May 23, 2018 - Pittsburgh City Paper

PITTSBURGH’S LEADING ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT NEWSWEEKLY

MAY 23-30, 2018

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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650 Smithfield Street, Suite 2200 / Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.316.3342 / FAX: 412.316.3388 / E-MAIL info@pghcitypaper.com

EDITORIAL Editor ROB ROSSI Associate Editor ALEX GORDON Arts Writer HANNAH LYNN Food Writer CELINE ROBERTS Music Writer MEG FAIR News Writer RYAN DETO Interns ANNIE BREWER, ALEX MCCANN, JAKE MYSLIWCZYK, LAUREN ORTEGO

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MAY 23-30, 2018 // VOLUME 28 + ISSUE 21

ART

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Art Director LISA CUNNINGHAM Graphic Designers MAYA PUSKARIC, JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

MARKETING+PROMOTIONS

News+Views 6 Food+Drink 15 Arts+Entertainment 21 Calendar 36

Marketing Director BETHANY RUHE Marketing and Sales Assistant CONNOR MARSHMAN

ADVERTISING Associate Publisher JUSTIN MATASE Senior Advertising Representatives ANDREA JAMES, PAUL KLATZKIN Digital Development Manager RYAN CROYLE Advertising Representatives MACKENNA DONAHUE, BLAKE LEWIS National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529

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WEEKLY FEATURES

ON THE COVER: “I always had to believe that we would win.”

— SAR A INNAMO R ATO, PAGE 1 2

Jen Sorensen 13 Free Will Astrology 34 Crossword 45 Savage Love 46

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2018 by Eagle Media Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Eagle Media Corp. LETTER POLICY: Letters, faxes or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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NEWS +VIEWS

.ECONOMICS.

PAYING THE TOLL

Rising costs of dying has turned Pittsburghers to crowdfunding loved ones’ funerals. How is this affecting Pittsburghers?

BY SABRINA BODON // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

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KYLYNNE BOGASKI died four days before Christmas.

She had only been alive for 13 months.

Her condition, a genetic disease known as spinal muscular atrophy, had first presented as muscle weakness. At the end, she could not move her muscles. She could neither say if she was hungry nor feed herself if she was.

Funerals cost money, and Skylynne Bogaski’s parents had spent most of theirs on her medical treatments by the time she died in 2017. So, they did what a lot of people are doing now and reached out for help.

“We knew if we didn’t raise the money, she wouldn’t have had a funeral,” says Joe Bogaski, Skylynne’s halfbrother. “We see GoFundMe campaigns all the time, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we try?’”

They had to try.

Rising funeral costs have forced families to try meeting expenses through online crowd-funding initiatives.

Digital apps and websites such as YouCaring, Indiegogo and Elegy offer fundraising options geared toward funerals and memorials. GoFundMe is a leading crowd-sourcing campaign site that claims to have raised more than $5 billion.

Type “funeral” into a crowdfunding search engine and it will show at least 750 Pittsburgh-area GoFundMe campaigns.

This makes sense, as the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) reports an average cremationviewing costs $6,260 — and traditional viewings and burials cost an additional $1,100.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports national funeral expenses have spiked by over 220 percent since 1986, much higher than inflation over that time period. Reasons include rising costs of caskets and land. Add to that Allegheny County’s death rates (amongst the nation’s highest), local funeral directors say they are not surprised to experience significant upticks in Pittsburghers utilizing crowd-funding sources to pay the bills.

THEIR DAUGHTER had lived all of seven

months when Robin King and Joseph Bogaski were told she had a year to live.

Skylynne’s parents spent the summer of 2017 making a home of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she required around-the-clock care. A trained electrician, Joseph Bogaski was unable to work so as to attend his daughter’s needs.

In the fall, the family left the hospital.

Roughly a month after Thanksgiving, Skylynne’s parents took the call that all mothers and fathers fear.

“When I got the call she had passed away, it hit me: what is he going to do?”

Joe Bogaski said of his father.

Bogaski set up a GoFundMe account on Dec. 22, a day after Skylynne’s death. His goal was to raise $6,500.

Within a few days, family, friends and strangers had helped contribute around $4,000 — but that was where the funds leveled off.

It was enough, but hardly good enough to justly honor a baby girl who had fought for the entirety of her brief life.

The owners of Mount Washington’s Brusco-Falvo Funeral Home cut a deal to cremate Skylynne and also provide a one-hour viewing. The cost was $3,000.

The remainder of funds raised went to help cover Skylynne’s medical bills.

“No matter what we wanted, the funeral director said he’d take whatever we raised,” Joe Bogaski says.

IT IS NEVER too early to plan for a

funeral. Success stories regarding crowdfunding assisted funerals should not prevent proper planning, however.

“Most families don’t shop around … that’s a mistake,” says Joshua Slocum, director of Funeral Consumers Alliance.

“Every time we do surveys of price, we find a huge variation for the same service, all within the same city.”

Pittsburgh is considered an area “oversaturated with way too many funeral homes,” Slocum wrote in an email.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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PAYING THE TOLL, CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

The 5th Judicial District of Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Pretrial Services urges you to enjoy your weekend out in Pittsburgh but

make the right choice,

don’t drink & drive.

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON DEUTSCH

- A program of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Foundation

JOIN US AT THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER FOR ONGOING WORKSHOPS AS WE CONTINUE PROGRAMMING ON ARCHITECTURE, HISTORY, DESIGN, URBAN PLANNING, AND OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO HOW CITIES FUNCTION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION AS A TOOL OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

THURSDAY, MAY 24 • 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM MINA CHOW: ARCHITECT & FILMMAKER The Story: Daughter of immigrants, an idealistic architect struggles to keep her dream alive as she journeys to discover why America abandoned World’s Fairs. For generations of Americans, World’s Fairs captured visions of hope for the future as part of their collective memory. Mina Chow became fascinated with World’s Fairs when she saw pictures of her parents at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Beginning with their stories, Mina shares this legacy and theAmerican values that inspired her to become an architect.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Mina Chow is interdisciplinary faculty, a licensed architect and filmmaker who teaches 1st year building science studio and professional practice at USC. She has taught 1st and 2nd year design studio, architectural history and theory and served as Faculty Coordinator for Executive Education. She is principal of LA design/multi-media and production firm mc² SPACES, which has completed several international design and multi-media projects.

Following the screening: stay for a short discussion with the filmmaker.

JOIN US AT THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER IN MAY. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE TO PHLF MEMBERS. NONMEMBERS: $10. RSVPS ARE APPRECIATED: MARYLU@PHLF.ORG OR CALL 412-471-5808 EXT. 527 744 REBECCA AVENUE

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WILKINSBURG, PA 15221

412-471-5808

Jason Deutsch holds up a photo of his late father.

Despite a continued decline of Pittsburgh’s population, Allegheny County is home to 220 of over 19,000 national funeral homes, says Frank Perman, director of Perman Funeral Home in Shaler. Still, most recent U.S. census data shows the Pittsburgh metro area experienced over 24,000 more deaths than births from 2010-2017 — one of the largest disparities in the country.

Funerals are one-time purchases.

Prices are driven by competition, and even in areas with enough deaths to merit a large number of funeral homes, Slocum explained Allegheny County still may have too many.

Crowd-funding efforts are encouraged by the area’s many funeral home directors. Some provide guides with educational information to supplement Federal Trade Commissionmandated itemized pricing plans for funeral services.

“We’ll provide all the information on how to set up an account,” says Perman, noting that about 10 percent of customers have used a crowd-funding program over the past five years.

“But usually they come to us saying they’re raising the money.”

Homestead’s Jason Deutsch set up a crowd-funding effort before reaching out to R.V. Anderson Funeral Home following the unexpected death of his father, Ronald.

“The response was overwhelming,” Deutsch says.

Through 87 donations ranging from

$10 to $250, Deutsch secured $5,000 of his $7,000 goal to accommodate for a two-day visitation and cremation. “[My father] probably thought he’d die an old man, that there’d be a time he could save [for his death],” Deutsch says of Ronald, a known chef throughout Homestead.

“He lived week to week [on his paycheck].”

“WE KNEW IF WE DIDN’T RAISE THE MONEY, SHE WOULDN’T HAVE HAD A FUNERAL.” Ronald Deutsch was one of roughly 80 percent of Americans who the NFDA reports failed to financially prepare for a funeral. A recent Bankrate study showed only 39 percent of Americans could cover a $1,000 emergency — well below the cost of the average funeral.

Even in the age of crowdfunding hope and help, preparing for life’s only guarantee is an investment worth considering.

“You never know when that phone’s going to ring,” Perman says.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

9

.HOUSING.

PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY

BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM IN WITH the rich and out with the poor

is the way it has gone in Pittsburgh.

Since 2010, there’s been a 5-percent increase in households with more than $100,000 in annual income, compared with a 7-percent decrease in those earning less than $50,000. The information from the most recent U.S. census figures points to Pittsburgh’s increasing gentrification.

It has been decried by many, especially as stories have spread about displacement in East Liberty. Community activist Ciora Thomas argued last August that “gentrification is pushing us out of our city.”

Gentrification occurs when neighborhoods experience new investment, typically resulting in wealthy residents moving in and replacing poorer tenants.

A new study from Texas A&M University shows Pittsburgh’s Community Land Trust (CLT) significantly decreases the likelihood of gentrification in neighborhoods.

CLTs function as a method to maintain permanent affordability for homes. Local governments or nonprofits own properties, but residents own the buildings on that land. Properties are sold to people who earn less than area median income and sale prices are controlled as a way to ensure low-income people can participate in homeownership, even in pricey neighborhoods.

Pittsburgh is home to two CLTs in a couple of gentrifying neighborhoods: Lawrenceville and Oakland. Lawrenceville’s CLT is looking to expand upon four

CP PHOTO BY ANNIE BREWER

Oakland’s Community Land Trust home on Dunseith St.

homes currently for sale. Oakland’s CLT, run by Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC), is hoping to expand on its one available home.

Sasha Hauswald, who has consulted for Pittsburgh’s Affordable Housing Task Force, analyzed the Texas A&M study and says CLTs in Lawrenceville and Oakland should help to decrease respective gentrification problems.

“Maybe the most powerful takeaway from this study is that in [creating CLTs], the end goal is accomplished,” says Hauswald. “They reduce the dis-

placement of lower-income residents.”

Hauswald’s analysis shows that the study identifies CLTs’ three main roles in combating gentrification: helping stabilize income levels, mediating the decrease of affordability, and helping retain rental units. She says CLTs are just one of many tools to create equitable neighborhoods, but that success of CLTs should serve as a reminder that gentrification can be effectively combated.

“I hope the attention to this encourages people to think broadly on how

to achieve the goal of economic equity and racial justice, through lasting affordability,” says Hauswald.

OPDC executive director Wanda Wilson is thrilled with the study’s results.

“In addition to stabilizing homeownership in the neighborhood and building a market for owner-occupied homes, the Oakland CLT will likely be the only opportunity for low/moderate income buyers to purchase a home in our neighborhood given the ever-escalating prices in our market,” Wilson writes in an email.

•

#CPPetProject Photo intern Annie Brewer’s new feature, helping you find your new best friend, went to Butler Street on Saturday for the Lawrenceville Cat Crawl!

See more pics at pghcitypaper.com and follow along with #CPPetProject at instagram.com/pghcitypaper 10

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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.POLITICS.

PRIMARY GAINS

BY RYAN DETO RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

P

ENNSYLVANIA state representatives Dom and Paul Costa have combined for more than 30 years of elected experience. They fit a typical mold of Southwestern Pennsylvania Democrats: extensive networks of family and friends in elected office, and many years working in local government. The system is set up for the Costas to stay in office without facing any serious political challengers.

Pennsylvania’s primary election sent a shock through that system. On May 15, two candidates backed by Democratic Socialists of America (an upstart, progressive political group) each defeated a Costa — and by a wide margin. The winning candidates, Sara Innamorato and Summer Lee, are female millennials who campaigned on specific left-wing policies such as single-payer healthcare and a ban on natural-gas drilling. Each woman says her victory should open doors for candidates that cut against the Democratic Party’s regional grain, especially progressives and people of color.

Sara Innamorato Innamorato defeated Dom Costa in Pennsylvania state House District 21.

She secured 64 percent of the vote in what political analysts expected to be a close race.

“I always had to believe that we

CP PHOTOS BY AARON WARNICK

Sara Innamorato and Summer Lee during a candidate’s forum hosted by City Paper on April 12

would win,” says Innamorato. “But I didn’t think it would be by that much.”

Innamorato believes her campaign was successful because of the large number of volunteers willing to knock on doors, and her many individual donors. She celebrated her victory with scores of campaign workers and vol-

unteers but acknowledges the presence of her father’s oldest friend made a big difference. Innamorato’s father suffered from an opioid addiction and passed away several years ago.

“One of my really early supporters found me on LinkedIn, and him and his wife were there,” says Innamorato. “He

WHAT DOES YOUR VICTORY SAY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF POLITICS IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA? Sara Innamorato – “It says that this is possible; you can run on progressive platforms.”

Summer Lee – “It’s not true that a black candidate can only win in a majority black district.”

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said to me, ‘Your dad would be so proud of you,’ and that means a lot.”

During the campaign, Dom Costa challenged the idea that voters in the district wanted progressive policies. Innamorato says her victory shows that politicians in the region can support progressive policies without fear of losing elections. She says the electorate is not as moderate as some longterm politicians believe.

“I hope [the primary election] emboldens some secret progressives in elected office,” says Innamorato. “I hope they stop thinking, ‘I will get voted out if I don’t vote for this abortion ban.’ They can’t use that excuse any more. [The election] says that this is possible, you can run on progressive platforms, you can be a DSA member.”

Innamorato aims to carry momentum from her election and boost lesser-noticed progressive initiatives in Harrisburg, such as “Medicare for All” legislation and increasing state funding to affordable housing.

Summer Lee Lee overwhelmingly won her Pennsylvania state House District 34 election against incumbent Paul Costa. With primary election turnout near presidential levels, Lee received more than 6,800 votes and won with 67 percent.

Despite the romp, she didn’t really reach out to celebrate after her victory.

“No, I am lame. I am emotionally guarded,” Lee says. “I didn’t make phone calls.”

Lee did talk to other progressive state representatives who called to congratulate her, including U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Forest Hills).

Lee says her victory proves that people of color can win elections, even in areas where white people are the majority of voters.

“We need to expand our vision of what a candidate looks like,” says Lee. “This is a majority white district. [The election] proves the progressive message, even when delivered by a young black woman in an overwhelmingly white area, can win.”

Lee still has a general election to conquer, but Republicans are not running a candidate. After securing the

vast majority of votes in a district that is more than two-thirds white residents, Lee is expected to become the first black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.

State Rep. Austin Davis (D-McKeesport), who is black, also recently won a state representative race in the majority-white 35th state House District. Lee says victories by her and Davis show that minority candidates can win anywhere in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“It’s not true that a black candidate can only win in a majority-black district,” says Lee. Lee plans to focus on a litany of progressive policy proposals, such as bringing equity to public-school funding, combating gun violence and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

She also champions improving air quality for Mon Valley residents by pushing against natural-gas drilling.

“When you hear living in the Mon Valley is equivalent to smoking a cigarette a day, how do you keep people in this community?” says Lee. “We need some radical shifts in policy.”

•

JENSORENSEN

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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t c e f r e p e h t k Pic . s s a p y t i r o h t u A Port

What pass is best for you?

In for the long run. Annual Pass- Best value if you ride frequently all year long. Price includes a full year of unlimited rides. Pay for the first 11 months– the 12th month is free. Cost: $1,072.50

Take 10. Ten-Trip Pass*- So, you plan to ride but don’t know exactly when. No problem. The ten-trip pass gives you the flexibility to use according to your unpredictable schedule. Cost: $25.00

Everyday commuter? Monthly Pass- The next best option, if you prefer to pay each month instead.

Receive unlimited rides, just not the free month.

Valid for a calendar month beginning with the first day and ending on the last. Well worth it if you intend to ride at least 20 days per month. Cost: $97.50

Forget Cash. Stored Cash Value- Provides the same flexibility as a ten-trip pass and will save you from paying an extra $.25 if you use cash.

Stored cash value is required in order to purchase a $1 electronic transfer. Cost: Load any value up to $200

Taking it one week at a time. Weekly PassA good short-term option if you plan to ride often throughout a specific week. Receive unlimited rides for a calendar week Sunday through Saturday. Cost: $25.00

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One day at a time. Single Trip Pass/Single Trip Pass with Transfer- A great option for occasional riders and visitors. Perfect if you just need a one-way ride to or from an event or want to see Downtown Pittsburgh at night from the Monongahela Incline. Cost: $2.50/$3.50

Taking it day by day. Day Pass*- Your best option for unlimited rides for one service day.

The pass is valid from first tap on a farebox to the end of Port Authority service that same day.

Cost: $7.00 Passes are available on a Connectix, the paper version of an electronic smart card, and can be purchased at any ConnectCard Vending Machine.

FOOD+DRINK

CP PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY VANESSA SONG

.FOOD.

CHANGE BREWING “I spend a lot of my time in coffee trying to create a place that’s safe enough for people of color.”

BY CELINE ROBERTS // CELINE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

O

N APRIL 12, at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, two black men were waiting at a table to meet a third person for a business meeting. A manager noticed they hadn’t purchased anything and called the police. The men were arrested.

A fellow patron, Melissa DePino recorded a video of the arrest. It went viral, and sparked outrage and protests from the public. The two men settled with Starbucks for a symbolic $1 each and a commitment from officials to establish a $200,000-program to support young entrepreneurs.

Starbucks will close all of its U.S. stores May 29 for anti-bias training. While many on social media applauded the swiftness and willingness of the company to apologize and engage about this racist incident, others question what this incident signifies about coffee culture and the participation of people of color.

Last week, Starbucks was involved in another racist incident in Los Angeles in which a Latino customer’s coffee was labeled “Beaner.” These incidents and other recent controversies in which the police were called on people of color for merely being in public spaces have sparked conversations about inclusivity in coffee and other service industries.

“To most people, I’m probably [one of] one or two black people they know in coffee,” says D Stubblefield, who started her coffee career in Pittsburgh and now works in Philadelphia. “I spend a lot of my time in coffee trying to create a place that’s safe enough for people of color to get into [the industry].”

Stubblefield feels that specialty coffee is very polarizing for people of color.

CONTINUES ON PG. 16

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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BREWING UP CHANGE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 15

“Most of the shops that I go into don’t feel inclusive. They’re very white spaces.”

She says her familiarity with the industry makes it easier to be in these spaces, but for people of color it would be intimidating.

Stubblefield feels that Starbucks’ initial response was weak and points to the company’s “Race Together” campaign (2015) that encouraged baristas to engage customers in conversations about race. She argues many of the surface actions companies make to celebrate minority groups seem performative, and fail to result in a changed company culture.

@PGHCITYPAPER Ř FACEBOOK.COM/PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

“IT’S FRUSTRATING WHEN PEOPLE DISCREDIT YOUR EXPERTISE IN SOME WAY.”

Snackable content to read on the go.

“This is a time when people are being asked to put their money where their mouth is,” she says. “The question is less about the bias against these two particular men and more about the bigger issue: Coffee is not very inclusive. This situation is part of a much bigger problem.”

One of the key ways to address this is by hiring and promoting people of color inside businesses. “It’s easy to say ‘Hey this person made a mistake, we’re sorry about that’ but it’s harder to actually confront what it took to get that situation to actually happen. What training are we giving our baristas?”

CAMERON BROWN, a barista at Espresso

a Mano, started at his first coffee job at Crazy Mocha. Throughout his career in coffee, he’s been fighting stereotypes that come with being a person of color working in and patronizing predominantly white spaces. Brown, who grew up in the North Side, recalls trying to introduce high-school friends to coffee culture.

“We’d sit in a coffee shop and they’d ask to leave because they’re uncomfortable. They feel like it’s not their space to be in,” he says.

“It’s tough. I think it would help to see

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more people of color in coffee.”

Brown feels that even seeing people of color represented in social media or advertising for shops could promote feelings of inclusivity in these spaces.

Being behind the counter can be difficult as well.

“When I first started working in specialty coffee shops, customers seemed distant with me, like they didn’t know what I was doing there,” says Brown. “For instance, I can make a beautiful cortado and they’ll say, ‘Wow, you made that?’ Or if there’s a certain genre of music being played in a coffee shop, I’ll be the first one to be asked what song is playing.

“It’s frustrating when people discredit your expertise in some way.”

Brown often feels he must prove himself more than his white co-workers, and that customers’ reception gets warmer over time.

However, with familiarity can come comments that are directed at his appearance. Like the time a customer referred to Brown, who wears long dreadlocks, as “Rastaman” or when his hair was compared to a breed of dog.

Listen to Stubblefield talk about working in the coffee industry as a black woman: sprudge.com/ black-coffee-video-133075.html

As customers, Stubblefield and Brown each has experienced rudeness and nonacknowledgement at the hands of other baristas. They cite times feeling as though they had to prove coffee knowledge or namedrop workplaces before the barista would offer more details about coffees offered or to justify ordering an “in-theknow” specialty drink.

“It’s super frustrating,” says Brown. “I shouldn’t have to do that.”

In an age where more customers are expecting accountability from businesses and social media makes it simple to document public wrongs, Stubblefield and Brown hope coffee companies will create safer and more welcoming places for people of color to work.

Or just to sit down for a cup of coffee.

•

.ON THE ROCKS.

BOURBON TERMS

BY DREW CRANISKY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

B

OURBON HAS RARELY been more popular. Enthusiasts geek out over rare bottles. Local bars such as Butcher and the Rye stock hundreds of varieties.

Sought-after bourbons such as Pappy Van Winkle can command thousands of dollars on the bourbon black market.

After decades languishing in the shadow of vodka, bourbon is cool again.

In order to qualify as bourbon, whiskey must be at least 51-percent corn and aged in new, charred white oak barrels. Though bourbon is strongly associated with Kentucky, it can be made anywhere. The vast majority of the bourbon does come from the Bluegrass State, produced by a handful of large corporations such as Beam Suntory and Heaven Hill.

Bourbon’s popularity boom has brought many new bottles to shelves as established producers add brands and new craft distilleries enter the market. Here are a few terms to help navigate the sea of labels.

+

An age statement is required on any bourbon younger than 4 years old. The age on the bottle refers to the youngest whiskey in the blend. Though barrel aging is a key step in bourbon production, older isn’t necessarily better.

+

Straight is a term found on any American whiskey. It means the whiskey is at least 2 years old and does not contain any added colors or flavors.

+

Bottled-in-bond is a designation created in 1897 as a way to combat adulteration in the whiskey industry.

Bonded bourbon must be at least 4 years old and be aged in a federally inspected warehouse, among other requirements.

It must also be bottled at 100 proof.

Most bourbon is bottled between 80 and 90 proof.

+

High-rye bourbons use rye as the second major ingredient (after corn), bringing a spicy sting to the whiskey. Bulleit, Four Roses, and Old Grand-Dad are common examples.

+

Wheated bourbons use wheat as the second major ingredient, making for a softer and sweeter spirit. Maker’s Mark is the best-known example.

+

Single barrel bourbon comes from one barrel, rather than the more common blend from many barrels. While this doesn’t necessarily mean a better bourbon, it does deliver something unique.

+

Cask-strength bourbon is not diluted after coming out of the barrel. It’s bottled at a much higher proof than average spirits. Some drinkers prefer fuller, richer flavors offered by these stronger whiskeys.

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

17

.FOOD.

DRINK ME

BY CELINE ROBERTS CELINE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP PHOTO BY JORDAN MILLER

CP PHOTO BY CELINE ROBERTS

Downtown’s Friday market

.FOOD.

LOCATION:

FRESH PRODUCTION

Bar Frenchman, 5925 Baum Blvd., East Liberty

AMBIANCE: Tall ceilings and natural light make this spacious bar feel modern but warm. A long bar top and a glassed-in kitchen allow the diner to watch the professionals at work.

WHAT WE DRANK: Red cocktail (Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Cappelletti aperitivo, Bauchant orange liqueur, lime, hibiscus, beet)

COST: $14

HOT TAKE: This drink is the first hue off of the beautifully styled, rainbow-themed cocktail menu. Bright is the trait that dominates this drink with mezcal adding a complex smokiness. The hibiscus flower that had been sweetened and dried into something like fruit leather- was a perfect, bright cap to the drink.

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

BY CELINE ROBERTS // CELINE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

B

EGONE WILTED vegetables in overly air-conditioned grocery stores! Citiparks farmers markets in seven communities are opening for the season with plenty of local and seasonal treasures to take home for dinner.

Citiparks farmers markets serve as touchpoints for the community as well as places to pick up groceries. Live music, food vendors and local organizations often set up to provide entertainment, a little lunch and information to passersby. Spending your dollars with local vendors also helps to support the growth of the local food system and guarantees fresher produce.

In past years, available goods and produce ranged from varieties of garlic to farm grown flowers to locally raised eggs, meats and vegetables.

This season, Just Harvest is back with its Fresh Access program to help people of all income brackets enjoy farmers markets. This program enables shoppers to use food stamps (SNAP benefits) as well as credit and debit cards to purchase food at the markets.

Launched in May 2013 at the Downtown and North Side markets, the program now operates at 21 farmers markets across the city — including at each of Citiparks’ locations.

Fresh Access Food Bucks give foodstamp shoppers an extra $2 to spend on produce for every $5 spent in SNAP benefits. Most farmers markets also take Farmers’ Market Nutrition Pro-

gram (FMNP) checks as well as both WIC and senior checks. Senior FMNP checks will be distributed at community senior centers on June 12.

To use the Fresh Access program, find the market managers tent or look for Fresh Access signs. Customers with electronic benefit transfer cards, credit or debit cards can receive tokens that can be used as cash with various vendors to purchase fresh produce, baked goods, meats and dairy products.

For more information on the Citiparks Farmers Markets schedule and the Fresh Access program, visit citiparks.net and justharvest.org/fresh-access.

In 2014, a survey of 122 Fresh Access customers showed that 95 percent of food-stamp shoppers rated Fresh Access as “important” or “very important” in decisions to shop at farmers markets; 80 percent of food-stamp shoppers say produce consumption has increased as a result of the Fresh Access program; and 99 percent of food-stamp shoppers found the program easy to use.

Downtown’s Friday market kicked off the season on May 11, closely followed the next week by Mondays in East Liberty, Tuesdays in the South Side and the afternoon Friday market in the North Side. Markets on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays in Carrick, Beechview and Squirrel Hill, respectively.

•

DINING OUT

CP PHOTO BY KATE HAGERTY

SPONSORED LISTINGS FROM CITY PAPER ’S FINE ADVERTISERS

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED RESTAURANT

BURGH’ERS 3601 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE AND 100 PERRY HIGHWAY, HARMONY 724-473-0710 / BURGHERSPGH.COM From top to bottom, Burgh’ers is a true farm-to-table restaurant serving food grown in Pennsylvania and the tri-state area.

THE ALLEGHENY WINE MIXER 5326 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-252-2337 / ALLEGHENYWINEMIXER.COM Wine bar and tap room in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Offering an eclectic list of wine by the glass or bottle, local beer, craft cocktails, cheese and cured meats, good times and bad art.

BAR LOUIE 330 N. SHORE DRIVE, NORTH SIDE (412-500-7530) AND 244 W BRIDGE ST., HOMESTEAD (412-462-6400) / BARLOUIE.COM We’re your neighborhood bar, where you can kick back and be the real you, with the help of an amazing staff, great music, handcrafted martinis and cocktails, local and regional drafts, incredible wines and a huge selection of bar bites, snacks, burgers, flatbreads and sandwiches. Come in after work, before the game, late night at night, or any time you need a quick bite or a night out with friends. Bar Louie. Less obligations.

More libations.

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.

COLONY CAFE 1125 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT 412-586-4850 / COLONYCAFEPGH.COM Whether stopping in for a weekday lunch, an afternoon latte or after-work drinks with friends, Colony Cafe offers delicious housemade bistro fare in a stylish Downtown space.

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 bar, huge sandwiches and half-priced happy hour. Open 4 p.m.-midnight, Mon.-Fri., and noon –midnight on Saturday.

Check us out on Facebook for upcoming shows and events.

LEGACY CAFE CATERING 412-218-7216 LEGACYCAFEPITTSBURGH.COM Legacy Cafe catering means fresh quality food. Located in the Historic Hill District we are a premier Business to Business company committed to locally sourced produce.

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.

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.

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.

SENTI RESTAURANT & WINE BAR 3473 BUTLER ST, LAWRENCEVILLE 412-586-4347 / SENTIRESTAURANT.COM Senti is a modern Italian Restaurant combining the tradition of Italian home cooking with European fine-dining. Taste different fine wines from the self-serve wine dispenser.

SENYAI THAI KITCHEN 5865 ELLSWORTH AVE., SHADYSIDE 412-441-4141 / SENYAIPGH.COM Immersed in authenticity, Senyai Thai Kitchen creates an intricate fusion of food and design, where every detail transports you to a faraway place. Traditional favorites and new creations like jumbo lump crab curry make Senyai a destination.

SUPERIOR MOTORS 1211 BRADDOCK AVE., BRADDOCK 412-271-1022 / SUPERIORMOTORS15104.COM Thoughtfully prepared food, drawing inspiration from Braddock, its people, its history and its perseverance. The cuisine best represents the eclectic style which has become a trademark of Chef Kevin Sousa. Fine dining in an old Chevy dealership with an eclectic, farm-to-table menu and a community focus.

TOTOPO MEXICAN KITCHEN AND BAR 660 WASHINGTON ROAD, MT. LEBANON 412-668-0773 / TOTOPOMEX.COM Totopo is a vibrant celebration of the culture and cuisine of Mexico, with a focus on the diverse foods served in the country.

From Oaxacan tamales enveloped in banana leaves to the savory fish tacos of Baja California, you will experience the authentic flavor and freshness in every bite. We also feature a cocktail menu of tequila-based drinks to pair the perfect margarita with your meal.

V3 PIZZA 11 FIFTH AVE., DOWNTOWN AND 4500 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-456-0500 / V3FLATBREADPIZZA.COM Fast casual pizza concept. Guest can make their own pizza or choose from eight signature pizzas. V3 Pizza offers a variety of toppings.

Look for this symbol for Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurants, committed to building vibrant communities and supporting environmentally responsible practices. Love Pittsburgh. Eat Sustainably. www.EatSustainably.org

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CP PHOTOS BY SARAH HUNY YOUNG

Chris Ivey with his Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs installation

.ART PREVIEW.

CROSS COUNTRY “I hope people come, take it in for a bit, and think about what they saw.”

BY CARRIE MANNINO // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

H

OW CAN ART promote dialogue and improve global relations? Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs, opening this weekend at the Mattress Factory, explores this question.

The show, curated by Dr. Tavia La Follette, features seven artists (four from South Africa, three based in Pittsburgh). It takes a global perspective and explores the common spirituality, oppression and strength of people of color in both South Africa and the United States.

The long-term project consisted of a cultural exchange and collaboration between artists from both countries. Pittsburghbased artists Alisha B. Wormsley, Ricardo Iamuuri Robinson and Chris Ivey assessed the impact while installing their pieces.

Ivey and Wormsley commented on how incredible it was to see similarities to the U.S. when they visited South Africa. Ivey,

a documentary filmmaker, found a common spirituality.

“I was showing some of the people in New Orleans the stuff I shot in South Africa, and they were like, ‘That’s very similar to what we’ve got here’ — spiritually it’s the same,’” says Ivey.

Wormsley emphasized that black communities were affected by the same issues in both countries. She specified gentrification and the erasure of black women.

In South Africa, Wormsley sought stories from women of color to incorporate into her work, which she describes as focused on “black women and their space and form.”

“It’s about black women freeing themselves from whatever societal norms are,” says Wormsley. “And there’s a lot of references to conjuring, and — I think a title the U.S. would use is witchcraft. But really, it’s a connection to CONTINUES ON PG. 22

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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nature and healing, and using herbs and caring for each other outside of these capitalist structures.”

Ivey also incorporated spirituality into his work for the show. He describes pieces for Civil Rights as “prettier” than his usual work.

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“It’s still hard, but I try to show the beauty through the raw,” he says.

Still, his work isn’t sugarcoated.

“Not everything has to be stylized and glamorous,” Ivey says. “You can find beauty in getting to know people and hearing their stories.”

He recommends viewing in chunks his submission, a long video including individuals from South Africa and the U.S. sharing their stories.

“I want people to watch one part, take it in, and then come back for another part,” he says.

While Wormsley and Ivey collected narratives to incorporate into their works, Robinson found a different kind of story.

He collects sounds for films.

CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL WRONGS Runs May 25 through July 29. Mattress Factory, 500 Sampsonia Way, North Side.

Opening reception Fri., May 25, 6-8 p.m., 1414 Monterey Street Gallery, North Side.

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“Every culture and every country have its own soundtrack,” says Robinson. “A lot of my work is influenced by that sonic environment, so it was like going over there to collect paint.

Robinson defines sound as the content and color of his piece, which aims to overwhelm the audience with a shocking red hue on entering the room.

“The piece is called ‘In the Red,’ and it deals with that phrase particularly,” Robinson says.

Some collaborative elements of the

Use code CITYCITY to save $5 on single tickets

A new play about growing up with nothing in the land of plenty Alisha B. Wormsley

project have been halted due to visa issues. Though the South African artists exhibited in the show were supposed to visit the U.S. earlier, some have been unable to enter the country.

Wormsley says this development is not unusual.

Wormsley considers this cohort of artists from both countries a “collective,” and emphasizes that La Follette keeps information and work flowing among the artists.

“She’s kind of the strength of this,” says Wormsley.

This project has pushed the artists to think globally and spiritually, and Wormsley considers her work an exploration of transcendence.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about how black women could be erased when they’re the mothers of humanity, and so is it really erasure?” says Wormsley. “No,

it’s more conjuring — it’s this ability to have the grace to transcend your form and be anywhere.”

“YOU CAN FIND BEAUTY IN GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE AND HEARING THEIR STORIES.” Ivey also expressed a focus on spirituality. The wide scope of this project pushed his work to explore something more universal.

“When I work with development stuff, it’s not about spirituality at all, it’s about who has money,” he says. “Here I want to dig deeper.”

•

.MUSIC.

MP 3 MONDAY >> MIKE HITT Each week we post a song from a local artist online for free, and this week it’s “Eulogy,” Mike Hitt’s first track after a three-year hiatus as he built up his own MCM Studios.

“Eulogy” may be a song about reflection at the end of life, but its release is a rebirth for Hitt.

Stream or download “Eulogy” for free on FFW>>, the music blog at pghcitypaper.com and check out the accompanying music video.

by CARLA CHING directed by BART DELORENZO

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

23

.MUSIC.

HIRS REALITY

BY MEG FAIR // MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

H

IRS COLLECTIVE isn’t about to bow to mainstream whims and serve up the homonormative presentation of what being queer looks like. The collective’s motto is: “Looks like hell, sounds like sh*t, queer as f**k.”

This stands opposite to the narratives in mainstream pop culture and media about LGBTQ folx which are often served to readers and viewers through a blurred lens, as it is often wealthy white men who hold the pursestrings of media conglomerates, magazines and newspapers. We’re presented with a narrow view of what gay and trans people look like through shows like Modern Family and Will & Grace. While some shows are slowly starting to show trans women as actual trans characters (i.e. Laverne Cox on Orange Is the New Black), show creators have yet to present a trans woman in a role as just a woman, period, showing that mainstream TV still cannot see trans women as women without an asterisk.

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Formed around two semi-anonymous, Philadelphia-based founding members, punk act HIRS Collective also includes collaborators like Laura Jane Grace from Against Me!, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females, Sadie Switchblade, RVIVR’s Erica Freas, Alice Bag and many more. Since the late ‘80s, the group has put out over 300 songs, but its sets are generally under 15 minutes of blistering, passionate punk.

This ever-changing and growing collective of punks make grindcore punk power-violence music that is about lived experience. It’s messy, chaotic, joyous, rabid — reflective of the realities of being part of the population that is still not entirely legally protected from discrimination but is living a radically loud and powerful life of agency as much as possible.

The music is anti-racist, -transphobic, -police discrimination and centers around survival. That’s a theme that is particularly relevant, as trans folks statistically face far higher rates of violence, homelessness and poverty.

By centering the experiences of actual queer people in such a raw, aggressive package, the HIRS Collective’s provides a cathartic space for healing, growing and loving. The music is a road map for a queer future with reflections on past and current challenges and systemic inequality and violence.

•

.CD REVIEW.

LOCAL BEAT

BY MEG FAIR MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

REVERIE >>

BY THE LOCAL WEDNESDAY RECORDS FACEBOOK.COM/THELOCAL412

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTHA SMITH

Becki Toth and John Wascavage in A New Brain

.STAGE.

BRAIN POWER

BY TED HOOVER // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HERE AREN’T many people who

could turn a vascular anomaly into musical comedy, but William Finn did just that with A New Brain. Not just a musical comedy, it’s a show filled with what may be some of the most beautiful music ever written.

Finn is best known as the lyricist/ composer of Falsettos – just a few weeks after he won the 1992 Tony Award for that show, he collapsed and was diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation requiring Gamma knife surgery (a form of radiation).

He would later say the music just flowed out of him once he got out of the hospital. That set of songs would eventually become A New Brain. It’s the story of a composer – Gordon Schwinn – who fears that his brain surgery, if it doesn’t kill him, could render him unable to ever write another song.

A NEW BRAIN Continues through May 27.

New Hazlett Theater, 8 Allegheny Square East, North Side. frontporchpgh.com

The show, with a book by Finn and James Lapine, played off-Broadway in 1998 and quickly became a cult favorite, packed with songs that shimmer and soar, that are in turns deeply moving, joyous and, yes, healing.

At some point, local company Front

Porch Theatricals is going to stop presenting one glorious production after another … but not yet. It just opened A New Brain, directed by local favorite Connor McCanlus, and the result is a breathtaking parade of some of the most dazzling performers you’re likely ever to see.

Did John Wascavage, as Schwinn, rip you to shreds with “And They’re Off”? Well, no time to recuperate because here comes Drew Leigh Williams singing “Change” with the force of a tornado. Just as your pulse is returning to normal, Jeremy Spoljarick overwhelms with the achingly gorgeous “I’d Rather Be Sailing.” But you’ll need to reserve your strength since there’s still Becki Toth’s one-two punch of “Throw It Out” and “Music Still Plays On.” By the time the whole cast comes together, including Matthew J. Rush, Meredith Kate Doyle, Brady D. Patsy, Mei Lu Barnum, Lauren Maria Medina, Pierre Mballa and David Ieong – with music director Deana Muro and her excellent band – their performance of the finale, “I Feel So Much Spring,” renders you a sobbing mess.

Director McCanlus does get a little lost in some of his concepts, especially a hallucination sequence which misfires, but he has brought this specific cast together and created musical perfection with them.

Front Porch has done it again.

The Local is a trio that began with husband and wife duo Dean and Jenny Henry and their friend, Ben Sweet. Since recording its debut EP Reverie, the band has added Eric Matlock on keys and percussionist/ multi-instrumentalist Kevin Lynch, a fitting choice given the big, layered rock music sound found on Reverie. The band moves between songs that hint at Brit-rock bands like Buzzcocks (“Fair Play” THE LOCAL with SEEDY PLAYERS, MOONLIGHT BLOOM, JESSE GIMBEL and “Over”), but the tracks 9 p.m. Sat., May 26. Howlers, are delivered with more of 4509 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. $5. a laid-back energy. howlerspittsburgh.com The record’s standout track is the closer, “Impatience Blues,” a song that overflows with sentimentality. It begins as a quiet, ambient-tinged step back on a record full of mostly driving indie rock songs.

But three minutes in, the song gives way to a driving build, one that swells into a brightly energetic instrumental with a catchy bass riff. •

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

25

IMAGE COURTESY OF JOSHUA RIEVEL

.FILM.

LITTLE BLOCKBUSTERS

BY ALEX MCCANN // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

N THE 1990S, as grunge filled the airwaves and magazines such as Bust and

Bitch pushed the Riot Grrrl movement, another underground form of media emerged in San Francisco: microcinema.

This DIY movement features low-budget, amateur-produced short films that arrived in Pittsburgh through Pittsburgh Extreme Radical Video — a series of microcinema events that brought together local filmmakers. As those filmmakers left the area or moved on to other projects, Joshua Rievel and Lenny Flatley refused to give in to fading out.

Blockbuster Video (named after the late chain that ruled from the late 1980s to the early 2000s) “came out of the ashes of Pittsburgh Extreme Radical Video,” Rievel says. As the series approaches its one-year anniversary, Blockbuster Video will hold its fourth public microcinema showing on May 25.

“The events have been very well-received, and the turnout is bigger each time,” says Flatley. “It’s obvious that Pittsburgh wants someplace to go and watch oddball short films by oddball short-filmmakers.”

BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO MICROCINEMA 7:30 p.m. Fri., May 25. The Glitter Box Theater, 460 Melwood Ave., Oakland. $6. theglitterboxtheather.com

Those “oddball short films” don’t fall neatly into a single category. Anything from comedy to abstract is fair game. Many are created on actual film instead of digitally, especially movies Rievel and Flatley selected for the screening (May 25).

While they tend to prefer films that have a good sense of humor or take a firm stance, quality, not the topic, influences their selections.

“A great idea is more important than technical ability,” Flatley says.

Since almost anything can wind up on screen, Rievel encourages attendees to keep their minds open.

“I just hope people come to the screen ready to see something new and exciting,” he says.

Rievel and Flatley thirst for fresh, creative content, and thus watch whatever they can get their hands on. This never-ending search, combined with growing support for Blockbuster Video’s events, has led to their names gaining recognition within the world of microcinema.

“We’re starting to get a bit of a reputation, and people are coming to us whenever they have new stuff, which is pretty sweet,” Flatley says.

Adds Rievel: “[The events] seem to be well-received, and I hope it only encourages people to make videos.”

•

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

TOP 5

THINGS ABOUT 3 RIVERS COMICON

BY LISA CUNNINGHAM LCUNNING@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP PHOTO BY LISA CUNNINGHAM

A signed copy of Pittsburgh artist Joe Wos’ A-Maze-Ing Animals

LIVE SKETCHES Watching cartoonists create custom artwork on the spot for fans is incredible. If you’re lucky, some even throw in a sketch when signing books.

FUTURE COLLECTORS Seeing kids’ eyes light up when posing next to their favorite costumed character is super sweet. Seeing them pack their arms with comics they want to read? Way sweeter.

Got a kid who loves superheroes?

Don’t miss the next con.

SWAG Who doesn’t love free stuff? This year’s admission price included a free Betty and Veronica comic featuring cover art of the pair at Kennywood. Sadly, no sign of Potato Patch fries.

FEMALE COMICS FANS REPRESENT More and more female and gender-fluid artists and writers are popping up, so it was rad to meet some non-males behind the tables.

Our favorite? Comics writer Amy Chu (iwritecomics.com).

COSPLAY There were tons of fun pop-culture cosplays inside the con, but there’s something extra special about seeing someone dressed up in a Michael Myers mask, silently walking around the nearly empty Century III Mall.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

27

.MUSIC.

MINING FOR GOLD

BY MEG FAIR // MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HERE IS SOMETHING magical about getting lost in a record store and

flipping through records, looking for that special one. At the Pittsburgh Record and CD Convention, about 35 different vendors bring crates of vinyl in which to lose yourself, in addition to CDs and memorabilia.

Tony Medwid, a vinyl enthusiast and record collector, has been helping to organize the Pittsburgh Record Convention since 1996. Since its inception, the event has taken place at least twice a year, except for a few years early on when it was held three times. The convention brings record vendors from all around the state, as well as those from Ohio, Michigan and Colorado. These sellers bring all types of music, from Doo Wop and R&B to psych, garage to surf rock, metal, punk, soul and jazz.

Medwid says promotion of the event is much different now than in 1996. Even the way people buy records has changed.

THE PITTSBURGH RECORD CONVENTION XLVI 8 a.m. Sat., May 26. 370 Commercial St., Bridgeville. $10 between 8-10 a.m.

Free between 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. All ages. facebook.com/ThePittsburghRecordCdConvention

“When I first started doing this, there wasn’t a whole lot of internet activity,” he says. “People collected records through print publications, magazines like Goldmine that featured auctions and came out every two weeks.”

Since then, Goldmine thinned out thanks to the proliferation of online vendors. But conventions like Medwid’s at the Bridgeville VFD provide a place for vinyl enthusiasts to find rarities and dig through diverse collections.

“A couple years ago, someone paid $1200 for an early Elvis Record [at the convention], I believe it was Good Rocking Tonight. It was one of his first on Sun Records,” says Medwid. “He bought it from a guy from NJ who was selling blues stuff, and some rare stuff.”

There are more than just expensive, rare records or stuff for niche collectors.

“There’s plenty of common stuff too, dollar albums and records, CDs,” says Medwid. “We always have lots of different vendors with different types of music for sale.”

Medwid has been doing this for 22 years, but he’s not even close to being sick of it.

“What makes it exciting is the music, the format. There’s a lot of new stuff coming out, and re-releases of older material,” he says. “You get to meet new people once or twice a year, get to know other enthusiasts. That’s what keeps it exciting for me.”

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

29

Djs are every Wed, Fri, & Sat. 10pm - 1am at Shady Grove.

Bands start between 8 - 9 pm on Thursday nights.

MAY 24

Told Ya So

MAY 31

Acoustic Open Mic with Jay Constable

EatShady.com

412-697-0909

5500 Walnut Street, Shadyside

Outdoor seating now open

Kick it with a

TASTY GROOVE DJs & LIVE MUSIC

Outdoor seating now open

Starting in June is Social Saturday’s w/live music 12-4pm JUNE 2

Samantha Sears

JUNE 9

Acoustical Bruce

BakerySocial.com

412-362-1234

6425 Penn Avenue, Bakery Square

30

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP PHOTOS BY ANNIE BREWER

Blak Rapp Madusa in East Liberty

.STAGE.

ACTIVE ARTIST

BY ALEX GORDON // ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

A

T A 2016 protest and demonstra-

tion in downtown Pittsburgh, Blak Rapp Madusa stood on a small stage with other members of the 1Hood collective. There were artists, activists, protestors and journalists everywhere; chanting, singing and applauding. But through it all, Madusa’s voice was loudest and clearest.

She started her performance and everybody there stopped and turned to the stage. Her performance was an a capella (possibly freestyle?), free-meter poem. It felt deeply connected to the protest, yet articulated something deeper and more spiritual than what everybody else was saying.

In the two years since, Madusa has evolved into one of Pittsburgh’s leading voices for activism and art. She calls

herself an “artivist.” With early recognition from Pittsburgh artist Vanessa German, plus mentorship from Jasiri X of 1Hood (of which she is a member) and a number of artist residencies, Madusa’s fierce, painfully honest output is reaching wider audiences. This week, she debuts her one-person play, Mary’s Daughter: Memoirs of an Artivist, at KST’s Alloy Studios. City Paper spoke with Madusa (real name Melanie Carter) to learn where she’s at today and where she sees herself going in the future.

CAN YOU TRACE THE IDEA FOR THIS PIECE TO A SPECIFIC MOMENT? I received a residency from SONG (Southerners On New Ground) in Atlanta to go out to the Smokey Mountains to a farm. I had already been thinking about writing

MARY’S DAUGHTER: MEMOIRS OF AN ARTIVIST 7 p.m., Fri., May 25; 5 p.m., Sat., May 26; and 3 p.m., Sun., May 27. KST’s Alloy Studios, 5530 Penn Ave., Friendship. Pay what makes you happy. kelly-strayhorn.org

my story but this was an opportunity to [actually do it.] So, I started Memoirs of an Artivist there in 2016. When I came back to Pittsburgh, I was riding past the August Wilson Center and I thought about my poster being up on one of those windows. From there, I had a conversation with Justin Laing and he gave me some ideas on who I could to talk to further it.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MEMOIRS OF AN ARTIVIST? It’s just a lived-in experience of black activists and artists, someone who came from foster care or someone who has an intersection of identities. It touches on different nuances of surviving as a black woman in America.

WE READ THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF SATIRE IN THIS PIECE. WHAT ROLE DOES IT PLAY? I think a lot of my experiences are humorous – on this side, from here, I can say, “oh that was actually pretty funny.” But it’s

Blak Rapp Madusa and Candace Michelle Perdue, “the ghost of hip hop,” rehearse at Alloy Studios.

also a way to laugh to keep from crying.

It’s gonna be a bit comedic. Some of these things I know that other black women have experienced but maybe they didn’t have the words to name that experience.

Using a platform to talk about my experience should also open dialogue for other black women’s lived-in experience.

WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART OF PERFORMING THIS PIECE? Emotionally, it’s having to become some of the characters that were traumatic for me. For example, I have to become my mother’s abuser. Reliving that is a bit challenging. It also speaks to how domestic violence is alive in our everyday, that people don’t talk about, that people just live with, that people survive through.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT? I’m really excited about talking about why I’m in Pittsburgh. I’m not from here and I’ve lived a lot in the south. [People often ask me,] “Well, what are you doing here? If you love the South so much, what are you doing here?”

I’m excited to talk about my Southern experience. I’m originally from the East Coast but I love the South. I feel more connected and alive there. But I can only really get a job in the North. It’s so funny, it’s so weird. I’m more confident in the South, it feels like.

DO YOU THINK YOU’LL EVENTUALLY GO BACK? Absolutely.

DOES MEMOIRS DEAL MUCH WITH YOUR TIME IN PITTSBURGH? Oh yeah. It talks about going to the Shadow Lounge. I became an artist in Pittsburgh and that’s why it’s so significant. I started doing poetry here. I got the confidence to do it here. Someone called me an “artist” here. And that’s when I became an artist.

I love Pittsburgh and I’ve had so much community support, but I want to be 100 percent my best self, and sometimes I can’t always be my best self here. I can be my good self. [Laughs] WHAT WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THESE PERFORMANCES? The main thing is to begin opening up dialogue about what black women are experiencing here in America. I think oftentimes our lived-in experience gets swept up into the black experience, you don’t get to hear stories of her survival, stories of her triumph, she’s only viewed as this super strong person. She’s always going to be alright. She’s always going to know how to come and care for everybody else. But what happens in those moments when she’s not so all right? What happens in those moments when she has to harden herself against love and vulnerability just to survive in a society … It’s OK for everybody else to love and be vulnerable but it’s not OK for you? You have to be aggressive. I’m hoping that we can begin to heal by opening dialogue about people’s lived-in experience.

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

31

’ LET S

GET S CIAL

Screenshot from Hello My Twenties!

.STREAMING.

GROWING PAINS

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

F YOU’RE SICK of American sitcoms about post-college malaise and stunted

coming-of-age storylines, seek out the South Korean series Hello, My Twenties! (Netflix).

The show follows five women in their early to late 20s, living together and dealing with the day-to-day drama of crushes, dating, heartbreak, makeovers, tears, and hangovers. That may not sound particularly novel, but those storylines are frequently padded with murder, kidnapping, ghosts and stalkers.

HMT! accomplishes the rare feat of blending extreme drama and warm comedy, with its closest American cousin being the remixed telenovela Jane the Virgin. The series opens with Eun-Jae, a prohibitively quiet and timid college freshman moving into a house with four women who also attend the same school, but in very different ways. When we first meet the women, they all seem able to gracefully navigate adulthood in contrast to Eun-Jae’s naiveté. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear each roommate is carrying with their own set of unique baggage.

There’s Jin-Myung, who, in addition to school, has an abusive boss and a brother in a coma. Ye-Un is upbeat, preppy, and blissfully blind to her boyfriend’s anger issues.

Ji-Won, who claims to see ghosts, is a spunky student journalist, obsessed with romance but has never been on a date.

Yi-Na doesn’t go to school but makes a living sleeping with men who freely hand over their credit cards while dealing with a stalker. And of course, there’s Eun-Jae herself, infatuated with her first boyfriend while fighting off memories of mysterious family deaths.

The show’s dramatic twists are both slow and unrelenting, but so are the sweet romances and deep friendship between the women. There’s genuinely heartfelt bonding (and conflict) between the girls familiar to anyone who’s lived in such proximity with friends. There’s hair braiding and drinking games and shared bowls of ramen late at night. Through all the drama and soap opera intrigue, the friendships are what anchor the show. Even if they’ve all been fighting, the roommates don’t hesitate to come to each other’s rescue, figuratively and literally. They dash to hospitals, break into apartments, pull each other off the floor and always share a shoulder to weep on.

The hour-long episodes (a real hour, not the American 45-minute hour) are relentlessly entertaining in a way that feels like a guilty pleasure, but after a few, you’ll realize you care about these characters as much as they care about each other.

THE SERIES ACCOMPLISHES THE RARE FEAT OF BLENDING EXTREME DRAMA AND WARM COMEDY.

)ROORZ XV WR ƓQG RXW ZKDWōV KDSSHQLQJ @PGHCITYPAPER FACEBOOK.COM/ PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

•

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

.STAGE.

IN THE CARDS

BY STEVE SUCATO INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM HAVE YOU SEEN the movie about a group of artsy high-school friends reuniting years later to put on a show? Double Blind Productions’ Escape Velocity is a lot like it.

“During high school, a few of us spent a lot of time late at night at Eat’n Park reading tarot together,” says Moriah Ella Mason, a collaborator with Double Blind.

Those glory days inspired Mason, along with Mandy and Jack Hackman, to create a deck of circus-themed tarot cards in 2015. Inspiration struck again for the creation of their joint production, Escape Velocity.

Featuring an interdisciplinary performance collective comprised mostly of Penn-Trafford High School graduates, Escape Velocity is a semi-immersive, multimedia work being staged at New Hazlett Theatre on May 31. Part of the CSA Performance Series, it is billed as a “circus arcana” that features a blend

PHOTO COURTESY OF HEATHER MULL PHOTOGRAPHY

O’Ryan “the O’Mazing” Arrowroot and Marcella Day in Escape Velocity

ESCAPE VELOCITY presented by DOUBLE BLIND PRODUCTIONS 8 p.m., Thu., May 31. New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. $25.

412-320-4610 or newhazletttheater.org.

of dance, music and circus arts such as juggling, stilts, clowning, aerial skills and lyra.

Mason, the director, guides a narrative established by Angela Whalen, the story and script coordinator. It is derived

from characters seen in the Hackman’s tarot deck.

Double Blind’s creative team was interested in using a circus motif from a historical perspective. The circus helped form American popular culture in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the team sees circus culture as a metaphor for societal power structures and spectacle. Escape Velocity plays into those themes as it follows a group of performers led by a controlling ringmaster (Miles Wilder) and a group of eight characters trapped in a circus.

A 90-minute production, it is performed to original, pre-recorded and live music by played Wilder. Featured performers are from Pittsburgh, Colorado, and New York, and include O’Ryan “the O’Mazing” Arrowroot, Roberta Guido and the Bombyx Collective.

Audience participation is an integral part of the show.

“The key thing to know is that there is more than one ending to the show and which ending will occur depends on a drawing from the tarot deck done with audience and choices the audience makes throughout the performance,” says Mason.

“People coming should be prepared to be interacted with, and those interactions are really meaningful to the outcome of the show.”

•

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Clicking “reload” makes the workday go faster PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

33

.FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 24.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY // INFOF@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Now is a favorable time to worship at the shrine of your own intuition. It’s a ripe moment to boost your faith in your intuition’s wild and holy powers. To an extraordinary degree, you can harness this alternate mode of intelligence to gather insights that are beyond the power of your rational mind to access by itself. So be bold about calling on your gut wisdom, Gemini. Use it to track down the tricky, elusive truths that have previously been unavailable to you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “A poem is never finished; it is only abandoned,” wrote poet W. H. Auden, paraphrasing poet Paul Valéry. I think the same can be said about many other kinds of work. We may wish we could continue tinkering and refining forever so as to bring a beloved project to a state of absolute perfection. But what’s more likely is that it will always fall at least a bit short of that ideal. It will never be totally polished and complete to our satisfaction. And we’ve got to accept that. I suggest you meditate on these ideas in the coming weeks, Cancerian. Paradoxically, they may help you be content with how you finish up the current phase of your beloved project.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I highly recommend that you spend the next three weeks hanging out on a beach every day, dividing your time between playing games with friends, sipping cool drinks, reading books you’ve always wanted to read, and floating dreamily in warm water. To indulge in this relaxing extravaganza would be in maximum alignment with the current cosmic rhythms. If you can’t manage such a luxurious break from routine, please at least give yourself the gift of some other form of recreation that will renew and refresh you all the way down to the core of your destiny.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Contemporaries of the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras told colorful stories about the man. Some believed he was the son of a god and that one of his thighs was made of gold.

When he crossed the Casas River, numerous witnesses testified that the river called out his name and welcomed him. Once a snake bit him, but he suffered no injury, and killed the snake by biting it in return. On another occasion, Pythagoras

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do you know what you are worth? Have you compiled a realistic assessment of your talents, powers, and capacities? Not what your friends and enemies think you’re worth, nor the authority figures you deal with, nor the bad listeners who act like they’ve figured out the game of life.

When I ask you if you have an objective understanding of your real value, Taurus, I’m not referring to what your illusions or fears or wishes might tell you. I’m talking about an honest, accurate appraisal of the gifts you have to offer the world. If you do indeed possess this insight, hallelujah and congratulations! If you don’t, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to work on getting it.

supposedly coaxed a dangerous bear to stop committing violent acts. These are the kinds of legends I expect you to spread about yourself in the coming days, Virgo. It’s time to boost your reputation to a higher level.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My counsel may seem extreme, but I really think you should avoid mildness and meekness and modesty. For the immediate future, you have a mandate to roar and cavort and exult. It’s your sacred duty to be daring and experimental and exploratory. The cosmos and I want to enjoy the show as you act like you have the right to express your soul’s code with brazen confidence and unabashed freedom. The cosmos and I want to squeal with joy as you reveal raw truths in the most emotionally intelligent ways possible.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): French novelist Honoré de Balzac periodically endured intense outbreaks of creativity. “Sometimes it seems that my brain is on fire,” he testified after a 26-day spell when he never left his writing room. I’m not predicting anything quite as manic as that for you, Scorpio. But I do suspect you will soon be blessed (and maybe a tiny bit cursed) by a prolonged bout of fervent inspiration. To ensure that you make the best use of this challenging gift, get clear about how you want it to work for you. Don’t let it boss you. Be its boss.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Ancient civilizations waged war constantly. From Mesopotamia to China to Africa, groups of people rarely went very long without fighting other groups of people. There was one exception: the Harappan culture that thrived for about 2,000 years in the Indus River Valley, which in the present day stretches through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Archaeologists have found little evidence of warfare there.

Signs of mass destruction and heavy armaments are non-existent. Art from that era and area does not depict military conflict. One conclusion we might be tempted to draw from this data is that human beings are not inherently combative and violent. In any case, I want to use the Harappan civilization’s extended time of peace as a metaphor for your life in the next eight weeks. I believe (and hope!) you’re entering into a phase of very low conflict.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Every human being I’ve ever known, me included, has to wage a continuous struggle between these pairs of opposites: 1. bad habits that waste their vitality and good habits that harness their vitality; 2. demoralizing addictions that keep them enslaved to the past and invigorating addictions that inspire them to create their best possible future.

How’s your own struggle going? I suspect you’re in the midst of a turning point. Here’s a tip that could prove useful: Feeding the good habits and

invigorating addictions may cause the bad habits and demoralizing addictions to lose some of their power over you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Some books seem like a key to unfamiliar rooms in one’s own castle,” said author Franz Kafka. I suspect this idea will be especially relevant to you in the coming weeks, Aquarius. And more than that: In addition to books, other influences may also serve as keys to unfamiliar rooms in your inner castle. Certain people, for instance, may do and say things that give you access to secrets you’ve been keeping from yourself. A new song or natural wonderland may open doors to understandings that will transform your relationship with yourself.

To prep you for these epiphanies, I’ll ask you to imagine having a dream at night in which you’re wandering through a house you know very well.

But this time, you discover there’s a whole new wing of the place that you never knew existed.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Just for now, let’s say it’s fine to fuel yourself with comfort food and sweet diversions. Let’s proceed on the hypothesis that the guardians of your future want you to treat yourself like a beloved animal who needs extra love and attention. So go right ahead and spend a whole day (or two) in bed reading and ruminating and listening to soulbeguiling music. Take a tour through your favorite memories. Move extra slowly. Do whatever makes you feel most stable and secure. Imagine you’re like a battery in the process of getting recharged.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

The Aries poet Anna Kamieńska described the process of writing as akin to “the backbreaking work of hacking a footpath, as in a coal mine; in total darkness, beneath the earth.” Whether or not you’re a writer, I’m guessing that your life might have felt like that recently. Your progress has been slow and the mood has been dense and the light has been dim. That’s the tough news. The good news is that I suspect you will soon be blessed with flashes of illumination and a semi-divine intervention or two. After that, your work will proceed with more ease. The mood will be softer and brighter.

Homework: Send news of your favorite mystery -an enigma that is both maddening and delightful -- to Freewillastrology.com.

GO TO REALASTROLOGY.COM TO CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES AND DAILY TEXT-MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. THE AUDIO HOROSCOPES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE BY PHONE AT 1-877-873-4888 OR 1-900-950-7700

34

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THU., JUNE 7 RICHARD BUCKNER

DEK HOCKEY: AGES 3-12

8 P.M. CLUB CAFÉ SOUTH SIDE. OVER-21 EVENT. $12. 412-431-4950 or ticketweb.com/ opusone. With special guest Adam Fitz.

FRI., JUNE 8 ALISON KRAUSS

T-BALL: AGES 2-6

7:30 P.M. BENEDUM CENTER DOWNTOWN. $65-85. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

FRI., JUNE 8 EDDIE GRIFFIN TUE., JUNE 12 JENNY LEWIS

8 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. All-ages event. $39.7565. 412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com.

FRI., JUNE 8 BEETHOVEN CONCERTO CYCLE: NO. 4

SAT., JUNE 9 TWILIGHT SKETCH CRAWL

431-4668 or ticketfly.com. With special guest Bloom.

8 P.M. HEINZ HALL DOWNTOWN. $20-94.

412-392-4900 or pittsburghsymphony. org.

5 P.M. POINT STATE PARK DOWNTOWN. Free event. 412-456-6666 or trustarts. org.

FRI., JUNE 8 JEFF AUSTIN BAND

7 p.m. BENEDUM CENTER Downtown. $41-166.50. 412-456-6666 or trustarts. org.

9 P.M. REX THEATER SOUTH SIDE. O ver-21 event. $15-20. 412-381-1681 or greyareaprod.com. With special guest Blue Moon Soup.

SAT., JUNE 9 DARK SIDE OF THE MOON: A TRIBUTE TO PINK FLOYD 8 P.M. CRAFTHOUSE SOUTH HILLS. $15-17.

412-653-2695 or ticketfly.com. With special guest Army of Optimism.

MON., JUNE 11 HORSE FEATHERS

SAT., JUNE 9 PLEIN AIR PAINTING

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12 P.M. POINT STATE PARK DOWNTOWN. Free event. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

8 P.M. HEINZ HALL DOWNTOWN. $40-135.

412-392-4900 or pittsburghsymphony. org.

TUE., JUNE 12 PRESCHOOL YOUNG NATURE EXPLORERS

SAT., JUNE 9 LITZ

10 A.M. NORTH PARK LATODAMI NATURE CENTER NORTH PARK. Free event (registration required). 724-935-2170 or alleghenycounty.us/parkprograms.

SAT., JUNE 9 BOTANICAL RECIPES 2 P.M. BOYCE PARK NATURE CENTER BOYCE PARK. Free event (registration recommended). 724-733-4618 or alleghenycounty.us/parkprograms.

SOCCER: AGES 2-14

CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL

9 P.M. CATTIVO LAWRENCEVILLE. Over-21 event. $10-12. 412-687-2157 or ticketfly. com.

SAT., JUNE 9 INTENSITY DANCE ACADEMY

SUN., JUNE 10 OFF ROAD MINIVAN

4:30 P.M. BYHAM THEATER DOWNTOWN. $18.50-28.50. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

6:30 P.M. SMILING MOOSE UPSTAIRS SOUTH SIDE. All-ages event. $10-12. 412-

SUN., JUNE 10 DAVID DOBRIK & JASON NASH

TENNIS & PICKLEBALL: AGES 4+ & 12+

MOUNTAIN BIKING: AGES 8-15

8 P.M. CLUB CAFÉ SOUTH SIDE. OVER-21 EVENT. $15. 412-431-4950 or ticketweb. com/opusone. With special guest Twain.

TUE., JUNE 12 JENNY LEWIS 8 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. ALL-AGES EVENT. $28-30.

412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com. With special guest Karl Blau.

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35

CALENDAR MAY 24-30

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELE VOTTERO

^ Fri., May 25: The Telephone Line

THURSDAY MAY 24 FOOD This fundraiser showcases the culinary talents of master chefs Huang Ching Long and Li Chi Chao as they share techniques from Taiwanese cooking.

This will be a feast for all the senses as the chefs prepare vegetarian foods and then serve them to the crowd.

Proceeds help fund the annual Organization of Chinese Americans Free Medical and Dental Clinic. Celine

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Roberts 4:30-8:30 p.m. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 419 S. Dithridge St., Oakland. $37.75. ocapghpa.ticketleap.com

WORKSHOP Looking to improve your writing?

Today, the 2018 Creative Nonfiction Writers’ Conference kicks off at Point Park University. The workshop will put you right in the middle of 150-plus writers from all across the spectrum, from long-form journalists to editors to authors. Over the course of three days, there will be about 20 different 75-minute sessions, all programmed to help improve your

writing. Examples include character development, building scenes, book proposals and a presentation from keynote speaker Lee Gutkind, former Pitt professor and founder of the literary magazine Creative Nonfiction.

Lauren Ortego 5:30 p.m. 201 Wood St., Downtown. $415 ($175 with a student ID). creativenonfiction.org

FILM The World’s Fair fascinated a young Mina Chow - daughter of immigrants, architect and filmmaker. As an adult, Chow’s documentary, Face of a Nation, explores the nature of World’s Fairs,

why America has lost its interest in participating and how her idealistic dreams were tested during a visit to her first World’s Fair in Shanghai.

Tonight, at the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center, is a screening of the documentary, with a post-film chat with Chow. The film, seven years in the making, “couldn’t be more timely,” says to Washington Post columnist Roger K. Lewis. LO 6 p.m. 744 Rebecca Ave., Wilkinsburg. $10. phlf.org/event

GOVERNMENT Even with constant headlines about gerrymandering and redrawing of

door Gril t u li O ic a Trop l Dri n k s

STAGE Based on Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, Pigeon (III ½) finds itself in the middle of that play’s third and fourth act in a fictitious rethinking by writer Jeremy Lesifko-Bremer. Tonight, it’s being staged at the Steel City Improv Theater, with a cast assembled by the Birch Swinger ^ Fri., May 25: Psycho at Alfred Hitchcock Week PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Ensemble. Putting a contemporary twist on the original 19th century-era production, Pigeon (III ½) explores the endeavors of all the familiar characters: Constance (Konstantin), Masha, Semi (Medvedenko), Boryz (Trigorin) and Nina (Nina) as they search for inspiration and find something unexpected.

LO 8 p.m. Also May 25, 7:30 p.m., May 26, 7:30 p.m.

5950 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. $15. steelcityimprov.com

s

congressional districts, confusion persists about the process of redistricting legislative maps. It’s an incredibly complex subject that only experts have time to suss out. Luckily for Pittsburghers, a panel of experts will discuss these complexities at a Redistricting Town Hall today. The anti-gerrymandering group Common Cause PA is hosting the event and redistricting commissioners from California will explain the Golden State’s redistricting law, which Pennsylvania advocates are trying to replicate.

Participants are encouraged to ask questions.

Ryan Deto 6:30 p.m.

Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Ave., Larimer. Free. commoncause.org

n t he ing i

^ Thu., May 24: Pigeon (III ½)

Str e e t

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIRCH SWINGER ENSEMBLE

D c an

ng

Live Music

2000 Smallman Street | Strip District 412.261.6565 | kaya.menu/kayafest

FRIDAY MAY 25

FILM “Good evening.”

Get ready for a week of betrayal, suspense, an oedipus complex and a whole lot of murder as Row House Cinema kicks off Alfred Hitchcock Week. Buy a week pass and catch unlimited screenings of all four iconic thrillers: Psycho, Rebecca, Rope and, my personal favorite, Dial M for Murder. With Hitchcock’s long takes and notorious plays with camera angles, you’re sure to catch cinematographic magic whether watching someone check-in to the Bates Motel or accidentally killing her own hitman. Lisa Cunningham Through May 31. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $25 for week pass; $7-9 for single film. rowhousecinema.com CONTINUES ON PG. 38

BEFORE 3603 BUTLER ST

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PITTSBURGH, PA 15201

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 37

CP PHOTO BY LUKE THOR TRAVIS

^ Sun., May 27: Open Streets PGH

MUSIC Named for Greek and Roman festivals, Pleasure Garden will feature five of the Pittsburgh area’s top female-fronted acts in a celebration of femininity at The Stage at Karma. Local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Merrow will start the show; she’ll be followed by fellow singer-songwriter Sierra Sellers, a native of Sewickley. Indie pop four-piece Badluxe, fronted by Cea Carlesi, will get feet moving. Organ-driven pop-soul group The Telephone Line will follow. Jazzy Youngstown, Ohio, group The Vindys — coming off the release of its full-length debut, Keep Going, last year — will close the show out. Alex McCann 7 p.m. 1713 E. Carson St., South Side. $8 in advance, $10 at the door. thestageatkarma.com

MUSIC Get ready to relive the ‘90s with ska/punk group The Suicide Machines tonight at Spirit. Likely best known for its song “New Girl,” which is featured on the soundtrack to the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

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video game, the band will rock out with no regrets. Not to be confused with the ‘90s police reality show — notice the lack of an apostrophe — punk rockers Worlds Scariest Police Chases will also perform.

The band’s hits include “Gay Jesus for President” and “Punk Rock Ruined My Life.” The Code, known for ska punk and a sharp political wit, will reunite to start the show off. AM 7 p.m. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $17. spiritpgh.com

MUSIC Seeing New Found Glory perform is a rather sentimental experience for those who grew up in the pop-punk era, but after that show ends don’t pack up and head home to wallow in your fleeting youth — head straight to Mr. Smalls Funhouse for the official NFG afterparty, a night of emo and pop-punk karaoke featuring Pittsburgh’s The Emo Band, joined by guest host Vinnie Caruana of The Movielife and I Am the Avalanche. With The Emo Band at your back, perform some high energy,

araoke and continue to throwback karaoke all dibs on “I’m Not Okay celebrate. I call (I Promise)” by My Chem. Meg Fair ncoln Ave., Millvale.

9 p.m. 400 Lincoln 15. mrsmalls.com All ages. $10-15.

SATURDAY URDAY MAY 26

BURLESQUE QUE Mr. Smalls Theater heater hosts the Steel City y Kitty show tonight, and it has a little something for or everybody.

With entertainers iners both local and national, ional, the ve all the show will have fun of a variety ety show and all the glamour lamour of a rformance. burlesque performance. > Sat., May 26: Miss Poison Ivory at Steel City Kitty Burlesque & Variety Show

Performers include loc local burlesque queen Kat De Lac, Miss Exotic Wo World 2016 winner Miss Pois Poison Ivory, New York City contortionist Apathy Ang Angel, and title h holder of the Gu Guinness Book of World Record Records for M Most Bodi Bodies Pain Painted, Foxy Moxy.

And tthe party d doesn’t stop whe when the stage lights go down. Join the crew for an afte afterparty featuring loca local drag queens. LO 8 p p.m.

400 Lincoln Ave., Mil Millvale.

21 and over. $25-300. mrsmalls.com

MUSIC Straight from French Canada, indie-rock group Suuns (that’s pronounced “soons,” not “suns”) will bring its sunny, chilledout vibe to Club Cafe. Simultaneously psychedelic and funky, this Montreal band’s third album, Felt, released in March, has both songs that make you want to dance and songs that make you want to lie under a summer sky. Chicago’s FACS, a minimalistic art-rock trio, will open the show. FACS released a full-length debut, Negative Houses, in March and it features spaced-out, post-punk rock and reverb-heavy guitars. AM 8 p.m. 56 S. 12th St., South Side. $14. clubcafelive.com

7 DAYS

OF CONCERTS

BY MEG FAIR MEGFAIR@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF MALLEUS

Ufomammut of Italy

THURSDAY Dead to Me 8 p.m. Smiling Moose, South Side. smiling-moose.com

FRIDAY The New Trust 7 p.m. Black Forge Coffee House, Allentown. blackforgecoffee.com PHOTO COURTESY OF G. MICHAEL BEIGAY

^ Sun., May 27: Big Gay Picnic

SATURDAY Ufomammut

SUNDAY

7 p.m. Cattivo, Lawrenceville. cattivopgh.com

MAY 27

SUNDAY

OUTDOORS Look, cars clog the city like 99 percent of the time. It’s time for these streets to accommodate walkers, cyclists, skateboarders and anything without a combustion engine. Open Streets PGH gives you that opportunity today. In its fourth year, this street festival organized

by Bike Pittsburgh starts in Market Square and prohibits vehicles on Forbes Ave. (Downtown and Uptown), as well as sections of East Carson St. (South Side), the Birmingham and 10th St. bridges. The streets may be without cars, but they are dotted with stations where people take part in yoga and dance classes. Also, it’s invigorating to shop at local stores without worrying about finding a parking spot.

RD 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Forbes Ave. and E. Carson St., Downtown, Uptown and South Side. Free. openstreetspgh.org

PICNIC What better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than at a Big Gay Picnic? With Pride month approaching, an outdoor venue with dancing, food and drinks is the way to get in the spirit. The floor of

House of Harm 8 p.m. Brillobox, Bloomfield. brilloboxpgh.com

MONDAY Sworn Enemy 7 p.m. Cattivo, Lawrenceville. cattivopgh.com

TUESDAY Voight Kampff 8 p.m. Rock Room, Polish Hill.

WEDNESDAY Kali Masi 8 p.m. Howlers, Bloomfield. howlerspittsburgh.com

FULL CONCERT LISTINGS ONLINE AT WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CONTINUES ON PG. 40

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 39

North Park Lodge was reinforced to accommodate for an afternoon of grooving, twerking, tango-ing, whatever kind of dance you find fit.

Included in the admission is a buffet of traditional Memorial Day delicacies such as hot dogs, hamburgers and sides as far as the eye can see. Beer will be available, along with non-alcoholic beverages for those beloved designated drivers. LO 12 p.m. N. Ridge Drive, Allison Park. 18 and over. $28. pittsburghpride.org/event

FUNDRAISER The words “silent” and “dance party” aren’t typically two you would pair together, because how do you dance without music? Tonight at the August Wilson Center, A Peace of Mind is holding a Silent Dance Party Fundraiser. Here’s how it goes: you walk in, get a drink ticket and a pair of headphones, and music can be heard from the three DJs present. The headphones eliminate the loud blaring music disrupting any conversation you might want to have — just take them off and it’s silent. Minus the panting and sound of your fellow partygoers mouthing the words. Your first drink is covered by admission fee. LO 3 p.m.

980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $40. apeaceofmindinc.org

MUSIC Just because the summer sun is finally sharing its toasty rays does not mean you have to give up your charming goth aesthetic. Don your finest black lace gloves and grab the liquid eyeliner for a night of dancing and fashionable moping. Coldwave/ synthwave act House of Harm is coming to Brillobox from Boston. With a catchy nostalgic single like its most recent “Isolator,” there’s no way you

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIA CONTE

^ Fri., May 25: Live Band Karaoke with The Emo Band

won’t be swaying. Child of Night brings a post-punky darkwave sound while bring her’s sorrow-wave is all-consuming.

CR Young will be performing ambient techno, and faithful DJ Erica Scary will keep the groove going throughout the night. MF 8 p.m. 4101 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville. $5. brilloboxpgh.com

MONDAY MAY 28

MEMORIAL DAY In our current era of division and partisanship, it’s hard to find a less

divisive topic than honoring and memorializing the men and women who fought and died while in service to our country. And Pittsburgh is no slouch in honoring its fallen heroes; our region is home to several Memorial Day events, including parades, services, flag ceremonies and more. Lawrenceville will CONTINUES ON PG. 42

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Congratulations to our #PGHBURGERWEEK

GIVE AWAY W i n n e r !

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

41

CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 40

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLAN GREY

^ Wed., May 30: Brockhampton

hold its annual Memorial Day Parade down Butler St. Many other small municipalities will also hold parades.

For a more somber ceremony, attend a memorial service at a local cemetery.

A free celebration and concert will be held a Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland at 11 a.m. RD 10 a.m.

Lawrenceville Memorial Day Parade, starts at 40th and Butler streets, Lawrenceville. Free.

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 MUSIC Perfect for studying, working or just getting lost in, the music of Los Angelesbased harpist Mary Lattimore blurs the boundary between intimacy and distance. She’s classically trained, but often works with indie musicians.

Originally from Asheville, N.C., Lattimore has recorded pieces with Meg Baird, Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile and more; she’s also worked on soundtracks for the films Lopapeysa and Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present. She was a part of The Valerie Project, whose self-titled 2007 album serves as an alternate soundtrack to the cult film Valerie and Her Week of Wonders.

AM 7:30 p.m. Spirit, 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $12. spiritpgh.com

MUSIC Step aside, One Direction — America’s > Wed., May 30: Mary Lattimore PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKIE LEE YOUNG

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new favorite boy band is here. Hip-hop collective Brockhampto Brockhampton, self-described as “the internet’s first boy ban band,” will hit Stage AE on Wednesday. Formed in an online forum for fans of Kanye West, Brockhampton features over a dozen hip-hop artists on its billing, including leader Kevin Abstract. Following the 2016 release of its debut mixtape, All-American Trash, the group released the Saturation trilogy, its first three albu albums, last year. Thoug Though Abstract says Saturation III will be the fina final Brockhampton album, the collective sig signed a record dea deal with Sony’s RCA Records that is repor reportedly for six album albums over three years. AM 8 p.m. 400 North Sho Shore Drive, North Sid Side. $35. pro promo westliv westlive. com •

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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ACROSS 1 Manhattan Transfer classic 8 Strong cup 15 Its national anthem is “Zdravljica” 16 Water world?

17 Stymie 18 Some chickens 19 Chopper 20 Real estate parcels 21 Cutting sound 22 “Beware the Book of ___” (Ski Mask The Slump God mixtape) 23 Brad Stevens coaches them, briefly 25 TV star with a long face 27 Drop down 28 Lo-fidelity sound 29 Life stories 30 NBA TV analyst Brown 31 Black key material 33 “Big Easy” university 34 “Be careful what you say,” with “The” ... and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 37 Circle part 38 Touches down 39 Heavy coat?

40 Some hooters 41 One of the aliens on “The Simpsons”

45 Hit, Old Testament-style 46 “Mon ___!”

47 Papal hat 48 Chi. clock setting 49 Courtney Love’s band 50 Chooser’s nonsense word 52 Ironic shirt, maybe 53 Formal written defense 55 South Australian capital 57 More wanting a date 58 2018 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee 59 Clambake centerpiece 60 Some circulars

DOWN 1 “The WellTempered Clavier” composer’s signature 2 Russian opposition leader Navalny 3 What aioli is mostly made of?

4 Bird prefix 5 Comes together 6 ___ -European 7 Onetime Asian Communists 8 Cojones 9 Grunge outfit 10 Growly voice 11 Tympanometry doc

12 Reinforcing construction piece 13 Some steaks 14 New Hampshire lake, river or town 24 “The Waste Land” poet 26 I, pretentiously 27 Revolutionary patriot Casimir 29 Like a ___ 30 Colored 32 Moving picture quality?

33 Change for a c-note 34 What a cat leaves on the couch after moving somewhere else

35 Ticket phrase 36 Going for 37 Imps 40 More viscous 42 Hun hon 43 Had to have 44 Salad veggies 46 Herd calf 47 Heat-resistant material 49 MMA star Holly 51 Singer who is a judge on “World of Dance” 54 Place that’s an anagram of 56-Down 56 Drink that’s an anagram of 54-Down

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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Savage Love {BY DAN SAVAGE}

I like watersports, and I heard about a guy in a rural area who holds piss parties in his backyard. I found a mailing list for those interested in piss play, and it wasn’t long before he posted about one of these parties. The host has very simple rules for who can attend: You have to identify as a guy and wear masculine attire. I get to the party, and there were about four guys and the host. I had a good time. I’ve been back a couple times. Everyone is friendly enough and there’s the right amount of perversion. So what’s the problem? The host. He’s loud and annoying. He insists on putting classical music. He tells the same lame jokes every time he’s pissing on someone. He will complain that people say they’re coming and don’t show.

If you are having a moment with someone, he will invariably horn in on the action. Without being rude, I’ve tried to make it clear that we are not looking for company, but he doesn’t take the hint. It’s his party, and props to him for hosting it — but it takes the fun out of it when the host doesn’t know when to back off. I’ve gotten to the point where it’s not worth the effort to go. Do I just get over it, or say something privately?

PERSON EXASPERATES ENTHUSIAST

The advice I gave a different reader about dealing with a guest horning in on the action at an orgy applies in your case: “Even kind and decent people can be terrible about taking hints — especially when doing so means getting cut out of a drunken fuckfest. So don’t hint, tell. There’s no rule of etiquette that can paper over the discomfort and awkwardness of that moment, so you’ll just have to power through it.”

Swap out “drunken fuckfest” for “drenchin’ piss scene,” and the advice works — up to a point, PEE, because the person in your case who needs telling, not hinting, isn’t one of the guests, he’s the host.

But your host’s behavior sounds genuinely annoying. Hosting a sex party doesn’t give someone the right to insert himself into someone else’s scene, and stupid jokes have the power to kill the mood and murder the boners.

So why not make your own piss party?

You don’t need a big backyard — I mean, presumably your place has a tub. Supplement your tub with a couple of kiddie pools on top of some plastic tarp laid down on the living room or basement floor. Ask your guests to keep it in the tub, pool, or on the tarp. You get to choose the guys, you get to select the music, and, as host, you can lay down the law about making jokes and horning in on the action: both are forbidden, and joketelling horner-inners will be asked to pull up their pants and leave.

lesbian was like breathing out for me. I feel way more like myself and am way happier now. But I worry that even being willing to consider this makes me seem bi.

GIRL ASKING YOU

I’ve often been accused of having a prodick-sitting bias, GAY, so I decided to recuse myself and pass your question on to a couple of lesbians.

“She is way too concerned with labels,” said Lesbian No. 1. “I used to slip on a dick once every few years — before I quit drinking tequila — and that didn’t make me any less of a raging, homo-romantic dyke. And if her friends give that much of a fuck about who she bones, she needs friends with more interesting hobbies.”

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with her or any lesbian wanting to sleep with a guy,” said Lesbian No. 2. “I wouldn’t sleep with a guy, but I do agree that women trying to casually hook up with other women is much more difficult than men with men or even men with women.

Women instantly want to be your long-term partner after one hookup — the U-Haul jokes are fucking real. But if identifying as something is important to her, I think identifying as queer might be a better option for now rather than struggling to figure out if she is only bi or only lesbian and only those forever.”

“HOSTING A SEX PARTY DOESN’T GIVE SOMEONE THE RIGHT TO INSERT HIMSELF INTO SOMEONE ELSE’S SCENE.”

I’m a cis woman and recently came out as a lesbian after identifying as bisexual for three years.

After having sexual encounters with men and women, I finally admitted to myself that I am gay. Now that I’m finally out, I don’t want to do anything that would make me feel like denying it again. My question is, am I a bad lesbian if I sleep with a guy? A male friend I know and trust recently propositioned me. At first, I said no, but now I’m rethinking it. Sex with men doesn’t compare at all to sex with women for me. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s definitely in the below 5 range. I worry that doing this would call my sexuality into question. I feel like I’d definitely have to hide this from my friends. And if I feel guilty enough to hide it, maybe I shouldn’t do it? Finally identifying as a

On the Lovecast, porn by women, for women? Yes, please: savagelovecast.com.

Send your questions to mail@savagelove.net and find the Savage Lovecast (Dan’s weekly podcast) at savagelovecast.com.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET AND FIND THE SAVAGE LOVECAST (DAN’S WEEKLY PODCAST) AT SAVAGELOVECAST.COM

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 23-30, 2018

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CHRIS LANE LIVE FROM THE RIVERS CASINO AMPHITHEATER THURSDAY, JUNE 14 • 8PM • TICKETS $20

VISIT RIVERSCASINO.COM OR GIFT SHOP FOR TICKETS! $5 Free Slot Play or $10 Match Play

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GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21 years of age or older to be on Rivers Casino property. Offer for purchased ticket only.