they immediately applied. Gonzales and Charles had previously put on a show at the Frame Gallery – a CMU exclusive gallery – that showcased artists that represented Pittsburgh, not just the university. Their show was the first at the venue to have a majority of CMU outsiders. “We knew that we had already had one successful show with multiple artists,” said Charles. “So, we figured we could do something similar but on a grander scale.” After applying and interviewing, Gonzales and Charles were awarded the grant. The Glow Up attempts to highlight the diversity amongst POC and show that they don’t fit into stereotypes. Gonzales explained that the spaces in which POC are represented are, “outsider spaces. In a way, POC are considered the outsider artist, not the fine artist or craft artist. It’s not being seen as legitimate or deserving of high, fine-art spaces.” The two chose Ace Hotel as the location for The Glow Up because they
felt the space represents the people the venue wants to see, not the people that have been there before. Charles saw it as a “great opportunity to use a space that used to belong to the people of the neighborhood. “Now they’ll have access to Ace Hotel’s upscale clientele to redistribute the wealth back into the community.”
THE ATTIC • 513 Grant Avenue, Millvale
Record Store Day
Black Friday Friday, November 23rd Open at 8 A.M. 10% OFF All New • 20% OFF All Used Excludes RSD Titles
THE GLOW UP
Fri., Nov. 9. 6 p.m. – 12 a.m. Free. Ace Hotel. 120 S. Whitfield St., East Liberty
While the show is free and accessible to all, Gonzales and Charles urge those who can purchase art to do so. The pair says that everything will be reasonably priced. “For artists there that have never shown before, that could be the first purchase that starts their entire art career,” says Charles. “Someone just has to be there to do it.”
•
THE GLOW UP ARTISTS ■ Clara Kent Smooth, soulful, and spiritual, Kent’s music urges her listeners to face the difficult parts of life in order to heal and grow. ■ Benji. Formerly known as Courtesy, Benji. is an energetic Pittsburgh rapper who’s extremely involved in the Pittsburgh music scene. He’s performed at Thrival Music Festival multiples times and has worked with a plethora of local artists, including Mars Jackson and Zaneta Grant. ■ Jordan Montgomery A member of the arts and activism collective 1Hood Media, Montgomery is a born and raised Pittsburgher who raps, writes, and designs clothes. His sound can be best described as Jay-Z circa early 2000s, with commentary on racial relations in America. ■ Jack Swing Comprised of Isaiah Ross, Jonathan Lightfoot, and Rowdy Kanarek, Jack Swing is a local rock ‘n roll band known for its fiery live performances. They blend classic rock, hard rock, and blues, and have performed regionally and nationally. ■ Brittney Chantele Chantele aims to inspire emotionally, mentally, and physically with her creations. A singer-songwriter, artist, poet, and activist, she describes her style
as “movement” in hopes that her work can be the catalyst or vehicle for a social movement.
Questions? Call Us 412-821-8484 • ATTICRECORDS@VERIZON.NET
■ Black N’ Mild Drawing on the influences of Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, OutKast, and Wu-Tang Clan, Black N’ Mild hopes to keep old-school hip-hop alive with his music. To him, the lyrical wordplay is key.
starring the original
DJs from WXXP www.wxxp.com
■ DJ Jaybee DJ Jaybee can be found playing at local parties around the city like Make Sure You Have Fun at Spirit and Jordan Montgomery’s No Requests. He has received praise for his music selection because he plays whatever he’s in the mood for at the time, creating a variety not found with other local DJs. ■ Livefromthecity Another member of 1Hood Media, Livefromthecity’s mission is to “bring life through light.” His most recent album, King Of The Sun 2, is mumble rap with a positive message. ■ Ranch God & Prof. Ooak New to the music scene, Ranch God & Prof. Ooak is a rapper/producer duo from Baltimore. Alonzo Claiborne, aka Ranch God, relocated to Pittsburgh and has been developing relations with the local music and arts community to bridge a gap between the Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
featuring
GENERATION XX
with guests THE AFFORDABLE FLOORS and many others
a benefit for
PROUD HAVEN www.proudhaven.org
on
FRI., NOV. 23
Door open at 6PM. Show starts promptly at 7PM Tickets on sale now at WWW.TICKETMASTER.COM
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 7-14, 2018
27