they’re of the same mind about heavy metal and the music industry at large, as well as playing music simply out of passion,
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
Playing their Cards: Lady Beast
with no financial strings attached. Vocalist Deborah Levine acts as the band’s matriarch, reining in the conversation when it starts to rehash the same topics. Whenever Ramage — her boyfriend, who’s already had a couple drinks — takes the imaginary mic to talk about the band’s disdain for working with concert promoters and record labels, Levine laughs, playfully pushes him and says, “OK, next question.”
LADY BEAST
WITH RADIUM GIRLS AND CRUCES
10 p.m. Sat., March 28. Cattivo, 146 44th St., Lawrenceville. $8. 412-687-2157 or www.cattivopgh.com
Considering this tight-knit family dynamic, it might seem difficult for Lady Beast to overcome losing a member. But that’s what will happen after the release show. Kinnett, the band’s lead guitarist, will play his final Lady Beast gig this Saturday. Sometimes personal responsibilities have
to take precedence over the music, and Kinnett says that, for now, his own family had to come before his band family. But Levine makes clear that the break-up can hardly be called a “break-up,” since “there was no bad blood, [and] it was very mature and thought-out.” Despite the impending change, they wanted to maintain the consistency and cohesion to properly roll out Lady Beast II. “It was important for all of us that we completed the album and, more importantly, played the record-release show with this lineup before the transition [happened],” Kinnett said. Kinnett’s exit doesn’t mean the band will have to take time to break in a new guitarist. Stephen Lauck, the band’s original lead guitarist, will return to take his place. Lauck moved to California just before the debut of the first album. Levine and company call it a stroke of luck that another like-minded bandmate moved back into the area right after Kinnett announced his departure. That first album was recorded during CONTINUES ON PG. 18
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LADY BEAST MODE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 16
the band’s infancy, through several personnel changes. At that point, Levine and bassist Greg Colaizzi were still picking up the pieces of their former band, Long to Hell, and trying to solidify a new group. But Lady Beast II was recorded entirely by the current lineup — including Kinnett and rhythm guitarist Christopher Tritschler — and, this time around, songwriting duties were split more evenly across the band. “It’s like a wine that’s been aging,” Levine says. Lady Beast’s dueling riff-work, howls and rapid-fire drumming are unmistakably heavy metal, but the band’s philosophy isn’t far removed from punk — raging against homophobia and racism while celebrating multiculturalism and a DIY ethos. Maintaining that DIY independence is especially important: Lady Beast releases its albums on Colaizzi’s own record label, Cobra Cabana Records. According to the band, signing with a bigger record label would limit its creative freedom. “This group of people is more interested in doing what we believe in than doing what would help our career,” Ramage said. But there’s a currency in legacy, and the members of Lady Beast would See an h wit rather achieve staying interviewast’s power instead of beLady Be an m front wo w. coming what Colaizzi on ww er. ap calls an “overly trendy pghcityp com. blip.” With his first son on the way, Colaizzi also wants Lady Beast’s value system to endure as an example. “It’s something that I want my son to see: why his dad does this,” Colaizzi said. “If he sees someone walking down the street in a Lady Beast T-shirt and says, ‘My dad did that,’ nothing would make me prouder.” Levine’s lyrics rarely venture into straight-ahead social commentary, and she tries to avoid vulgarity and dark topics — even when the songs explore witchcraft and Nordic rune magic, themes the band newly plumbs on Lady Beast II. “We’re really not trying to shock anyone — that’s why our appeal kind of extends to all audiences,” Levine said. She doesn’t write many personal songs for Lady Beast, either. “People don’t really need to know what’s going on with me,” she explains, though her positivity on Lady Beast II seems to indirectly stem from her past experiences. “‘Caged Fury’ is kind of like this song about being put down or abused or feeling alone — which definitely stemmed from things in my personal past,” Levine said. “But it’s mainly just a message that, I’ve been where you are, I see you, you’re not alone: Let’s rise up from this and continue. Because things only get better.” INF O @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
ON THE RECORD
with Mike Hadreas {BY SHAWN COOKE} Mike Hadreas is dead serious about the music he performs as Perfume Genius — which ranges from somber confessions to defiant anthems aimed at anyone who feels uncomfortable when he walks by. His Twitter personality, however, often provides much lighter fare. We asked Hadreas, who plays a sold-out show at The Warhol this Friday, to elaborate on some of his tweets. The sillier my tweets get, the sadder my music becomes.
I kind of veer in between those two extremes. Even looking back on memories that were not the best, some days I can kind of laugh about them because they’re so over-the-top. But then if I’m in a different mood the next day … it can be kind of devastating.
Pretty sure I could destroy him with Just a Look, someone put us in a room together and watch Eminem slowly wither from my witch glance There’s a lot of jokes that he could have made that weren’t rape jokes or weren’t about stabbing faggots and shit, and I would have found those more funny than the jokes he has on his albums.
Whyyy am I wearing a dress, watching creationist youtube videos and drinking diet coke straight from the 2 liter There’s been a lot of times when my boyfriend goes out of town right when we get back from a tour, and the combination of jet lag if we’ve been abroad and having the whole house to myself can get really weird for me. INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
PERFUME GENIUS with JENNY HVAL. 8 p.m. Fri., March 27. The Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky St., North Side. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org
INDIGO GIRLS WITH THE
A P R I L 3 0 , 2 0 1 5 8 P. M . • H E I N Z H A L L Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are still doing what they do best: bringing their sublime harmonies to their heartfelt catalog of songs. Audiences will hear all-time favorites like “Kid Fears,” “Power of Two” and “Closer to Fine,” all as part of their debut performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
P I T T S B U R G H S Y M P H O N Y. O R G • 4 1 2 . 3 9 2 . 4 9 0 0 N E W S
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Be immersed in a live laser light show that features animated graphics and 3D atmospheric effects! {PHOTO COURTESY OF LANCE BANGS}
Mountains of sound: Screaming Females
Check out Laser OutKast & Laser SkrillStep!
RIOT ACT {BY CARALYN GREEN}
SHOWS & TIMES:
CarnegieScienceCenter.org
SCREAMING FEMALES’ latest LP, this year’s Rose Mountain, is the band’s sixth in a decade, and the first it hasn’t self-produced. “You just have to do things that are uncomfortable,” says Marissa Paternoster, the Jersey punk trio’s frontwoman and guitar shredder. “And know that the discomfort will always pass, and the only thing that could happen is that you benefit from the experience.”
SCREAMING FEMALES
WITH SHELLSHAG, THE LOPEZ 9 p.m. Sun., March 29. Brillobox, 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $10-12. 412-621-4900 or www.brillobox.net
For Screaming Females, discomfort may be the sweetest spot. Rose Mountain is a monster of a 35-minute album. It’s urgent, candid rock that packs a heavy punch and makes your heart grow three sizes. For the uninitiated, here’s a quick primer on Paternoster, who returns to Pittsburgh for the first time since opening for Kathleen Hanna’s band, The Julie Ruin, last year,
T h e r e a s o n R o s e M o u n t a i n ’s + standout track “Wishing Well” sounds so breezy is because it came
together just like that: It was “actually kinda really pleasant,” Paternoster says. Out of all the songs on Rose Mountain, “Wishing Well” emerged most “naturally, or organically, or whatever.” And though critics seem to be saying it has a “tropical feel,” Paternoster just thinks it feels Motown. Though she’s not averse to whatever an island might feel like. Especially after this winter.
+ The ’90s are where it’s at:
Waxing poetic about recent riot-grrrl reunions — Sleater-Kinney, L7, Babes in Toyland — Paternoster asserts, “I am essentially a product of them. I basically am just, like, a weird little gremlin stepchild of all those bands combined.” Speaking of the ’90s, Paternoster will always pine after Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream (“I’ll never listen to that record and not feel totally stoned on how good it is”) and Fiona Apple (“Everything she’s ever done is my favorite thing ever”).
“I AM A WEIRD LITTLE GREMLIN STEPCHILD OF ALL THOSE BANDS COMBINED.”
+ Teenage angst is what fuels her art:
In addition to music, Paternoster creates comics and illustrations, which she describes as “absurdly cathartic.” “You go temporarily insane when you’re a teenager. Your brain chemistry is all mucked up,” she says. “And there are moments in my adult life where I feel like I’ve turned into a teenager again, and sometimes the only way I can deal with feeling kind of nuts is sitting down and calmly drawing or writing it out.”
If the whole rock + thing doesn’t pan out long term, she could make
a killing as a motivational speaker: If you ever need a
pep talk, minus the pom-poms, plus a dose of swagger, talk to Paternoster. To her, music is about “galvanizing” folks into “how much courage [they] have inside” — whether that’s picking up a guitar or talking to a crush or going to business school. “If the want is strong enough, and if you truly have a desire to do something, you’re going to do it because the want is going to be all-consuming. You feel haunted by your desire. That trajectory will find you.”
thinks Ke$ha is “pretty cool,” + She but deems Taylor Swift “gross”: No one is perfect.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
{PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH BEHLER}
CRITICS’ PICKS
Johanna Warren
[BENEFIT CONCERT] + THU., MARCH 26
[PUNK] + TUE., MARCH 31
For the fourth annual CureRock benefit concert, show organizers have booked its most high-profile performer yet — Florida-based singer-songwriter Matt Hires. Proceeds from the event go to efforts to fight pediatric and adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer, and you can choose to either purchase your own ticket or a donation ticket which goes to a childhood cancer patient. Hires will be joined by locals Andre Costello and the Cool Minors and Brooke Annibale at the Hard Rock Café. Shawn Cooke 7 p.m. 230 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square. $25 and up. 21 and over. 412-481-7625 or www.curerock.org
[AMERICANA] + FRI., MARCH 27
Gary Antol, guitarist/ singer/mandolin player of The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers, started playing guitar at age 5, and those years of experience shine through. Rounded out by fiddler Libby Eddy, Mitch Hall on the banjo and Ed Croft on upright bass, these locals (formerly The Weedrags) play Americana and revival bluegrass like they’ve been at it for a century; though if they had, they probably wouldn’t sound this jubilantly youthful and even, dare I say, modern. Hear for yourself when they play the Thunderbird Café tonight, with Grand Ole Ditch. Margaret Welsh 9 p.m. 4023 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $8-10. 412-682-0177 or www.thunderbirdcafe.net
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The Hoteliers’ Home, Like Noplace Is There is sort of like the good kid, m.A.A.d. city of emo — both are misleadingly catchy records with deep regret, grief and haunting introspection. Home catapulted the band into the music world’s consciousness and led to a whole bunch of touring, including two previous Pittsburgh stops. As Home passes its one-year mark, this could be the last time to see that excellent record performed locally for a while. The Hoteliers open for Title Fight, who released the great Hyperview last month, and La Dispute Matt Hires at the Altar Bar. SC 8 p.m. 1620 Penn Ave., Strip District. $20.50. 412-263-2877 or www.thealtarbar.com
[FOLK] + WED., APRIL 01
Johanna Warren’s new record, numun — out this May — is dedicated to something near and dear to the Oregon-based singersongwriter’s heart: the moon. As she puts it, “I am restoring balance to my body and making peace with the cycles of all natural things … by collectively cultivating her, may we restore balance to our world.” That may sound a bit … um … Pacific Northwest-y, but Warren’s ethereal open-tuned folk has gained heft since 2013’s Fates. Her eyes are turned toward the sky, but her roots run deep. Tonight she plays City Grows Garden Center with Adron, Donny, Huntress Thompson and Lea Marra. MW 7 p.m. 5208 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $5. 412-781-2082
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TO SUBMIT A LISTING: HTTP://PGHCITYPAPER.COM/HAPPENINGS
412.316.3388 (FAX) + 412.316.3342 X165 (PHONE)
{ALL LISTINGS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 9 A.M. FRIDAY PRIOR TO PUBLICATION}
THU 26
ALTAR BAR. The Ghost Inside, The Acacia Strain, Gideon, In Hearts Wake. Strip District. 412-263-2877. CLUB CAFE. Darlingside, Tall Heights. South Side. 866-468-3401. HOWLERS COYOTE CAFE. Off With Their Heads, PEARS, Barons, Worlds Scariest Police Chases. BloomďŹ eld. 412-682-0320. PITTSBURGH WINERY. Matthew Perryman Jones. Strip District. 412-566-1000.
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MONDAY, APRIL 20 8 PM › BENEDUM CENTER
53645"354 03( t BOX OFFICE AT THEATER SQUARE 412-456-6666 a GROUPS 10+ TICKETS 412-471-6930 22
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
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31ST STREET PUB. Insubordination, Porno Tongue, Danger Signs. Strip District. 412-391-8334. ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM. Perfume Genius w/ Jenny Hval. North Side. 412-237-8300. CLUB CAFE. Edward David Anderson w/ Aaron Lefebvre (Early). Billy Strings & Don Julin, Lone Pine String Band (Late). South Side. 866-468-3401. THE DEAD HORSE CANTINA & MUSIC HALL. Gasoline Heart. McKees Rocks. 412-458-3942. THE FALLOUT SHELTER. Under Everything, Divine Tragedy, Rule of Two, Killing Precious Time. Aliquippa. 740-424-0302. GOOSKI’S. The Gotobeds, Jail Solidarity & Birth Defects. Polish Hill. 412-681-1658. LINDEN GROVE. Dancing Queen. Castle Shannon. 412-882-8687. MEADOWS CASINO. Soul Miners. Washington. 724-503-1200. MOONDOG’S. Punkapalooza. Pittsburgh’s marathon jamband festival w/ 19 jam, bluegrass & punk rock acts. Also at Starlite Lounge next door. Blawnox. 412-828-2040. MR. SMALLS THEATER. BadďŹ sh (Tribute To Sublime), The YJJ’s. Millvale. 412-821-4447. OAKS THEATER. The Gathering Field. Oakmont. 412-828-6311. REX THEATER. Marco Benevento & Mike Dillon Band. South Side. 412-381-6811. THUNDERBIRD CAFE. Jacob’s Ferry Stragglers w/ Grand Ole Ditch. Lawrenceville. 412-682-0177. WILLIAM PITT UNION. Waxahatchee, Swearin’, Naked Spirit. Oakland. 412-648-7990.
SAT 28
31ST STREET PUB. Cotton Jackson, Bottle Rat, Legendary Hucklebucks. Strip District. 412-391-8334. ALTAR BAR. Kalin & Myles. Strip District. 412-263-2877. BLOOMFIELD BRIDGE TAVERN. Grand Bell w/ Pond Hockey.
BloomďŹ eld. 412-682-8611. CLUB CAFE. Bill Toms & Hard Rain ft. The Soulville Horns. Record release. South Side. 412-431-4950. FIRESIDE INN. Moose Tracks. Crafton. 412-921-5566. HOWLERS COYOTE CAFE. Bloated Sluts, Grumpy, Neverweres. BloomďŹ eld. 412-682-0320. THE LOOSE MOOSE. Gone South w/ Jawless Fish. Baldwin. 412-655-3553. MEADOWS CASINO. The Key of X. Washington. 724-503-1200. MOONDOG’S. Punkapalooza. Pittsburgh’s marathon jamband festival w/ 19 jam, bluegrass & punk rock acts. Also at Starlite Lounge next door. Blawnox. 412-828-2040. MR. SMALLS THEATER. Houndmouth w/ Parker Millsap. Millvale. 412-821-4447. THE R BAR. Bridgewater Station. Dormont. 412-942-0882. REX THEATER. Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, Humming House. South Side. 412-381-6811. THE SHOP. ArtiďŹ cial Brain, Die
Choking, Meth Quarry. BloomďŹ eld. 412-951-0622. SMILING MOOSE. Kind of Like Spitting, The City On Film, Lee Corey Oswald. South Side. 412-431-4668. THE VALLEY HOTEL. Instant Gators. 412-233-9800. WOOLEY BULLY’S. The Dave Iglar Band. New Brighton. 724-494-1578.
SUN 29
BRILLOBOX. Screaming Females, Shellshag, The Lopez. BloomďŹ eld. 412-621-4900. CLUB CAFE. Liz Longley, Anthony D’Amato. South Side. 866-468-3401. DOUBLE WIDE GRILL. Vince’s Bday Bash, Duane Jones, Melissa Knauer, Chrissy Carnevali, Evan Knauer, Sex Tet Offensive, Meet the Beatless. South Side. 412-390-1111.
MON 30
31ST STREET PUB. Brief Lives, T-Tops, Lure. Strip District. 412-391-8334.
MP 3 MONDAY THE JAKOB’S FERRY STRAGGLERS {PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDON PEDORMO}
ROCK/POP
Each week, we bring you a new MP3 from a local band. This week’s offering comes from The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers, which plays Fri., March 27, at The Thunderbird CafĂŠ (4023 Butler St., Lawrenceville). Stream or download “Scattered Piecesâ€? from the band’s new record, The Lane Change, for free on our music blog, FFW>>, at pghcitypaper.com
& BAR. RML Jazz. Overbrook. 412- 882-6500.
COUNTRY
FRI 27
THU 26
WASHINGTON, D.C.
ECLIPSE LOUNGE. Roger Barbour Jazz Trio. Lawrenceville. 412-251-0097. MCG @ 800 PENN AVENUE. Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra. Downtown. 412-322-0800. OMNI WILLIAM PENN. Frank Cunimondo & Pat Crossly. Downtown. 412-281-7100. PARK HOUSE. Neon Swing Experience. North Side. 412-224-2273.
{TUE., APRIL 07}
SAT 28
These tours aren’t slated to come to Pittsburgh, but maybe they’re worth a road trip!
Jose Gonzales
HARD ROCK CAFE. Lee Robinson. Station Square. 412-481-7625. LEMONT. Phil & Roxy. Mt. Washington. 412-431-3100. SUPPER CLUB RESTAURANT. RML Jazz. Greensburg. 724-850-7245. WIGHTMAN SCHOOL. The Boilermaker Jazz Band. Squirrel Hill. 412-421-1623.
9:30 Club
COLUMBUS {WED., MAY 06}
Tyler the Creator Newport Music Hall
SUN 29
CLEVELAND
OMNI WILLIAM PENN. Frank Cunimondo. Downtown. 412-281-7100.
{THU., JUNE 25}
Melvins
MON 30
The Grog Shop
TUE 31
31ST STREET PUB. The Queers, Richie Ramone, The Atom Age, Weapons of Choice. Strip District. 412-391-8334. CLUB CAFE. Avi Diamond, Slowdanger. South Side. 866-468-3401. MR. SMALLS THEATER. Simon Posford. Millvale. 412-821-4447.
WED 01
CLUB CAFE. Laser Background, The Neffs & Big Gypsy. South Side. 866-468-3401. PITTSBURGH WINERY. American Opera. Strip District. 412-566-1000. SMILING MOOSE. Dreamers, The Kickbacks, The John Trumaine Show. South Side. 412-431-4668.
DJS
ECLIPSE LOUNGE. Open Jazz Night w/ the Howie Alexander Trio. Lawrenceville. 412-251-0097.
ROWDY BUCK. Top 40 Dance. South Side. 412-431-2825. S BAR. Pete Butta. South Side. 412-481-7227.
WED 01
SPOON. Spoon Fed. East Liberty. 412-362-6001.
HIP HOP/R&B THU 26
MR. SMALLS THEATER. Rakim w/ Dead Prez. Millvale. 412-821-4447. REX THEATER. Kool Keith, w/ Bilderburgh, Billy Pilgrim, Mr. Owl & Spaed, Tracksploitation. South Side. 412-381-6811.
BLUES FRI 27
NOLA ON THE SQUARE. Billy Price. Downtown. 412-471-9100.
THU 26
ALLEGHENY WINE MIXER. DJ SMI. Lawrenceville. 412-252-2337. BELVEDERE’S. Neon w/ DJ hatesyou. 80s Night. Lawrenceville. 412-687-2555. CLUB TABOO. DJ Matt & Gangsta Shak. Homewood. 412-969-0260.
FRI 27
ONE 10 LOUNGE. DJ Goodnight, DJ Rojo. Downtown. 412-874-4582. ROWDY BUCK. Top 40 Dance. South Side. 412-431-2825. RUGGER’S PUB. 80s Night w/ DJ Connor. South Side. 412-381-1330.
SAT 28
DIESEL. DJ CK. South Side. 412-431-8800.
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SAT 28
DOWNEY’S HOUSE. 32-20 Blues Band. Robinson. 412-489-5631. OTTO’S PUB. Angel Blue Band. Canonsburg. 724-873-4699. PALACE INN. Sweaty Betty. New Brighton. 724-843-2110. WESTWOOD GOLF CLUB. Bobby Hawkins Back Alley Blues. West Mifflin. 412-462-9555.
SUN 29
THE R BAR. The Midnite Horns. Dormont. 412-942-0882.
JAZZ THU 26
GIANNA VIA’S RESTAURANT
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THUNDERBIRD CAFE. Space Exchange Series w/ Synthesis Quartet. Lawrenceville. 412-682-0177.
Orozco-Estrada, leads Brahm’s First Symphony. Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-392-4900. RESONANCE WORKS. A sono-mosaic program that explores the lament through words & music from the 18th through 20th centuries. Waverly Presbyterian Church, Regent Square. 412-607-1892.
ELWOOD’S PUB. Midnight Rooster. Rural Ridge. 724-265-1181.
SAT 28
HARVEY WILNER’S. River Trail. West Mifflin. 412-466-1331. MEADOWS CASINO. Steeltown Religion. Washington. 724-503-1200. OBEY HOUSE. Mo Nelson Band. Crafton. 412-922-3883.
CLASSICAL THU 26
SAT 28
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Four Horns opens w/ “The Rise of Exotic Computing”. The horn section then performs as soloists in Robert Schumann’s “Concert Piece,” Andres OrozcoEstrada, leads Brahm’s www. per a p First Symphony. pghcitym .co Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-392-4900.
FULL LIST E N O LIN
DEL SOL QUARTET. Performing music from around the world, including the Pittsburgh premiere of “Gâtâr (Calligraphy No. 11)” by CMU’s Reza Vali. Kresge Theater, CMU, Oakland. 412-268-4921. KATE CLARK & ANN CLOUTIER. Vocalists performing selections ranging from Handel arias to jazz standards to original material. The Cloakroom, East Liberty. 412-421-5884.
SUN 29
EDWARD ALAN MOORE & NATHAN CARTERETTE. Performance of César Franck’s “Grande Pièce Symphonique” & “Prélude, Chorale, & Fugue” for organ & piano. East Liberty Presbyterian Church, East Liberty. 412-441-3800. PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Four Horns opens w/ “The Rise of Exotic Computing”. The horn section then perform as soloists in Robert Schumann’s “Concert Piece,” Andres Orozco-Estrada, leads
FRI 27
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Four Horns opens w/ “The Rise of Exotic Computing”. The horn section then performs as soloists in Robert Schumann’s “Concert Piece,” Andres
Brahm’s First Symphony. Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-392-4900. RESONANCE WORKS. A sono-mosaic program that explores the lament through words & music from the 18th through 20th centuries. Waverly Presbyterian Church, Regent Square. 412-607-1892.
MON 30
CYRUS FOROUGH. Performing works by Claude Debussy, Sergey Prokofiev, Witold Lutoslawski, Reza Najfar & Erberk Eryilmaz. Kresge Theater, CMU, Oakland. 412-268-4921.
OTHER MUSIC FRI 27
565 LIVE. Dueling Pianos w/ Hermie Granati & Harry Levicky. Bellevue. 412-522-7556. SPACE. Majeure & RIVKA. Downtown. 412-325-7723.
SAT 28
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. Men’s Glee Club 125th Anniversary Celebration. Oakland. 412-624-7529.
SUN 29
BELLEFIELD HALL. New Music by Graduate Student Composers. Oakland. 412-624-7529.
MON 30
HAMBONE’S. Cabaret w/ Ian Kane. Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318.
WED 01
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH. Matthew Shipp & Michael Bisio. Shadyside. 412-682-0591. NOLA ON THE SQUARE. Rick Matt. Downtown. 412-471-9100.
ACOUSTIC THU 26
COCO COFFEEHOUSE. Brad Yoder. Leechburg. 724-842-0255. DOWNEY’S HOUSE. Aaron from The Lava Game. Robinson. 412-489-5631. RILEY’S POUR HOUSE. Dan & Dave. On flute & guitar. Carnegie. 412-279-0770.
SAT 28
FIRESIDE INN. Bill Couch. Crafton. 412-921-5566. NOLA ON THE SQUARE. Olga Watkins. Downtown. 412-471-9100. OLIVE OR TWIST. The Vagrants. Downtown. 412-255-0525.
WED 01
ALLEGHENY ELKS LODGE #339. Pittsburgh Banjo Club. Wednesdays. North Side. 412-321-1834.
REGGAE FRI 27
CAPRI PIZZA AND BAR. Bombo Claat w/ VYBZ Machine Intl Sound System. East Liberty. 412-362-1250.
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What to do
IN PITTSBURGH
March 25 - 31 WEDNESDAY 25
SOUND SERIES: A Winged Victory for the Sullen WARHOL THEATER - ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM North Side. 412-237-8300. With special guests Loscil. Tickets: warhol.org. 8p.m.
Leon Russell JERGELS RHYTHM GRILLE Warrendale. 724-799-8333. Tickets: jergels.com. 8p.m.
THURSDAY 26 265 The Ghost Inside
ALTAR BAR Strip District. 412-263-2877. All ages show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 7p.m.
FRIDAY 27 276 Four Horns
HEINZ HALL Downtown. 412-392-4900. Tickets: pittsburghsymphony.org. Through March 29.
PAID ADVERTORIAL SPONSORED BY
Carmen
LATITUDE 360 Robinson Twp. 412-693-5555. Tickets: latitude360.com/pittsburgh-pa. Through March 28.
BENEDUM CENTER Downtown. 412-456-6666. Tickets: pittsburghopera.org. Through March 29.
SATURDAY 28 287
The Fab Four: Twist & Shout
Union Tanguera
LINCOLN PARK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Midland. 724576-4644x2. Tickets: lppacenter.org. Through March 29.
Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band
HARD ROCK CAFE Station Square. 412-481-ROCK. Over 21 show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 10:30p.m.
Jim Holder
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 LATITUDE 360
WARHOL THEATER, ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM North Side. 412-237-8300. Tickets: warhol. org. 8p.m.
SUNDAY 29 298
Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors
CLUB CAFE South Side. 412431-4950. Over 21 show. Tickets: ticketweb.com/opusone. 7:30p.m.
Kind of Like Spitting
Frank Vieira with The Highland Brothers Band
Cynthia Hopkins: A Living Documentary
BYHAM THEATER Downtown. 412-456-6666. Tickets: trustarts.org/dance. 8p.m.
REX THEATER South Side. 412-381-6811. All ages show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 9p.m.
SMILING MOOSE South Side. 412-431-4668. All Ages show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 7p.m.
Comedian Jim Holder (As heard on The Bob & Tom Show)
www.VenusResearchStudy.com
Liz Longley, Anthony D’amato, Morgan Erina
TUESDAY 31
The Decemberists
SMILING MOOSE South Side. 412-431-4668. All Ages show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 6:30p.m.
BENEDUM CENTER Downtown. 412-456-6666. Tickets: trustarts.org. 8p.m.
Kalin and Myles “The Dedication Tour”
La Dispute / Title Fight
ALTAR BAR Strip District. 412-263-2877. All ages show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 7:30p.m.
ALTAR BAR Strip District. 412-263-2877. All ages show. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 8p.m.
Clinical Research Opportunity for Women Do you suffer from uterine fibroids? DO YOU EXPERIENCE? • Heavy or abnormal periods • Abdominal pain and pressure • Increased need to urinate with your periods
UTERINE FIBROIDS • Negatively impact your quality of life • Doctors in your area are looking for women to participate in a clinical research study. • All investigational medication and study-related care is provided at no cost. Compensation for time and travel may be available.
To see if you qualify, visit
www.VenusResearchStudy.com or call
(800) 216-2057 24
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
“IT COULD LOOK LIKE SOMEONE YOU KNOW, OR IT COULD BE A STRANGER.”
LOOKING {BY ALEX ZIMMERMAN} Julie Sokolow just knew David Matthews as the guy who plastered personal ads on telephone polls around town. Then, one day, he sent her a Facebook message asking to make a short video of himself for a woman he was trying to impress at the time. “I hadn’t met him before in person,” Sokolow says. “I just decided he’d be a great creative partner.”
{PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIE SOKOLOW}
David Matthews
Four years later, local filmmaker Sokolow released her first documentary feature — Aspie Seeks Love — a film that follows Matthews as he navigates a dating world full of unspoken conventions that often frustrate . even the most socially See www er. p a p adept among us. ty pghci n a Matthews, r com fo ith an Aliquippa w w ie interv native, was diagnosed s. w Matthe with Asperger’s syndrome at age 41 (after a date suggested he get tested for it). He says that he agreed to more extensive coverage of his life after “Julie convinced me that documenting my experiences for the public would help the public better understand the problems that somebody with my neurologic condition might have in interacting with the outside world.” The film has garnered awards at film festivals and national headlines for capturing an element of living with Asperger’s that is rarely discussed. But Sokolow explains that she wasn’t drawn to Matthews just because of his difference: “I could relate to his quest for love in the digital age.” Indeed, much of the film chronicles his adventures on OkCupid (“the camera never cock-blocked,” Sokolow promises) but also explores his life as an artist (whose work has been reviewed by City Paper). “I didn’t want this to be didactic — like, ‘what is autism’ [or] ‘what is Asperger’s’,” Sokolow explains. “I wanted to play with identity and these labels and how we apply them.” The film premieres locally at 7 p.m. Thu., March 26, at Regent Square. An extended run is planned for April 25-29 at the Harris Theater. AZIMMERMAN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
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Jay (Maika Monroe) keeps a close watch.
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OU’RE GONNA DIE. If not in the next few minutes, then sometime later. You can run, hide, throw things, but your demise is inevitable. The premise of David Robert Mitchell’s indie horror film It Follows couldn’t be more basic, but the Michigan-based filmmaker’s treatment is novel. He assembles the tropes of the teen-horror film — pretty girl, gang of friends, absent adults, suburban home, isolated country cabin, casual sex and a relentless killer — and arranges them into a fresh, compelling take. The film opens on an ordinary suburban street, where a young woman is freaking out before driving to a beach. She makes farewell calls to her family. The next time we see her, she’s a pile of dismembered bones. From this cold open, the tale unfolds slowly, centered on Jay (Maika Monroe), a teenage girl enjoying the summer. She’s dating a new guy; they hook up and he drops a bomb: He is being followed by
a mysterious killer only he can see, and now that they’ve had sex, the threat has transferred to her. If she has sex with another person, it passes to them — but if the killer gets that person, it comes back to her.
IT FOLLOWS
DIRECTED BY: David Robert Mitchell STARRING: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovato, Lili Sepe, Olivia Luccardi Starts Fri., March 27. Hollywood
CP APPROVED And who is this killer? “It could look like someone you know, or it could be a stranger in a crowd — whatever helps to get closest to you.” On the upside, it can pursue its victim only by walking slowly. But if you outrun it today, it just comes back tomorrow, or next week. It Follows doesn’t offer any backstory on this deadly chain letter — it just is.
And it sounds ridiculous, until you think it’s after you. Mitchell cleverly places Jay in the center of wide shots, so even the viewer is scanning the frame’s edges, scrutinizing dog-walkers, old ladies, that guy across the street. The film builds up a lot of tension through waiting and wondering, as Jay and her friends figure out what to do. (Because they’re kids, nobody debates the ethics of passing on the threat, but you’ll ponder it.) There are scenes of panic and peril, but It Follows is free of gimmicks and jumps cares, unspooling languidly at times, like a drama about disaffected teens inexpertly grappling with real and existential horror. Some viewers might be frustrated by the film’s pace and the lack of mythology, but I found it an effectively unnerving experience. And anything that moves the needle toward more thoughtful horror films and away from creatively bereft found-footage franchises is a plus. A H OF F @ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM
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of revenge. It begins with the shortest film, a funny bit of misdirection involving a woman traveling by plane for business, and ends with the best-worst wedding party ever. Two other films — one about a demolition expert who blows up his own life, another about a traffic accident — are more explicit about civic corruption and the power of money. My favorite was the two-man tale about road rage (with class overtones) and its perfectly logical but breathtaking escalation of violence (and likely, a hattip to the road-rage classic Duel). Well-acted and -produced, Szifron’s compendium might not deliver any fresh insights into the foibles of the human animal, but it is an entertaining, twisty and twisted examination. In Spanish, with subtitles. Starts Fri., March 27. Manor (AH)
= CITY PAPER APPROVED
NEW THIS WEEK
GET HARD. Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart do their part to spark conversations about race in this comedy about a white guy who hires a black guy to train him for an upcoming prison stint. Etan Cohen directs. Starts Fri., March 27. HOME. There’s something charming about Tim Johnson’s alien-invasion animated film, much of it due to the voicework of Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) as an alien. Good thing, because its themes — be courageous, don’t judge a book by its cover, friends are important — are pretty familiar. The story concerns a race of intelligent but cowardly aliens, known as the Boov, who have spent their lives running from their mortal enemies, the Gorg, and are seeking shelter on Earth. Led by Captain Smek (voiced by Steve Martin), the Boov initiate a polite takeover — sucking humans into vacuum tubes and relocating them to a new, pre-fab community in the Australian Outback, complete with tiny houses, picket fences and an amusement park. But one human, Tip (voiced by Rihanna), is left behind and must work with Oh (Parsons) to find her mother. The jokes and visual hi-jinks are typical of the genre, but Parsons playing off a capable Rihanna makes this film worth the time. In 3-D, in select theaters. Starts Fri., March 27. (Charlie Deitch) HUMAN CAPITAL. A cyclist struck by a car at Christmastime is the catalyst for Paolo Virzi’s drama, which depicts the lives of two interconnected Italian families. The story is told in three chapters, each focusing on the same six months — from summer to the holidays — but from different perspectives. There’s the slightly comic opener, in which the striving Dino begs his way into a one-percenter’s hedge fund; Dino’s daughter, Serena, is dating the rich man’s feckless son. Chapter two focuses on Carla, the rich man’s bored wife, who decides to restore a theater, while coping with her spoiled son. Finally, there’s Serena’s tale, in which the truth about the accident, and who these people really are, is revealed. Class, money, gender and even the recent economic
REPERTORY
Home INSURGENT. The end of 2014’s Divergent tantalized us with what lay beyond the horizon (literally) for Insurgent. Divergent was an occasionally turgid data-dump and warrior-training thriller about a dystopian future in which people are sorted into five rigid factions based on attributes. Surely, in Insurgent, our plucky heroine Tris (Shailene Woodley) would finally do something and advance the story. Alas, Insurgent is a clunky mess, careening from chase scenes to teen-age pity parties, from high-tech high-rise labs to grubby post-apocalyptic sewers, and revving through characters new and old. Many of the actors appear bored — every time Tris whirled around in a panic, I imagined Woodley looking for an exit — and there are still two more films to go (Allegiant, parts 1 and 2). In 3-D in select theaters (AH)
Human Capital crisis are all factors propelling the characters to behave in predictable ways. The title refers to the financial term for valuing one’s worth with a dollar amount (an often ugly process in which workingclass people are deemed to be “worth” less than executives). As this well-plotted but a trifle soapy drama posits, money may matter, but character also counts. In Italian, with subtitles. Starts Fri., March 27. Regent Square (Al Hoff)
WOMAN IN GOLD. Simon Curtis directs this reallife drama about an elderly Jewish refugee (Helen Mirren) fighting to recover artwork stolen by the Nazis. Starts Wed., April 1. Manor TALES. Six darkly comic tales comprise CP WILD this anthology film from Argentine writerdirector Damian Szifron. If there is a theme, it is that people under stress often behave very poorly and with violence; each film also depicts some element
Red Army
(2014) 3/25 @ 9:30pm, 3/26 @ 9:30pm The story of the Soviet Union’s famed Red Army hockey team through the eyes of its players.
-Grey - - - -Gardens ---------------------------------It- Follows ------------------------------------
(1975) - 3/25 @ 7:00pm, 3/26 @ 7:00pm, 3/28 @ 4:00pm, 3/29 @ 4:00pm, 3/30 @ 7:30pm - New 2K restoration of the landmark documentary film by Albert and David Maysles. (2015) 3/27 @ 7:30pm & 10:00pm, 3/28 @ 7:00pm & 9:30pm, 3/29 @ 7:00pm, 3/31 @ 7:30pm, 4/1 @ 7:30pm - DO NOT miss this new indie horror flick that critics are raving about!
-The- - -Rocky - - - - - -Horror - - - - - - Picture - - - - - - -Show ---------------Breakfast - - - - - - - - -and- - - a- -Movie ----------------------3/28 @ Midnight with live shadowcast by JCCP.
- 3/29 @ 10:30am with the film To Catch a Thief (1955) starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, buy tickets by 3/26 for catered brunch.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
ROW HOUSE CIN EMA. Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The Fellowship of the Ring (Frodo embarks; 2001), March 25. The Two Towers (Gollum joins the quest; 2002), March 25-26. The Return of the King (at last, Mount Doom; 2003), March 25-26. Tim Burton Films. The Corpse Bride (2005 animated romance, featuring voices of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter), March 27-31. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (Burton’s 1985 debut, featuring Pee Wee Herman on a road trip), March 27-29, March 31 and April 1. Mars Attacks! (1996 spoof of 1950s sci-fi films), March 27-April 2. Batman (the 1989 reboot, starring Michael Keaton), March 27-April 2. Wigle Whiskey Presents: Best In Show (Christopher Guest’s 2000 mockumentary about dog shows), 7:30 p.m. Thu., April 2. Call or see website for times and complete listings. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $5-9. 412-904-3225 or www.rowhousecinema.com GREY GARDEN S. Albert and David Maysles’ 1975 documentary takes viewers inside the dilapidated East Hampton mansion — and the eccentric and troubling lives — of the elderly Edith Bouvier Beale and her middle-aged daughter, “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale, who are aunt and cousin, respectively, of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The film has recently been restored. 7 p.m. Wed., March 25; 7 p.m. Thu., March 26; 4 p.m. Sat.., March 28; 4 p.m. Sun., March 29; and 7:30 p.m. Mon., March 30. Hollywood THE MAFIA KILLS ON LY IN SUMMER. This 2013 black comedy from Pierfrancesco Diliberto follows a couple’s relationship from the 1970s to the 1990s against the backdrop of criminal activity in Palermo, Sicily. For young Arturo, the rise of the Mafia — which he is repeatedly told doesn’t exist — seems like a possible entry to winning the heart of a classmate; he recounts sightings of infamous figures and buys pastries. But alas, reality — the assassinations and bombings — intrude, and the broken-hearted Arturo turns instead to journalism. The film has a light touch with tragic real events, while also serving as a tribute to politicians, police and journalists who fought back against the gang violence. In Italian, with subtitles. 7 p.m. Thu., March 26. Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Ave., Carnegie. Free. www.italianfilmfests.org (AH) JUMP. Tadeusz Konwicki’s 1965 film starts with a man jumping off a moving train to visit a small town he stayed in during the war. Continues a two-month series of digitally remastered Polish masterpieces, curated by Martin Scorsese. In Polish, with subtitles. 7:30 p.m. Thu., March 26, and 5:30 p.m. Sat., March 28. Harris. $5 GHOSTS OF AMISTAD: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE REBELS. This new hour-long documentary from local filmmaker Tony Buba is based on The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom, Pitt historian Marcus Rediker’s book about the famous 1839 slave revolt. The film follows a 2013 journey to Sierra Leone, in which Rediker and colleagues sought out living descendants of
Research Study of
Borderline Personality Disorder The University of Pittsburgh and UPMC are seeking men and women ages 18 to 45 to take part in a research study of borderline personality disorder. To participate, you must have symptoms of the disorder, which may include: troubled personal relationships, chronic feelings of emptiness or boredom, KPMÄJ\S[` JVU[YVSSPUN HUNLY VY MY\Z[YH[PVU TVVK Z^PUNZ ZLSM KLZ[Y\J[P]L VY PTW\SZP]L ILOH]PVYZ VY OPZ[VY` VM ZLSM PUÅPJ[LK WHPU VY PUQ\Y` Participants are interviewed about their moods, behaviors, and personality [YHP[Z HUK ^PSS IL JVTWLUZH[LK \W [V \WVU JVTWSL[PVU VM [OL PU[LY]PL^Z :VTL WHY[PJPWHU[Z TH` HSZV \UKLYNV HU M490 ZJHU ;OLYL PZ UV JVZ[ MVY [OPZ WYVJLK\YL 7HY[PJPWHU[Z HYL JVTWLUZH[LK \WVU JVTWSL[PVU VM [OL M490
For more information, call 412-246-5367.
Wild Tales those taken aboard the Amistad, as well as the site of Lomboko, the former slave-trading depot. Buba will attend the screening, part of CMU’s Faces of Work festival. 4:30 p.m. Fri., March 27. Harris. www.cmu.edu/faces REMEMBER ME. Rolando Ravello directs this recent comedy about a courtship between a kleptomaniac and a narcoleptic. Screens as part of the Italian Film Festival. In Italian, with subtitles. 7 p.m. Fri., March 27. Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, Oakland. Free. www.italianfilmfests.org
Insurgent I AM HERE. Fan Lixin’s 2014 documentary looks at the preparations undertaken by reality TV-show contestants in China. In Mandarin, with subtitles. 7:15 p.m. Fri., March 27. McConomy, CMU campus, Oakland. www.cmu.edu/faces FAIR PLAY. Andrea Sedlackova’s recent coming-ofage drama, set in the early 1980s, follows a young Czech girl’s training for the Olympics. In Czech, with subtitles. 7:15 p.m. Sat., March 28. McConomy, CMU campus, Oakland. www.cmu.edu/faces GOLD WILL SET YOU FREE. Jeffrey Bonna’s 2013 documentary recounts the experiences of nine Roman Jews during the 1943-44 N azi occupation of Rome. Screens as part of the Italian Film Festival. In Italian, with subtitles. 8:30 p.m. Sat., March 28. Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, Oakland. Free. www.italianfilmfests.org
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Birth control
TO CATCH A THIEF. Alfred Hitchcock’s lush 1955 Technicolor film is the sort of dreamily romantic caper that makes crime look like an amusing sideline of the rich and good-looking. Cary Grant stars as the presumably retired cat burglar who steps in to help solve a series of jewel heists among the elite of Monte Carlo. An American socialite (Grace Kelly) is the beneficiary of his detecting — and romancing — skills. 11 a.m. Sun., March 29. Hollywood (AH)
CP
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BEN-HUR. William Wyler’s 1959 epic of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a wealthy Judean Jew who under Roman rule becomes, in turn, a galley slave, an adopted son of Rome, a champion charioteer, a rebel and a Christian. Still visually stunning and with two great action sequences: the sea battle and the chariot race. Noon, Sun., March 29. Parkway, McKees Rocks (AH) EXCUSE MY FREN CH. After his father dies, a middle-class Harry Potter fan enrolls in a rowdy new grade school. In Amr Salama’s comedy, nerdy 12-year-old Hany is also a Christian in majorityMuslim Egypt. N otwithstanding its over-the-top, Malcolm in the Middle sensibility, Excuse My French is pretty heavy-handed stuff: Hany, who pretends to be Muslim to fit in, is portrayed as superior to his working-class schoolmates in most every way. Indeed, some viewers might read the film as not just pro-tolerance, but anti-Muslim. Still, Salama offers interesting takes on everyday life in Egypt, including how TV and popular music influence identity. In Arabic, with subtitles. 4 p.m. Sun., March 29. McConomy, CMU campus, Oakland. www.cmu. ed/faces (Bill O’Driscoll) MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHIN GTON . Jimmy Stewart stars in Frank Capra’s 1939 classic about an idealistic young man who, upon being appointed a U.S. Senator, discovers that the workings of democracy are rife with corruption. The film concludes a month-long series of digitally restored Capra films. 8 p.m. Sun., March 29. Regent Square THE HOURGLASS SAN ITARIUM. Wojciech J. Has’ 1973 film is a dark comical allegorical work, in which a man visits his father in a decrepit sanitarium. Continues a two-month series of digitally remastered Polish masterpieces, curated by Martin Scorsese. In Polish, with subtitles. 7:30 p.m. Thu., April 2, and 5:30 p.m. Sat., April 4. Harris. $5
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Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER — A program of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
DIY:
BASICS OF CARPENTRY (INTERIOR TRIM) Installing interior trim adds the finishing touches to a remodeling or construction project. Trim can be decorative, but it also serves a purpose to hide gaps where walls meet floors, windows, and doors. In this workshop, students will learn about the types of materials used, tools for installing trim, and how to install baseboards and window and door casing. About the presenter: Michael R. Wetmiller is a Pennsylvania-Registered Home Improvement Contractor specializing in interior renovation. He grew up in a family of tradesmen and attended a four-year carpenter’s apprenticeship training program. He became a Journeyman Carpenter in 1999. Michael has worked in both commercial and residential construction in all phases from foundations to finish carpentry. This workshop is FREE TO PHLF MEMBERS. Click here for more information about PHLF membership and please join! NON-MEMBERS: $5
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 • 6:00 - 8:00PM RSVPS ARE APPRECIATED. CONTACT MARY LU DENNY AT 412-471-5808 EXT. 527
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[DANCE]
TANGO NUEVO
“THIS IS NEW AND IT’S NOT EASY NEW.”
{BY STEVE SUCATO}
INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
UNIÓN TANGUERA performs NUIT BLANCHE 8 p.m. Sat., March 28. Byham Theater, 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $19-55. 412-456-6666 or www.trustarts.org
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Unión Tanguera’s Nuit Blanche {PHOTO COURTESY OF GUILLERMO MONTELEONE}
Though they come from a traditional tango background, Unión Tanguera’s co-artistic directors, Claudia Codega and Esteban Moreno, chose a different path when forming their French-Argentine contemporary tango ensemble in 2002. Instead of trying to make traditional tango more modern, they created a new tango style that blends traditional tango movement with contemporary and modern dance styles. And they married this style to contemporary storylines, music and lighting to create rather unique tango-based dance-theater works, including 2010’s Nuit Blanche (“Sleepless Night”). Unión Tanguera makes its Pittsburgh debut with the show on Sat., March 28, at the Byham Theater. Presented by Pittsburgh Dance Council, Nuit Blanche is Unión Tanguera’s third full-length work, and it has toured Italy, Austria, France and the Netherlands to critical acclaim. The 90minute dance-theater piece for seven dancers (four men, three women) is danced to live original compositions by Pedro Onetto, along with traditional tango recordings, all performed by the Onetto-led Quartet Lupanar. Nuit Blanche’s setting is a cabaretmilonga (nighttime tango club) at the moment that a traditional tango show is ending. Says Moreno, via telephone from London, the show is patterned after “my memories of being in cabarets in Buenos Aires when I was younger. The performers of a tango show would hang around afterwards and mingle and dance with audience members into the night.” Moreno performs in the work, portraying a singer from another club who comes to visit a friend. For Nuit Blanche, he says, he, Codega and the other dancers have created everyday situations for their characters. Romances take shape, with some couples coming together while others split apart. The emotions run the gamut from loneliness and despair to hope and celebration. In video excerpts of the work found on the company’s website (uniontanguera. com), Nuit Blanche uses tango as a form of dialogue to tell its story. There is a poeticism to the movement that speaks more to the characters’ feelings than it does to well-crafted choreography. Add the varied and metaphoric use of three beanbag chairs; dancers singing; and the musical heartbeat of Astor Piazzolla-like music driving the action, and you have a work that is as compelling as it is unique.
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TALK OF THE TOWN {BY BILL O’DRISCOLL}
“T
HE HUMANITIES” are easy
enough to define: They are “knowledge of humankind and its works,” says David Shumway, head of Carnegie Mellon University’s Humanities Center. Think: literature, academic disciplines like history, anthropology and philosophy, and even the life experience of everyday people. Defining the inaugural Pittsburgh Humanities Festival might be tougher. That’s the challenge facing organizers like Shumway and Pittsburgh Cultural Trust vice president of programming Paul Organisak. The festival runs March 26-29, with some two dozen events, mostly at Downtown venues. “This is new and it’s not easy new,” says Organisak. After all, the Humanities Festival isn’t splashy, like the giant rubber duck at the Trust’s 2013 Festival of Firsts. Yet neither is it a mere series of podium lectures. Rather, it features nationally and internationally known theater artists, writers, poets, filmmakers and historians making presentations or in conversation with a moderator
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
— and ultimately with the audience — on everything from indie cinema to the criminalization of rap lyrics, religious innovation in Pittsburgh, and the concept of “dignity.” The fest’s tagline is “Smart Talk About Stuff That Matters.”
PITTSBURGH HUMANITIES FESTIVAL
Thu., March 26-Sun., March 29. Various venues, most Downtown. Festival pass: $10-20; selected events individually priced $10-80. 412-456-6666 or www.trustarts.org
Bookending the four-day program are its biggest names, both at the Byham Theater: Azar Nafisi, author of the best-seller Reading Lolita in Tehran, speaks on “Humanities & The Future of Democracy” on March 26. And George Takei, actor and social-media Jedi, wraps things up March 29. Shumway conceived the festival after hearing about the long-running Chicago Humanities Festival. Organisak was receptive, having noted the increasing popularity
of post-show audience talk-backs and other supplementary programming at Pittsburgh Dance Council shows (which he programs) and other Trust events. “People come wanting more education, more conversation around what they’re seeing,” he says. Moreover, the humanities fest “kind of fills a gap” in town, says Organisak, by acknowledging the increasingly blurry distinction between humanities and the arts. The festival, in fact, includes a couple theatrical presentations. Playwright Robert Myers’ Twilight Country, about a white woman and a black woman bonding over Dante’s Inferno in 1948 North Carolina, will be performed by Broadway actors Kathleen Chalfant and Tonya Pinkins (March 27 and 28). And performance artist Cynthia Hopkins presents A Living Documentary, her musically driven new one-woman show about life as an artist in New York City (March 28). There’s even a music component: VIA Music Festival’s special March 28 show at Lawrenceville’s Ballroom (above Round Corner Cantina), featuring artists from boundary-
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pushing Mexican music label N.A.A.F.I. Most of the festival’s core, hour-long talkoriented sessions, meanwhile, take place on Saturday and Sunday — most of them running three at a time. A sampling: Indie-ďŹ lm legend John Sayles (Matewan, Eight Men Out) and his producing partner Maggie Renzie discuss the state of indie cinema with Shumway (who’s written a book about Sayles). Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis talks with WYEP’s Brian Siewiorek about Lou Reed (whose bio he’s writing) and other rock stars he’s known. Former Washington Post art critic Blake Gopnik, who’s working on a biography of Andy Warhol, offers “Andy Warhol: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Yinzer.â€? Author Frances Bartkowski delivers “Kissing Cousins: Touched and TerriďŹ ed by Difference,â€? about humans’ relationship with animals. Penn State theater professor Susan Russell leads a discussion about dignity. Professors Erik Nielson (University of Richmond) and Charis Kubrin (University of California Irvine) discuss the criminalization of rap lyrics. Locally based presenters include: poet Terrance Hayes; artist and activist Vanessa German; author Kiron Skinner (on Ronald Reagan); CMU English professor Christopher Warren (“Six Degrees of Francis Bacon,â€? about connections between people in early modern England); and CMU historians Tim Haggerty and Harrison Apple (“The History of Queer Pittsburghâ€?). Organisak was intent on keeping festival tickets affordable: A festival pass of $20 ($10 for students) gets you into most sessions at Downtown’s Trust Arts Education Center. Selected events (including NaďŹ si and Takei) are ticketed separately. For most sessions, seating is limited to 85. So even if it sells out, the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival has a long way to go to catch Chicago’s. Last fall, the Chicago Humanities Festival’s three-week main season hosted more than 100 events and drew about 38,000 people. The 25-year-old CHF has events year-round, including a May performance festival for young audiences. CHF predated TED talks, Aspen Ideas Week and other popular humanities-style series. Shumway consulted with CHF executive director Phillip Bahar in preparation for Pittsburgh’s festival. Bahar says the biggest key to the fest’s success has been collaboration with museums, cultural centers, universities and more, to leverage their resources and reach more diverse audiences. And indeed, along with the Cultural Trust and CMU’s Humanities Center, the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival is supported by groups including City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, The Andy Warhol Museum and the humanities arms of University of Pittsburgh and Penn State. Bahar says that securing such partners is “a great way to launchâ€? its inaugural season.
TA S T E
When he moved to Pittsburgh 16 years ago, Jeremy Baum discovered a quietly thriving community of comic-book consumers. He’d been drawing and reading comics for as long as he could remember, but it wasn’t until he started hanging around Copacetic Comics, then in Squirrel Hill, that a career in cartoons seemed possible. “I moved to Pittsburgh not even a full month after I graduated from high school, and I have been here ever since,â€? says Baum. “I feel really lucky to be a cartoonist living in Pittsburgh.â€? Today, Baum is a celebrated illustrator and publisher — under the name Madbaumer37 — with two collections of beautifully surreal, darkly playful comics and a debut graphic novel, DĂśrfler (Fantagraphics Books), due out this summer. “[Baum] was a big beneficiary of the support and the robustness of the comic scene here,â€? says Bill Boichel, founder of Copacetic Comics Company, now in Polish Hill, and an early supporter of Baum’s work. “Jeremy is proof in the pudding that it works.â€? On Saturday, Baum and the comics community will be featured at the fourth Pittsburgh Indy Comix Exposition, in South Side. Modeled loosely after the Small Press Expo (SPX) in Bethesda, Md., PIX supports illustrators looking to self-publish. PIX is sponsored by Copacetic, The Toonseum, Schell Games and the Sprout Fund. Exhibitor fees are a tenth of those at SPX, says PIX co-founder Boichel, improving access for amateurs. Comic-book culture in Pittsburgh dates at least to the 1970s, says Boichel. But in the past two decades, there’s been a growing awareness and appreciation of comics that go beyond “Superman, Spiderman, Batmanâ€? (which Boichel pronounces as one word). Pittsburgh developed into a haven for illustrators of alternative, non-superhero comics. “You get very very personal work with these small-print-run things that you don’t get anywhere else,â€? says Boichel. “It’s confessional. They take very strong artistic risks because they’re doing exactly what they want.â€? Joining Baum as featured guests at PIX 2015 are local and national icons including Joyce Brabner (Our Cancer Year), Rachel Masilamani, Melissa Mendes, Frank Santoro and Don Simpson. The second portion of PIX will feature panels discussing women in comics, and advice for first-time selfpublishers. Admission is free.
george takei this sunday, march 29 7 p m Â… by h a m
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PITTSBURGH INDY COMIX EXPOSITION 2015 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (exhibition) and 7-11 p.m. (programming) Sat., March 28. 10 S. 19th St., South Side. Free. www.pixcomics.blogspot.com M U S I C
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[PLAY REVIEWS]
ROOMS TO MOVE
{BY COLETTE NEWBY}
{BY MICHELLE PILECKI}
WOMAN OVERCOMES Domestic Abuse is a IMMERSION THEATER is, to say the least,
tricky for both play-goers and play-givers, as the former move about to various rooms to observe what the latter have created. With Uncumber Theatrics and Devious Maid Productions’ collaboration on Professor Eldritch’s Asylum for Uncanny and Extraordinary Women, the demands on both are pretty heavy. It’s a complicated concept by Abigail Lis-Perlis, “written and devised” (say the program notes) by co-directors Lis-Perlis and Ayne Terceira, “with significant contributions” from assistant director Spencer Whale “and the ensemble.” Let’s try. Eight women — based on real historical characters spanning centuries — are trapped together in time and space, in an asylum (think of the various meanings of that word) with no entrance or exit. The “extraordinary women” encompass both fame and infamy, with more than a few celebrated criminals; because this is a play of discovery, it would be unfair to reveal too much. The characters evolve and clash in eight or so rooms on three floors in an old house (a private home in Swissvale). The play-go-
Professor Eldritch’s Asylum for Uncanny and Extraordinary Women at Uncumber Theatrics and Devious Mad Productions
ers are “attendants,” invisible observers escorted to the different settings, which also change during the course of the 90-minute one-act. Sometimes the storyline splits in half, so the audience is divided, directly seeing one scene while overhearing the other, overlapping scene. Figuring out what’s going on occasionally takes second place to the physical challenges offered by uneven stairs, creaky floors and the need to not block fellow audience members. Cast and crew meet many challenges. Amanda Montoya reveals much as the mysterious Audrey. Michelina Polleni portrays a lovely fragility. Tamara Siegert and Hazel Leroy transmit differing vibes of menace. Emily Swora weaves through personae and threats. Courtney Jenkins strongly plays Asylum’s catalyst. Christine Starkey makes a murderer sympathetic. And I can’t give away Jenny Malarkey’s role.
Patrick Geraci’s often stunning costumes help define character and period. Fight choreographer Tonya Lynn works well in the tight spaces. Technical director Aaron Tarnow, stage manager Kate Louise
PROFESSOR ELDRITCH’S ASYLUM FOR UNCANNY AND EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN continues through April 4. Uncumber Theatrics and Devious Maid Productions in Swissvale. $25. www.uncumbertheatrics.com
Marchewka and props assistant Brennan Bobish do magic on the transforming sets. As Asylum unfolds, secrets are revealed and confronted. Many secrets are kept. It can be a dizzying experience. Definitely for grown-ups only. INF O @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M
Have a great Pittsburgh photo to share? Tag your photos #CPReaderArt, and we’ll regram and print the best submissions! Here’s one that Instagrammer @best_friend711 shot of Phipps Conservatory.
pghcitypaper
premise as storied and respectable as any of Hitchcock’s favorites, like Man Wrongfully Accused, or Spielberg’s Man Has Father. Woman Overcomes Domestic Abuse runs back to folk tales like “Cinderella.” In the modern day, Woman Overcomes Domestic Abuse has famously been championed by the Lifetime network, of whose films I am a casual scholar. There are valid objections to this genre, particularly in folk tales and Lifetime movies, mainly that they often portray abuse in a condescending fashion. Sometimes it feels as though the heroine’s trauma was cynically added in to make the show “pop” emotionally, like a burst of red in a landscape. The main cliché is the scene where the heroine screams and recoils in terror from something harmless, as if 100 playwrights had skimmed the Wikipedia page on PTSD, then called it a night. The Wholehearted opens with Suli Holum doing exactly this, so we started off on the wrong foot. This is not Holum’s fault. Her turn as Dee Crosby, champion flyweight boxer, carries 90 percent of this touring show, and her singlehanded re-enactment of a match — half punch-drunk boxer, half douchebag color commentator — is worth the price of admission. The Wholehearted is a superlative example of its genre mainly for Holum’s performance and the production design, both of which elevate the book, by Deborah Stein (who co-directed with Holum for Brooklyn-based Stein/Holum Projects). The design is the main draw. This is the one show in a hundred that uses A/V elements to actually enhance performances rather than bulldozing them. The audience is on three sides of the performer, but the Jumbotron hovering over the boxing ringesque stage gives everyone closeups. The show even breaks for Holum to perform live songs, which she did tremendously.
THE WHOLEHEARTED continues through Sat., March 28. Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. $25. 412-363-3000 or www.kelly-strayhorn.org
I was still left cold by a few elements. I couldn’t hear the lyrics of the final song over the loud accompaniment. Worse is the scripted use of mic feedback to indicate that something is not right, a lazy technique I’d hoped was limited to film. That’s why I hate A/V misuse: It disrespects Holum’s ability to personally impart tension, which is the reason to go in the first place. I N F O@ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
THE MUSIC YOU KNOW AND LOVE
[ART REVIEW]
CURB APPEALS Standing on the sidewalk on Liberty Avenue, looking into a corner of SPACE gallery with notebook in hand and scribbling furiously, one is approached by passersby and waiting transit riders who also peer through the glass, and who ask for knowledge. Some questions are specific, or odd: “Is this a store?” “How much do these cost?” “What was in that cardboard when it was just a box?” But most can be encapsulated in three simple words. What is this? This is Sideways Museum, curated by Tom Sarver, with works by several area artists. And this is the first installment of WINDOWSPACE, a series focusing on folk and visionary art, though not necessarily created by folk or visionary artists. The description “from the outside, looking in” is both metaphorical and literal. Rather than being displayed inside this Pittsburgh Cultural Trust gallery, these works are stationed in a window, and can be viewed only from the street. Conceptually, this is a great idea. But the execution doesn’t quite follow, at least not with this premiere offering, and at the time of this viewer’s visit. The works themselves are in many cases intriguing or lovely. Doug Hill crafts toys and machines from scrap cardboard. The late Dorothy Williams captures her memories with embroidery floss. Steve Smith’s acrylic paintings are vivid and fantastical, and Jim Rettinger’s found-object sculptures border on thrilling. The handpuppets made by Joann Kielar warm the heart, while Liz Hammond’s soft hanging sculptures bring dimension to the air. Sarver himself offers several pieces in various media that provide a good introduction to his body of work. Unfortunately, the exhibit is difficult to see even for those who know what they’re looking at, and difficult to figure out for those who don’t. There are a lot of works in a small space, and they’re crammed in haphazardly. There’s a web address on the window, but very little else to explain what exactly is going on here, and it’s hedgy how many of the curious are curious enough to pursue it further. Moreover, the lights illuminating it are off outside of gallery hours — they were turned on as I looked — making it tricky to view in daylight and impossible at night. One wants this to work. So far, in its practical application, it doesn’t. Hopefully the kinks will be smoothed out.
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SIDEWAYS MUSEUM continues through May 3. SPACE, 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-325-7723 or www.spacepittsburgh.org N E W S
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FOR THE WEEK OF
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO SUBMIT LISTINGS AND PRESS RELEASES, CALL 412.316.3342 X161.
+ THU., MARCH 26 {GAMES}
For reasons mysterious, the classic kids’ pastime of marbles remains more popular in Pittsburgh than almost anywhere; eight of the past 10 national champions have hailed from Allegheny County. This week, the Allegheny County Marbles Program begins, with free games and lessons for “mibsters” 14 and under at various schools, parks and community centers through May. Today and tomorrow, it’s at the Millvale Boys & Girls Club; March 30-April 10, the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills hosts sessions. Winners of the county tournament, May 28-30, qualify for nationals in Wildwood, N.J. Bill O’Driscoll 3-5 p.m. 500 Farragut St., Millvale; 412-821-5779. Program continues through May 27. www.alleghenycounty.us/parks
grounds and trying to convince his childhood friends to capitalize on their departed father’s career. The production, directed by Gregory Lehane, features Laurie Klatscher, Cary Anne Spear, Jason McCune and Mark Staley. The first performance is tonight. Zacchiaus McKee 8 p.m. Continues through April 12. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. $15-27. 412-392-8000 or www.pittsburghplayhouse.com p g p y
Felipe Esparza was performing standup comedy long before he won NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2010. But he’s since worked hard to develop a distinct delivery (quick, yet deliberate) and a distinct look (think love child of Luis Guzman and Hurley from Lost). His material ranges from Latino stereotypes to fatherhood: “There’s no self-help book for single dads. There’ss n no book called How to There o bo Perfect Raise a Perf e e Kid From 12-9 Saturdays.” on Saturdays ay He brings his unique style e to the Pittsburgh Improv v for six shows starting tonight. Charlie Deitch C 8 p.m. Continues through C March 29. 166 Sun., M Bridge St., West E. B Homestead (The Ho Waterfront). $15. W 412-462-5233 or 41 www.pittsburgh. ww improv.com imp
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{STAGE}
Point Park’s professional theatre company, The REP, closes its season with the premiere of Pittsburgh playwright Anthony McKay’s Endless Lawns. This dramedy follows a man revisiting his old Connecticut stomping
{COMEDY}
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Felipe Esparza
In 2013, the “Knit the Bridge” installation covered yarn installat The Andy W Warhol Bridge. Now in its i 11th year, the Pittsburgh Knit and Pittsbu Crochet Croch Festival returns with new installations
FreeEvent
If ESP TV sounds like a bizarre brainwashing cult, it’s because that’s what they want you to think. A Brooklyn-based mobile studio that works with artists to broadcast performance and visual art on public-access television, ESP TV uses a full team of cameramen, sound engineers and video mixers in front of an audience to expose the process of production. Following international screenings and work with institutions like the Whitney Museum and the New School, ESP TV travels to Pittsburgh for a live taping at The Shop, in Bloomfield. Performers include: locally based, internationally known movement artist Bill Shannon; Pittsburgh-based rock bands Robin Vote and Come Holy Spirit; and the Institute for New Feeling, an art collective dedicated to “ways of feeling new.” In a multimedia night, also expect oddly trippy videos by Sabrina Ratté, Jeremy Couillard, Jeremy Rotzstain and Peter Burr. “Our mission is threefold: to expand on the idea of an artist collaboration and the live experience, to preserve television as a relevant outlet for cultural practice, and to create programming that works against the categorization of creative communities,” ESP TV director Scott Kiernan has said. “Unclassifiable” is a word used to describe ESP TV events. Zacchiaus McKee 9 p.m. 4312 Main St., Bloomfield. Free. 412-951-0622 or www.esptv.com
River Blvd., Oakmont. $12-17. www.oakstheater.com
and activities for knitters and crocheters everywhere. Special events include a PJ party and design contest; a yarnsampling party; an exhibitor marketplace; and a 78-foot waterfall of yarn art hanging from the third and second floors of the Westin Hotel Convention Center lobby. The three-day convention begins today. ZM 1-7 p.m. Also 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily Sat., March 28, and Sun., March 29. 1000 Penn Ave., Downtown. $10-25. 412-281-3700 or www.pghknitandcrotchet.com
+ MON., MARCH 30 {WORDS}
MARCH 31
{ASTRONOMY}
Eighteen miles outside of the city, the skies are clearer and the stars look brighter. At Wagman Observatory, in Deer Lake Regional Park, the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh hosts its March Star Parties. Visitors can inspect the spring sky and say goodbye to some of the winter constellations. The first quarter moon, Venus and Jupiter will also be visible. Tonight is the first of this weekend’s two weather-permitting star parties. ZM 7:40 p.m. Also 7:40 p.m. Sat., March 28.
Terrance Hayes H
1090 Bailey Run Road, Frazer. Free. 724-224-2510 or www.3ap.org
+ SAT., MARCH 28 {WORDS}
“He is a novelty in this little community of ranch houses, of assistant managers and teachers and housewives,” Dave Housley writes about
the lead singer of a KISS cover band. In his new collection of rock ’n’ roll short stories, If I Knew the Way, I Would Take You Home, State Collegebased Housley examines the desperation and triumphs of growing older through the prism of music. Local writers Kris Collins, Shelia Squillante and Rachel Ann Brickner join Housley tonight for a launch party and reading at East End Book Exchange. ZM 7 p.m. 4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. 412-224-2847 or www. eastendbookexchange.com
{COMEDY}
MARCH 27
March arch h Star Stt Parties
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What becomes a local TV-news legend most? How about improv comedy? Sally Wiggin is the special guest tonight for Mondo! onstage at the Oaks Theater. The troupe Make Nice Boom starts things off with an audience-judged team improv contest. At 9:30 p.m., Wiggin (in her second turn at Mondo!) tells “true-to-life stories” as the raw material for improvised comedic scenes. BO 8 p.m. 310 Allegheny
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A half-century after the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, Ethel Payne’s name remains largely unspoken. But in his new book, Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, The First Lady of the Black Press, biographer James McGrath Morris tells the story of this pioneering African-American journalist. Payne, who wrote for the Chicago Defender and Pittsburgh Courier, reported on the civil-rights era from a black perspective. Morris will discuss and sign copies of his book tonight at Big Idea Bookstore. ZM 7 p.m. 4812 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. 412-687-4323 or www. thebigideapgh.wordpress.com
+ THU., APRIL 02 {STAGE}
Anya Martin has been intrigued by the legend of John Henry since childhood. But the Hiawatha Project theater artist’s new play, JH: Mechanics of a Legend, is heavily influenced by Scott Reynolds Nelson’s Steel Drivin’ Man, a 2006 book that argued that the fellow who the song tells us “died with his hammer in his hand” while racing
+ THU., MARCH 26 {PHOTO COURTESY OF MIGUEL ANGEL}
sp otlight
+ TUE., MARCH 31 {WORDS}
{DANCE}
“It was when or because she became two kinds / of mad, both a feral nail biting into a plank / and a deranged screw cranking into a wood beam, / the aunt — I shouldn’t say her name, / went at the fullest hour of the night, / the moon there like an unflowered bulb / in a darkness like mud, or covered in darkness / as a bulb or skull is covered in mud …” So begins “The Carpenter Ant,” from How to Be Drawn, Terrance Hayes’ eagerly awaited follow-up his National Book Award-winning Lighthead (2010). The poet, a Pitt professor, reads tonight at the free book-launch at The University Store on Fifth. BO 7 p.m. 4000 Fifth Ave., Oakland. Free. 412-648-1455
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a steam-drill through a mountain was a real-life African-American laborer (in West Virginia, no less). The music-filled work-inprogress exploring race, slavery, capitalism and more, featuring Monteze Freeland as John Henry, is staged tonight as part of the New Hazlett Theater’s Community Supported Art series. BO 8 p.m. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. $20. 412-320-4610 or www.newhazletttheater.org
Two journeys of self-discovery collide in fireWALL Dance Theater’s Perspectives (as). The hour-long production interweaves solo dances by Madrid, Spain-based dancer/ choreographer Carlotta Storelli and fireWALL artistic director Elisa-Marie Alaio. Excerpted from her “Falling Leaves” and set to original music by Jan Huge Saabye, Storelli’s three solos are about “stripping herself down to her most vulnerable state,” says co-choreographer Jenna Rae Smith. “She unmasks herself to come to terms with who she is.” Alaio’s Smith-choreographed solos, set to original music by Ryan McMasters, depict feelings of alienation and the struggle to retain one’s mask. Performed on a stage divided by a band of light, the six alternating solos culminate in a duet choreographed by Smith in which the two journeys combine. Perspectives (as) marks Switzerland native Storelli’s U.S. debut. Smith says that the show arose after off the WALL Performing Arts Center managing director Hans H. Gruenert ran across Storelli’s work during a random Vimeo search. Perspectives (as) receives five performances this weekend. Steve Sucato 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., March 29. 25 W. Main St., Carnegie. $5-25. 888-718-4253 or www.insideoffthewall.com
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Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Playwrights Theatre, Downtown. 412-377-7803. Castle Shannon. 412-881-1002. ENDLESS LAWNS. An HOW I LEARNED WHAT I THE MUSICAL. Based upon emotionally trenchant story LEARNED. A one-man play The Addams Family characters about two sisters & the men about the power of art & the created by Charles Addams in who love & care for them by power of possibility by August his single-panel gag cartoons, Anthony McKay, Pittsburgh Wilson. Thu-Sat, 8 p.m., Sun, which depict a ghoulish American playwright & Carnegie Mellon 2 & 7 p.m. and Tue, 7 p.m. Thru family w/ an affinity for all things University professor. Sat, April 5. Pittsburgh Public Theater, macabre. Presented by Spotlight 2 p.m., Thu-Sat, 8 p.m., Sun., Downtown. 412-316-1600. Musical Theatre Company & March 29, 2 p.m., Wed., April 1, JAMES AND THE GIANT Duquesne University. Thu-Sat, 8 p.m. and Sun., April 12, 2 p.m. PEACH. Enchanting fantasy about 8 p.m. Thru March 28. Peter Thru April 12. Pittsburgh friendship & adventure Mills Theater ( Duquesne, Rockwell Playhouse, Oakland. adapted by David 412-392-8000. Hall ), Uptown. 412-396-6000. Wood & based on the THE FOX ON THE BEAUTY & THE BEAST. The book by Roald Dahl. FAIRWAY. Quail Valley Disney Broadway musical. Sat, Sun, 2 p.m. and . w w w Country Club prepares March 31-April 2, 7:30 p.m., Fri., March 27, 7:30 p.m. typaper ci h g p to taken on archrival Fri., April 3, 8 p.m., Sat., April 4, Thru March 29. The .com Crouching Squirrel 2 & 8 p.m. and Sun., April 5, Theatre Factory, Trafford. Country Club in the Annual 1 p.m. Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-374-9200. Inter-Club Golf Tournament. 412-456-6666. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. With a sizable wage at stake, the BOEING BOEING. A 60s farce feat. Classic rock musical w/ music contest plays out amidst three love Bernard, a wannabe-Casanova, by Andrew Lloyd Webber. affairs, a disappearing diamond, w/ Italian, German & American Fri, Sat, 7:30 p.m. Thru April 11. objectionable sweaters & an fiancées, each a beautiful airline Comtra Theatre, Cranberry. exploding vase. Presented by the hostess w/ frequent “layovers”. 724-773-9896. South Hills Players. Fri, Sat, 8 p.m. Sun, 2 p.m., Sat, 2 & 7:30 p.m. and OBLIVION. Uber-hip Brooklynites and Sun, 2 p.m. Thru March 29. Wed-Fri, 7:30 p.m. Thru April 26. Pam & Dixon take pride in their progressive approach to parenting. But when their 16-year-old daughter Julie lies [LIT] about where she spent the weekend, their cool façade crumbles. Hamburg Studio. Sat, 5:30 & 9 p.m., Fri, 8 p.m., Tue, 7 p.m., Thu., March 26, 8 p.m., Sun, 2 p.m. and Wed, 1 & 7 p.m. Thru April 26. City Theatre, South Side. 412-431-2489. PETER PAN, JR.. Fly away to Neverland w/ Peter & the Darling children in Disney’s adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s play. Presented by the Mon River Arts’ Petite Players. Fri., March 27, 7:30 p.m., Sat., March 28, 2 & 6 p.m. and Sun., March 29, 2 p.m. Grand Theatre, Elizabeth. 412-405-8425. PROFESSOR ELDRITCH’S ASYLUM FOR UNCANNY AND EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN. The Asylum is a sitespecific work taking up residence at an undisclosed location somewhere in Pittsburgh. Small, intimate audiences will be invited to spend the evening observing its occupants -- seven real-life characters from history, women of a duplicitous nature who gambled against their society & lost. A joint project through Uncumber Theatrics & Devious Maid Productions. Thu-Sat, 8 p.m. and At the Women Read/Women Write Book Festival, 40 local and national authors Sun, 2 & 7 p.m. Thru April 4. SHAKESPEARE’S FINANCIAL come together to celebrate books women love. Four panel discussions, on topics such as ADVICE. Overwhelmed by tax “The Female Gaze: The Impact of Outlander on Romance Novels and TV,” will get your time? Wishing you had stuck to creative and analytical juices flowing at the Andrew Carnegie Library, in Carnegie. If you your budget last year? Worried don’t mind paying a little extra, writing seminars, hosted by female authors, can help hone about paying for that fancy your skills. Author signings, vendors and food trucks round out the event. 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. vacation? Get some financial adSun., March 29. 300 Beechwood Ave., Carnegie. $10. www.womenreadwomenwrite.com vice from William Shakespeare, Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown. 412-325-6769. CARMEN. George Bizet’s classic opera. French w/ English subtitles. Presented by the Pittsburgh Opera. Sat., March 28, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., March 29, 2 p.m. Benedum Center, Downtown. 412-456-6666. CYNTHIA HOPKINS: A LIVING DOCUMENTARY. A one-woman-show in which Hopkins plays both herself & an eclectic cast of characters, driven by a song cycle of original compositions. Sat., March 28, 8 p.m. Andy Warhol Museum, North Side. 412-237-8300. DETRIS, VESTIGE, & DROSS. Moriah Ella Mason’s performance art piece. March 27-28, 8 p.m. Future Tenant, Downtown. 412-325-7037. DINAH. A play about the legendary blues singer Dinah Washington, by Ernest McCarty. Fri, Sat, 8 p.m., Sun., March 29, 7 p.m. and Sun., April 5, 3 p.m. Thru April 5. Pittsburgh
FULL LIST ONLINE
CONTINUES ON PG. 36
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
VISUALART
NEW THIS WEEK
CHRISTINE FRECHARD GALLERY. Venezuelan Artists United. In collaboration w/ Luzardo Gallery in Venezuela. Feat. work by Jesus Perez, Nerio Quintero, Freddy Paz Rincon, Alvaro Paz, Gustavo Paris & Johan Galue. Opening reception March 28, 5-8pm. Squirrel Hill. 412-421-8888. CRAZY MOCHA COFFEE COMPANY. Nature Photography. Work by Helena Knörr. Bloomfield. 412-681-5225. OLIN FINE ARTS CENTER. PORTALS. Paintings by Robert Patrick. Opening reception March 27, 6-8pm. Washington. 724- 503-1001 x 6043. REVISION SPACE. winterlong. Work by Caldwell Linker. Opening reception March 27, 6-10pm. Lawrenceville. 412-735-3201. UNSMOKE ART SPACE. BRADDOCK Coming Home. Ramon Riley’s paintings retrace his steps through his hometown of Braddock, PA. March 27 & 28, 6-8pm. Braddock. 412-956-2148.
ONGOING
707 PENN GALLERY. Rebecca Lessner: Hunter Gatherer. A photography exhibition exploring living off the land. Downtown. 412-456-6666. 709 PENN GALLERY. Light & Landscape. A photography exhibition feat. a dozen printed canvases of urban landscapes & natural settings by artist Joey Kennedy. Downtown. 412-471-6070. ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM. Someday is Now: The Art of Corita Kent. A fullscale survey covering more than 30 years of work by American artist Corita Kent; a designer, teacher, feminist, activist for civil rights & anti-war causes. Exposures.
Works from Pittsburgh based artist, Cecilia Ebitz’s “Good Intentions”, inspired by the work & teachings of Corita Kent. Permanent collection. Artwork & artifacts by the famed Pop Artist. North Side. 412-237-8300. ARTDFACT. Artdfact Gallery. The works of Timothy Kelley & other regional & US artists on display. Sculpture, oil & acrylic paintings, mixed media, found objects, more. North Side. 724-797-3302. ASSEMBLE. 349. A collaborative animation & installation project that explores how people are connected. Closing reception March 26, 7-9pm w/ artist talk & screening. Garfield. 412-965-9271. BACKSTAGE BAR AT THEATRE SQUARE. Artwork by Bonnie Gloris. March 11 thru April 15. Downtown. 412-325-6769. BE GALLERIES. Back & Forth. Works by Kenn Bass, Dana Ingham, Lenore Thomas & Janet Towbin. Lawrenceville. 412-687-2606. BOULEVARD GALLERY. Ed Rickus, Karen McKee, Claudia Salvatore. Multimedia, pottery & jewelry. Verona. 412-828-1031. CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART. Visiting Van Gogh: Still Life, Basket of Apples. Van Gogh’s “Still Life, Basket of Apples” (1887),”Le Moulin de la Galette” (1886–1887), “Wheat Fields after the Rain” (1890), & Paul Signac’s “Place des Lices, St. Tropez”, visiting from the Saint Louis Art Museum. Oakland. 412-622-3131. CHATHAM UNIVERSITY. Culture in Context. African Art from the Olkes Collection. Shadyside. 412-365-1232. CHRISTINE FRECHARD GALLERY. Alchimie des
JOSE & TONY’S .25
Couleurs. Work by Annette Poitau. Squirrel Hill. 412-421-8888. EASTSIDE GALLERY. John Eastman & Josh Hogan. By appt. only. Forest Hills. 412-465-0140. ECLECTIC ART & OBJECTS GALLERY. 19th century American & European paintings combined w/ contemporary artists & their artwork. The Hidden Collection. Watercolors by Robert N. Blair (1912- 2003). Hiromi Traditional Japanese Oil Paintings The Lost Artists of the 1893 Chicago Exhibition. Collectors Showcase. Emsworth. 412-734-2099. FILMMAKERS GALLERIES. Pittsburgh Photo Section. Exhibit celebrating the 130th Anniversary of the Pittsburgh Photo Section. Oakland. 412-681-5449. FRICK ART & HISTORICAL CENTER. Impressionist to Modernist: Masterworks in Early Photography. Feat. photographs by major artists working in the circle of Alfred Stieglitz, capturing the international development of photography around turn of the 20th century. Permanent collection of European Art. Point Breeze. 412-371-0600. GALERIE WERNER, THE MANSIONS ON FIFTH. Fabrizio Gerbino. New paintings by artist. Oakland. 412-716-1390. GALLERIE CHIZ. Liz Goldberg & Patty Gallagher. Dual exhibtion w/ Goldberg’s painting & drawings for “Cigar Queens of Havana” & Gallagher’s wearable art, “Hot Tropics”. Shadyside. 412-441-6005. THE GALLERY 4. Echoroad. New sequential art & comic book release by Leslie Minnis. Shadyside. 412-363-5050.
$2 Lite Drafts on Fridays
ALEXIONS
$3 Lite 20oz Drafts during March Hoops
ROCKEFELLER’S .50
$12 Lite Buckets during March Hoops
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CONTINUES ON PG. 37
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“=SEAZ=” (synthetic polymers on canvas tarpaulin, 2014), by Robert Patrick. From the exhibiton PORTALS at the Olin Art Gallery, Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, Pa.
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{PHOTO COURTESY OF ADULT SWIM}
*Stuff We Like
The Eric Andre Show
This comedy on Adult Swim may be less than 15 minutes long, but it’s a quarter-hour full of fast-paced gags, physical comedy and “celebrity interviews.” www.adultswim.com
West of Sunset
Pittsburgh-based novelist Stewart O’Nan ventures into historical fiction with this portrait of F. Scott Fitzgerald, spending his final days in late-1930s Hollywood, hobnobbing with stars, falling in love and trying to write his way out of debt. It’s wonderfully entertaining and insightfully poignant.
BIG LIST, CONTINUED FROM PG. 34
successful businessman, owner of a successful theater, commodities trader & of course, popular playwright. An informal scene night. Mon., March 30, 7:30 p.m. Te Cafe, Squirrel Hill. 412-521-6406. THE WEDDING FROM HELL. A comedy murder mystery dinner show. Sat, 7 p.m. Thru April 18. Gaetano’s Restaurant, Dormont. 724-344-2069. THE WHOLEHEARTED. A one-woman theatre piece that combines fight choreography, live music & live-action camera work. Its narrative examines violence in the context of love & sexuality in the context of sports. Presented by Stein | Holum Projects. Thu-Sat, 8 p.m. Thru March 28. Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, East Liberty. 412-363-3000.
COMEDY THU 26
OPEN MIC W/ DEREK MINTO. Thu, 9 p.m. Hambone’s, Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318. PITTSBURGH IMPROV JAM. Thu, 10 p.m. Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown. 412-325-6769.
{PHOTO BY ASHLEY MURRAY}
THU 26 - SUN 29
OverDrive
{PHOTO BY CELINE ROBERTS}
This app lets you borrow ebooks from the library and download them directly to your tablet or smartphone. www.overdrive.com
Tanager Coffee
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
FRI 27 - SAT 28
JIM HOLDER. 8 p.m. and Sat., March 28, 7 & 10 p.m. Latitude 360, North Fayette. 412-693-5555.
SAT 28
Strawberry Way
This Downtown shortcut — from Grant Street to Liberty Avenue — is one the nicer alleys, with artwork, tucked-away retail and eateries, and glimpses of historic buildings.
The beans come from one tiny farm in Colombia. Find it in the Strip District at Caffe d’Amore (inside Marty’s Market) and the Pittsburgh Public Market.
FELIPE ESPARZA. 8 p.m., Fri., March 27, 7:30 & 9:45 p.m., Sat., March 28, 7 & 9:30 p.m. and Sun., March 29, 7 p.m. The Improv, Waterfront. 412-462-5233.
MAKE NICE BOOM. A team improv competition presented by Unplanned Comedy. Fourth Sat of every month, 8 p.m. Cattivo, Lawrenceville. 412-687-2157. MIKE JONES, MATT STANTON & RAY ZAWODNI. 8 p.m. The Rose Bar, McKeesport. MONDO IMPROV FEAT. SALLY WIGGIN. 8 p.m. Oaks Theater, Oakmont. 412-828-6322. OPEN STAGE COMEDY NIGHT. Fourth Sat of every month. Eclipse Lounge, Lawrenceville. 412-251-0097.
TUE 31
TUESDAY NIGHT STAND-UP. Tue, 9 p.m. Hot Rod Cafe, Mt. Washington. 412-592-7869.
WED 01
COMEDY OPEN MIC. Hosted by Ronald Renwick. Wed, 9:30 p.m. Scarpaci’s Place, Mt. Washington. 412-431-9908. JOKING OFF. A weekly stand up show hosted by Dick Winters. Wed, 9 p.m. Thru April 29 Caliente Pizza & Bar, Bloomfield. 412-904-1744.
EVERYONE IS A CRITIC
statues from China & Japan, as well as Meissen porcelain. Butler. 724-282-0123. MCGINLEY HOUSE & EVENT: MCCULLY LOG HOUSE. Historic homes open for tours, lectures & more. Monroeville. 412-373-7794. , NATIONAL AVIARY. Home Villanova vs. NC State, to more than 600 birds from over 200 species. W/ classes, CONSOL Energy Center, lectures, demos & more. Uptown North Side. 412-323-7235. NATIONALITY ROOMS. CRITIC: , 26 rooms helping to tell the 22, a student from story of Pittsburgh’s immigrant Oakland past. University of Pittsburgh. Oakland. 412-624-6000. WHEN: PHIPPS CONSERVATORY & BOTANICAL GARDEN. Spring Flower Show. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths & other No one really expected NC State to win. It was a major blooms are the stars of Spring upset. Villanova is one of the best teams in the country, Flower Show, a celebration of and they were seeded No. 1. I’m not a huge basketball sweet scents & colorful sights. 14 indoor rooms & 3 outdoor fan, but I came to the game with some friends. We go to gardens feature exotic plants & Pitt so it was something to do since Pitt wasn’t playing. floral displays from around the It was a good game at least, really fun to watch. Much world. Tropical Forest Congo. better than Villanova killing Lafayette on Thursday. You An exhibit highlighting some know how you go to something and you just get caught of Africa’s lushest landscapes. up in all the hype? That’s what this was like. March Oakland. 412-622-6914. PHOTO ANTIQUITIES. Madness only happens once a year, so it’s fun to be Photographs & Jewerly. A part of the excitement even if you aren’t a huge sports hundred years (1839-1939) fan. My friends and I filled out brackets just for fun, but of photographs that mine’s pretty much fucked now. I had Villanova going incorporated jewelry. For guided tours, call much further. 412- 231-7881. North Side. B Y Z AC CH I AU S M C K E E PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM. Home to 4,000 animals, including many jump, roll, run & walk through endangered species. Highland a 30-foot inflatable “jumpy” art Park. 412-665-3639. ALLEGHENY-KISKI VALLEY piece created by Felipe Dulzaides SENATOR JOHN HEINZ HERITAGE MUSEUM. & on loan from The New Children’s HISTORY CENTER. From Military artifacts & exhibits Museum, in San Diego CA. Slavery to Freedom. Highlight’s on the Allegheny Valley’s North Side. 412-322-5058. Pittsburgh’s role in the anti-slavery industrial heritage. Tarentum. FALLINGWATER. Tour the movement. Ongoing: Western 724-224-7666. famed Frank Lloyd Wright house. PA Sports Museum, Clash of ANDREW CARNEGIE FREE 724-329-8501. Empires, & exhibits on local LIBRARY MUSIC HALL. Capt. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN history, more. Strip District. Thomas Espy Room Tour. CHURCH. Tours of 13 Tiffany 412-454-6000. The Capt. Thomas Espy Post 153 of stained-glass windows. SOLDIERS & SAILORS the Grand Army of the Republic Downtown. 412-471-3436. MEMORIAL HALL. War in served local Civil War veterans FORT PITT MUSEUM. the Pacific 1941-1945. Feat. a for over 54 years & is the best Reconstructed fort houses collection of military artifacts preserved & most intact GAR post museum of Pittsburgh showcasing photographs, in the United States. Carnegie. history circa French & uniforms, shells & other related 412-276-3456. Indian War & American items. Military museum BOST BUILDING. Collectors. Revolution. Downtown. dedicated to honoring Preserved materials reflecting 412-281-9285. military service the industrial heritage of FRICK ART & members since the Southwestern PA. Homestead. HISTORICAL CENTER. Civil War through 412-464-4020. Ongoing: tours of artifacts & personal CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER. Clayton, the Frick mementos. Oakland. www. per a p H2Oh!. Experience kinetic estate, w/ classes 412-621-4253. pghcitym o .c water-driven motion & discover & programs for all ST. ANTHONY’S the relations between water, ages. Point Breeze. CHAPEL. Features land & habitat. How do everyday 412-371-0600. 5,000 relics of Catholic saints. decisions impact water supply & HARTWOOD ACRES. Tour this North Side. 412-323-9504. the environment? Ongoing: Buhl Tudor mansion & stable complex. ST. NICHOLAS CROATIAN Digital Dome (planetarium), Enjoy hikes & outdoor activities in CATHOLIC CHURCH. Miniature Railroad & Village, the surrounding park. Allison Park. Maxo Vanka Murals. Mid-20th USS Requin submarine & more. 412-767-9200. century murals depicting war, North Side. 412-237-3400. KENTUCK KNOB. Tour the social justice & the immigrant CARRIE FURNACE. Built in 1907, other Frank Lloyd Wright house. experience in America. Millvale. Carrie Furnaces 6 & 7 are extremely 724-329-8501. 412-407-2570. rare examples of pre World War II KERR MEMORIAL MUSEUM. iron-making technology. Rankin. Tours of a restored 19th-century, 412-464-4020 x.21. middle-class home. Oakmont. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF 412-826-9295. PITTSBURGH. Missing Links MARIDON MUSEUM. 49TH ANNUAL UKRAINIAN (The Rainbow Jumpy). Bounce, EASTER EGG SALE. Ukrainian Collection includes jade & ivory
NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Third Round
Zach Tabler
Sat., March 21
EXHIBITS
FULL LIST ONLINE
HOLIDAY SUN 29
VISUAL ART
GALLERY ON 43RD STREET. Liza Brenner. “Plein Air Landscapes”. Oil on paper works by artist. Lawrenceville. 412-683-6488. GALLERY-VERY FINE ART. Group Show. Work by Linda Price-Sneddon, Peggy Habets, James E. Trusko & others. South Side. 412-901-8805. GLENN GREENE STAINED GLASS STUDIO INC. Original Glass Art by Glenn Greene. Exhibition of new work, recent work & older work. Regent Square. 412-243-2772. HILLMAN LIBRARY. Get to The Point!. An exhibition of early drawings, paintings, postcards, engravings, maps, & photographs from the University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives Service Center that document the history of the Point & Point State Park. Ground Floor. Oakland. 412-648-3330. HOYT INSTITUTE OF FINE ART. Annual Hoyt Regional Juried Exhibit. Showcasing Pittsburgh area artists. New Castle. 724-652-2882. HUNT INSTITUTE FOR BOTANICAL DOCUMENTATION. Elements. Drawings & watercolors of bird nests w/ a focus on the natural & man-made materials incorporated into these architectural structures. The featured artists are Sue Abramson, Wendy Brockman, David Morrison & Kate Nessler. Oakland. 412-268-2434. JAMES GALLERY. Headliners. New paintings, mixed media works, glass & ceramics. Feat. Christine Aaron, Eileen Braun, Claire Cotts, Jamie Harris, Ben Johnson, Micheal Madigan, Susan Morosky & Scott Turri. West End. 412-922-9800. LA PRIMA ESPRESSO. Paintings/Prints of Italy. Prints of Vince Ornato’s oil paintings of Italy. Strip District. 412-281-1922. LAKEVUE ATHLETIC CLUB. Pop-Up Gallery. Work by a variety of artists. Valencia. 724-316-9326. MARKET SQUARE. Jennifer Wen Ma: Installation. “A Winter Landscape Cradling
Easter eggs, hand made crafts from Eastern Europe, Ukrainian foods, basket raffles, door prizes & church & museum tours. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church Hall, Carnegie. 412-276-9718.
DANCE THU 26 - SUN 29
AT ONCE THERE WAS A HOUSE. A zany theatrical ride exploring the question of
SAT 28
CONTINUED FROM PG. 35
Bits of Sparkle” 120 live trees, 200 kg of Chinese ink, wooden pathway & glass globes. Downtown. 412-471-1511. MATTRESS FACTORY. Artists in Residence. Installations created in-residence by Danny Bracken, John Peña, Ryder Henry, Kathleen Montgomery, & Benjamin Sota. Part of the 2014 Pittsburgh Biennial. Ongoing Installations. Works by Turrell, Lutz, Kusama, Anastasi, Highstein, Wexler & Woodrow. North Side. 412-231-3169. MODERNFORMATIONS GALLERY. Earthly Delites // Boring Chores. Homemade Artwork by: K. Gould, M.Shalonis, & S.Neary. Garfield. 412-362-0274. MORGAN CONTEMPORARY GLASS GALLERY. 3d@mgg. A exhibition of artists working in three dimensional media. Shadyside. 412-441-7258. NORTH HILLS ART CENTER. Urban Gurlz..overwintering... Mary Williams presents “Along the Road in Western Pennsylvania”, “ The Ancients”, & “Indoor Home Ocean” photography. Maryllyod Claytor presents “..Clean Your Closet..” Ross. 412-364-3622. PANZA GALLERY. Behind The Murals: Histories & Other Stories. Exploring the historic, social & artistic influences impacting each stage of the creation of Maxo Vanka’s murals in St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church.Millvale. 412-821-0959. PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS. Nine Solo Exhibits. Feat. the work of Scott Andrew, Vlad Basarub, Terry Boyd, Oreen Cohen, Joy Christiansen Erb, Katie Ford, Joseph Lupo, Katie Murken & Hisham Youssef. Shadyside. 412-361-0873. PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER. ABC@PGC. A colorful exhibition feat. glass sculptures combined w/ an interactive illuminated word building piece that visitors can touch, rearrange & wear like apparel. Created by Jen Elek & Jeremy Bert. Friendship. 412-365-2145. REMEDY. RUBBERNECK. New work by Lizzee Solomon. Lawrenceville. 847-372-0958.
“Whatever happened to Dick & Jane?” Present by CORNINGWORKS. Thru March 28, 8 p.m. and Sun., March 29, 2 p.m. New Hazlett Theater, North Side. 1-888-718-4253.
SAT 28
UNION TANGUERA. French Argentinean ensemble Union Tanguera brings the sensuality & art of tango to life w/ their original, stimulating interpretation of the social dance style reimagined for the stage w/
THE SHOP. Jennifer Lee & Terry Young. New work by these artists. Bloomfield. 412-951-0622. THE SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT. Bridge 13. Work by Elisabeth Higgins, Keith Lo Bue, & Jason Walker. Strip District. 412-261-7003. SPACE. UNLOADED. A multimedia group show that explores historical & social issues surrounding the availability, use & impact of guns in our culture. Closing reception April 24. The Sideways Museum. A collection of works by Pittsburgh-based artists exploring folk & visionary art traditions. Viewable 24 hrs. a day w/ periodic alterations. Interior open for special occasions. Downtown. 412-325-7723. SPINNING PLATE GALLERY. Time & Materiality. Work by Laura Tabakman, Camilla Brent Pearce & Michelle Browne. Friday March 27, potluck 6pm. Please RSVP. Friendship. 412-441-0194. SWEETWATER CENTER FOR THE ARTS. West Hills Art League Exhibition. A sampling of the wide array of West Hills Art League members’ artistic styles ranging from traditional watercolors & oil paintings to acrylics, pastels, clay, paper, & more. Sewickley. 412-741-4405. WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY. Jason Propst Senior Art Exhibit. Asian inspired works include sculpture, paintings, drawings & jewelry. Benedum Galleries. 724-852-3274. WESTMORELAND MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART. Reconstructed Paintings. New works by Gary Jurysta. Greensburg. 412-559-8168. WOOD STREET GALLERIES. Absense of Self. Installations, video projections & ‘flicker’ objects ft. Ivana Franke, Lauri Astala, Bryndis Hronn Ragnarsdottir & Mirjana Vodopija. Downtown. 412-456-6666.
live music. 8 p.m. Byham Theater, Downtown. 412-456-6666.
FUNDRAISERS THU 26
“BOWL WITH THE BUS” CHARITY BOWLING EVENT. Bowling tournament, live music, auction items, celebrity guests, more. Benefits Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation. 7 p.m. Latitude 360, North Fayette. 412-315-1426.
SAT 28
authors, book signings, panel discussions, vendors, a food truck & workshops w/ bestselling authors. 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Andrew Carnegie Free Library Music Hall, Carnegie. 412-276-3456.
COMEDY FOR MYASTHENIA GRAVIS ASSOCIATION. Comedy w/ Lisa Dapprich, Tom Musial & David Kaye silent & live auctions of autographed sports memorabilia, a basket raffle, more. Benefits The Myasthenia Gravis Association of Western Pennsylvania. 6:30 p.m. Morningside VFW, Morningside. 412-566-1545. DREAMS OF HOPE: ABSOLUTE MOTOWN. Pittsburgh’s only arts-focused LGBTQA youth organization presents performances by Etta Cox & Friends, theatriQ Youth Performance Ensemble, & auctions w/ award-winning artist Alexi Morrissey as auctioneer. 7 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Oakland. 412-818-1180. GLASS SLIPPER BALL. Food, wine, live entertainment. Benefits Treasure House Fashions, Living in Liberty & Love & Care Family Uganda. 7 p.m. Four Points Sheraton, Greensburg. 724-935-6100. THE PITTSBURGH JAZZ LEGACY CONTINUUM FUNDRAISER. Joe Negri & Firm Roots & silent auction. Benefits Lighthouse Arts, Inc. Ballroom. 7 p.m. James Street Gastropub & Speakeasy, North Side. 412-904-3335. REESE FAMILY FIRE RECOVERY BINGO!. Play bingo to help get the Reese Family back on their feet after a house fire. 4-6 p.m. East Liberty Presbyterian Church, East Liberty. 412-441-3800.
FAMILY FRIENDLY KIDS OPEN MIC. Sat, 6 p.m. Hambone’s, Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318. MARTY’S MARKET KIDS’ CORNER. Ages 5-11. Sat, 3-5 p.m. Marty’s Market, Strip District. 412-586-7177. MOCK FAIRY TALE TRAIL. Kids in grades K-5 are summoned to sit on the trial of Three Bears vs. Gold E. Locks. 1-2:30 p.m. Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw. 412-486-0211.
TUE 31
CARSON ELLIS. Reading & signing. 6 p.m. Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley. 412-741-3838. PITTSBURGH CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY READING GROUP. Tue, 6 p.m. East End Book Exchange, Bloomfield. 412-224-2847. STEEL CITY SLAM. Open mic poets & slam poets. 3 rounds of 3 minute poems. Tue, 7:45 p.m. Capri Pizza and Bar, East Liberty. 412-362-1250. STORY NIGHT. Live, open mic storytelling w/ a different theme every month. Last Tue of every month, 8 p.m. Riley’s Pour House, Carnegie. 412-279-0770. TERRANCE HAYES. Book launch of “How To Be Drawn”. 7 p.m. The University Store on Fifth, Oakland. 412-648-1455.
SUN 29
EASTER EGG HUNT. Moon bounce, crafts, games, fire trucks, photos w/ the Easter Bunny. 3 p.m. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, Ross. 412-366-9899.
MON 30
FAMILY GAME NIGHT. Last Mon of every month, 5-8 p.m. Dobra Tea, Squirrel Hill. 412-449-9833. MAKER STORY TIME. Explore tools, materials & processes inspired by books. Listen to stories read by librarian-turned-Teaching Artist Molly. Mon, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058.
KIDSTUFF THU 26 - WED 01
BACKYARD EXHIBIT. Musical swing set, sandbox, solar-powered instruments, more. Ongoing Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058.
TUE 31
HOMEWORK HELP. For grades 1-8. Tue, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Assemble, Garfield. 412-432-9127. CONTINUES ON PG. 38
LITERARY THU 26
THE HOUR AFTER HAPPY HOUR WRITER’S WORKSHOP. Young writers & recent graduates looking for additional feedback on their work. thehourafterhappyhour. wordpress.com Thu, 7-9 p.m. Lot 17, Bloomfield. 412-687-8117. THE SINGING BRIDGE & PITTSBURGH POETS. An evening of poetry & prose, feat. Angele Ellis & Robert Walicki. 6 p.m. The South Butler Community Library, Saxonburg. 724-352-4810.
Rhythm Jazz & Blues
FUSION SHOW featuring
SAT 28
DARYL GREGORY. The horror author will sign his book “Harrison Squared”. 2 p.m. Rickert & Beagle Books, Dormont. 412-344-7444. MARTHA REED. Pittsburgh mystery writer will discuss & sign her new work, “The Choking Game”. 12-1 p.m. The University Store on Fifth, Oakland. 412-648-1459. THE POETRY OF ROBERT FROST. Poet Sam Hazo will lead this two-session workshop that examines the life & works of Robert Frost. 1:30 p.m. Mount Lebanon Public Library, Mt. Lebanon. 412-531-1912.
JOHNNY ANGEL
SUN 29
MARK STICKLAND
JESSICA LEE
ERIC DEFADE
FIRST SATURDAYS APRIL, MAY & JUNE
STARTING
APRIL4
8PM IN THE UPSTAIRS BALLROOM | $10 COVER
WOMEN READ/WOMEN WRITE BOOK FESTIVAL. A book festival w/ 40 national & regional
RICK PURCELL
422 FORELAND ST | PITTSBURGH | 412.904.3335
JAMESSTREETGASTROPUB.COM N E W S
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BIG LIST, CONTINUED FROM PG. 37
WED 01
WRITING & ART WITH TESS. Story & craft-time for kids ages 5 & up. First Wed of every month, 10 a.m. Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley. 412-741-3838.
OUTSIDE FRI 27 - SAT 28
STAR PARTY. Observe Double-stars, planetary nebulae, astonishing star clusters, distant galaxies, Saturn & its rings, Jupiter & four of its moons, more. March 27-28, 4 p.m. Mingo Creek Park Observatory, 724-348-6150.
SAT 28
MAPLE MADNESS. Learn all about maple sugaring & syrup while enjoying a pancake breakfast. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Beechwood Farms, Fox Chapel. 412-963-6100. RACE TO ZERO. 1 mile & 5 K race. Starts at Anderson Playground. Benefits UNICEF. Schenley Park, Oakland. 440-452-5252.
OTHER STUFF THU 26
CAMPUS SUPERSTAR. An American Idol-like solo singing competition featuring Pittsburgh area college students. 7:30 p.m. Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland. 412-622-3131. CREATIVE SOUL WEEKNIGHT RETREAT. Weeknight series for
creatives in Pittsburgh to create Baptist Church, Oakland. iwap. & network together. Attendees pittsburgh@gmail.com. will learn from a panel of five MILLENNIAL MUSCLE AT WORK professional creatives, create W/ CHRISTY UFFELAMN. Hear a hands-on art project & meet one young woman’s personal story people in the Pittsburgh of working from the outside in, community who share a passion her lessons learned from peers, & for making things. 6 p.m. Irma how she inspires other Millennials Freeman Center for Imagination, to do the same. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Garfield. 412-606-7794. Fairmont Pittsburgh, Downtown. CRUEL & UNUSUAL. 412-391-1348. Pennsylvanians For Alternatives to RENAISSANCE DANCE GUILD. the Death Penalty Presents: Cruel Learn a variety of dances from and Unusual-- Why the Death the 15-17th centuries. Porter Penalty Should Be Abolished Hall, Room A18A. Thu, in Pennsylvania. Speaker 8 p.m. Carnegie Mellon Henderson Hill will University, Oakland. speak on restorative 412-567-7512. justice. Rm. 109. WEST COAST SWING. www. per 7-9 p.m. University of a p Swing dance lessons pghcitym Pittsburgh Law Building, .co for all levels. Thu, 7 p.m. Oakland. 412-648-1413. Pittsburgh Dance Center, GROUND WORK. An Bloomfield. 412-681-0111. inside look at the future of ZEN MEDITATION. Hosted urban agriculture and ecological by City Dharma. Thu, 6:30-8 p.m. development in Pittsburgh. and Sat, 7-8:30 a.m. Church of Barco Law Building, 2nd floor, the the Redeemer, Squirrel Hill. Alcoa Room. 6 p.m. University of Pittsburgh, Oakland. 412-624-4141. 412-965-9903. THE HOMEWOOD CEMETERY & PITTSBURGH’S FAMOUS PITTSBURGH HUMANITIES WOMEN. Learn about the FESTIVAL. Feat. internationally amazing Pittsburgh women who renowned academics, artists & chose The Homewood Cemetery intellectual innovators offering as their final resting place. interviews, intimate conversations 12:15 p.m. Carnegie Library, & select performances focused on Downtown. 412-281-7141. topics ranging from art, literature, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S music science, policy & politics. ASSOCIATION OF PITTSBURGH. Various locations. March 26-29, Social, cultural club of American/ 412-456-6666. international women. Thu First
FULL LIST E N O LIN
THU 26 - SUN 29
THU 26 - WED 01
CARNEGIE MELLON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. 19 award winning films from 14 different countries. Various locations. Thru April 11 412-268-2212.
general public to observe the wonders of the spring sky & say good-bye to some of the Winter Constellations. Weather permitting. March 27-28, 7:40 p.m. Wagman Observatory, Tarentum. 724-224-2510.
FRI 27
FRI 27 - SUN 29
AFRICAN DANCE CLASS. Second and Third Fri of every month and Fourth and Last Fri of every month Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, Garfield. 412-924-0634. A DISCUSSION ON RACE, POLICE & THE COMMUNITY. A diverse panel representing the police, the church & the community will help us engage in a listening & learning conversation. 7:30 p.m. Cafe 304, Downtown. 412-726-4217. FARM TO TABLE LOCAL FOOD TASTING. A gathering of farm exhibitors & like-minded locavores feat. local food, wine & beer samples. 5-8 p.m. David Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. 412-563-7825. FISH FRY FRIDAY TOURS. A shuttled tour & historical visit w/ your fish fry. Pick up is at 11 a.m. at Station Square across from the parking garage. This week we will visit Holy Angels Church in Hays. 412-323-4709. FREEDOM HOUSE STREET SAVIORS DOCUMENTARY. In 1967, Pittsburgh, 26 unemployable black men were taken off the inner-city streets & trained to become the first paramedics in the United States. 7 p.m. Elsie H. Hillman Auditorium, Hill District. 412-281-1026. FRIDAY NIGHT CONTRA DANCE. A social, traditional American dance. No partner needed, beginners welcome, lesson at 7:30. Fri, 8 p.m. Swisshelm Park Community Center, Swissvale. 412-945-0554. ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL. Local premieres of seven critically acclaimed Italian films. March 26-April 18. Tonight’s movie is “Remember Me?” 7 p.m. Frick Fine Arts Building, Oakland. WAGNER: HIS LIFE & MUSIC. Dr. Cleon Cornes returns to the library for this six-week class examining the life & music of Richard Wagner. Fri, 10 a.m. and Fri, 10 a.m. Thru April 17 Mount Lebanon Public Library, Mt. Lebanon. 412-531-1912.
FRI 27 - SAT 28
CHEERLEADERS PIT TSBURGH 3100 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15201 412-281-3110 38
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
FARM TO TABLE CONFERENCE. Farms, restaurants, independent producers, speakers, more. March 27-28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. David Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. 412-563-7825. LIVED THEOLOGY CONFERENCE. The topic is Courageous Faith Transforming Communities. March 27-28, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, East Liberty. 412-441-3304 x 2196. MARCH STAR PARTIES. This is an opportunity for amateur astronomers, students & the
PITTSBURGH KNIT & CROCHET FESTIVAL. Classes, marketplace & events. 1-7 p.m., Sat., March 28, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Sun., March 29, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Westin Convention Center Hotel, Downtown. 412-963-7030. SUPER SALSA WEEKEND. Live music, dances, performances, workshops & a bit of salsa history. Various locations. March 27-29. www.salsapittsburgh.com.
SAT 28
ALL ABOUT THE BURGH, THE CULTURE TO KETCHUP TOUR!. Step aboard a vintage 1920’s style Trolley & experience Pittsburgh w/ a guided 2-hour tour. Sat, 12:45-2:45 p.m. Thru April 25 Station Square, Station Square. 412-391-7433.
refreshments & giveaways. 1 p.m. The Children’s Institute, Squirrel Hill. 412-244-3083. ISSUES IN FAMILY LAW. A workshop led by Tracy M. Lewis, Esq. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Environment & Energy Community Outreach Center, Larimer. 412-661-0576. THE PITTSBURGH BREWERY TOUR. Visit the three most iconic breweries in Pittsburgh. Tour includes safe transportation to all locations, an entertaining guide, craft beer samples & guided tours at each brewery. 11:30 a.m., Sat., May 9, 11:30 a.m. and Sat., June 20, 11:30 a.m. The BeerHive, Strip District. 412-323-4709. THE PITTSBURGH INDY COMIC EXPO. A celebration of independent comics & creators. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, South Side. 412-431-5900. PRESERVATION FAIR: PRESERVING YOUR FAMILY TREASURES. Learn how to properly store & maintain your precious keepsakes. Learn what can be done to preserve your
[VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY]
CAREBREAK AT THE WATSON INSTITUTE
CareBreak at the Watson Institute is looking for committed volunteers to help families with children who have special needs. By providing one-on-one social and recreational time with the child, the child’s family receives a break from care responsibilities. Training will be provided before being placed with a family. Volunteers must have Act 34 and 151 clearances. For more information, contact MaryJo Alimena-Caruso, CareBreak Coordinator, at 412-749-2863 or maryjoa@ thewatsoninstitute.org.
ANTIQUE FAIR. Local, vetted vendors. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Hartwood Acres, Allison Park. 412-767-9200. BEGINNER TAI CHI CLASSES. Sat, 9 a.m. Friends Meeting House, Oakland. 412-683-2669. CELEBRATING THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN. A workshop, presentation & exhibit of memorabilia from the Airmen. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Hill House Kaufmann Center, Hill District. 412-392-4400. EATBRUNCH: HIGHLAND PARK. Visit Highland Park with eatPGH & some of the best brunch spots in town.We will be going to Park Bruges, e2 & Food Glorious Food. 11 a.m. Park Bruges, Highland Park. 412-661-3334. ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING. Live music. Calling by Gaye Fifer. Beginners session 7:15pm. 7:30 p.m. Friends Meeting House, Oakland. 412-535-2078. GROWING FAMILIES THROUGH ADOPTION. The Ninth Annual Matching & Adoption Awareness Event presented by Project STAR at The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh w/ speakers,
paper & digital photos. Bring your family treasures for free basic conservation advice. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Oakland. 412-622-3131. STELLA THE STEEL WORKER IN THE MON VALLEY. Some of the remarkable stories of these women who worked in the steel mills during World War II presented by Dr. Elizabeth Jones 2 p.m. McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center, McKeesport. 412-678-1832. SWING CITY. Learn & practice swing dancing skills. Sat, 8 p.m. Wightman School, Squirrel Hill. 412-759-1569. WIGLE WHISKEY BARRELHOUSE TOURS. Sat, 12:30 & 2 p.m. Wigle Whiskey Barrel House, North Side. 412-224-2827. A WINTER LANDSCAPE: LANDSCAPE PAINTING WORKSHOP. Paint a watercolor landscape w/ painter Robert Kluz. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Market Square, Downtown. 412-391-2060 x237. ZEN MEDITATION. Hosted by City Dharma. Thu, 6:30-8 p.m. and Sat, 7-8:30 a.m. Church of
the Redeemer, Squirrel Hill. 412-965-9903.
SUN 29
A GOOD LIFE: SPIRITUALITY IN PRACTICE. Presented by the Theosophical Society. Speaker: Phil Jannetta. Rm. 103, Woodland Hall. 1:30-3:30 p.m. Chatham University, Shadyside. 412-462-4200. NORTH HILLS COIN CLUB SHOW. Coin show, raffles, more. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. American Legion, Monroeville. 412-269-0181. SUNDAY MARKET. A gathering of local crafters & dealers selling unique items, from home made foodstuffs to art. Sun, 6-10 p.m. The Night Gallery, Lawrenceville. 724-417-0223.
MON 30
DRAWING, PROCESS & DESIGN W/ ARCHITECT LORCAN O’HERLIHY. Discover how drawing by hand underpins any creative practice. Los Angeles–based architect Lorcan O’Herlihy discusses his award-winning buildings, his views on architecture as a catalyst for change & his passion for drawing. Then participate in drawing exercises developed by O’Herlihy. Drawing materials provided. Registration encouraged. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland. 412-622-3131. SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING. Lessons 7-8 p.m., social dancing follows. No partner needed. Mon, 7 p.m. and Sat, 7 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, Mt. Washington. 412-683-5670.
TUE 31
CAPOEIRA ANGOLA. Tue, 6:30-8 p.m. Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, Garfield. 412-924-0634. MULTIMEDIA – A SQOOL WORKSHOP & EVENT SERIES. Students will work w/ Dreams of Hope teaching artists to engage in critical analysis of art across a range of mediums, including music, prose & visual pieces. This workshop will focus on the intersection of queerness w/ other social identities, in an examination of multidimensional systems of privilege & oppression. 4 p.m. and Fri., April 10, 2 p.m. Winchester Thurston, Upper School, Shadyside. 412-361-2065.
WED 01
OPEN IN ALLENTOWN. An April Fool’s Day Pop-Up event showcasing Allentown w/ Bar Marco. Food from Sweet Peaches, cash bar provided by Bar Marco; a live comedy podcast by Epicast TV & a pop up art gallery by “On the Skids”. 5-10 p.m. 816 East Warrington Avenue, Knoxville. 412-586-5804. THE PITTSBURGH SHOW OFFS. A meeting of jugglers & spinners. All levels welcome. Wed, 7:30 p.m. Union Project, Highland Park. 412-363-4550.
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AUDITIONS GEYER PERFORMING ARTS
CENTER. Actors age 8 & up sought for a production of “Les Miserables”. Bring 16 to 32 bars of a song selection & prepare to sing a song from the production. For more information, 724-887-0887. Thru April 6. LOVE MUCH THESIS FILM. Actors may audition in person, by appointment or electronically by sending an audition packet to LoveMuchTheMovie@Gmail. com. The packet should include a headshot, resume, signed waiver & YouTube or Vimeo link to audition video (remember to slate your name, height, and the character(s) you are reading for). Thru April 2. Chatham University, Shadyside. 678-539-0441. MUSICAL AUDITIONS. Auditions for a musical comedy. Call Margie Linville 724-910-3557 for more info. March 28, 2-3pm. Cranberry Township Municipal Building, Cranberry. MY GRANDMOTHER’S RAVIOLI. Seeking grandparents who cook, 50 to 100 years old, big personalities who can cook of all ethnicities for Mo Rocca’s cooking show. Thru April 3. 347-429-6150. NEW HORIZON THEATER. New Horizon is looking for artists to help w/ its mission. Needed: Set Designer, Carpenter, Stage Help, Light Designer, Stage Manager, Prop Master & Costume Designer. Please email newhorizontheater@ yahoo.com w/ a short resume of experience & interest. Thru April 6. POOR YORICK’S PLAYERS. Auditions for Shakespeare In The Park productions of The Tempest & The Winter’s Tale. Prepare one classical monologue of less than two minutes. Musicians & singers, prepare a song of up to one minute. Cold readings. Tall Trees Amphitheater. April 11 & 12 by appt only. Monroeville Community Park, Monroeville. 412-277-2226. RENAISSANCE CITY CHOIR. The Renaissance City Choir celebrates LGBTQ identity through the unifying power of music. Professional training and/or experience are not required. Audition by appt. 412-345-1722. Thru April 2. Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Shadyside. 412-682-4300. SOUTH PARK THEATRE. Children’s Theatre Auditions for 2015. Ages 5-19 Cold readings from script. If you are interested in a musical, you will be asked to sing a little of your favorite song. No appointment necessary. Bring photo & resume. April 11, 12-4pm. Bethel Park. 412-831-8552.
SUBMISSIONS 28 WEST SECOND GALLERY &
STUDIO SPACE. Call for women artists. Accepting two-dimensional & three-dimensional pieces by for “THE NATURE OF THINGS” All work must be gallery ready to hang. Please include 5 jpeg images of your work along w/ artist
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statement & resume to: 28westsecondgallery@gmail.com. Thru April 25. Greensburg. 724-205-9033. ASSEMBLE. Open call for artists, makers & technologists w/ work related to new media art, process art, design, architecture, science & engineering, installation, interaction & social engagement for 2016 season of Unblurred. For more info www.assemblepgh.org. Thru April 26. Garfield. 412-432-9127. THE AUTHORS’ ZONE. Accepting submissions for the 2nd Annual TAZ Awards, showcasing independent authors from Southwestern PA & beyond. Entrants must complete the online entry form (www.theauthorszone. com) & submit payment by August 1, 2015 for their work to be considered. 412-563-6712. BOULEVARD GALLERY & DIFFERENT STROKES GALLERY. Searching for glass artists, fiber artists, potters, etc. to compliment the exhibits for 2015 & 2016. Booking for both galleries for 2017. Exhibits run from 1 to 2 months. Ongoing. 412-721-0943. THE DAP CO-OP. Seeking performers & artists to participate in First Fridays - Art in a Box. For more information, email thedapcoopzumba@hotmail.com. Ongoing. 412-403-7357. INDEPENDENT FILM NIGHT. Submit your film, 10 minutes or less. Screenings held on the second Thursday of every month. Ongoing. DV8 Espresso Bar & Gallery, Greensburg. 724-219-0804. THE MT. LEBANON ARTISTS’ MARKET. Lookinf for artists for a T-Shirt Design Contest for the 2015 event. The winning design will be printed on T-Shirts to be sold at this year’s market. The contest is open to everyone. For details visit http:// www.cwpress.com/art-prep/. Deadline May 15. April 1-May 15. PITTSBURGH SOCIETY OF ARTISTS. New Member Screening. Submit 3 gallery-ready art pieces that are exclusively created by the applicant & made within the last two years. Drop- off March 29, 12:30-1:30pm. For further guidelines: http://www.pittsburgh societyofartists.org/membr. Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside. 412-361-0873. THE POET BAND COMPANY. Seeking various types of poetry. Contact wewuvpoetry@hotmail. com Ongoing. SIDEWALL: A MURAL PROJECT. Submissions requested for a space dedicated to showing works by artists both local & abroad, creative collaborations, etc., w/ murals rotating the first Friday of every month. Apply at https:// sidewallproject.wordpress.com. Thru May 1. sidewall, Bloomfield. THE WRITERS’ PRESS POETRY CHAPBOOK COMPETITION. Open to new & emerging writers. No theme restrictions. Prizes include publication w/ Createspace & online distribution w/ Amazon & Barnes & Noble. Thru May 30.
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Savage Love {BY DAN SAVAGE}
I found this in an online sex ad: “Straight guy with an addiction to massive cocks in my ass.” This “straight guy” went on to mention his girlfriend. Can a person really identify as straight while wanting to be fucked by men? I understand that straight guys can like ass-play too, but it’s not like he wants to be pegged by his girlfriend or use a dildo on himself. He’s straight-up (heh-heh) looking for hung dudes to fuck his ass.
blogh.pghcitypaper.com
The first hit is free. Actually, so are all the others.
JADED AND WONDERING, DUDE’S REALLY ON PUSSY?
Can a person identify as straight while wanting to be fucked by men? Ha-ha-ha. Yes. I was pretending to be straight when I was 15; Pastor Ted “Meth and Man Ass” Haggard was pretending to be straight when he was 45; and Congressman Aaron Schock is still pretending to be straight. As for the guy behind that online sex ad: He is most likely bisexual and rounding himself down to straight. There’s a much smaller chance he’s straight and it isn’t the massive cocks that turn him on, JAWDROP, but the boundary-shattering/ identity-upending violation that being pounded by massive cocks represents. It could also be a “forced bi” thing, and he’s doing this to please a dominant girlfriend. Or — and this is a lot likelier than straight or forced bi — he’s a gay guy who pretends to be a straight guy online because the ruse attracts gay and bi guys turned on by the boundary-crossing/ identity-upending violation that shoving their massive cocks up a straight guy’s ass represents. Only way to know for sure: Ask him yourself. No guarantee you’ll get a straight answer, of course, but only he knows for sure what’s up with him.
her first about her dirty ways to get her going. I like more “mutual” activities like 69ing, massages, etc. She seems open to it but then steers it back to her submissiveness. Am I just being self-centered? DOM ONLY ON DEMAND
All BDSM tops — all Masters, Mistresses, ProDoms, switches, vanilla-but-GGG partners of submissive types — occasionally check their phones, go to the toilet, take a snack break, etc., while their subs wait blindfolded or hooded back in the bedroom/playroom/dungeon. The sub gets to tremble in anticipation; the Dom gets to relax for a second. So taking a quick toilet/phone break doesn’t mean you are a lousy Dom, DOOD, but I definitely see why you’re bored: BDSM isn’t your thing, you’re doing it for her, and she’s taking you for granted. You’re being GGG (and indulging all her kinks); she’s not being GGG (she’s making it all about her kinks). Tell your girlfriend that she’ll have to lecture herself about her dirty ways when you two are having vanilla PIV sex, 69ing or swapping massages, if that’s what it takes to get her going, because you don’t want to have to play at being dominant every time you have sex. I suspect the Dom/sub play will feel like less of a roadblock, DOOD, if every sexual interaction with your girlfriend isn’t colored by it.
TAKING A QUICK TOILET/PHONE BREAK DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE A LOUSY DOM.
My girlfriend can’t use hormonal birth control and “doesn’t like” condoms but wants sex. What would you do? PATERNAL ANXIETY UPSETTING SEXUAL ESCAPADES
I would fuck her in the ass, PAUSE, but only with her enthusiastic and sustained consent. And one day I would leave her, come out as gay, and get myself a boyfriend who likes condoms and start fucking him in the ass instead. I recently started dating a girl who likes to be submissive. It’s more of a psychological thing than a pain thing. She opened up about her kink, and I was all for it, thinking myself the ultimate GGG lover. Thing is, I find being a Dom quite boring. I love getting her off, but I just can’t get into the role. I’m not sure if this is funny or horrible, but the other day, she was strapped to the bed and just as she was reaching a climax, I stopped. I uncuffed her, told her I was leaving the room, and ordered her not to take the blindfold off or touch herself. She loved it, but I did it so I could go to the toilet and check my phone. Even when regular intercourse takes place, there are still clear submissive overtones — to have vanilla sex at all, I basically have to lecture
I want to thank you for your constant advice to explore fantasies, communicate desires and get thorough consent in a sexy way. I’m a bi-ish college girl and used to be in a sexually unsatisfying long-distance relationship. Then I started saying, “What would Dan do?” N ow I’m friends-with-BDSM-benefits with my ex — he buys me sexy lingerie and bath products while I remind him what a naughty boy he is — and I’m currently planning a super-hot threesome with a rugby player and his girlfriend! Yahtzee! And none of it would have happened without you! SATISFIED LADY
I feel conflicted about your letter, SL. Let’s say your ex suddenly violates the terms of your friends-with-BDSM-benefits arrangement and starts presenting you with unsexy PJs and dishwashing soap. Or, let’s say that rugby player is a lousy lay who can’t find your clit and his girlfriend is a loony nut who keys your car in a fit of post-threesome jealousy. If I had previously taken credit for all the awesome sex you’re currently having and/or looking forward to — and that’s what I would be doing if I accepted your thanks without qualification — then I would have to take responsibility for the unsexy PJs, the dishwashing soap, the lousy-inbed rugby player, the damage to your car, etc. So instead of accepting your thanks, SL, I’ll just say this: I’m happy you’re happy, and I’m pleased my column was helpful, but the adventurous sex you’re having and/or looking forward to now? You always had that in you. Reading my column may have helped you tap into your adventurous spirit, but the credit for your sex life — and the responsibility for your sex life — ultimately rests with you.
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET AND FIND THE SAVAGE LOVECAST (DAN’S WEEKLY PODCAST) AT SAVAGELOVECAST.COM
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
Free Will Astrology
FOR THE WEEK OF
03.25-04.01
{BY ROB BREZSNY}
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The term “jumped the shark” often refers to a TV show that was once great but gradually grew stale, and then resorted to implausible plot twists in a desperate attempt to revive its creative verve. I’m a little worried that you may do the equivalent of jumping the shark in your own sphere. APRIL FOOL! I lied. I’m not at all worried that you’ll jump the shark. It’s true that you did go through a stagnant, meandering phase there for a short time. But you responded by getting fierce and fertile rather than stuck and contrived. Am I right? And now you’re on the verge of breaking out in a surge of just-the-right-kind-of-craziness.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
If you happen to be singing lead vocals in an Ozzy Osbourne cover band, and someone in the audience throws what you think is a toy rubber animal up on stage, DO NOT rambunctiously bite its head off to entertain everyone. It most likely won’t be a toy, but rather an actual critter. APRIL FOOL! In fact, it’s not likely you’ll be fronting an Ozzy Osbourne cover band any time soon. But I hope you will avoid having to learn a lesson similar to the one that Ozzy did during a show back in 1982, when he bit into a real bat — a small flying mammal with webbed wings — thinking it was a toy. Don’t make a mistake like that. What you think is fake or pretend may turn out to be authentic.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
In the spring of 1754, Benjamin Franklin visited friends in Maryland. While out riding horses, they spied a small tornado whirling through a meadow. Although Franklin had written about this weather phenomenon, he had never seen it. With boyish curiosity, he sped toward it. At one point, he caught up to it and lashed it with his whip to see if it would dissipate. This is the kind of adventure I advise you to seek out, Gemini. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. I don’t really believe you should endanger your safety by engaging in stunts like chasing tornadoes. But I do think that now is a favorable time to seek out daring exploits that quench your urge to learn.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
No matter what gender you are, it’s an excellent time to get a gig as a stripper. Your instinct for removing your clothes in entertaining ways is at a peak. Even if you have never been trained in the art, I bet you’ll have an instinctive knack. APRIL FOOL! I lied. I don’t really think you should be a stripper. But I do recommend you experiment with a more metaphorical version of that art. For instance, you could expose hidden agendas that are causing distortions and confusion. You could peel away the layers of deception and propaganda that hide the naked facts and the beautiful truth.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Give yourself obsessively to your most intimate relationships. Don’t bother cleaning your house. Call in sick to your job. Ignore all your nagging little errands. Now is a time for one task only: paying maximum attention to those you care about most. Heal any rifts between you. Work harder to give them what they need. Listen to them with more empathy than ever before. APRIL FOOL! I went a bit overboard there. It’s true that you’re in a phase when big rewards can come from cultivating and enhancing togetherness. But if you want to serve your best relationships, you must also take very good care of yourself.
Novelist L. Frank Baum created the make-believe realm known as Oz. Lewis Carroll conjured up Wonderland and C.S. Lewis invented N arnia. Now you are primed to dream up your own fantasy land and live there full time, forever protected from the confusion and malaise of the profane world. Have fun in your imaginary utopia, Cancerian! APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. It’s true that now would be a good time to give extra attention to cultivating vivid visions of your perfect life. But I wouldn’t recommend that you live there full time.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“The national anthem of Hell must be the old Frank Sinatra song ‘I Did It My Way,’” declares Richard Wagner, author of the book Christianity for Dummies. “Selfish pride is Hell’s most common trait,” he adds. “Hell’s inhabitants have a sense of satisfaction that they can at least say ‘they’ve been true to themselves.’” Heed this warning, Leo. Tame your lust for self-expression. APRIL FOOL! I was making a little joke. The truth is not as simplistic as I implied. I actually think it’s important for you to be able to declare “I did it my way” and “I’ve been true to myself.” But for best results, do it in ways that aren’t selfish, insensitive or arrogant.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Some Aquarian readers have been complaining. They want me to use more celebrity references in my horoscopes. They demand fewer metaphors drawn from literature, art and science, and more metaphors rooted in gossipy events reported on by tabloids. “Tell me how Kanye West’s recent travails relate to my personal destiny,” wrote one Aquarius. So here’s a sop to you kvetchers: The current planetary omens say it’s in your interest to be more like Taylor Swift and less like
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Annie Edson Taylor needed money. She was 63 years old and didn’t have any savings. She came up with a plan: to be the first person to tuck herself inside a barrel and ride over N iagara Falls. (This was back in 1901.) She reasoned that her stunt would make her wealthy as she toured the country speaking about it. I recommend that you consider out-of-the-box ideas like hers, Pisces. It’s an excellent time to get extra creative in your approach to raising revenue. APRIL FOOL! I halflied. It’s true that now is a favorable time to be imaginative about your financial life. But don’t try outlandish escapades like hers. Describe what you’d be like if you were the opposite of yourself. Write Truthrooster@gmail.com.
get your yoga on! schoolhouseyoga.com classes range from beginner to advanced, gentle to challenging
If you were a ladybug beetle, you might be ready and eager to have sex for nine hours straight. If you were a pig, you’d be capable of enjoying 30-minute orgasms. If you were a dolphin, you’d seek out erotic encounters not just with other dolphins of both genders, but also with turtles, seals and sharks. Since you are merely human, however, your urges will probably be milder and more containable. APRIL FOOL! In truth, Sagittarius, I’m not so sure your urges will be milder and more containable.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“The past is not only another country where
GO TO REALASTROLOGY.COM TO CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES AND DAILY TEXT-MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. THE AUDIO HOROSCOPES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE BY PHONE AT 1-877-873-4888 OR 1-900-950-7700
N E W S
Miley Cyrus. Be peppy, shimmery and breezy, not earthy, salty and raucous. APRIL FOOL! In truth, I wouldn’t write about celebrities’ antics if you paid me. Besides, for the time being, Miley Cyrus is a better role model for you than Taylor Swift.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
It’s after midnight. You’re half-wasted, cruising around town looking for wicked fun. You stumble upon a warehouse laboratory where zombie bankers and military scientists are creating genetically engineered monsters from the DNA of scorpions, Venus flytraps and Monsanto executives. You try to get everyone in a party mood, but all they want to do is extract your DNA and add it to the monster. APRIL FOOL! Everything I just said was a lie. I doubt you’ll encounter any scenario that extreme. But you are at risk for falling into weird situations that could compromise your mental hygiene. To minimize that possibility, make sure that the wicked fun you pursue is healthy, sane wicked fun.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
they do things differently,” says writer Theodore Dalrymple, “but also where one was oneself a different person.” With this as your theme, Capricorn, I invite you to spend a lot of time visiting the Old You in the Old World. Immerse yourself in that person and that place. Get lost there. And don’t come back until you’ve relived at least a thousand memories. APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating. While it is a good time to get reacquainted with the old days and old ways, I don’t recommend that you get utterly consumed by the past.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER
CLASSIFIEDS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 412-316-3342 EXT. 189
GENERAL HELP Pass out yers door to door for local business. Frick Park Area Contact Hartman1207@aol.com
GENERAL HELP
REHEARSAL
Prestige Cuts & Hair Salon is looking for exp. barbers & stylists.
Rehearsal Space
Please apply in person at 1507 Montier St. Pgh Pa 15221 or email resume to camillemcmillian4703@ yahoo.com
starting @ $150/mo. Many sizes available, no sec deposit, play @ the original and largest practice facility, 24/7 access.
412-403-6069
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AUTO SERVICES
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for DYI Auto Mechanic Lift and Compressor
412-403-6069
STUDIES
ADOPTION
ADOPTION
ADOPT Expenses Paid 1-800-362-7842
PREGNANT? THINKING OF ADOPTION? Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families Nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 866-4136293. Void in Illinois/New Mexico/Indiana (AAN CAN)
412.363.1900 CTRS
FOR SALE
STUDIES
STUDIES
For Sale in
Overactive Bladder?
Adoring Happy Financially Secure NYC Family Yearns for 1st Baby. Country House, Excited Granparents too!
Regent Square Unique Building with commercial and residential zoning.
Call Preferred Primary Care Physicians at
412-650-6155
CALL TODAY!
Specializing in Roor, Hisi, Pulse, Pyrology, Hitman, Medicali, Sky
Water Pipes, Glass And Vapes
J&S
for Paid Psychology Research
Now a recording studio on ďŹ rst oor with loft apartment on second.
to participate in a research project at Carnegie Mellon University! To be eligible for this study, you must be: • 18-50 yrs. old • In good health
$369,000
• Willing to not smoke or use nicotine products before one session
Search YouTube for Wilkin Regent Square
You may earn up to $50 for your participation in a 3 hour study. For more information, call: The Behavioral Health Research Lab (412-268-3029) NOTE: Unfortunately, our lab is not wheelchair accessible.
412-736-9068
FAV R
GLASS
CONSTIPATION Mild to Moderate
BIRTH CONTROL PATCH BIRTH CONTROL VAGINAL RING
Do us a favor and share your Flu with us. Please.
35(3$5( )25 <285 )8785(
*(7 3$,' 72 0$.( $ ',))(5(1&(
Most of the time, nothing good comes from having the ďŹ&#x201A;u. Except now. If you get the ďŹ&#x201A;u, OR have the ďŹ&#x201A;u already, you can help evaluate an investigational medication that may help end ďŹ&#x201A;u symptoms more quickly.
:25. 21 ,668(6 <28 &$5( $%287
Local doctors are currently conducting the FAVOR medical research study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational ďŹ&#x201A;u medication for its ability to manage symptoms of the ďŹ&#x201A;u.
Dedicated to improving the lives of those with addiction issues by utilizing modern advancements in medical, clinical and pharmacological modalities. ~ SuboxoneŠ ~ ZubsolvŠ ~ VivitrolŠ
To pre-qualify for the FAVOR study, you must: k C @CRUCCL ?LB WC?PQ MD ?Ć&#x201C;C k &?TC ? DCTCP MD ?R JC?QR {$ GD MTCP WC?PQ MD ?Ć&#x201C;C ?R JC?QR {$ k &?TC MP KMPC MD RFC DMJJMUGLĆ&#x201C; QWKNRMKQ - Cough, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion, body aches and pains, or fatigue
NOW TAKING PATIENTS Call Today Toll Free 855-344-7501 Located at 730 Brookline Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA. 15226
1918 191 19 18 Murray Ave 412-422-6361 636 63 361 6
All study-related care is provided at no cost and payment for your time and travel will be provided.
To learn more about the FAVOR study, please visit www.favorďŹ&#x201A;ustudy.com or contact:
JANDSGLASS
J&S Glass
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Recovery Without Judgementâ&#x201E;˘
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
07242013
Student Discount w/valid ID - Public Parking Located behind bldg
FOR TOBACCO USE ONLY
POST-MENOPAUSAL HOT FLASHES VAGINAL DRYNESS GOUT WOMEN WITH LOW SEX DESIRE
Positive Recovery Solutions
20% off Glass with this Add 2
CTRS IS CONDUCTING CLINICAL TRIALS FOR: ALZHEIMER DISEASE
81/2&. <285 327(17,$/
Best Service, Selection and Prices in Town! Be n!
412-624-9999
SMOKERS WANTED
3XEOLF $OOLHV DUH SODFHG LQ D IXOO WLPH SDLG DSSUHQWLFHVKLS ZLWK D ORFDO QRQSURÂż W RUJDQL]DWLRQ DWWHQG UHJXODU VNLOO EXLOGLQJ DQG OHDGHUVKLS GHYHORSPHQW VHVVLRQV ZLWK D FRKRUW RI RWKHU SDUWLFLSDQWV DQG UHFHLYH SURIHVVLRQDO GHYHORSPHQW FRDFKLQJ DORQJ WKH ZD\
GRAND RE-OPENING!
For more information please call The Nicotine & Tobacco Research Lab at
412.363.1900 CTRS
,1)2 SXEOLFDOOLHV RUJ SLWWVEXUJK $33/< DSSO\ SXEOLFDOOLHV RUJ $1< 48(67,216" PLFKDHOE#SXEOLFDOOLHV RUJ 3XEOLF $OOLHV 3LWWVEXUJK LV D PRQWK $PHUL&RUSV SURJUDP RSHUDWHG LQ D SDUWQHUVKLS EHWZHHQ &RUR 3LWWVEXUJK 3XEOLF $OOLHV 1DWLRQDO
$SSOLFDQWV PXVW EH DW OHDVW \HDUV ROG KDYH D KLJK VFKRRO GLSORPD RU * ( ' E\ DQG HOLJLEOH WR ZRUN LQ WKH 8 6
Smokers who want to try new cigarettes that may or may not lead to reduced smoking are wanted for a research study. This is NOT a treatment or smoking cessation study. Compensation will be provided. Evening Appointments Available
FEELING CONSTIPATED?
3URJUDP UXQV IURP
University of Pittsburgh
CALL TODAY!
$33/,&$7,21 '($'/,1(
3XEOLF $OOLHV 5HFHLYH Â&#x2021; 0RQWKO\ VWLSHQG RI Â&#x2021; $FFHVV WR +HDOWK &DUH DQG &KLOG &DUH Â&#x2021; $Q (GXFDWLRQ $ZDUG RI WR SD\ VWXGHQW ORDQV
SmokING STUDY
WOMEN W/ LOW SEX DESIRE
412-650-6155
HIGH CHOLESTEROL With Heart Attack or Stroke
HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING/ UTERINE FIBROIDS
CLINICAL TRIALS RESEARCH SERVICES, LLC 412-363-1900 WWW.CTRSLLC.COM
- INVESTIGATORS DR. S. BERG, DR. KATZ, DR. L. DOBKIN, DR. G. WALKER, DR. KASDAN, DR. SOFFRONOFF OUR STUDIES CHANGE REGULARLY. CALL US TO SEE IF WE HAVE A STUDY THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RIGHT FOR YOU.
LIFEGUARDS (AGE 16 & OVER) Needed during the 2015 Swimming Season at Allegheny County facilities in Boyce, North, South, and Settlers Cabin Parks. Interested applicants are required to complete an Aquatics Examination given on Saturday April 4, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. At the NORTH ALLEGHENY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, 10375 PERRY HIGHWAY, WEXFORD, PA. 15090
Lincoln Heritage
SALARY STRUCTURE: • Junior Lifeguards: $8.25 • First Year Lifeguards: $9.25 • Senior Lifeguards (2 or more seasons) $9.50 Candidates must have physical examination PRIOR to participation in Aquatics Exam on April 4, 2015. No test given without doctor’s certification on physical examination form. CANDIDATES MUST PRESENT FOLLOWING AT TEST SITES: • Complete physical examination form. • Completed Employment Application from Lifeguard Packet.
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY the MILES GROUP
Now Hiring Agents & Managers!!! Make $500 a week to start. Come work for the #1 agency within the #1 Final Expense Co. in the Nation! The Miles Group is a Million Dollar a Month Agency. We will help you get your insurance license, will train. You can write your own paycheck. First Year Agents making over 100K! Here are just a few reasons why you should join the Lincoln Heritage sales team: • Get paid Daily $$ • Proven lead system • 98% of clients approved • 1 page application • Exotic Incentive trips • Competitive group benefits: life, health, and dental for you and your family • Extraordinary home office support • Lincoln Heritage Life Insurace has an A.. Best Rating of A (excellent) and BBB rating of A+, specializing in Final Expense Insurace
PRIOR TO MAY 25, 2015 ALL CANDIDATES MUST PRESENT: • Current Lifeguard Training certification • Current First Aid certification • Current Adult, Child and Infant CPR certification Contact the Central Park Office at 412-350-2478 to obtain forms and additional information. Forms and driving directions may also be obtained from the Parks Department Home Page @ www.alleghenycounty.us/parks
Call NOW! 1-855-4WARDEN Darrell Warden, Hiring Manager wardeninsurance@aol.com www.teamwarden.tmilesgroup.com
OPENING DATE FOR 2015 SWIMMING SEASON:
June 6, 2015 (Weather & Conditions Permitting)
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Lipari Foods has grown again and is currently seeking
Class A CDL Route and Shuttle Drivers for the New Stanton PA depots.
Starting pay is $65,000 annual salar y plus Holiday and Bonus pay. $2000 sign on bonus.
Route Drivers Mon - Fri working 45 to 50 hours per week
Shuttle Drivers Sun night - Thurs night 45 to 50 hours per week. No ďŹ&#x201A;oor loads, no side door unloading. We operate New air ride tractors and air ride trailers with center divide walls. 1 yr exp. & 50k miles required. Great beneďŹ ts -- med/dental/vision/401(k)/vacation time/safety program.
For more details please email dave_maple@liparifoods.com
44
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
Get more when you shop here. Be more when you work here. $/', LV DV PXFK DERXW EHLQJ VPDUW ZLWK PRQH\ DV LW LV VDYLQJ RXU FXVWRPHUV PRQH\ %HLQJ VPDUW ZLWK PRQH\ PHDQV SD\LQJ JUHDW SHRSOH JUHDW ZDJHV 3OXV SURYLGLQJ WHUUL¿F EHQH¿WV and offering plenty of opportunities to advance their career. If shopping at ALDI means your money works harder, working at ALDI means your hard work gets you more. Great pay, WHUUL¿F EHQH¿WV DQG DGYDQFHPHQW RSSRUWXQLWLHV ± \RX¶OO EH PRUH DQG JHW PRUH ZLWK $/',
Apply in person at either of the following locations or visit: aldistorejobs.com for more information
Store Associates-$11.50/Hr-$12.50/Hr +UV :N ZLWK IXOO EHQH¿WV
Shift Managers-$16.00/Hr-$17.00/Hr ZKLOH SHUIRUPLQJ 6KLIW 0DQDJHU GXWLHV )XOO EHQH¿WV
%HQH¿WV Health Insurance: Â&#x2021; 0HGLFDO GHQWDO YLVLRQ DQG SUHVFULSWLRQ FRYHUDJH Â&#x2021; FRYHUDJH Â&#x2021; 2IIHUHG WR HPSOR\HHV DYHUDJLQJ RU PRUH KRXUV SHU ZHHN Generous Compensation: Â&#x2021; &RPSHWLWLYH ZDJHV Â&#x2021; N SODQ ZLWK PDWFKLQJ FRQWULEXWLRQ Paid Time Off: Â&#x2021; )LUVW ZHHN SDLG YDFDWLRQ DIWHU PRQWKV ZLWK WKH FRPSDQ\ Â&#x2021; 6HYHQ SDLG KROLGD\V Â&#x2021; 6LFN DQG SHUVRQDO GD\V
Hiring Event For ALL our stores in the Greater Pittsburgh area Marriott Pittsburgh North At Cranberry Woods 100 Cranberry Woods Drive Cranberry Twp., PA 16066
7KXUVGD\ $SULO WK Â&#x2021; DP SP
Doubletree by Hilton Monroeville Convention Center 101 Mall Boulevard Monroeville, PA 15146
Hampton Inn Pittsburgh-Bridgeville 150 Old Pond Road Bridgeville, PA 15017
$/', LV DQ (TXDO 2SSRUWXQLW\ (PSOR\HU
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Judy’s Oriental Massage GRAND OPENING!
FULL BODY MASSAGE
$10
$40/hr
Coupon with this ad
MASSAGE
MASSAGE
Downtown
Aming’s Massage Therapy
$40/hour Open 24 hours
412-401-4110 322 Fourth Ave. MASSAGE Grand Opening
4126 William Penn Hwy, Murrysville, PA 15668 Across the street from Howard Hanna’s
724-519-2950
Asian 888 Massage Chinese Massage • $39.99/Hr. 412-349-8628
Grandng Openi
1744 Greensburg Pike, North Versailles, 15137
Bodywork by Cindy Chinese Massage, Sauna & Table Shower 9:30am-10:30pm 7777 McKnight Road Pgh, PA 15237 412-366-7130
MASSAGE
{BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY / WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM}
412-595-8077 4972 Library Road, Bethel Park (in Hillcrest Shopping Center)
MASSAGE
Xin Sui Bodyworks $49.99/ hour Free Vichy Shower with 1HR or more body work 2539 Monroeville Blvd Ste 200 Monroeville, PA 15146 Next to Twin Fountain Plaza
412-335-6111
TIGER SPA
GRAND OPENING!!! Best of the Best in Town! 420 W. Market St., Warren, OH 44481 76 West, 11 North, 82 West to Market St. 6 lights and make a left. 1/4 mile on the left hand side.
Open 9am-12 midnight 7 days a week! Licensed Professionals Dry Sauna, Table Shower, Deep Tissue, Swedish
330-373-0303 Credit Cards Accepted
46
SI SI
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 03.25/04.01.2015
ACROSS
1. It might come before the carte 4. Hardly filled in 10. Sent to the canvas 13. Masc.’s opposite 14. Investment property, mutual funds, et al. 15. Freelancer’s fig. upon accepting the gig 16. Grazing area 17. Balls-on-a-string toy from Hollywood? 19. Period after intermission 21. FaceTime platform 22. Colorful deepwater fish 23. Extremely stylish person who lives next door? 26. Wound (up) 27. Barely scraping (by) 30. Scotch mixer 33. Picks up 37. Earth pref. 38. One who grabs purple birds? 41. Vehicle taken to soccer games, briefly 42. NFL commissioner Goodell 43. French 101 verb 44. African republic whose name means “warrior king” 46. “I am ___ point in my life where ...”
48. Time-honored juicy fruit? 55. Alkies 57. “That’s ___ brainer” 58. String instrument tuned in perfect fifths 59. Attractive phallus? 62. Llama heads? 63. It’s a free country 64. Bro from way back when 65. Pull back 66. BDSM role 67. Grinding tool 68. It’s got all the answers
DOWN
1. “Ask about it at work” insurance agency 2. Bloodsucker 3. Crazyexpensive violin 4. Solution for contacts 5. “Pls dnt txt + drive” ad 6. Computer character code 7. Record again 8. Pot smoker’s batch 9. F1 neighbor, on a PC 10. Driving direction? 11. It’s something else in a bodega 12. Pinch of salt 18. Eccentric goofball 20. Former AIM alternative
24. Prefix with pharmacology 25. Like the champ 28. ___-do-well 29. Reason for an M rating in video games 30. Extremely proud of oneself 31. Words on the Bible? 32. 1992 Summer Olympics juggernaut 34. Heart measurer, briefly 35. Pub pint 36. Out in the sticks 39. Supreme Leader’s country 40. Stop operating 45. Condé ___ Traveler
47. Wrestle a Bear? 49. King of “CBS This Morning” 50. How the music from your high school friend’s old garage band is likely stored 51. Assimilate 52. Aerodynamic 53. “Consider me surprised!” 54. ___ sweater (‘80s fashion) 55. Veggie often served twice-baked 56. Roughly 60. Polo shirt, e.g. 61. Jazz musician Tjader {LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS}
JADE Wellness Center
NEW LOCATION
SUBOXONE TREATMENT
IN WEXFORD, PA
WE SPECIALIZE IN
Premiere Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Treatment OFF OF PERRY HIGHWAY
NOW OPEN & ACCEPTING HIGHMARK
Family Owned and Operated Treating: Alcohol, Opiates, Heroin and More
• SUBOXONE • VIVITROL - a new once a month injection for alcohol and opiate dependency • Group and Individualized Therapy • New Partial Hospitalization Program
NO WAIT LIST
Painkiller and Heroin Addiction Treatment IMMEDIATE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
Accepts all major insurances and medical assistance
Pregnant?
MONROEVILLE, PA
412-380-0100 www.myjadewellness.com
We can treat you!
Problem with Opiates? Prescription Medication or Heroin?
Help is Available! R
Suboxone
Effective treatment for Opiate addiction NOW AVAILABLE at TWO PITTSBURGH LOCATIONS
Immediate Appointments Available
Acute Partial Program
• INSURANCES ACCEPTED • DAY & EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
Pittsburgh
Methadone - 412-255-8717 Suboxone - 412-281-1521 info@summitmedical.biz
CLOSE TO SOUTH HILLS, WASHINGTON, CANONSBURG, CARNEGIE, AND BRIDGEVILLE
Individual and Group Counseling
Pittsburgh South Hills
Outpatient Program Most Insurances and Medical Assistance Accepted
Conveniently Located on Bus Line Pittsburgh Outpatient 306 Penn Ave. (412) 436-4659
South Side Outpatient 2100 Wharton St. (412) 481-1922 For more information, call 24 hours
1-888-694-9996
Methadone - 412-488-6360 info2@alliancemedical.biz
Let Us Help You Today!
Beaver County
Methadone - 724-857-9640 Suboxone - 724-448-9116 info@ptsa.biz
412-221-1091 info@freedomtreatment.com
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DELECTABLE DINING OFFERS AT RIVERS CASINO TRY OUR
NEW
YUENGLING ® WING SAUCE!
14.99
$
MARCH 17 – APRIL 4
50¢ WINGS
During ALL Tournament Games
APRIL 6
25¢ WINGS
During the Championship Game
plus tax
ALL DAY, EVERY DAY! • 12oz Prime Rib $6.99 plus tax • One Pound Crab Legs $6.99 plus tax
LUNCH
Monday – Saturday | 11AM – 3PM
BRUNCH
Sunday | 10:30AM – 3PM
DINNER
Sunday – Thursday | 3PM – 8PM Friday – Saturday | 3PM – 9PM Serving size is 6 to 24 wings per person at a time. One flavor per order. Flavors offered mild or hot only. No carry outs and no to go orders. Must be seated in the restaurant to participate in the special. Special valid during tournament games only. y.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER.
Restrictions apply. Visit Rush Rewards Players Club or RiversCasino.com for complete details. Dine-in only.
SLOTS | TABLE GAMES | DINING | NIGHTLIFE 777 CASINO DRIVE, PITTSBURGH PA 15212 RIVERSCASINO.COM DOWNLOAD OUR APP RIVERSCASINO.COM/PITTSBURGH/APP