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APRIL 4-11, 2018
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
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NEWS +VIEWS
CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO
Members of immigrant-rights group Casa San Jose have used this sign to protest increased ICE enforcement in Pittsburgh over the years.
.IMMIGRATION.
ICE BREAKER Advocates question the benefits of immigration enforcement in Pittsburgh and Rust Belt areas BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
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S
INCE JANUARY 2017, when President Donald
Trump was inaugurated, 20 undocumented immigrants have been prosecuted in Western Pennsylvania federal courts for immigration offenses, most for illegally entering the U.S. multiple times. Of those 20, only six immigrants had criminal records in the county where they were detained. The charges include DUI, illegal-firearm possession, and having false identification. Only one, Mexican immigrant Rolando Velez Latorre of East Pittsburgh, had a conviction for a violent offense (simple assault and making terroristic threats in 2014). This ratio contrasts with the portrayal of undocumented immigrants by politicians like Trump, who has claimed these individuals are making the U.S. unsafe. Studies have shown that immigrants, undocumented and documented, commit
fewer crimes on average compared to U.S. citizens. And even in Western Pennsylvania, the majority of undocumented immigrants charged with federal immigration offenses have committed no local crimes at all. But this hasn’t stopped the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from increasing enforcement nationwide since Trump was elected. ICE has even increased detainments in some Rust Belt areas, such as Allegheny County, which tend to have smaller percentage of immigrant residents than the national average. In response, a growing chorus of progressives and immigration advocates are calling for defunding and even abolishing ICE. They claim ICE isn’t making communities safer and is forcing immigrants to live in a constant state of fear. ICE has defended its actions and says agents are
targeting criminal immigrants. But one longtime immigrant lawyer, Clevelandbased David Leopold, says ICE’s increased enforcement, especially in the Rust Belt, goes beyond enforcing current laws and is meant to showcase a broader hostility toward immigrants. Pennsylvania advocates agree. “I think it is about politics,” says Sundrop Carter, of Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC), a statewide immigrant-advocacy group. “I think ICE is purposely going after places where immigrants used to be invisible. If they are coming after immigrants in a small town like Gettysburg, where they have to drive around and look for immigrants, then it spreads the feeling that no one is safe.” Monica Ruiz of Casa San Jose, a Brookline-based immigrant-support service group, has been working with Pittsburgh’s undocumented community for several years. She says ICE’s increased enforcement creates the perception that all undocumented immigrants in Pittsburgh are being targeted for deportation. According to statistics compiled by Syracuse University, ICE’s 2017 Allegheny County detainments increased by 15 percent from 2016. “It has driven fear into everyone,” she says. “The fear is real, it is so bad. They are afraid to drive, and they are afraid to report crimes.” Ruiz says she supports defunding ICE, not only to stop sweeps of Pittsburgh neighborhoods, but also to continue the momentum of immigrants moving to and investing in Pittsburgh. According to a 2016 study from the New American Economy, a pro-immigrant business group, immigrants made up 7.6 percent of Allegheny County’s gross domestic product, even though foreign-born individuals only comprised around 5 percent of the county population. “[Immigrants] aren’t going to invest in the community, because they don’t know how long they are going to be here,” says Ruiz. Leopold agrees that increased immigration enforcement will hurt the economies of Rust Belt cities like Cleveland, Youngstown and Pittsburgh. But, he says, immigration hawks like those working for Trump are driven more by ideological factors than economic ones. “The restrictionist folks may say increased enforcement is great since immigrants are here illegally,” says Leopold. “But they don’t understand that by deporting a businessman from Youngstown, that is less money for going after national-security threats.” Leopold represented Amer Adi, a
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ICE BREAKER, CONTINUED FROM PG. 7
Jordanian immigrant who owned convenience stores in downtown Youngstown. This January, Adi’s deportation story made national headlines thanks to its sympathetic nature. Adi had lived in the U.S. for 39 years and had family living legally in the country. Adi had also received the support of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (DYoungstown) and Ohio business groups. Regardless, Adi was deported in January. Leopold couldn’t say for certain why Adi wasn’t given leniency to stay in Ohio, but he notes that Adi’s humiliation sent a strong message to other immigrants. In Mahoning County, where Youngstown is located, foreign-born residents make up only 2.8 percent of the population, far less than the 13 percent U.S. average. Even so, according to Syracuse University, detainments in Mahoning County more than quadrupled in 2017 compared to 2016. Leopold says that by making Adi’s case a national story, ICE was able to showcase that immigrants in any community are at risk for deportation, regardless of their history. “It was kind of like the perfect storm of messaging for ICE,” says Leopold.
“I THINK IT IS ABOUT POLITICS.” ICE active director Thomas Homan has publically responded to the increasing calls to abolish ICE by saying the agency’s critics should talk to victims of crimes carried out by undocumented immigrants. “These politicians, they need to talk to the victims of alien crime, talk to the parents that I talk to that lost children at the hands of criminal aliens,” Homan said March 12 during Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight. Leopold isn’t calling for the complete abolishment of ICE, but thinks ICE should be put into receivership, meaning that another public or private group should take over its functions. On March 9, progressive columnist Sean McElwee, writing in The Nation magazine, called for the end of ICE. He detailed the growing list of political groups calling for ICE to be defunded. In an interview with City Paper, McElwee notes that ICE has only existed since 2003 and has become an “increasingly authoritarian institution.” ICE’s only tasks are to investigate Homeland Security issues and to identify and remove undocumented immigrants. Before ICE, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) department dealt with all facets of immigration. Though ICE has rejected claims that
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CP PHOTO BY LUKE THOR TRAVIS
A young advocate at an immigrant-rights protest in Pittsburgh in 2016
it’s acting merely to carry out the political goals of immigration hawks like Trump, McElwee said that the union of ICE agents endorsed Trump in 2016, and that many agents acted “openly subordinate” to former President Barack Obama. He says there is no reason that more Democrats across the country shouldn’t be running campaigns calling for the end of ICE, even those in Rust Belt areas where immigrant-rights groups are less powerful. Western Pennsylvania politicians haven’t been outspoken in criticizing ICE. Pittsburgh police don’t initiate communication with ICE officials, but some area Democrats have allied with Republicans in trying to make it easier for ICE to deport immigrants. (According to an August 2017 ICE document obtained by PICC, there are even seven law enforcement agencies in Western Pennsylvania that have expressed interest in further cooperating with ICE, including McKees Rocks and Castle Shannon police departments.) “ICE is actually not an organization that is compatible with the vision of society the Democratic Party has,” says McElwee. “Therefore, funding ICE is actually a concession and should be acknowledged as such.” Sara Innamorato, a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 21st state House District, believes Western Pennsylvania should be more critical of ICE and the “inhumane way” the agency is ripping apart families. State representatives don’t have the power to defund ICE, but Innamorato does support House Bill 1302, which would limit state law-enforcement agencies from participating in any federal immigration-enforcement activity. In a statement to CP, Innamorato wrote: “By supporting [this] bill, I would be joining the fight for a stronger economy, safer neighborhoods and creating a city and commonwealth for us all.”
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.BLACK PRIDE.
PROUD RESURGENCE BY RYAN DETO RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
T
HE ORGANIZERS of the long-running Pittsburgh Black Pride celebration are looking for a resurgence. The group recently reorganized and is hoping to get the word out about its new initiatives before the Black Pride celebration occurs in late July. “We have vision,” says Black Pride spokesperson Cheneal Relazez Hilton. “We are leaving other things outside the door, and we aren’t speaking about other Prides, unless we are partnering with them.” In 2015, controversy surrounded the Pittsburgh Pride Festival and a rift formed within the LGBTQ community. The area’s largest LGBTQ organization, the Delta Foundation, organizes Pride, and that year, some people took offense to Delta’s choice of rapper Iggy Azalea as headliner for its concert event. (In the past, Azalea had made comments about the LGBTQ community that many found offensive.) Some people protested Pittsburgh Pride and formed their own group, Roots Pride, to emphasize the need for more queer and trans people of color in Pride events. But Pittsburgh Black Pride felt those grassroots groups were ignoring the work Black Pride had done in the minority LGBTQ community for more than 20 years. Now, Black Pride organizers are hoping to put those disagreements behind them. This year, the group intends to focus on a theme of “rebirth.” While Felicia Harvey is still heading
PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH BLACK PRIDE
Members of Pittsburgh Black Pride
Black Pride, now in its 23rd year of service, Hilton says the group has formed a board for the first time and is working toward acquiring nonprofit status. Black Pride has created a media team, finance and administrative groups, and a youth committee. Members have been in contact with other Pride organizations across the country, and some members are attending leadership conferences to help generate ideas. Hilton says Black Pride is evolving from a group of passionate volunteers to a more legitimate organization that will “stay on mission.” Hilton says Black Pride will host events throughout the year to help people find jobs; raise awareness for LGBTQ health concerns; and put on
social gatherings for queer black men, LGBTQ allies and the LGBTQ community as a whole. “Change was inevitable,” says Hilton. “We are more than just Pride weekend. When it comes to LGBTQ community, we battle all these things every day.” More information about Pittsburgh Black Pride can be found at www.pghbp.com.
Hilton says the group will continue its partnership with local health-care companies Highmark, Allegheny Health and UPMC this year, and are looking for more sponsors. Hilton adds that Black Pride is in a “positive place” with the
Delta Foundation. The reorganization of Black Pride also includes a new logo, featuring a circle of rainbow-colored clenched fists around the word “pride.” Hilton says T-shirts with this logo are for sale on Black Pride’s website, and she is hoping the shirts remind people of the new and improved Black Pride. Pittsburgh Black Pride is also altering the schedule for its July celebration. Previously, events ran over the course of a week, but now all events will happen during a long weekend. An opening ceremony kicks off the events on July 26, and a community barbecue closes out Black Pride on July 29, at Schenley Park in Oakland.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
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LOVE US? HATE US? + RANTS RAVES EMAIL US AT INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM COMMENTS OF THE WEEK
.EDITORIAL.
“Driverless cars a bad idea? Who would have thunk?!” “I support safe PGH bikers but feel that maybe Bike Pittsburgh should focus their efforts on better educating bikers. Despite there being bike lanes, I frequently see bikes on the sidewalks and many completely ignoring traffic signals. I’ve almost hit bikers because they fail to act as vehicles (which they are) and follow stop signs and lights and general traffic patterns. Bike safely and smartly!” FACEBOOK COMMENTS ON A CITY PAPER STORY REGARDING BIKE PITTSBURGH’S REQUEST FOR CHANGES TO DRIVERLESSVEHICLE TESTING FOLLOWING A RECENT FATAL ACCIDENT IN ARIZONA INVOLVING A DRIVERLESS VEHICLE
“Unfortunately, no matter the fans’ reaction, this ownership isn’t going to change. They’ve proven they don’t care about the fans. I’m extremely saddened but I will continue to go to games because I love the game and I want to support the players ... they deserve that. Though I will be going to far fewer games and will no longer religiously watch every game on TV. I’m a long-time fan who is simply exhausted.” FACEBOOK COMMENT ON A CP STORY ABOUT BASEBALL FANS LASHING OUT AGAINST THE PIRATES
Free Will Astrology BY ROB BREZSNY
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GOP OUT OF BOUNDS ON IMPEACHMENT
U
PSET THAT their super-gerrymandered congressional district map was thrown out by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Republican members of the state legislature want to take the next “logical” step and impeach the majority of Democratic justices who made the ruling. Besides showing a complete lack of understanding about how our three-branch government system works, they have once again demonstrated that partisan politics is more important to them than progressing the state. In the past several years, the GOP-controlled legislature has held state budgets hostage and kept important legislation, like medical-marijuana laws and anti-discrimination laws, from ever seeing the light of day. It’s a miracle that medical marijuana was ever legalized at all. But this is a whole new level of narcissistic leadership. A group of GOP representatives didn’t like being called out on their overtly political congressional maps. Those maps, which make it easier for Republicans to win seats in Congress, were originally approved by the Supreme Court, which was, at that time, led by a Republican majority. But this is why we have elections and three independent branches of government — for checks and balances. However, this GOP-led legislature doesn’t care about fundamental fairness, and it never has. If its members don’t like a legal ruling, the first reaction is to try and impeach duly elected officials, just because they don’t agree. What we find most interesting is that there are procedures in place to impeach the governor and the Supreme Court, but the legislature sits safe and sound. Pennsylvania has no process to hold recall elections for legislators who don’t perform the way we’d like. Our state House is too big and has too much power to wield. But that doesn’t mean we have to take it.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
These politicians are up for re-election every two years. They’ve been pulling stuff like this for decades and continue to be reelected. Why? Because of voter apathy. We don’t vote in numbers like we should and, therefore, the same people pushing the same ideologies are re-elected. But we need to vote. We have to. The final component of our system of checks and balances is the voter. We have a responsibility to hold our elected officials accountable for their actions and make sure
they don’t try to usurp our power. A majority of Pennsylvanians voted for those justices. They are our representatives in that corner of our governmental system. If our state legislators want to get out of line and interfere with the work of our Supreme Court, we have to get to the polls this year and send a strong message: You don’t run this. We do.
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City Paper‘s editorial board is Charlie Deitch, Meg Fair and Celine Roberts.
JENSORENSEN
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Eighty-three-year-old author Harlan Ellison has had a long and successful career. In the course of publishing hundreds of literary works in seven different genres, he has won numerous awards. But when he was in his thirties, there was an interruption in the upward arc of his career. The film-production company Walt Disney Studios hired him as a writer. During his first day on the job, Roy Disney overheard Ellison joking with a coworker about using Disney characters in an animated pornographic movie. Ellison was fired on the spot. I am by no means predicting a comparable event in your life, Aries. On the contrary. By giving you this heads-up, I’m hoping you’ll be scrupulous and adroit in how you act in the early stages of a new project — so scrupulous and adroit that you will sail on to the next stages.
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.PITTSBURGH LEFT.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL BY CHARLIE DEITCH // CDEITCH@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
I
REMEMBER when the scariest thing in grade school was a tornado drill. We’d sit along the wall in the hallway, put our heads on the floor and curl up into a ball. In the small town I grew up in, there hasn’t been a tornado in decades. I couldn’t imagine being a student today. Mass shootings have become a very real threat that could happen at any time, and every student regardless of age knows it. A friend wrote a Facebook post last week about a conversation she had with her daughters on the way to school. They told her about the “intruder drill” they were having at school that day. The girl told her mother the step-by-step procedure she had to go through if a gunman entered the school and she was alone in the bathroom. “I know what to do,” the child said. “My teacher said to turn off the lights, lock the door, lock myself in a stall, scrunch myself on top of the seat so you can’t see me, and be quiet and wait till someone comes to get me.”
“THEY KNOW THIS IS THEIR REALITY TODAY. I HATE IT.” The younger daughter, described a recent “scary” drill where students in the classroom were told to “shut off the lights and lock the door, then shove as much stuff as we can in front of the door. Then we go away from the door and windows, and hide behind things or under desks.” Their mother finished the post saying: “What bothered me most is that they were so matter-of-fact about it, like they know this is their reality today. I hate it. They deserve better.” They do deserve better and, unfortunately, we live in a country that might not ever give it to them. That’s because our leaders believe the right to bear arms is more sacrosanct than a child’s right not to die during gym class. The guncontrol demonstrations around the country led by students have been a fantastic example of individuals using their freedom to try to enact change. It was the type of uplifting experience that makes you think that maybe things can change. Maybe, but every time students are murdered and schools are violated, the aftermath seems to embolden pro-gun sentiments even more. The attacks on victims in the Parkland School District have been grotesque. These kids have been called “crisis actors,” and have been told to stop protesting and do something useful like learn CPR, so they can be ready to act as first responders the next time a shooter comes into their school and starts shooting classmates in the head. It’s thinking like this that makes me long for the good ol’ days when all you had to worry about killing you in school was the tornado that never came.
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CP PHOTO BY VANESSA SONG
A selection of vegan donuts from Wolf Teeth Donuts
.FOOD.
THE NEW DONUTS Pittsburgh has been a stronghold of this dessert for years. BY CELINE ROBERTS // CELINE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
P
ITTSBURGH IS HAVING a donut renaissance, albeit a bit later than other towns where fancy donuts have gained fame (think Portland’s Voodoo Doughnut). And yet, Pittsburgh has been a stronghold of the traditional iteration of the sweet treat for years. Sugarcovered fried dough spans many cultures, each with their own version, whether it’s Polish paczki or Mexican churros. And thus, many immigrant groups have contributed to what we now think of as a quintessential, American snack — the donut. Donuts take many shapes, sizes and flavors, but the Oxford English Dictionary defines them as “a small fried cake of sweetened dough, typically in the shape of a ball or ring.” According to Smithsonian magazine’s history of the donut, while made all over the world, donuts have a distinctly American identity. Archeologists have turned up fossilized fragments of
donuts in prehistoric Native American settlements. They cited what is now considered the classic American donut as coming from Manhattan — the Dutch olykoeks, which translates to “oily cakes.” American GIs whet the general public’s appetite for donuts after returning from World War I, where women had brought donuts to the trenches as a reminder of home. But now, with access to more ingredients than ever before, the humble donut is refashioned to appeal to a modern crowd. And the simple structure of the pastry makes it eminently riffable. New local donut purveyors, like Wolf Teeth and Gluten Free Goat, cater to people who might get left out of the traditional donut-eating crowd because of dietary restrictions. Both of these are tiny businesses that started as pop-ups, with just one person determined to CONTINUES ON PG. 14
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
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LET S GET ’
THE NEW DONUTS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 13
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figure out how to recreate the pastry in a unique way. After she was diagnosed with celiac disease, Jeanette Harris, of Gluten Free Goat, needed an alternative that would be safe for her to enjoy. “I starting making donuts because I couldn’t find any that I could eat, and I grew up eating amazing cake donuts,” she wrote in an email to City Paper. Unable to use grains such as wheat, barley and rye, Harris developed a method using alternative flours like organic brown-rice flour, potato starch and garbanzo-bean flour. Instead of frying the donuts, she bakes them, which gives them a dense, cakey texture. Her flavors run from traditional, like apple cider, to modern, but still simply glazed, such as lavender lemon. In 2014, Harris began selling them wholesale to coffee shops. In 2017, she opened Gluten Free Goat Bakery and Café, in Garfield, where she serves gluten-free baked goods and other light fare. She’s currently a finalist for a Tory Burch Foundation Fellowship that supports female entrepreneurs with mentoring and money. MJ Flott (who uses they/them pronouns) started a vegan-donut business called Wolf Teeth Donuts in 2016. “I have ADD, which means that occasionally I become fixated on a thing, and it’s the only thing I can focus on. Apparently, in 2016, that was donuts,” says Flott. They were a strict vegan at the time, and so they set about making their own. They started giving them away, while finetuning the process at Lili Café, in Polish Hill. Later, Flott began selling the donuts —and selling out quickly. They never anticipated becoming a business. “That was when I learned how to bake. I learned everything in the last year,” says Flott. Wolf Teeth donuts are yeasted and fried in the traditional
manner. The dough isn’t very sweet, and Flott uses flavors, like lemon poppy seed and matcha, and glazes to impart sweetness. They like to keep it simple. “Pittsburgh is a pretty working-class, no-fuss, no-muss city,” says Flott. “It’s kind of a fundamentally working-class pastry. It’s cheap as hell to make, and you have to wake up at 3 in the morning to do it. It’s something you can eat while you go to work.” They now run the pastry program at Kaibur Coffee, in the former Lili Café space.
CP PHOTO BY VANESSA SONG
MJ Flott tops a Wolf Teeth donut.
But despite these donut innovations, homage should be paid to the old-hands of Pittsburgh’s donut scene. Better-Maid Donut shop, in Crafton Heights, has been turning out donuts for about 70 years. The current owner and donut-maker, Ken Smith, bought the venue in 2003, and he learned the craft from the previous owner. Even at 6 a.m., when the shop opens, there’s a line down the street. Smith makes yeasted, jelly-filled, sourdough and cake donuts — about 100 dozen daily. He works 12-hour shifts but it’s clear he loves what he does. “I just want to make donuts and sweeten everybody up,” says Smith, smiling.
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.FOOD.
EAT ME
BY LISA CUNNINGHAM LCUNNING@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
.ON THE ROCKS.
TIPS FROM BEHIND THE BAR BY CRAIG MRUSEK // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
W
HEN YOU’RE a bartender, you notice things. Good service requires paying attention to people. But bars can be loud, busy places, and communication can suffer. To help ensure your visit is as pleasant as possible, here some things this bartender would like you to know.
Some bars only have draft beer. Some only have bottles and cans. It’s nothing personal. Ditto food specials and an absurdly massive selection of whiskey that somehow doesn’t include your favorite. Still nothing personal. Reasonable bartenders won’t judge you based on your appearance, age or drink choice. However, we will definitely judge you based on your behavior. If your bartender makes up a drink on the spot for you, there’s a possibility she’ll name it after you. But if you specifically ask her to do that, it pretty much guarantees she won’t.
CP PHOTO BY LISA CUNNINGHAM
LOCATION: Royal Myanmar, 644 Center Ave., West View
AMBIANCE: Low-key interior with minimal decor. TV in corner was off, but upbeat music played quietly. Two women at nearby table talked loudly over a bottle of wine about their health.
We know the part of the bar where servers pick up drinks for the tables always looks like the most spacious, comfortable spot in the whole place. But resist the urge to sit or stand there — other people need booze too.
WHAT I ATE:
An occasional, restrained display of affection between you and your partner can be cute and endearing. Engaging in lengthy, vigorous foreplay is not.
COST:
Having a seat near the kitchen affords you a fascinating glimpse into the intricate and carefully choreographed process of commercial cooking. It’s also a great way to hear an f-bomb every 15 seconds. Choose where you sit accordingly. If you’re unhappy with the music in the bar, it’s fine to mention it to your bartender. Just be aware he may have no control over it. In fact, there’s a good chance he’s as sick of it as you are. We’re happy to charge your phone for you, but most bars don’t keep a diverse supply of chargers on hand. Providing your own is most helpful. Speaking to a staffer about a problem during your visit is a much quicker (and practical) way of addressing it than going home and writing a multi-paragraph rant online. Many people treat Happy Hour as a race. Just a tip: There’s no prize for finishing the most drinks before it’s over. If you’re the kind of person who tells your bartender to put your drink in a “man’s glass,” just stay home.
•
Shrimp curry $14.99
HOT TAKE: The thick tomato-based curry was full of flavor and more than made up for the lack of heat. (If you like it spicy, ask for higher than a level six.) The shrimp was generous and plump. I was unsure if the cilantro on top was for garnish or mixing in, so I ate half of it and no one pointed and laughed. PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
15
Piazza Talarico & Papa Joe’s Wine Cellar Rustic Italian food and housemade wine
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piazzatalarico.com 3832 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Valid for dine-in only with $10 minimum food purchase. Valid through April 1, 30,2018. 2018.
CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK
Students from Perry High School help organize the food pantry
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TAKING ON HUNGER BY CELINE ROBERTS // CELINE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
P
ERRY HIGH School librarian Sheila ably hungry. There’s no running water May-Stein and her students in at home.’ And so we thought maybe the the Gender Sexuality Alliance are way we try to stop bullying is try to do taking on hunger as a way to reduce something with food.” violence and foster better learning. The group reached out to partner A self-proclaimed “outlaw educator,” with Greater Pittsburgh Community May-Stein helped found the group Food Bank. The students received three years ago when she came training in food-handling, and to Perry, and she serves as its with help from Junior ROTC, E R MO faculty adviser. they bring in 1,000 pounds of S PHOTOE When City Paper spoke food a week and get it ready IN L ON ww. with her by phone she had just for needy students. Those stuw t a aper received 2,100 pounds of food dents fill out a form of what pghcityp .com from the Greater Pittsburgh they’d like from the list providCommunity Food Bank. That’s ed by the food bank. Then, volmore than triple the normal delivery unteer students pack the bags, mark amount for a week, and she hopes to be them with the recipient’s name, and put able to prepare Perry students for their them out for pickup in the library where coming spring break. “We are the only Project Rush Hour is based. comprehensive high school on the North Side,” May-Stein says. “When the Buhl To donate to Perry High School’s Project Foundation worked with neighborhood Rush Hour, visit www.gofundme.com/ groups [through One North Side] to have PerryFoodBankRefrigerator. North Siders determine what their main concerns are, the two main things that they found were that people were conNow, the group is hoping to expand cerned about health care and food secuthe program to provide fresh foods, but rity. We find that those two things play it needs to purchase a refrigerator beout in our school.” fore the food bank. To raise the money, So, May-Stein and GSA started Projthey’ve started a GoFundMe to cover the ect Rush Hour, an in-house food pantry expense of $3,500. May-Stein and her for students. Last year, while preparing students are also starting a garden to for the National Day of Silence, she and help supplement the donated foods with her students were feeling defeated by fresh produce. the amount of bullying in the school. “Libraries can’t be a resource for “We asked ourselves, ‘Why are kids so just one thing,” says May-Stein. “Librarmean?’,” says May-Stein. “Someone said, ies have to be a resource for all kinds of ‘Well, it’s probably because they aren’t things. Food, at Perry, is what this library getting what they need. They’re probis also a resource for.”
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DINING OUT
CP PHOTO BY KATE HAGERTY
SPONSORED LISTINGS FROM CITY PAPER ’S FINE ADVERTISERS
THIS WEEK’S FEATURED RESTAURANT PIAZZA TALARICO 3832 PENN AVE., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-652-9426 PIAZZATALARICO.COM Piazza Talarico and Papa Joe’s Wine Cellar is a small, family-owned restaurant and winery in Western Pennsylvania serving authentic Italian peasant food. Enjoy the fresh food on site or take out. Specializes in “Baked Maccheron”, an al forno dish of rigatoni, Grandma’s sauce, cheese, pepperoni and boiled eggs.
BROAD STREET BISTRO 1025 BROAD ST., NORTH VERSAILLES 412-829-2911 / BROADSTBISTRO.COM Broad Street Bistro is a neighborhood restaurant offering daily specials. ALL food is prepared fresh and made to order. It is family friendly with a special kids’ menu.
CASA REYNA 2031 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT CASAREYNAPGH.COM Find our Mexican hideaway just downstairs from Reyna Foods in the heart of the Strip District. Fresh tortillas come off the line and onto your plate, as you watch through the window. The menu is exciting; the dishes are fresh, local and delicious. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere inviting. Come for the tortillas, stay for the extensive tequila list and homemade artisan Mexican chocolate ice cream.
EIGHTY ACRES 1910 NEW TEXAS ROAD, MONROEVILLE/PLUM 724-519-7304 / EIGHTYACRESKITCHEN.COM Eighty Acres Kitchen & Bar offers a refined, modern approach to contemporary American cuisine with a strong emphasis on local, farm-to-table products.
FULL PINT WILD SIDE TAP ROOM 5310 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-408-3083 / FULLPINTBREWING.COM Full Pint Wild Side Taproom is Full Pint Brewing company’s Lawrenceville location and features a full service
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MERCURIO’S ARTISAN GELATO AND NEAPOLITAN PIZZA 5523 WALNUT ST., SHADYSIDE 412-621-6220 MERCURIOSGELATOPIZZA.COM Authentic Neapolitan pizza, artisan gelato, and an inviting atmosphere are just a small part of what helps create your experience at Mercurio’s Gelato and Pizza in Pittsburgh, PA. It’s not your standard pizza shop; in fact, this isn’t a “pizza shop” at all.
SAGA HIBACHI 201 SOUTH HILLS VILLAGE MALL, BETHEL PARK 412-835-8888 / SAGAHIBACHI.COM Saga in the South Hills is now under new management. Stop in for exciting table-side preparations and the famous shrimp sauce. Or sit in the sushi-bar area for the freshest sushi experience, with both traditional preparations and contemporary variations.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
17
ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
CP PHOTO BY SARAH HUNY YOUNG
Clara Kent
.MUSIC.
THE UNIVERSE PROVIDES
“The album was a healing process, but I wanted others to experience it.” BY MEG FAIR // MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
18
WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
T
HE NIGHT BEFORE Pittsburgh neo-soul artist Clara Kent opened for Wyclef Jean at SXSW, she was in the emergency room suffering from an intense allergic reaction. “I was on, like, six Benadryl and an EpiPen all night,” laughs Kent. But rather than retreat or panic, the next day Kent poured herself into a charismatic performance. “I like to have the audience rock with me, jam with me, loosen up,” explains Kent, dancing in her seat and bathed in the sunshine pouring in through the windows of Bantha Tea House, during an interview with City Paper. It’s hard not to loosen up around Kent. Her smile and laugh are infectious, and creative energy hangs around her, attracting the notice of others.
If the words “powerful aura” are coming to mind, it’s only fitting. Kent released her debut record, A U R A, at the end of February. It’s a collection of incredibly intimate songs that are vibey, vulnerable, spiritual and soulful. The 11 tracks, produced and engineered by close friends and collaborators Yorel Tifsim and Bilal Abbey, are essentially a diary of several years of Kent’s life. “I was literally writing A U R A in the mindframe of a journal. It was awkward at first, but it was a relief. Because for a long time in my life, I would hide certain feelings, because I was ashamed, or there was an expectation of how I had to be,” she explains. “But once I started embracing myself, and shedding the expectations and obligations, and started allowing myself to be, that’s where A U R A came from.”
“The album was a healing process, but I wanted others to experience it,” she says. The track “Souled,” for example, is a heart-wrenching reflection on unsupportive and unhealthy relationships, while “Outside” deals with angst and frustration. On the other hand, songs like “Clarity,” “Navy Blue (Still I …) feat. Bilal” and “Rise” conclude with positive affirmations in spite of obstacles. “It’s about embracing your shadows, so you can emerge your light. Sometimes, we run from the things we don’t want to embrace, but if you look at it and hug it, there’s a lesson in there and a message for you,” says Kent. “That’s how paintings are — you have to have the lights and darks to bring out the image so people can really see it.” In addition to creating music, Kent is a visual artist under the name Bounce. She grew up surrounded by music and painting, as her mother painted wallsized canvases, while playing records in her family’s apartment in Wilkinsburg. “One of my biggest influences growing up, and still, is Sade,” says Kent. “My mom knew I loved her so much, so she bought a VHS of all of Sade’s music videos from all her albums at the time. I watched it for hours until it wore out, and she had to buy me a new one.” In addition to her mother’s influence, Kent’s grandmother took her to choir, where she learned to train her voice and play instruments. “Those two taught me how to create, how to be influenced and how to take notes from others,” Kent says. “And my mom loved art as a hobby, but I loved it
more than that. I always said I wouldn’t do anything else.” When her mother became sick, Kent spent a lot of her time taking care of her family. After her mother died, she re-emerged and dove into development mode. That creative fervor, bolstered by her fellow creatives in Tribe Eternal Music Group, led to A U R A and constantly incoming opportunities. In the coming weeks, she has more than half-a-dozen shows and events planned, as well as an impending EP and a rap record, with an art show planned for 2019.
CLARA KENT will be performing at various venues, during the April 27 Gallery Crawl, downtown. Free. www.trustarts.org
“I want to have national and international reach in the next couple of years. I want to tour, I want to have a studio album,” says Kent. “I want 10,000 fans this year, like people that want to see me every chance they get.” And Kent already has a pretty strong following. People have paid up to $50 just to purchase her record. “My fans are my Bounce Babies. They’re so supportive,” she emphasizes. “The listening party at BOOM Concepts for A U R A — 70 people came, and I was expecting like 25. “What I’m noticing with pursuing my purpose, [is] I feel like I’m getting so much confirmation from the universe,” Kent says. “It’s almost like a hug — all these opportunities feel like it’s saying, ‘See, you’re able.’”
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.MUSIC.
MP 3 MONDAY >> JACK SWING Each week we post a song from a local artist online for free. This week, it’s “Take the Night,” by Jack Swing, a catchy rock jam with delicious riffs. The distorted guitars and groovy guitar hook, paired with expressive vocals, will have you dancing the night away. Stream or download “Take the Night” for free on FFW>>>, the music blog at www.pghcitypaper.com.
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
19
.BOOK REVIEW.
ON OUR SHELF BY FRED SHAW INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
SEEKING FIRE >> BY SCOTT PYLE FOUR-COLOR STUDIOS WWW.FOUR-COLORSTUDIOS.COM
Haiku, known for its 5/7/5 syllabics, was developed in the 17th century and remains poetry’s least-intimidating form. Its effectiveness lies in a combination of imagery, brevity (can be read in a breath), and sense of illumination. It’s with this in mind that local poet and Pittsburgh firefighter Scott Pyle freshly spins his second collection of haiku-like work, Seeking Fire. The 74 pages of brief poems are often paired with thumbprint-sized black-and-white photos that document both the everyday and his working life. A favorite, “Endings,” reads “outside I-Hop / honey packet oozes / deathtrap for ants,” showcasing a reverence for life and the unintended consequences of all things to-go. In another passage, from “Taking the Hydrant,” Pyle writes, “stamp bags: ‘King of Death’ / work junkie to no avail / royal decree,” blending social issues with gallows humor earned while working in the trenches of human suffering. Pyle showcases his keen eyes in “Meditations,” writing, “outside firehouse / this plant we thought a weed / sunflowers.” The poem leans on insights gained from observing the natural world, and like Seeking Fire, often exceeds expectations. •
Neko Atsume House
.FILM.
JAPANESE IMPORT BY AL HOFF // AHOFF@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
T
HE PITTSBURGH Japanese Film Festival, highlighting historically and
culturally significant films from Japan, returns to town this week. The festival, offering nearly a dozen films with multiple screenings, runs April 6-19 at Row House Cinema, in Lawrenceville. Special events include a cuddle-party with kittens, and a beer-and-sushi event paired with the 1961 Akira Kurosawa samurai classic, Yojimbo. Below are some highlights: If you’re a fan of the Japanese cat-collecting smartphone game Neko Atsume, you might squeal to learn that there is now a live-action adaptation, Neko Atsume House. In it, a young man with writer’s block tries to attract many, many cats to a house he’s renting. (Tip: Cats love the sashimi.) Tickets for this opening-night film are $15, and include Japanese treats; the $30 VIP ticket gets you an hour of playing with kittens in the adjacent tap room before the screening.
THE PITTSBURGH JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL Complete schedule, tickets (including multi-film passes) and more info are at www.jffpgh.org. Most tickets are $7-9, with discounts for college students, Lawrenceville residents and arriving in costume.
Chill with some sweet anime: Your Name (2016) is among the top highestgrossing films in Japan, and tells the story of a teenage boy and girl who swap bodies randomly and communicate via notes. For fans of the classics, there is the aforementioned Yojimbo; its 1962 sequel, Sanjuro; and the original 1954 mega-lizard treat, Godzilla. For more specialized tastes, check out the 1970 Japanese exploitation gangster feature Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter, or the midnight screening of Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend, a 1989 anime noted for being a precursor of tentacle porn. Some more Pittsburgh premieres: Antiporno reboots the concept of “romantic pornography” films of the 1970s and ’80s, using a film-within-a-film technique to explore two actresses working on a “Roman Porn.” The Sailor Moon crew will want to book seats for Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Musical — Le Mouvement Final. It’s a new filmed version of the stage musical, based on the popular characters. And the locally animated and produced The Day of the Western Sunrise recounts the true story of fisherman surprised by an atomic bomb test. The closing-night film is Wild Zero, the 1999 genre mash-up that finds the Japanese rock trio Guitar Wolf suddenly tasked with saving the planet from aliens who are turning people into zombies. You know how that happens.
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Use code CITYCITY to save $5 on single tickets
“FEARLESS, FAST-PACED AND VERY FUNNY.” — The Nashua Telegraph
“A BRAVE, PERSONAL TAKE ON THE SPIRAL OF ALCOHOLISM” — Lowell Sun
CP PHOTO BY SARAH WILSON
Liss Victory
.MUSIC.
TOGETHERNESS BY MIKE SHANLEY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
W
HEN LISS VICTORY recorded her
solo album, Quelque Chose, on the third floor of her Garfield house, she wound up using different recording techniques on all nine songs. Though her fiancé, comedian Krish Mohan, and Strange Monsters frontman Don Strange added some vocals and production assistance respectively, Victory did most of the heavy lifting herself, a first for the guitarist. “I was learning as I was doing it,” she says. “Because I was alone, any idea I had, I just explored it: ‘Should I record this with one mike or two mikes? Let’s do both and see what happens.’ Sometimes it didn’t work, sometimes it sounded amazing. Being able to do that really changed the game for me.”
LISS VICTORY CD RELEASE WITH CHET VINCENT, DORI CAMERON, VICTORY AT THE CROSSROADS 8 p.m. Fri., April 6. The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $8. www.mrsmalls.com
The guitarist/vocalist, who plays solo, and with the band Victory at the Crossroads, has already released three sets of her dynamic music. She often bangs it out on an acoustic guitar, but Quelque Chose includes both electric and acoustic instruments. Victory’s lyrics draw on a variety of topics, from Star Wars fandom to immigration, all brought together by the message of togetherness. Much like the recording techniques, Victory delivers her thoughts in several different manners.
The name Quelque Chose (French for “something”) refers to a quip Victory once made about her music: “It’s something, more than nothing, maybe interesting.” In contrast to that modesty, she shows her ambitiousness early on, singing in French during “We the Heathens,” as well as Russian and Tamil, the native tongue of her fiancé. “That song means a lot … because the overall message of the album and most of my songs is, ‘We’re all in this together.’ That’s even my slogan: ‘We’re all one’,” she says. Other songs take a more lighthearted approach to the message. “The Prince (Reylo)” references the faction of Star Wars fans who approve of — or “ship” — a relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren in the series. “I hope that one goes viral, on Reddit,” Victory says, going on to explain that the lyrics go deeper, referencing Bhagavad Gita. But album-closer, “Fiscal Cliff,” ratchets up the intensity. Between verses, Victory yells through a megaphone, like she’s speaking at a rally, pledging her devotion to an unspecified cause. Her rabid delivery almost sounds a little unhinged, until the final line, when she vows gently: “I will fight beside you.” “It’s meant to be an empowering aggression, not aimed toward people, but toward the things that we’re fighting against: poverty, hunger, discrimination,” she explains. It’s quite a tonal contrast to the album’s introduction, “OM,” a series of chants punctuated by tolls from her singing bowl. But the message of togetherness, through fight or comfort, continues throughout the whole album.
by SEAN DANIELS directed by SHERYL KALLER
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THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN A Ph.D. student needs a subject to film for her thesis on Alzheimer’s disease, and Deborah Logan is the perfect fit. But as Deborah slowly loses herself more and more, it becomes clear it’s not simply her disease.
TRAIN TO BUSAN This South Korean zombie film follows a man and his daughter on a train speeding toward disaster as they try to make their way, along with some fellow passengers, to safety.
HUSH THURS 5TH
FULL W T IN ERVIEE IN L ON w.
A deaf woman moves to a house in total isolation, somewhere she can write in peace and not be disturbed. That is, until a masked killer begins using her disability to toy with her life.
IT FOLLOWS After Jay sleeps with her boyfriend for the first time, she becomes the target of a dark and deadly curse that can only be transmitted sexually.
THE GIFT Starring Jason Bateman, this story about a married couple and a mysterious acquaintance from the past reminds us that sometimes we don’t know the ones we love as much as we think we do.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KOURY ANGELO
Bill Burr
.COMEDY.
GOOD SPORT
BY CHARLIE DEITCH // CDEITCH@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
F
ROM DONALD TRUMP to fatherhood to political correctness, there were dozens of topics that I wanted to take up with standup comedian Bill Burr during a recent phone conversation. But there was an elephant in the room: Did the Boston native and New England Patriots fan really think Steelers tight end Jesse James dropped that touchdown pass in during the Dec. 17 game? “I think you guys won that last game,” Burr says. “I remember we had that game won and, on the next play, we gave up like 90 yards on a screen pass. After that, I remember thinking, ‘We’re not going to win the Super Bowl.’ Maybe if we’re doing that in September, Belichick can turn it around. But you can’t do that in December. “But I love Pittsburgh, it’s always been good to me.” Like many Pittsburgh youth, Burr became a sports fan at birth. And like Pittsburghers, he knows how being a sports fan can feel like a full-time job. “When I was a kid and I’d meet someone who’s not into sports, I couldn’t understand it,” Burr says. “But now that I’m older, when I meet people who don’t watch sports, I’m jealous. I’m like, ‘Good lord, what do you do with all of that free time. How many languages do you speak?’ If I didn’t watch sports, my schedule would really open up.”
BILL BURR 7 (sold out) and 10 p.m. Fri., April 6. Benedum Center, 237 Seventh St., Downtown. $129-290. www.trustarts.org
Sports isn’t the only thing taking up Burr’s time. The comedian is a new dad, tours consistently (he’s got two shows in Pittsburgh this week) and is also working on several film and TV projects. Last year, Rolling Stone ranked him 17th on its list of the 50 greatest standup comics of all time. His animated show, F Is for Family, was just renewed for a third season on Netflix; set in 1973, it features an Irish-American family, with Burr as the foul-mouthed patriarch, Frank Murphy. According to IMDB, he’s also about to play former presidential candidate George McGovern in a biopic about the rise and fall of Democrat Gary Hart. Or is he? “I gotta tell you something, I gotta be honest,” Burr says. “I’m not playing George McGovern. There was never any talk about me playing that person. ... But I can tell you one thing — it’s funny as hell and I ain’t taking it down. There’s also a bunch of untrue stuff on my Wikipedia page. I thought about taking it down, but the hell with it; it’s a form of privacy. People put whatever out there, so they can get their website with your information on the first page of Google search. Those first three things basically become your story, regardless of whether any of it is true or not. Nobody, myself included, goes past the first page. Jesus, I can’t imagine what’s on page five.”
•
.MUSIC.
A PLANTED SEED BY MEG FAIR MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
J
OHANNA WARREN was in the forest
more than a year ago, meditating in the trees, when she says she experienced a strong impression from the nature surrounding her. “The forest was speaking to me and asking me to do something,� Warren says. “I could just feel the plants asking me, telling me, ‘Let’s collab!’� That impression led to action. Warren is currently on the road, performing music across the country and using her shows as a platform for local activists, herbalists and plant-medicine experts. During her performance, these featured educators are given space to hand out information and zines, vend their products, and teach the audience about their work. In under a month, she’s booked 70 shows with this educational component — an impressive feat for an independent musician. “I feel like I’m really showing up
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARLEE MEGHAN BANTA
Johanna Warren
for my end of the pact I made with the forest that day,� says Warren in a phone interview with City Paper. “Everywhere
JOHANNA WARREN 7 p.m. Wed., April 11. The Mr. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $10. www.therobotoproject.com
I’ve gone, there are beautiful humans devoting their lives to plant intelligence.� In addition to performing her ethereal, intimate music, Warren is also a Reiki healer. Reiki is a type of healing focused around the channeling of energy through touch to activate natural healing processes. “From a young age, I was drawn to magic and witchcraft,� says Warren. “I
$88
came to be socialized to think that wasn’t acceptable, so I lost that connection to it.â€? But when Warren turned 22, she was in a severe car crash. During the crash, she says she felt the presence of her friend, who had died a year prior, intervening to save her. “I had the unshakeable experience of being saved by my friend who passed away. It was a psycho-spiritual awakening,â€? explains Warren. “It shook me to the core, and it was a domino that led to an intense cascade of events, [and] invited new people into my ďŹ eld. It felt like being transported to a dimension where magic was real again.â€? Around the time of the accident, Warren was also growing disturbed by all the prescription medicines she had been taking, and began to substitute natural replacements for these medications. “It led me to such an excited and empowered place. We have so many options for healing, and most are in our backyard,â€? says Warren. Warren begins each set with a grounding meditation exercise to help show-goers be present in their bodies. “When the audience is connected and feeling it with you, it makes all the energy you’re pouring out resonate and return to you, like a feedback loop of love,â€? Warren says.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
23
Kick it with a
TASTY GROOVE
Djs are every Wed, Fri, & Sat. 10pm - 1am. Bands start between 8 - 9 pm on Thursday nights.
April 5th Juan & Co.
April 12th
David & Pappy from The CAUSE
April 19th Told Ya So
April 26th
Ridgemont High (80s covers) CP PHOTOS BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK
May 3rd
John Morgart with a Wei Son Do student
Juan & Co.
.MARTIAL ARTS.
May 17th
HAND DEFENSE
Casual Hobos Blue Grass
BY REBECCA ADDISON // RADDISON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
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OHN MORGART was 7, when his
dad first tried to introduce him to martial arts. He took him to C.S. Kim Karate in Irwin, Pa., but the visit didn’t go as planned. “When I first went, I was a little scared and intimidated,” Morgart says. “It wasn’t for me at the time.” It would be four more years before Morgart returned to a karate studio, but since 2004, he’s barely left. “I was watching Bruce Lee movies and Jackie Chan movies, and it got me inspired. So when I was 11, I asked my dad if I could try again,” says Morgart, now 24. And after 13 years of practicing, the fourth-degree black belt (that’s a martialarts master, for the uninitiated) has even created his own karate style: Wei Son Do. Last month, he officially trademarked it. The meaning behind the Korean words that make up Wei Son Do reveal Morgart’s inspiration for creating the
new martial-arts style. “Wei” means to guard, to defend and to protect; “son” means hand; and “do” means the way or the path of your life. So essentially Wei Son Do is about using your hands to protect yourself. “I wanted to create something that would be engineered for an actual fight, if you’re actually defending yourself,” Morgart says. “I wanted to build something geared toward helping people learn how to defend themselves in different situations. I wanted to create a martial-arts form that could help you outside of class. If you’re walking down the street and someone grabs you on your wrist, you can learn how to quickly get out of that move, defend yourself from your attacker and get away.”
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C.S. KIM KARATE MONROEVILLE 3955 Monroeville Blvd., Monroeville. www.cskimkarate.com/monroeville
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In other martial-arts styles, like Tang Soo Do, students don’t learn defensive moves like wrist grabs and knife defends until they’ve been promoted to the first black-belt level after four years of training. But Morgart believes it can be important for students to learn these maneuvers earlier. In Wei Son Do, students learn the basics like low block, middle punch and high block, but also advanced techniques like knife defends, gun defends and wrist grabs. “If someone comes up behind you and puts you in a rearneck chokehold, you’ll know how to get out of it,” Morgart says. Instead of setting what a student learns based on their years of experience, the moves a Wei Son Do student learns will depend on other factors, like the student’s age. “I don’t want to teach a 5-year-old or a 6-year-old knife defends or gun defends right away, but they will learn
wrist defends and, if someone puts you in a chokehold, how to get out of it,” Morgart says. Learning self-defense was one of the reasons Morgart’s first Wei Son Do student — a 10-year-old girl who started training with Morgart last year — first turned to martial arts. Morgart says the girl’s father wanted her to start taking martial-arts classes because she was being bullied at school. “When a student first comes in, we do private lessons to make sure they understand some of the terminology and the moves before they get introduced to class,” says Morgart. “I love teaching. It’s great to see students grow, not only in the martial arts, but in life.” And working with the 10-year-old Woodland Hills Intermediate School student has been especially rewarding. After a year of training, the girl was promoted to green belt in Wei Son Do. “She’s come a long way,” Morgart says. “When I first started training her, she had a little bit of an attitude, and she’d just
throw her uniform in her bag. But after a year, she loves training in martial arts. She has a more respectful attitude. Even in her school work, her parents told me she’s been doing very well.” Morgart plans to continue teaching Wei Son Do and Tang Soo Do, another martial-arts style he is proficient in, at C.S. Kim Monroeville, but one day he plans to open his own studio. And even as a young master in his mid304334_4.75_x_4.75.indd twenties, Morgart has earned a fair amount of recognition in the martialarts community. Last month, he competed in the 2018 Arnold Martial Arts Festival 43rd Battle of Columbus in Columbus, Ohio, and placed second in the Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwon Do forms competition. There, he displayed his Wei Son Do Sannaum form and earned high praise from a few of the veteran masters in attendance. “When I was executing the form at the festival, other instructors were really impressed. They said it was excellent,” says Morgart. “It was a great experience.”
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OVERHEARD OUTSIDE OF PPG PAINTS ARENA, ON MARCH 22, FOLLOWING A PENGUINS LOSS TO NEW JERSEY
“Look at this text. ‘Do you want to come over for sex and pizza.’ I wish he had better taste in pizza.” PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
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LOCAL BEAT BY MEG FAIR MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
RESOURCE BODY >> BY SILVER CAR CRASH CRAFTED SOUNDS WWW.SILVERCARCRASH. BANDCAMP.COM
Silver Car Crash’s Resource Body is an eerie album, twisting and turning in on itself in waves of post-punk and riffy rock. It begins with “Curse in the Pines,” a stormy, driving intro that gives way to the swelling soundscape intro of “Medicine,” a song with clearer baritone vocals and a more easygoing, jangly feel. “Medicine” also has the best bass riff on the record; listen for it in the first section of FOR FANS OF: the instrumental bridge. For Fans Of: Ought, Other tracks, like the playfully left-right-panned L Shaped Man by “Primitive Science” and “Change” have a more Ceremony, Bauhaus grungy, punk-rock feel, with enough reverb to maintain the post-punk vibe. Instrumental “Resource (No Pittsburgh)” and the meandering album-closer, “Blood on Vanessa,” lean very hard into the Bauhaus energy. The tracks feel very late1970s, early-’80s goth, with the sinister tone of the song somehow beckoning you to dance in the middle of a grimy dance floor. •
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Jad Abumrad
.LECTURE.
DIGGING DEEPER BY ALEX GORDON // ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
I
S THERE anything Jad Abumrad isn’t
interested in? He’s spent nearly two decades at the helm of WNYC’s Radiolab, a popular radio show and podcast dedicated to probing popular science and esoteric American history to produce intricate, gleefully nerdy stories you’re unlikely to hear elsewhere. There are episodes devoted entirely to subjects like “things” or “colors” or “sperm”; or stories about the evolutionary causes of altruism, or how a tiny school for Native Americans in Carlisle, Pa., revolutionized American football. And last year, Abumrad started an offshoot of Radiolab called More Perfect, which seeks to untangle the complexities of the Supreme Court for the general audience. Untangling complexities for easy consumption is kind of his thing, but not any old complexity will do. “I love covering science, but the science has to lead you to some meaning, some new way of seeing the world,” Abumrad told City Paper by phone. “If it doesn’t do that, it’s just … neat.” (“Neat” is a bad word here.) On Fri., April 6, Abumrad gives a lecture at Carnegie Library Lecture Hall, for Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures’ #CarnegieNexus series, on a topic he had never consciously been drawn to before: migration. “This was an unusual invitation for me,” says Abumrad. “Folks saw a pattern in our work that I guess I didn’t notice. Three or four different stories [Radiolab has] done deal with migration, migrating birds, migrating peoples, migrating ideas. … It’s always fun to discover something in your own thinking that you didn’t even
know was there.” Abumrad didn’t get into the specifics of the talk, but it’s a safe bet that he’ll interpret the word “migration” beyond the realm of physical resettlement. That’s what audiences have come to expect from Abumrad and his show since it debuted in 2002. Obviously, radio lived in a different world back then. This American Life had already shaken things up in the late 1990s, and Abumrad’s future co-host, Robert Krulwich, had been on the popular science beat at NPR since the 1980s. But Radiolab — with its hyperactive editing, blacklight epiphanies and conversational tone — still took audiences by surprise. Today, it’s among the most downloaded podcasts of all time.
JAD ABUMRAD 7:30 p.m. Fri., April 6. Carnegie Library Lecture Hall, 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $25. www.pittsburghlectures.org
The market may have evolved in the past two decades, but Abumrad says his core approach to storytelling is essentially the same. “Archeology might be the best metaphor. You’re just trying to dig till you get to some small piece, like a tooth, and you have to reconstruct an entire human — an entire climate — from this one tooth,” says Abumrad. “You’re trying to somehow get to those essential tiny little fragments that then allow you to have an actual conversation. And to reconstruct [that] world [for the audience]. That’s, for me, the ultimate challenge, at the end of the day, is reconstructing lost worlds.”
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WED., APRIL 18 THE SOUTHERN BELLES 8 P.M. CATTIVO LAWRENCEVILLE. OVER-21 EVENT. $10-12. 412-687-2157 or ticketfly.com. With special guest The Manor & Friends.
THU., APRIL 19 COMMON DEER 7 P.M. SMILING MOOSE SOUTH SIDE. 412-431-4668. ALL-AGES EVENT. $10-12. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX.
SATURDAYS APRIL 14 - JUNE 2
NORTH PARK | SETTLERS CABIN | SOUTH PARK
THU., APRIL 19 MAGGIE ROSE
$65 FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS $81 FOR NON-RESIDENTS AGES: 4-12
8 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFE STATION SQUARE. $17-20. 412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.
Register online at alleghenycounty.us/parkprograms
THU., APRIL 19 RICK ASTLEY 8 P.M. MR. SMALLS THEATRE MILLVALE. ALL-AGES EVENT. $25-45. 412-421-4447 or mrsmalls.com.
THU., APRIL 19 MAGGIE ROSE HARD ROCK CAFE
FRI., APRIL 20 JESS HILARIOUS 7 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. ALL-AGES EVENT. $30-45. 412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com.
FRI., APRIL 20 ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS & FRIENDS 7:30 P.M. THE PALACE THEATRE GREENSBURG. $21.50-44. 724-836-8000 or thepalacetheatre.org
SAT., APRIL 21 GREENHOUSE HORTICULTURAL SERIES: TRANSPLANTING 1:30 P.M. BOYCE PARK MONROEVILLE. Free event (registration recommended). 724-327-0338 or alleghenycounty.us/ parkprograms.
FRI., APRIL 20 RUSSIAN CIRCLES
SAT., APRIL 21 DANCING WITH THE CELEBRITIES: ANIMAL FRIENDS OF WESTMORELAND
8 P.M. SPIRIT LAWRENCEVILLE. $16-18. 412-586-4441 or ticketfly.com. With special guest King Woman.
7 P.M. THE PALACE THEATRE GREENSBURG. $75. 724-836-8000 or thepalacetheatre.org
FRI., APRIL 20 METALACHI
SUN., APRIL 22 PAINS
10 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFE STATION SQUARE. $11-13. 412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.
6:30 P.M. SMILING MOOSE UPSTAIRS SOUTH SIDE. 412-431-4668. ALL-AGES EVENT. $10-12. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com. With special guests False Accusations, Remission & Nullity.
SAT., APRIL 21 BUTTERFLY FOREST 9:30 A.M. PHIPPS CONSERVATORY OAKLAND. $11.95-17.95. 412-622-6914 or phipps.conservatory.org.
SUN., APRIL 22 STARS 8 P.M. MR. SMALLS THEATRE MILLVALE.
ALL-AGES EVENT. $25-45. 412-421-4447 or mrsmalls.com.
SUN., APRIL 22 TEDXYOUTH@SHADYSIDE 2018 9:30 A.M. AUGUST WILSON CENTER DOWNTOWN. $11. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.
MON., APRIL 23 BUCKETHEAD 8 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE WARRENDALE. $23-39. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.
TUE., APRIL 24 CLARE ASCANI 5 P.M. BACKSTAGE BAR AT THEATER SQUARE DOWNTOWN. Free event. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.
SATURDAY, April 14 | 11AM - 2PM Expanding on last year’s Jane Austen Tea, this new gourmet dessert tea will focus on lady authors of the 1800s, including Alcott, Austin, Stowe and more! $33 for county residents $41 for non-residents Ages: 12+ Register online at alleghenycounty.us/parkprograms
TUE., APRIL 24 ANNA ROSE & ANDREA NARDELLO 8 P.M. MR. SMALLS FUNHOUSE MILLVALE. OVER-18 EVENT. $10. 412-421-4447 or mrsmalls.com.
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Khruangbin
.MUSIC.
FASCINATING IN ANY LANGUAGE BY BILL KOPP // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
C
RAFTING A musical style upon a foundation of Thai funk might seem a bit high concept, especially if you’re a band that makes your albums in a barn in rural Texas. But, as unlikely as it might seem, that’s the story of Khruangbin, a trio based in Burton, a city of less than 400 souls. Vocalist and bass guitarist Laura Lee admits that her group does draw some influence from a style of music that sought to reinterpret American funk for Southeast Asian audiences. But she thinks that too much has been made of the connection. “We got labeled as ‘Thai funk’ because people couldn’t place our genre,” she says. “And because our name is Khruangbin.” “People thought we were just interpreting the Thai music, but we’re just playing music that sounds good to us,” Lee says. “We are just who we are, and we’re pulling from influences that maybe aren’t the average thing that’s coming out of music today.” Khruangbin’s sound — a slinky, sultry and sometimes psychedelic stew with a decidedly cinematic feel — bears the influence of many exotic styles; many of the song titles on the band’s latest album, Con Todo el Mundo, are in Spanish. And thanks to drummer Donald Johnson, Khruangbin’s music owes a clear debt to hip hop as well. “My approach to drumming is breakbeat-based,” he says, describing
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music that itself drew upon 1960s and ’70s funk and soul. Johnson notes that, ultimately, all three band members — himself, Lee and guitarist Mark Speer — “come from all different places, but eventually meet up together.” On the band’s earliest recordings, it chose to focus on a purely instrumental approach. Now the vocals are used more as an instrument, providing color more than serving as a means to deliver a lyrical message. “When we started, nobody wanted to sing,” Johnson says. When they did add vocals, the band decided to use a unison approach. That way, Johnson explains, “No one person stands out more than the others.”
KHRUANGBIN with THE MATTSON 2 9 p.m. Fri., April 6. Rex Theater, 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. $15. www.rextheater.net
Still, Lee emphasizes the Khruangbin’s lyrics are more than just sonic decoration. “You like something for the way it sounds,” she explains. “And then if it’s something that you’re really into, you can start to dig and find out that the raw ingredients are really special, too.” She says that even though the lyrics aren’t the focus of the songs, “If you went and discovered them, I think we would be proud of what you would find.”
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PHOTO COURTESY OF TEKKO
^ Thu., April 5: Anime cosplay at Tekko
THURSDAY APRIL 5 CULTURE Today marks the start of the annual Japanese pop-culture convention Tekko. Now in its 16th year, the fourday event was named for the Japanese word for steel mill, tekkosho. The convention, like its name, is about the blending of Japanese and Pittsburgh pop culture, with activities ranging from a cosplay-craftsmanship contest and book drive, to Japanese pinball and
a Tekko-themed escape room. Special guests include voice actors Monica Rial, Bryce Papenbrook, Vic Mignogna, Luci Christian and SungWon Cho, as well as singer/songwriter Nancy Kepner and anime anthropologist Charles Dunbar. This year, the theme centers on the children’s classic, Alice in Wonderland. Rebecca Addison 4:30 p.m.; also April 6-8. David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $25-150. www.teamtekko.us
MUSIC As far as only having some minor rapchart success goes, Social Club Misfits
are one of those wildly underrated rap groups that simply seem to fly under the radar — maybe because it rejects some of the rap tropes of money, cars, weed and words that rhyme with brands. If you are an advocate for thick beats, solid lyrics about life and faith, and impressively resilient blow-up icecream sandwiches for crowdsurfing, I think you should give rappers FERN and Marty Mar a chance. Plus, this is the only rap group I know that has an interactive pinball section on its website. Emily Bennett 7 p.m. Rex Theater, 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. All ages. $20. www.rextheater.net
MUSIC “Don’t make a $4 mistake and miss this show!” (FYI, that’s the name of a Boiled Denim song, perfect for promoting this show). Sarah Ellis, of Boiled Denim, is always a treat with her pop-punk anthems for the weird times, replete with fuzzy bass. On the other hand, Ancient History, of Wild Kindness Records, will make you feel like you’re floating in an ambient, indie cloud of your own feelings. These guys are the soft and powerful type. Mento Fellini and WWF are finishing out the bill at Spirit. EB 8 p.m. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $5. www.spiritpgh.com CONTINUES ON PG. 30
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PHOTO COURTESY OF BESS DUNLEVY
^ Sat., April 7: Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer
FRIDAY APRIL 6 CRAFT Today marks the beginning of the threeday long Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival, the city’s annual knit, crochet, quilt and creative-arts event. What once started as a small gathering in 2005 has now bloomed into a fully developed event with more than 70 vendors in attendance. There will be teachers and artists present from all over the crocheting, knitting and quilting community to give advice on technique, materials and style. Whether you’re an advanced knitter or a complete novice, the festival provides something for everyone who has ultra-crafty wants and needs. Lauren Ortego Noon. Also, April 7-8. David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $10-25. www.pghknitandcrochet.com
FOOD Bring your kids and pooches out in the spring weather to get a first look at the
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new Pittsburgh Food Truck Park in Millvale. The Construction Series Kick-Off Party will be a two-day introduction to a season of fun and food with the opening of the park. Local beer and wine will be on tap, while live tunes from the Sweaty Already String Band rock the park. Vendors endors include: PGH Pierogi Truck, Pgh Po’boy, boy, Brisketburgh, Mac & Gold Truck, Pittsburgh ittsburgh Sandwich Society, Doce Taqueria, a, Pittsburgh Smokehouse, and Sugar and nd Spice Ice Cream Truck. Celine Roberts s 4-7 p.m.; also, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., April 7. 1923 Riverfront Drive, Millvale. www.pittsburghfoodpark.com ttsburghfoodpark.com
artists by showcasing their uncensored artistic expression in a professional environment to equally adventurous audiences,” and there are more than 30 performances planned. Now in its fifth year, the three-day festival includes local performers, as well as touring acts that have appeared at other Fringe festivals around the world. Works include Falkland — The War the World
PERFORMANCE FORMANCE Whether er you’re looking for an improv ov show, interactive hypnotism, sm, Shakespeare or vaudeville lle entertainment, this year’s r’s Fringe Festival has something ething for everyone. The mission sion of the festival is “to support adventurous rous and exploratory ory > Fri., April 6: Pittsburgh performing ming
Creative Arts Festival
Forgot, a piece about the Falklands War performed by a U.K. company, and To My Unborn Child: A Love Letter From Fred Hampton, a play about the Black Panther activist and organizer killed by the Chicago police. RA 4 p.m. Also, April 7-8. St. Mary’s Lyceum, 910 Chestnut St., North Side. $25-95. www.pittsburghfringe.org
ART Every first Friday of the month, art galleries, coffee shops and photo studios alike come together for Penn Avenue’s Unblurred. It’s a gallery crawl that involves all sorts of businesses you might not normally find yourself setting foot in. Visit the Pittsburgh Glass Center for a free open house and glass-blowing demonstration, or Bunker Projects for an exhibition exploring the performative nature of our clothing. It’s a fun, totally free way to enjoy local artists, and support not only their work, but the studios and galleries that choose to display them. Take advantage, and get artsy, Pittsburgh. LO 6 p.m. Penn Avenue, Bloomfield/Friendship/Garfield. Free. www.pennavenue.org/unblurred
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MODULE
^ Fri., April 6: Tour a Module demo unit at Shaping Equitable Development: Design as Activism
TALK Pittsburgh has seen some growth over the last several years, and city leaders are expecting more. The city’s tech sector is booming, and the region’s hospitals keep expanding. But all this growth can create issues, like gentrification. Pittsburgh-based urban-home design firm Module wants to help locals brainstorm solutions to these potential problems at an event tonight titled Shaping Equitable Development: Design as Activism. The public is invited to take a free tour of a Module demo unit at a vacant lot in Uptown. After the tour, a panel discussion with local equitabledevelopment experts, like Lawrenceville Corporation’s Ed Nusser and Grow Pittsburgh’s Raqueeb Bey, will be held at Paramount Film Exchange. Topics include sustainable growth, housing development and activism. Light refreshments will be served. Ryan Deto 6 p.m. 1726 Forbes Ave., Uptown. Free. www.aiapgh.org
LGBTQ Have you ever wondered about the sexual leanings of some of your favorite childhood cartoons? It’s obvious there was something going on between Peanuts characters Peppermint Patty and Marcie. (And since Marcie consistently referred to Peppermint as “sir,” perhaps there was a BDSM element to the relationship as well?) But other characters were more shrouded in mystery, leading the minds of many LGBTQ children to fill in the gaps. Tonight, Hot Metal Hardware, a gender performance and exploration troupe, will revisit these beloved childhood characters, with Closeted Cartoons, a celebration of queer cartoon characters. The event
will also feature special guest Velvet Kensington, a local burlesque performer. RA 9 p.m. Cruze Bar, 1600 Smallman St., Downtown. $5. www.cruzebar.com
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LET S GET ’
CP PHOTO BY KRISTA JOHNSON
^ Fri., April 6: Glass-blowing at Unblurred
S CIAL
SATURDAY APRIL 7 VINTAGE Never mind spring cleaning — ‘tis the season to hit the annual Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer, and stock up on everything fabulously retro that you need for your home: furniture, appliances, vinyl, knick-knacks, barware, art and more. There will be three dozen vendors set up at the Teamster Temple, and one of them might have that beloved childhood doodad that your mom threw out. There will be plenty of vintage clothing for sale, too. But make sure you come dressed to impress because Rick Sebak and his crew will be filming at the event
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for an upcoming episode of his Nebby documentary series. Al Hoff 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 4701 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $5 (free for under 12). www.pghvintagemixer.com
FASHION Throughout the month of April, Style and Glam Pittsburgh, a local fashionfocused organization, is hosting a series of events meant to highlight designers, models, entrepreneurs and artists. Tonight marks the Fashion All Stars Fashion Show. This event will feature six local designers: Leesa Kassler, Jennifer Mendicino, Dawn Surgest, Eva Dixon and IMIHI. There will also be music performances by pop singer Abigail Jerri and rapper Treble, along with food, drinks, and a beauty and eyelash bar. RA 6 p.m. Union Project, 801 N. Negley Ave, Highland Park. $20-25. www.pghstyleandglam.com
FILM The popular Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival returns to Pittsburgh, and unspools its short films celebrating the outdoors, environmentalism, extreme sports and assorted adventuring at the Byham Theater. You may not be an ice-climber, or scale a cliff to collect honey, or slack-line across a canyon, but it’s a blast to watch other people do it. And it’s likely you’ll leave inspired to take advantage of our own worthy outdoors, whether it’s as simple as taking a hike or biking along the river. General admission for tonight is already sold out, but there are drinks- and VIP-package tickets available, as well as a Sunday show. Remember, it’s also a fundraiser for Venture Outdoors. AH 7 p.m. Also, 5 p.m. Sun., April 8. 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $15-100. www.trustarts.org
MUSIC When was the last time an opener got an encore? Usually never. No matter how
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“INTO TWIN GALAXIES,” ©ERIK BOOMER
^ Sat., April 7: Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival
good an opener may be, people dismiss them, or use the time to chat or get drinks. I’ve only heard one opener get an encore in my lifetime, and it was Field Report, who will be performing tonight. Leader Christopher Porterfield (Field Report is an anagram of Porterfield!) used to be in a band with Justin Vernon — a name you may vaguely remember, but have trouble placing, since he performs under the name Bon Iver now. Field Report’s not quite folk,
but not quite anything else, either. EB 8 p.m. Club Café, 56 S. 12th St., South Side. $12. www.clubcafelive.com
SUNDAY APRIL 8 MUSIC Pittsburgh’s Lady of the Blues is back at
it again with an annual charity concert. Miss Freddye is set to provide the rhythm and blues at Springdale Veteran’s Hall. Although Miss Freddye’s charity performances have occurred all across the city of Pittsburgh — with concerts in support of Toys for Tots, Relay for Life and Domestic Violence Awareness — the Rachel Carson Homestead & Association, a historic-preservation group, will be the sole beneficiary of this evening’s proceeds.
Get ready for a cash bar, gift baskets and 50-50 raffles. Miss Freddye may be bringing the music, but the Rachel Carson Homestead is going to be the real star. EB 4 p.m. 1151 Pittsburgh St., Springdale. $5. All ages. 724-274-5459
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OF CONCERTS BY MEG FAIR MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
MONDAY APRIL 9 DANCE National Dance Week is the second week of April, and this year, the Pittsburgh dance community is joining in on the fun with Pittsburgh Dance Week. Kicking off the activities and events is The DANA Movement Ensemble performing tonight at Forbes Digital Plaza. It’s been a few years since the Pittsburgh Dance Council has come together for a week of celebrating this performance art, but the schedule is jam-packed with a variety of performances showcasing a variety of dance styles, such as Indian classical dance, contemporary ballet, West African dance and many more — all performed by local dancers. LO 4 p.m. Through Sun., April 15. 3815 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Free. www.danamovement.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF LITTLE MISS MOFFITT PHOTOGRAPHY
Sun Hound
THURSDAY Harvey Pekar 8 p.m. Rock Room, Polish Hill. www.facebook.com/harveypekarohio
FRIDAY Jim Donovan and the Sun King Warriors 7 p.m. Mr. Smalls, Millvale. www.mrsmalls.com
SATURDAY The Penske File 8 p.m. Howlers, Bloomfield. www.howlerspittsburgh.com
SUNDAY Canker Blossom 7 p.m. Mr. Roboto Project, Bloomfield. www.therobotoproject.com PHOTO COURTESY OF KITOKO CHARGOIS
^ Mon., April 9: Pittsburgh Dance Week
BOOK Tonight, Viet Thanh Nguyen will be discussing his heartwarming, New York Times best-selling novel at Carnegie Music Hall. Nguyen’s most recent work, The Refugees, is a collection of stories about immigrants, and the culture shock and confusion of relocating to a new and unfamiliar place. It covers all aspects of immigration, from a Vietnamese refugee coming to live in San Francisco with a gay couple, to a girl whose older half-sister is coming back from living in America. Nguyen encapsulates both the struggle and the journey that people of all kinds face when leaving their home country for another. LO 7:30 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $15-35. www.pittsburghlectures.org
MONDAY Grendel 8 p.m. Cattivo, Lawrenceville. www.cattivopgh.com
TUESDAY Willie Nile 8 p.m. Club Café, South Side. www.clubcafelive.com
WEDNESDAY Sun Hound 8 p.m. Howlers, Bloomfield. www.howlerspittsburgh.com
FULL CONCERT LISTINGS ONLINE AT WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRA HOOKS
^ Tue., April 10: Basic Printer
TUESDAY APRIL 10 MUSIC
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The first hit is free. Actually, so are all the others.
Do you ever just want to feel like you’re stuck inside an old, lo-fi video game? If you answered yes, you should direct yourself to the Black Forge Coffee House to hear the wonderful and obscure Basic Printer play. Each song feels like a confessional, as if you are pressing your ear against a door and listening to the whispers from the other side. These songs swirl with tangy effects, topped off with dreamy, existential lyrics fit for the most neurotic of listeners. Come and support BP. He’s a pizza-delivery man and probably has a lot that he wishes he could unsee. EB 6 p.m. 1206 Arlington Ave., Allentown. Al ages. $10. www.blackforge coffee.com
MUSIC South Korean sounds are coming to Pittsburgh tonight at the August Wilson Center. Korean pop stars San E and Mad Clown are on their North American Tour, with fellow K-pop star Sobae as the opener. The tour serves as a homecoming of sorts for the two artists. San E is from Chicago and Mad Clown is from Atlanta. But the rappers ^ Wed., April 11: Talking Black in America
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have gained a rabid following across, not only this country, but all over the world. Come see what all the hype is about. LO 8 p.m. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $25 ($5 for just food trucks and post-show party). www.trustarts.org
WEDNESDAY APRIL 11 FILM Swing by the Carnegie Mellon campus to catch the Pittsburgh premiere of Talking Black in America. The documentary film examines African-American speech; the ways in which it is criticized, misunderstood and marginalized; its links to identity; and the impacts such misconceptions around language can have on both children and adults. The film will be introduced by Walt Wolfram, its executive producer and a professor at North Carolina State University. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion including Fred Brown, of Homewood Children’s Village; Pitt professor Waverly Duck; Lovie Jewell Jackson Foster, of Children Youth and Families; and Tamara Sanders-Woods, principal at Colfax Elementary and Middle School. AH 4 p.m. Rashid Auditorium, Gates-Hillman Center, CMU campus, Oakland. Free. www.cmu.edu/dietrich/ •
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OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed bids will be received in the Office Of The Chief Operations Officer, Room 251, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time April 17, 2018 and will be opened at the same hour for the purchase of the following equipment and supplies:
• DIESEL FUEL AND GASOLINE General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Service Center, 1305 Muriel Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: http://www.pghboe.net/pps/site/ default.asp Click on Bid Opportunities under Quick Links. The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid.
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GREAT PAY FOR ONE DAY!
Drivers WANTED Pittsburgh City Paper needs friendly drivers to work (early morning hours) to distribute in the Pittsburgh area. Interested candidates must have a clean DMV history and current proof of insurance. Regular lifting of up to 50 lbs is required. Heavy, bulk retail delivery to distribution sites weekly.
Must have a full-size truck/ van/suv. email >> jefftengbarth@gmail.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
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POPINJAYS
BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM
ACROSS 1. Oil collector’s degs. 5. Go “bibbity de dop de doodly do dee” 9. Door holders 14. It’s all around you 15. Vehicle with a medallion 16. Glass piece? 17. Bad vibe from a women’s clothing store? 19. Sired, old-style 20. Help out 21. Climatology studying sites 23. “What ___ doing?” 24. One in a diaper 25. Big name in crunk 27. Bright as the night sky 30. Failed Trump Atlantic City casino, casually 32. “Rogue One” villain ___ Krennic 33. Second stage 35. Boxer’s foot 36. Powers up 37. Google Play download 39. International Workers’ Day 42. Miami Marlins CEO Derek 44. Thread leader 45. Sweltering
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46. Latest OS version 48. Eye parts 49. ‘80s video game “One on One: ___ vs. Larry Bird” 50. Russian ballerina Galina 53. Crew mover 56. Places to get a belt 58. Muslim pilgrim on an Indonesian island? 60. Avoid 61. Rapier-like weapon 62. Easter dye brand 63. Some apples 64. Have legs 65. Hankook product
DOWN 1. ___ California peninsula 2. Japan’s highest peak 3. In need of water 4. Reds pitcher Romano 5. Visit 6. Procter & Gamble soap 7. Lutz alternative 8. Oldest daughter on “Bob’s Burgers” 9. Place for a hard hat 10. Knuckle-dragger 11. Really huge star of the Texans? 12. Stomach settler, briefly 13. Bedsheet material
18. Pick up 22. Make holy 24. “Come at me, ___” 26. Deadlift muscle, for short 27. Soak (up) 28. Vehicle in a pit 29. Tune played on an Egyptian radio station? 30. The things right in front of me 31. “Just. Stop.” 33. Knitter’s stitch 34. Zero figure?: Abbr. 36. Che buddy 38. Dig (into) 40. Vote for
41. Ultrasound images 42. Jacob’s son 43. The Loop trains 45. ___ Union 46. Milk provider 47. BYU Museum of Paleontology city 48. Cast list entries 51. Genesis brother 52. City near San Francisco 53. City near Ventura 54. Somewhat open 55. Josh Radnor/Rosie Perez TV show 57. Words about an ancient hero 59. Right on the money LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS
2018
NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN! Think you know who deserves Pittsburgh gold? Tell us who you think is the Best of Pittsburgh now through April 29th.
pghcitypaper.com/bestofpgh #CPBestofPGH PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER APRIL 4-11, 2018
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Savage Love {BY DAN SAVAGE}
I visited Royal Oak, Mich., for Savage Love Live, at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. I didn’t get to all of the questions submitted by the large and tipsy crowd — a crowd that skipped the Stormy Daniels interview on 60 Minutes to spend the evening with me (so honored, you guys!) — so I’m going to race through as many of the unanswered questions as I can in this week’s column. Here we go … Is there a way of breaking my cycle of being totally sexual and into someone for the first six months and then shutting down to the point that I don’t want to be sexual with them at all? What’s wrong with me? Breaking a long-established pattern may require the aid of a therapist who can help you unpack your damage — if, indeed, this is about damage. Because it’s possible this could be the way your libido works; you could be wired for a lifetime of loving, short-term relationships. While our culture reserves its praise for successful long-term relationships (think of those anniversary gifts that increase in value with each passing year), a short-term relationship can be a success. Everyone get out alive? No one traumatized? Were you able to pivot to friendship? Then you can regard that relationship as a success — or all those relationships as successes.
who became a senior citizen today — who just turned 65 years old — was 35 in 1988. I happen to know for a fact that people were doing BDSM way, way back in 1988. My husband is a sweet guy who is very good to me. But he is also a gun-toting right-wing conservative, and these days that feels like an insurmountable difference. We have been together for seven years and married for two. No kids yet. I love him — and the thought of leaving him is terrifying — but I honestly don’t know if this is going to work. If you’re afraid to leave him because of those guns, you need to get out. If you’re afraid to leave him because you love him and couldn’t live without him, you might be able to stay. I wouldn’t be able to stay, personally, but you might. Maybe if you make “no political discussions about anything, ever” a condition of remaining in the marriage.
A SHORT-TERM RELATIONSHIP CAN BE A SUCCESS.
How common a kink is it to enjoy seeing your significant other having sex with someone else? Common enough to have numerous different ways of manifesting itself — swinging, hotwifing, cuckolding, stag-and-vixen play — and an entire porn genre dedicated to it. Cis, female, 33, poly, bi. I bruise easily, am into BDSM, and love to swim in my condo’s shared pool, where there are many seniors. Any advice for hiding bruises or getting over the embarrassment? Don’t assume the senior citizens in the pool are as naive and/or easily shocked as our ageist assumptions would prompt us to believe. Someone
When you are entering into something new, how do you differentiate between infatuation and real feelings? Infatuation is a real feeling. Only time will tell if other real but more lasting feelings—like, like like, love, lasting love — will surface when those feelings of infatuation inevitably fade. I can easily have an orgasm with toys, but I can’t have one with my boyfriend. What gives? Your boyfriend could give you orgasms if you handed him one of those toys, showed him how you use it on yourself, and then guided his hands the first few times he used it on you. Is there EVER a healthy way to partake in sensual parties while in a monogamous marriage? Yup. I’m married and finishing my Ph.D. while working full time. As a result, I don’t get
to spend as much time as I would like with my wonderful husband. I know you’re a workaholic as well. How do you manage to make your husband feel he is getting the attention/time he deserves? When I’m totally stressed out and working on several projects, and I don’t have the bandwidth to give my husband the attention/time he deserves, I take a moment now and then to reassure him that things will settle down soon and we’ll have more time together. I’ve found he’s most receptive to this message when it’s delivered immediately after I’ve taken a few minutes to blow him. How do you approach people about a threeway without ruining friendships? I think close sexy friends and the-sex-wasgreat-but-everything-else-sucked exes make the best “very special guest stars.” But if you’re worried about ruining friendships, well, don’t hit on friends. Hit on strangers. (And remember: A stranger is just a friend you haven’t had a threeway with yet. Or something.) Are anxiety-induced orgasms a thing? They must be, because I have them. I’m glad there’s at least one person out there who’s managing to enjoy the Trump era. I’m a 21-year-old, queer, poly, cis girl who recently got into this whole thing with a coworker at my shitty fast-food job. Long story short, we were having a rad time fucking around in the freezer… until he bashed International Women’s Day on Facebook. I stopped getting him off by the frozen meat without an explanation, and I quit my job to go bind books instead. Is it too late to reach out and tell this dude that I dumped him because of his misogynistic online life? And how bitchy can I be? The world would be a better place if (1) women refused to sleep with right-wing assholes (to say nothing of marrying them); and (2) women told right-wing assholes that right-wing assholery is the ultimate cock-block, and they have only themselves to blame for it. So, it’s not too late, and you should be as bitchy as you can be.
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET AND FIND THE SAVAGE LOVECAST (DAN’S WEEKLY PODCAST) AT SAVAGELOVECAST.COM
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