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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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FIRSTSHOT BY JARED MURPHY
Anthrocon’s fursuit parade marches through Downtown Pittsburgh on Sat., July 6.
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JULY 10-17, 2019 VOLUME 28 + ISSUE 28 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Associate Publisher JUSTIN MATASE Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Managing Editor ALEX GORDON Senior Writers RYAN DETO, AMANDA WALTZ Staff Writers HANNAH LYNN, JORDAN SNOWDEN Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Digital Media Manager JOSH OSWALD Editorial Designer ABBIE ADAMS Graphic Designers JOSIE NORTON, JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Events and Sponsorship Manager BLAKE LEWIS Sales Representatives KAITLIN OLIVER, NICK PAGANO Office Coordinator MAGGIE WEAVER Events and Marketing Coordinator BRYER BLUMENSCHEIN Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, GAB BONESSO, LISSA BRENNAN, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, JESSIE SAGE Interns SARAH CONNOR, JARED MURPHY, EMILY WOLFE Office Administrator RODNEY REGAN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.
GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2019 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. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Eagle Media Corp. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper. FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $175 per year, $95 per half year. No refunds.
COVER ILLUSTRATION: ABBIE ADAMS ON PHOTO BY JARED WICKERHAM READ THE STORY ON PAGE 6
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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THE BIG STORY
TOUGH SELL
Why so few Pittsburghers want Mayor Peduto’s proposed autonomous shuttle BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
A
T A JUNE MEETING, dozens of residents showed up to hear updates on a city
proposal that would ferry autonomous shuttles through Oakland, Greenfield, and Hazelwood. By and large, residents were skeptical of the autonomousvehicle proposal. Several of them sported buttons reading, “Not Sold on AV.” Public-transit advocates think the city’s money and effort would be better spent procuring additional bus service from Hazelwood, and that the small shuttles can’t adequately serve the growth that the city is hoping to see in the corridor. But the city believes the project, called the Mon-Oakland Connector (MOC), can provide an improved and important transit connection between its two largest universities and the growing tech industry. Leaders also see a chance to help boost development in this corridor and make upgrades to provide flood relief.
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An autonomous shuttle in Las Vegas
In theory, the MOC seems like a project that would easily garner support: a “cool factor” for using shuttles that can drive themselves, adding transit between neighborhoods that don’t currently have adequate service, and a pot sweetener of a stormwater-infrastructure upgrade long requested by residents. So why are so few people getting onboard? Residents in Four Mile Run, the Greenfield neighborhood that would be in the middle of the shuttle route, just don’t believe the project will better their neighborhood. The MOC would run autonomous shuttles carrying about 12 people per shuttle on about a
5-mile loop with 12 transit stops, where users would hail shuttles on-demand. The city is expecting the Mon-Oakland Connector will cost between $14-17 million to complete. Autonomous shuttles implemented in other cities have traveled an average of about 15 mph. Ziggy Edwards of Four Mile Run says the MOC isn’t for locals in Greenfield and Hazelwood, but rather geared at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh students and workers looking for a better connection to the new tech-centric development at Hazelwood Green. She says if city leaders were focused on the mobility of area residents, as they have said at many
community meetings, they would be repairing sidewalks along Irvine Street and improving bike-trail connections to Hazelwood, and would be less concerned of potential development impacts of a shuttle route. “They are uninterested in any other solution because it allows them to control land from the edge of Oakland all the way through the Junction Hollow valley and Hazelwood to the banks of the Monongahela,” says Edwards. Karina Ricks, director of Pittsburgh Department
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of Mobility and Infrastructure, says encouraging development is, and should be, part of the reason to create the MOC. “Putting vacant land back into productive use is a good thing to increase city resources for reinvestment [in these] communities,” says Ricks. “Mobility and access most definitely influence the success of regeneration efforts.” But development doesn’t always follow new transit lines, especially ones that are slow and low-capacity. A 2018 study from San Jose State University analyzed the effect of streetcars — vehicles that run along fixed routes, for relatively short distances, and at low speeds, similar to the proposals of the MOC — on its environment. The study concluded that streetcars had a questionable, and sometimes negligible, impact on development. While many organized residents like Edwards are critical of MOC’s priorities, some are just completely against the idea of added transit in their area. “They don’t want it; they don’t need it,” Four Mile Run resident Klaus Libertus told PublicSource in 2018. “We are more concerned about keeping a quiet neighborhood where our kids can play safely and walk across the street.”
PHOTO: SCREENSHOT FROM MON-OAKLANDMOBILITY.COM
Proposed route of Mon-Oakland Connector with hailing stations
But adding public-transit connections to neighborhoods can have positive effects, such as combating poverty. A recent study from Cleveland State University found Cleveland neighborhoods that gained transit access saw poverty rates fall and overall employment numbers increase. The Greenfield census tract that includes Four Mile Run doesn’t have significant problems
with high poverty rates, but Hazelwood has poverty rates significantly higher than the Allegheny County average of 12.5 percent. Ricks says improving the inadequate public-transit access from Hazelwood to the high concentration of jobs in Oakland and is a driving factor behind this project. The current bus from Hazelwood to Oakland, the 93, takes about 30
minutes on a meandering route, despite the two neighborhoods only being about three miles apart. “This appears to be a mismatch,” says Ricks. “We know that travel time is, according to research, the single greatest factor in people being able to access, take [transit], and rise above unemployment to better their life outcomes.” In terms of safety, other low-speed autonomous shuttle programs have yet to experience any issues. Las Vegas has been running an autonomous shuttle on a half-mile loop for over a year without incident. Officials in Arlington, Texas piloted an autonomous shuttle project in 2018. Arlington planner Ann Foss says the pilot had successes, like how virtually everyone was comfortable riding in the autonomous shuttles, but also challenges in the functionality of the autonomous technology. While city officials should be able to calm safety concerns and sell the connector as an anti-poverty tool, public-transit advocates are still skeptical the shuttles will be effective. Laura Wiens of Pittsburghers for Public Transit says the proposed vehicles are too slow and low-capacity to service the potentially more than 100,000 jobs that CONTINUES ON PG. 10
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would exist in that corridor. Pittsburgh’s projections for initial ridership of the shuttle to be about 1,200 people, which Wiens says is also overly generous. “In terms of capital investments, let’s start with what we know works and things that can carry people in bigger quantities,” said Wiens at a May rally against the MOC. “We don’t think the shuttles will be adequate.” Wiens believes the city should be bettering mobility by channeling funds to Port Authority of Allegheny County to expand the 93 bus service, which doesn’t run on the weekends, and focusing on a potential Bus Rapid Transit route running along on Second Avenue in South Oakland. Foss says Arlington’s experience with autonomous shuttles showed her they are “best suited for shorter distances” and first/last mile connections. “A larger vehicle with more passenger capacity and higher speeds would likely be necessary for a larger scale deployment,” says Foss. Wiens says the city’s sell so far feels “pro forma” and officials already have
their minds made up that the MOC is best for transit. She also thinks officials keep moving the goalposts, including offering a Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority collaboration to mitigate stormwater issues, and saying at the last public meeting that the shuttle routes will also be used for personal electric-assist bikes and scooters. “They have identified that they want this experimental technology deployed and then will figure out later how it can be sold to the residents,” says Wiens. Convincing people of the MOC’s virtues has been such a failure so far that the city sought and acquired a $400,000 grant from the Knight Foundation for outreach on the project. But Ricks says the MOC is necessary so development and growth can continue in the Oakland-Hazelwood corridor without adding too many cars. “What we do not want is urban infill that is heavily oriented around private vehicle use,” says Ricks. “To avoid that we must enhance travel alternatives. Providing this one little mobility link can increase transit use on existing lines as well.”
Follow senior writer Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto
JENSORENSEN
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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.NEWS.
TURN OFF THE WHITE LIGHTS BY ALEX GORDON ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
D
IM BLUE lighting has been pop-
ping up more and more in public spaces over the past two decades. In Tokyo, train stations installed blue lights to have a calming effect and deter suicides. In Scotland, Glasgow saw notable reductions in crime in blue-lit areas. Turkey Hill Markets and Sheetz locations throughout Pennsylvania have used blue lighting in their bathrooms to prevent heroin use by making it more difficult for users to find their veins. On all three counts, the scientific research behind its actual effectiveness is either in question or incomplete. But a program in Pittsburgh is experimenting with blue lights for a less ambitious, but more scientifically sound goal. In December 2018, Port Authority
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CP PHOTO: ABBIE ADAMS
started a trial program to reduce the glare of interior lighting on the windshield to improve bus operators’ vision at night. Two buses, one from the Ross garage and one from West Mifflin, installed blue lights that line the ceilings of the bus on either side. When the bus makes a stop and the doors open, the white lights are activated to ensure riders can get
off safely. Port Authority spokesperson Adam Brandolph says the lights, which were donated for free by their manufacturer I/O Controls Corporation, are still being tested. The trial will send the buses on different routes to East Liberty and Collier to see how the lights perform in different areas of the city.
Follow managing editor Alex Gordon on Twitter @shmalexgordon
I caught my first glimpse of the blue lights on a 10 a.m. 91 bus from Lawrenceville to Downtown. My first thoughts were not about the glare, but public policy initiatives, assuming it was some combination of deterring drug use and chilling out stressed riders. Regardless, at least for a 10-15 minute ride, it’s a pretty pleasant vibe. (If it’s during the day and sunny, the blue lights are less dominant than they’d be at night, when the glare reduction would be more important.) A similar program was tested in Wellington, New Zealand last year, though it was discontinued after blowback from riders. As Jared Nicoll and Felix Desmarais reported for Stuff NZ in August 2018, some riders experienced nausea and headaches, and complained of “intense sensory overload.” Based on the photos from the Wellington buses and my experience on the 91, the New Zealand lighting looks far more intense and there seems to be no such blowback to the program in Pittsburgh so far. Once the program has been tested and the Port Authority is able to get comprehensive feedback from its drivers on the efficacy of the lights, Brandolph says they will consider expanding to more lines.
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Eating Happily. Leaving with Smile.
The True Taste of Thai
.VOICES.
THE LOW BAR OF TOLERANCE BY TERENEH IDIA // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
Y
OU’LL FORGIVE ME for applying
the over-used technique of using a dictionary definition for an introduction, but you just have to read this: Tolerance, a noun, is described by Merriam-Webster dictionary online as “the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable without complaining.” “The capacity to endure ...” — the hardship of dealing with something or, more to our point, someone, you do not actually want to deal with or confront. “... what is difficult ...” What is the what? What exactly is difficult, a person with a different color skin? Someone with a different gender identity than you, a different path of faith? “... or disagreeable without complaining.” Just a way of saying, “I don’t like it but I will put up with it without saying how much I dislike it.” Now is that something to strive for? Is tolerance in any way a true goal for a just society? Is the goal that I, as a Black woman in America, am to be tolerated? Tolerated?! The very idea of it makes my blood boil. A decade ago or so at an event, an older white man talked about tolerance in all of its flourished and flowery language. I told him rather bluntly that I “didn’t want to be tolerated. Imagine if I said to you, ‘I will tolerate you.’ How does that make you feel?” The pain and crimson undertone that instantly appeared on in his face answered me where his words failed. After a long pause, he finally said, “Wow, I never thought about it that way.” Of course he hadn’t. The belief that tolerance is a goal exists because of a sense of hierarchy and value based on
color, gender, class, ability, age. This white man could never imagine being just “tolerated” in America. Now think of all of the times this word has been used to attempt to induce, elicit, or encourage cross-cultural understanding. “He taught us tolerance,” someone said of Mister Rogers when the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor was released last year. Mister Rogers said of tolerance, “Mutual caring relationships require kindness and patience, tolerance, optimism, joy in other’s achievements, confidence in oneself ...” Tolerance only makes any sense as a concept with people in actual relation with one another. Not just societal or in theory. You tolerate a partner’s snoring or movie habits. But you do not tolerate the existence of entire peoples or a person. It is the dangerous employment of a hierarchical system of power without acknowledging privilege and power. It is not a step toward justice. Where has centuries of American “tolerance” gotten us? Part of our regressive or slow progress toward an equitable society is due to our focus on this concept. Tolerance is a low hanging fruit with no juice. Instead of tolerating someone — try listening, reflecting, honoring, learning, and celebrating our differences. We say that our differences are what makes us special, that America’s multiculturalism is a special strength of our nation. This rich cultural tapestry is also an essential part of Pittsburgh. It is a reflection of the beauty of what makes us human.
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Follow featured contributor Tereneh Idia on Twitter @Tereneh152XX PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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.RESTAURANT REVIEW
KHALIL’S II BY MAGGIE WEAVER MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
A
GNES AND Mikhail Khalil opened
the first Khalil’s in 1972. Five years later, the couple purchased a building on Baum Boulevard and called it Khalil’s II; a few years later, Khalil’s III was born. Forty-seven years after the first restaurant was opened, only location No. 2 is still in operation, but judging from the state of its food, the focus has fared the family well. The legacy left behind by Agnes, who passed away in 2003, and Mikhail, who passed in September of 2018, is carried on by their two daughters, Leila and Dalel.
KHALIL’S II 4757 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield. khalilsrestaurant.com
The menu has changed little in the restaurant’s decades-long legacy. Leila, who runs the kitchen, stays true to her father’s menu — all recipes brought to Pittsburgh from Syria and passed down through generations. Dishes offer a variety of Mediterranean cuisines. There’s Greek spanakopita, dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), falafel, and Lebanese lubia (slow-cooked beans), along with a few Khalil’s-only specialties, such as kibbie nayee, a Lebanese delicacy crafted from raw lamb ground to order. Mezzas, a Mediterranean familystyle way to share a meal, stood out on the menu. Khalil’s traditional mezza — a rainbow of hummus, baba ganoush, medumas (a delicious walnut dip with pomegranate), and muhammara (hot pepper dip) — delivered smoke, spice, salt, and a touch of sweetness. It was stunning in both look and taste. Lamb shish kabob, a house specialty
CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
Tabolli (parsley salad) at Khalil’s
served over mild rice pilaf, was spiced with skill, just enough to complement the meat without overpowering it. There was nothing fancy about the dish, just simple, comforting, and ridiculously tasty. It was the same for Khalil’s dinner salad, which used Leila’s handcrafted Mediterranean dressing. The uncomplicated mix of lettuce, feta, red onion, olives, and pickled turnip tasted too good to be such a simple salad. Add on
Khalil’s chicken shawarma and it’s a perfect entree. The baklawa (baklava) was flaky, floral, and doused in syrup, paired with a slow-steeping, strong Arabic coffee, which made for a lovely, sweet finish. Khalil’s has always been a welcoming, homey place to eat. Agnes and Mikhail were an important part of the city’s immigrant community, providing new arrivals with jobs, support, and connections. People knew to visit Khalil’s
FAVORITE FEATURES: Windows On his bed in the ICU, Mikhail told his family to add windows to the old restaurant, which Dalel described as “a cave.” During the restaurant’s four-year break, six windows were put in the front of the restaurant. On a dark night, Khalil’s ornate, massive chandelier shines through the window and the restaurant seems to glow.
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Sito’s Mediterranean Dressing Leila’s famous salad dressing can be bought by the bottle. Look for it at Whole Foods, East End Co-op, and more.
Syrian Bread Dalel and Leila’s brother makes traditional Syrian bread, which is passed out along with pita. It’s warm, fluffy, and all-around delicious.
because it was known that Mikhail would take care of them. To this day, eating at Khalil’s II is like eating with family. Inside, the dining room feels inviting in the way that a grandmother’s house does, warm and intimate, made even warmer by Dalel and Leila’s hospitality. “You can go anywhere and eat food. You can go anywhere and eat good food,” says Dalel. “We feed the soul and the body.” In the coming months, Dalel is hoping to expand the restaurant’s offerings, adding in cultural classes and a comprehensive Lebanese wine program. But even as Khalil’s evolves, the nature of the restaurant will never change. Khalil’s will always be more than a place to just eat great food.
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Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav
Thai & Burmese Specialties!
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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
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1366 OLD FREEPORT ROAD, FOX CHAPEL 412-963-0640, WWW.BAJABARGRILL.COM The Baja Bar & Grill is the perfect destination any time of the year for dancing to live bands and taking in great entertainment every weekend. In addition, there’s good food along with amazing views of the Allegheny River and the Fox Chapel Marina.
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 house-made bistro fare in a stylish Downtown space.
4770 LIBERTY AVE, BLOOMFIELD 412-904-1640 PADTHAINOODLEPITTSBURGH.COM This new café in Bloomfield features Thai and Burmese specialties. Standards like Pad Thai and Coconut Curry Noodle are sure to please. But don’t miss out on the Ono Kyowsway featuring egg noodle sautéed with coconut chicken, cilantro and curry sauce.
BEA’S TACO TOWN 633 SMITHFIELD STREET, DOWNTOWN 412-471-8361, WWW.BEATAQUERIA.COM Authentic Mexican cuisine in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh! Bea Taco Town offers tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and much more all with traditional recipes. Slow cooked meats and fresh vegetables prepared daily will have you coming back to try it all.
THE CAFÉ CARNEGIE 4400 FORBES AVE., OAKLAND 412-622-3225 / THECAFECARNEGIE.COM An excellent dining experience from James Beard Semi-Finalist, Sonja Finn featuring a locally-focused menu, full service dining, and espresso and wine bar.
CARMELLA’S PLATES & PINTS 1908 EAST CARSON STREET, SOUTHSIDE 412-918-1215, CARMELLASPLATESANDPINTS.COM Featuring an upscale ambiance, Carmella’s is located in the heart of South Side, serving a variety of refined comfort cuisine for dinner and brunch. The décor features a lodge-like feel with a wood beamed cathedral ceiling, stained glass and open fireplace. A local purveyor delivers fresh ingredients daily, which are crafted into unique and inventive meals, served alongside a curated cocktail list and comprehensive wine selection.
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-totable products.
ELIZA HOT METAL BISTRO 331 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, PITTSBURGH 412-621-1551, ELIZAHOTELINDIGO.COM Set on the site of former iconic iron works, Eliza Furnace, Eliza is an American Bistro exploring classic Pittsburgh flavors, beloved by those that worked the furnaces, combined with the fresh perspective and seasonal sourcing that define what we eat in our region today. Relax with great food, cocktails, and enjoy live entertainment on the rooftop bar.
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. It’s not your standard pizza shop; in fact, this isn’t a “pizza shop” at all.
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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. They also feature a cocktail menu of tequila-based drinks to pair the perfect margarita with your meal.
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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.ON THE ROCKS.
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.STAGE.
MISTER ROGERS’ OPERAS BY LISSA BRENNAN // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM Tomé Cousin, director of the Mr. Rogers Operas, at Winchester Thurston School CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
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I
N A SMALL rehearsal space at a Shadyside school,
bodies are veering and staggering from one side of the room to the other, as if being thrown by a strong wind. They fling themselves with abandon, teetering off kilter, hopping from right foot to left. Some have bananas — one, two, or a basketful. And when they reach the conclusion of the passage, the performers are unable to conceal their pure delight in the fun they’re having. This is not what most of us would typically imagine as preparation for an opera, but if you consider that this one was written by one Fred Rogers, better known as Mister, the atmosphere of joy and jubilation in the exploration of one’s own creativity through the creativity of others makes all the sense in the world. The Pittsburgh Festival Opera has selected two short pieces, “Windstorm in Bubbleland” and “Spoon Mountain,” from out of thirteen that Rogers penned, premiering on stage as “Mister Rogers’ Operas,” supplemented with video interviews in which people speak on who Fred Rogers was and what he meant to them.
“HE MADE YOU FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING YOU DO IS IMPORTANT AND MATTERS.”
It’s inspired programming, made even more so because it is being directed by renowned artist and director Tomé Cousin, once a resident of the Neighborhood of Make Believe as Prince Tuesday’s Rag Doll. Rogers first met Cousin after seeing him perform in George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum, produced by City Theatre. “I played this over-the-top drag queen, every other word out of my mouth was ‘motherfucker,’ and I can see Mister Rogers in the audience,” says Cousin. Rogers came backstage, greeted the cast, complimented the show, and departed. Two days later, Cousin received a call telling him Rogers had written him a part. Once on set, Cousin learned that the care, mindfulness, and concern he saw on the show was genuine. “He made you feel like everything you do is important and matters. I had been performing for a long time and no one had ever asked me
my opinion of my work. He’d say, ‘What do you think?’ and I’d say, ‘What do you mean?’” says Cousin. “He’d say, ‘If you don’t like it, we’ll do it again until you like it,’ and he meant it. That stayed in my head, stayed with me.” It’s essential to Cousin to honor that mindset here, staying true not only to Roger’s aesthetic and artistic vision, but to his approach to the world. As the “Windstorm in Bubbleland” rehearsal bubbles over, performers who more often experience staging that’s “park and bark” — walk to place, stop, sing, leave — are now hurtling themselves around pell-mell, and they appear to be loving every minute of it. “Opera singers aren’t necessarily used to doing work that’s physical,” says Cousin. “Here, they have to move in character, really inhabit these personas that they change all over the place drop of a hat, with puppets involved, a raked stage, all kinds of things. And sing at
MISTER ROGERS’ OPERAS 7:30 p.m. Sat., July 13. (Also, Sun., July 14, Sat., July 20, and Thu., July 25). Pittsburgh Festival Opera at Falk Auditorium, Winchester Thurston School. 555 Morewood Ave., Shadyside. $15-65. pittsburghfestivalopera.org
the same time.” As they laugh and whoop between takes, it seems to be working for them, having been given the rare opportunity to perform the debut of an original work of opera whose elements include hummingbirds, porpoises, cans of Spray Sweaters, weather-controlling villains, and the celebration of childlike things. While Rogers still posthumously speaks to the hearts and souls of young people, the youth of those who grew up with him continue to hold him dear as a source of learning, comfort, and love. This isn’t in terms of something nostalgic and representative of the past, but as an ideal in the present, as the kindness and care that he personified are what we find ourselves seeking, and what we strive to offer. This is what Cousin wants to create. “There’s a line in the piece, ‘The child in me is still and not so still,’ that resonates,” says Cousin. “It’s the chance to go back to his world again. It was quite fun and amazing, and that is the same sense of play and truth I’m trying to bring to the operas. They are quite honest, and they are relevant today to adults.”
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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NYT ON TV BY HANNAH LYNN HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
PHOTO: ANNIE FLANAGAN FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES/FX
In the first episode, the show talks with students of T.M. Landry high school
In an effort to expand its media empire to more non-readers, The New York Times has created a TV show, The Weekly, (named in harmony with its popular daily podcast, The Daily). The show airs on Sundays on FX, with episodes released the next day on Hulu. Each 30 minute episode follows New York Times journalists as they report a story, from research, to interviews, to outlining. Episodes are tied to an article or series of articles published within the past couple months. One episode digs into accusations against T.M Landry College Preparatory School, a high school in Louisiana where it was purported that administrators doctored applications to get its THE WEEKLY students airs Sundays on accepted to FX and streams Ivy League Mondays on Hulu. colleges. Another tackles the financial corruption of the medallion system among New York City taxi drivers. White House correspondent Maggie Haberman breaks down how the night of Trump’s inauguration bred much of the corruption of his administration. The episodes are informative, well made, and interesting, but still feel incomplete. The main subject of the shows often feels like the New York Times and not necessarily the issues at hand. But at the same time, it only provides a surface level look at how the reporters cover the story in a way that feels hollow because the journalists have likely already done most of the reporting off-camera. The Weekly feels like it can’t decide between being a documentary show about cultural issues or a documentary about New York Times journalists. •
PHOTO: NASA
Neil Armstrong prepares for Apollo 11
.FILM.
MAN ON THE MOON BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
T
HIS YEAR MARKS the 50th anni-
versary of Apollo 11, the NASA mission that allowed the first man to walk on the moon. A new documentary, Armstrong, commemorates the feat with the story of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who first stepped foot on the moon’s surface. Using archival footage, interviews with colleagues and family, and neverbefore-seen home movies, as well as Armstrong’s own words read aloud by Harrison Ford, the film lays out the life and career of a quiet, humble man who became one of the most recognizable names in America. The film begins with the Apollo 11 preparing for launch, with crowds of fans and family members watching from the ground, before going back to his upbringing in the quiet farm town of Wapakoneta, Ohio. He grew up loving planes, deciding to get into aviation at a young age, and got his pilot’s license before he got his driver’s license. He eventually became a fighter pilot in the Korean War. Armstrong’s former commanding officer describes Armstrong’s personality in the Navy as “quiet and poised.” A former fighter pilot describes him as “unusually quiet” and “reserved.” After the war, he meets his wife Janet, who says of him, “He didn’t like to talk about much, and he
never did talk about much, but what he did say seemed to be meaningful.”
ARMSTRONG opens Fri., July 12 at Harris Theater
Though it doesn’t offer much in the way of juicy documentary fodder, Armstrong’s demure personality was one of the explicit reasons why he was chosen to walk on the moon first, as opposed to his crewmates Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. NASA was not only choosing someone who was a qualified astronaut, but someone who could function as a kind of spokesperson for the program after the flight, since they knew whoever walked on the moon would become a globally recognizable figure. In explaining why he chose Armstrong to walk on the moon first, the NASA flight operations director says he felt Aldrin “wouldn’t be the best representative,” likely due to his more turbulent personal life. Armstrong, on the other hand, did everything correctly postApollo, with his only flaw, according to media at the time, being that he wasn’t available enough. He’d moved his family back to Ohio to get away from all the attention. Because the movie takes the angle of celebrating Armstrong, the moon
landing, the space program, and because its release is in correlation with the 50th anniversary, Armstrong doesn’t step into more nuanced waters. It’s a cut-and-dry biography of the astronaut, fit for any space fan or science classroom. There is only briefly a reminder that the moon landing was conceived as a means of besting the U.S.S.R. in the Space Race, and that dangerous shortcuts were taken to get there faster. The swelling music and tense scenes surrounding the moon landing do evoke deep and real emotions, but it’s also a manipulative type of patriotism that enforces American exceptionalism. There is a lot of talk in the documentary of this being a big step for all of mankind, but it was the American flag that they planted. It would not be out of character for the current president to suggest a flashy, dangerous mission with the goal of proving his country to be number one. Even so, there is something powerful about watching the lead-up to the moon landing, and reminiscing about a time when millions of people came together to watch the same thing on live TV. It still happens occasionally, with sports or award shows, but not with the same fervor, and not with the same awe at watching something that had never been done before.
Follow staff writer Hannah Lynn on Twitter @hanfranny
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PGHCITYPAPER.COM
•
.FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 11
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Hi, my name is Rob Brezsny, and I confess that I am addicted to breathing air, eating food, drinking water, indulging in sleep, and getting high on organic, free-trade, dark chocolate. I also confess that I am powerless over these addictions. Now I invite you to be inspired by my silly example and undertake a playful but serious effort to face up to your own fixations. The astrological omens suggest it’s a perfect moment to do so. What are you addicted to? What habits are you entranced by? What conditioned responses are you addicted to? What traps have you agreed to be snared by? The time is right to identify these compulsions, then make an audacious break for freedom.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When cherries are nearing the end of their ripening process, they are especially vulnerable. If rain falls on them during those last few weeks, they can rot or split, rendering them unmarketable. So cherry-growers hire helicopter pilots to hover over their trees right after it rains, using the downdraft from the blades to dry the valuable little fruits. It may seem like overkill, but it’s the method that works best. I advise you to be on the lookout for similar protective measures during the climactic phase of your personal ripening process. Your motto should be to take care of your valuables by any means necessary.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Please don’t try to relax. Don’t shy away from challenges. Don’t apologize for your holy quest or tone down your ambition or stop pushing to get better. Not now, anyway, Libra. Just the opposite, in fact. I urge you to pump up the volume on your desires. Be even bigger and bolder and braver. Take maximum advantage of the opportunities that are arising, and cash in on the benevolent conspiracies that are swirling in your vicinity. Now is one of those exceptional moments when tough competition is actually healthy for you, when the pressure to outdo your previous efforts can be tonic and inspiring.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I can’t decide whether to compare your imminent future to a platypus, kaleidoscope, patchwork quilt, or Swiss army knife. From what I can tell,
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Vantablack is a material made of carbon nanotubes. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the darkest stuff on the planet. No black is blacker than Vantablack. It reflects a mere 0.036 percent of the light that shines upon it. Because of its unusual quality, it’s ideal for use in the manufacture of certain sensors, cameras, and scientific instruments. Unfortunately, an artist named Anish Kapoor owns exclusive rights to use it in the art world. No other artists are allowed to incorporate Vantablack into their creations. I trust you will NOT follow Kapoor’s selfish example in the coming weeks. In my astrological opinion, it’s crucial that you share your prime gifts, your special skills, and your unique blessings with the whole world. Do not hoard!
plans to get the education or training you’re lacking; to find out what it would mean to become more professional, and then become more professional; to begin pursuing the credentials that will earn you more power to fulfill your dreams.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’re in the Land of Green Magic. That’s potentially very good news, but you must also be cautious. Why? Because in the Land of Green Magic, the seeds of extraneous follies and the seeds of important necessities both grow extra fast. Unless you are a careful weeder, useless stuff will spring up and occupy too much space. So be firm in rooting out the blooms that won’t do you any good. Be aggressive in nurturing only the very best and brightest.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): your adventures could bring you random jumbles or melodic mélanges — or a blend of both. So I’m expecting provocative teases, pure flukes, and multiple options. There’ll be crazy wisdom, alluring messes, and unclassifiable opportunities. To ensure that your life is more of an intriguing riddle than a confusing maze, I suggest that you stay closely attuned to what you’re really feeling and thinking, and communicate that information with tactful precision.
occurred. Everyone on the battlefield got spooked as the light unexpectedly dimmed, and commanders sought an immediate cease to the hostilities. In the spirit of cosmic portents precipitating practical truces, I suggest you respond to the upcoming lunar eclipse on July 16-17 with overtures of peace and healing and amnesty. It’ll be a good time to reach out to any worthwhile person or group from whom you have been alienated.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Every year, thousands of people all over the world go to hospital emergency rooms seeking relief from kidney stones. Many of the treatments are invasive and painful. But in recent years, a benign alternative has emerged. A peer-reviewed article in a scientific journal presented evidence that many patients spontaneously pass their kidney stones simply by riding on roller coasters. I doubt that you’ll have a literal problem like kidney stones in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. But I do suspect that any psychological difficulties you encounter can be solved by embarking on thrilling adventures akin to riding on roller coasters.
My astrological colleague Guru Gwen believes that right now Aquarians should get scolded and penalized unless they agree to add more rigor and discipline to their rhythms. On the other hand, my astrological colleague Maestro Madelyn feels that Aquarians need to have their backs massaged, their hands held, and their problems listened to with grace and empathy. I suppose that both Gwen and Madelyn want to accomplish the same thing, which is to get you back on track. But personally, I’m more in favor of Madelyn’s approach than Gwen’s.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In his book The Histories, ancient Greek historian Herodotus told the story of a six-year war between the armies of the Medes and the Lydians in an area that today corresponds to Turkey. The conflict ended suddenly on a day when a solar eclipse
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): As a self-taught rebel poet with few formal credentials, I may not have much credibility when I urge you to get yourself better licensed and certified and sanctioned. But according to my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming months will be a favorable time for you to make
Eight years ago, researchers in Kerala, India went to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple and climbed down into centuries-old vaults deep beneath the main floor. They found a disorganized mess of treasure in the form of gold and precious gems. There were hundreds of chairs made from gold, baskets full of gold coins from the ancient Roman Empire, and a four-foot-high solid statue of a god, among multitudinous other valuables. I like bringing these images to your attention, Taurus, because I have a theory that if you keep them in your awareness, you’ll be more alert than usual to undiscovered riches in your own life and in your own psyche. I suspect you are closer than ever before to unearthing those riches.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Children need to learn certain aptitudes at certain times. If they don’t, they may not be able to master those aptitudes later in life. For example, if infants don’t get the experience of being protected and cared for by adults, it will be hard for them to develop that capacity as toddlers. This is a good metaphor for a developmental phase that you Geminis are going through. In my astrological opinion, 2019 and 2020 are critical years for you to become more skilled at the arts of togetherness and collaboration; to upgrade your abilities so as to get the most out of your intimate relationships. How are you doing with this work so far?
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
Pittsburgh’s lone liberal talkshow host for 30+ years Listen live Monday thru Thursday at 10 a.m. at lynncullen.pghcitypaper.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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.MUSIC.
GET LIT BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
O CP ILLUSTRATION: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST
N JULY 16, the first solo Weird Paul Petroskey album in six years rears its bowl-cut shaped head. Throughout the 16 tracks on the new album, LIT AF, Petroskey’s coy lyrics and playful song titles (“Uber On Over;” “Alive In the Body Bag;” “Poptarded”) washes over a mix of lo-fi instrumentals ranging from rap to country to rock. “I had a lot more to work, and I feel like this is my strongest album ever,” says Weird Paul. “Having slightly better recording equipment enabled me to fix my mistakes more and try some new things, so I created songs in genres I never worked in before.” Before LIT AF drops, Pittsburgh City Paper chatted with Petroskey over email about the new album and his time away from music. And for those attending the Deutschtown Festival LIT AF will be available at Blacksmith Studio July 13, before the July 16 release.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
THE READ ERVIEW INT FULL LINE AT COM ON APER. IT YP PGHC
WEIRD PAUL ROCK BAND AT DEUTSCHTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL Sat., July 13. 9 p.m. Blacksmith Studio Stage, 900 Middle St., North Side. Free. weirdpaul.com
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PGHCITYPAPER.COM
IT’S BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE YOUR LAST ALBUM, STILL GOING STRONG, CAME OUT. WHY THE BREAK? AND HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING YOUR TIME? The six-year break was due to one thing, for the most part: YouTube. I started making new videos on YouTube
in 2013; the same year my last solo album Still Going Strong came out. Things went well for a couple years. I had some minor viral videos and my channel was exponentially growing. By 2017, I felt like it wouldn’t be much longer [before I] could support myself with YouTube. So I went all out, I was making four or five videos a week. YouTube took over my life. But by 2018, I realized that it had been a mistake. Though my channel was still growing, it was growing only at the same pace, year after year (due in part to a bunch of stupid changes that YouTube had made). The documentary about me, Will Work For Views, was supposed to come out in 2017 and I was hoping that would give my channel a huge push (it didn’t become available until 2019). I wasn’t anywhere near paying my bills by doing YouTube. Last year I realized I needed to cut back on [the channel] to a great extent and get back to making music. I’m so glad I did, I’m a lot happier now.
TELL ME ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MAKING LIT AF. HOW DO YOU STAY FRESH AFTER OVER 25 YEARS OF MAKING MUSIC? Every album I make, the process seems to change – how I come up with ideas and when I make them into songs, even the entire process of recording. Also, the way I am exposed to music, and the kinds of music I am exposed to, changes. Those changes help to keep things fresh. On this album, I had years’ worth
of ideas sitting around, so I had a lot more to work with and I feel like this is my strongest album ever. Having slightly better recording equipment enabled me to fix my mistakes more and try some new things, so I created songs in genres I never worked in before. Another thing is, I hate being repetitive, so I naturally try to do different things. A lot of what writing songs has to do with is where you are in life and that’s changed a lot too. Example: my son is 23 now — so I don’t write songs inspired by bringing him up anymore. I’m almost 50 now and I’ve acquired the wisdom that you do as you get older, it can’t help but make a difference. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU OR LIT AF? I’m known for my haircut more than anything else it seems like. I’ve been filming myself talking since 1984 so it’s great that YouTube finally came into existence ... just a “few” years too late ...
I mean the whole internet came too late for me, but I’ve tried to take advantage of it now that it’s here. As for the CD, the cover was created entirely out of Lite Brites by my girlfriend, Niffer Desmond. That’s where the “Lit AF” comes in, right? I love putting together something really vintage (Lite Brites) with something modern (Lit AF). Really makes me laugh. The CD is on my website (weirdpaul.com) and my Bandcamp (weirdpaul. bandcamp.com) for now and I’ll have copies for sale at Blacksmith Studio at the Deutschtown Festival the night of July 13th — people can get it BEFORE the release date of July 16th!
•
Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan
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SEVEN DAYS OF CONCERTS SOUL SLIME CINEMA THURSDAY, JULY 11
Contemporary and throwback artforms collide when Soul Slime Records takes over Spirit on July 11 for a night of hip-hop performances and VHS cinema. While eclectic hip hop acts Buscrates, NVSV, Cody Cody Jones, and Moemaw Naedon do their thing on stage, selected B-roll cinema will play behind them from a VCR hooked up to a projector. “Expect overblown action cheese, horror, dance instructional videos and whatever else we decide to dig up from our personal archives,” says the Soul Slime Cinema Facebook event page. In addition, SKULL Records will have a pop-up VHS tape and vinyl sale. 10 p.m. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $7. spiritpgh.com CP PHOTO: JARETTERHAM
NVSV
FULL LIST ONLINE pghcitypaper.com
THURSDAY JULY 11 FOLK THE LIVING STREET. Pittsburgh Community Broadcast Center. 6:30 p.m. South Side.
HIP HOP LIVE ON SECOND: FREE CONCERT SERIES. Carnegie Library. 6 p.m. Hazelwood.
EILEN JEWELL. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.
JAZZ LEE ROBINSON, ISKA. Piazza Talarico and Papa Joe’s Wine Cellar. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville. BOOK EXCHANGE. Kingfly Spirits. 7 p.m. Strip District.
ACOUSTIC
ROCK WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS. Spirit. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville. MOONTOOTH, SOLARBURN, SIXSPEEDKILL. Howlers. 7 p.m. Bloomfield.
COVERS/TRIBUTE WOODEN SHIPS (A CROSBY STILLS & NASH TRIBUTE). Jergel’s. 8 p.m. Warrendale. BILLY JOEL TRIBUTE. Sing Sing Dueling Piano Bar. 8 p.m. Homestead. THE BILL ALI BAND. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 8 p.m. Whitehall.
CLASSICAL BIG WIGS. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 7 p.m. Downtown.
FOLK GYPSYSTRINGZ. Tree Pittsburgh. 6 p.m. Lawrenceville.
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BERRY BREENE OF HER LADYSHIP. Bierport. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville.
PGHCITYPAPER.COM
AMANDA JAMES. Southern Tier Brewing Co. 5 p.m. North Side.
FRIDAY JULY 12 FESTIVAL DEUTSCHTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL. Multiple venues. 2 p.m. North Side.
COVERS
ROCK
JAZZ/BLUES
THE HOUSE BAND. Baja Bar and Grill. 8 p.m. Fox Chapel.
WOLFBLUB. The Mr. Roboto Project. 7:30 p.m. Bloomfield.
JAZZ INTERVENTION PROJECT. Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild. 7 p.m. North Side.
THE CLASSIC ROCK EXPERIENCE. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 8 p.m. Whitehall.
SOCCER MOMMY. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 8 p.m. Millvale.
ACOUSTIC
EVANESCENCE. UMPC Events Center. 8 p.m. Moon.
DARYL SHAWN. Backstage Bar. 5 p.m. Downtown.
COUNTRY
MATT TICHON. Redbeard’s Bar & Grill. 5 p.m. Mt. Washington. RIGHT TURNCYCLE. Froggy’s Bar. 8 p.m. Bloomfield.
ELECTRONIC BL CK M CHINE. Cattivo. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville. HOUSE PLANTS. Spirit. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville. BATHHOUSE BETTY. Hot Mass. 12 a.m. Downtown.
FUNK
THOMAS RHETT. KeyBank Pavilion. 7 p.m. Burgettstown.
POP
COVERS
DJS
GOOD GUYS. Downey’s House. 8:30 p.m. Robinson.
FUNK
ROCK CRYPTIC WISDOM. The Smiling Moose. 7 p.m. South Side.
THE SIDEKICKS, ADULT MOM, RUE. The Mr. Roboto Project. 7 p.m. Bloomfield.
BEYOND THE SUN. Black Forge Coffee House. 6:30 p.m. Allentown.
MARCOS ARIEL. Club Catupiry. 5 p.m. Carnegie.
SATURDAY JULY 13
METAL
RIVER CITY BLUES. Enix Brewing. 8 p.m. Homestead.
JAZZ
AFTERNOON DELIGHT BLOCK PARTY. 46th Street between Butler and Eden Way. 2 p.m. Lawrenceville.
RML JAZZ TRIO. Wolfie’s Pub. 8 p.m. Downtown.
THE JASONS, CHILDREN OF OCTOBER. 222 Ormsby. 6 p.m. Mt. Oliver.
THE VAGRANTS. Baja Bar and Grill. 12 p.m. Fox Chapel.
INTRANSIT BAND. Baja Bar and Grill. 8 p.m. Fox Chapel.
JAZZ/BLUES
THE CONTENDERS. Cioppino Restaurant & Cigar Bar. 7 p.m. Strip District.
COVERS
CAYUCAS, FLOWER CROWN. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.
311, DIRTY HEADS. KeyBank Pavilion. 5:45 p.m. Burgettstown.
ACTIVE SHOOTER, GREYWALKER, AROUND THE HEX. The Smiling Moose. 9:30 p.m. South Side.
BLUEGRASS BRUCE HORNSBY & THE NOISEMAKERS. Roxian Theatre. 7 p.m. McKees Rocks.
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND. Rivers Casino. 8 p.m. North Side.
THE NICK MOSS BAND. Moondog’s. 8:30 p.m. Blawnox.
DELTA STRUTS. NOLA on the Square. 8 p.m. Downtown.
SUNDAY JULY 14
FRANK & DEANS. Howlers. 5 p.m. Bloomfield.
FESTIVAL DEUTSCHTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL. Multiple venues. 2 p.m. North Side.
WINDBORNE’S THE MUSIC OF THE ROLLING STONES. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Downtown.
ELECTRONIC DJ VOICES, SIS GIRL. Hot Mass. 12 a.m. Downtown.
COUNTRY
JOE KEYES AND THE LATE BLOOMER BAND. Weather Permitting. 5 p.m. Shady Side.
POP MAGGIE ROGERS. Stage AE. 6:30 p.m. North Side. THE MARÍAS. The Smiling Moose. 7 p.m. South Side.
RANDY ROGERS BAND. Wild Things Park. 7 p.m. Washington.
ROCK
METAL
REGGAE
MISS MAY I, THE WORD ALIVE. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 7 p.m. Millvale.
STEPHEN MARLEY. Hartwood Acres Park. 7:30 p.m. Allison Park.
RED SUN RISING. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 7 p.m. Whitehall.
PHOTO: KINGSOLOMONHICKS.COM
‘King’ Solomon Hicks
GRAND MASTERS OF GUITAR THURSDAY, JULY 11
It’s not often that more than one or two jazz guitarists get together at one time. So when six of them get together for a free pop-up show, it’s a must-see night of creative collaboration. Join Dan Wilson, ‘King’ Solomon Hicks, Beth Marlis, Mark Strickland, Marty Ashby, and Howard Paul at This Is Red in Homestead as they rip, swing, and jam live. 6-9 p.m. 605 E. Ninth Ave., Homestead. Free. livefromthisisred.com
MULTI GENRE RISING ABOVE THE WATERS A BENEFIT FOR LOCAL FLOOD VICTIMS. Jergel’s. 4 p.m. Warrendale.
FOLK SHAWN STARSKI, DEREK PELL, ELLEN STARSKI. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.
GOSPEL GOSPEL BRUNCH. Deutschtown Music Festival. 9 a.m. North Side.
MONDAY JULY 15 ROCK I PREVAIL. Stage AE. 6:30 p.m. North Side.
TUESDAY JULY 16
WEDNESDAY JULY 17
ROCK
JAZZ
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS, JAMES. Roxian Theatre. 7:30 p.m. McKees Rocks.
JESSICA LEE. Andrew Carnegie Free Library Music Hall. 7 p.m. Carnegie.
LOCAL H. Stage AE. 7 p.m. North Side.
KENIA: THE SULTRY SOUNDS OF BRAZIL. City of Asylum. 7 p.m. North Side.
SUMMER RAPTURE. Gooski’s. 7 p.m. Polish Hill.
PUNK/METAL CHILLER, PORCUPINE. Preserving Hardcore. 7 p.m. New Kensington. SPOTLIGHTS, VAMPYRE. Black Forge Coffee House. 6:30 p.m. McKees Rocks.
JAZZ TUBBY DANIELS BAND. Katz Plaza. 5 p.m. Downtown.
ROCK HOARIES, MOON PUSSY, T-TOPS. Gooski’s. 8 p.m. Polish Hill.
PUNK/METAL THE MEKONS. Andy Warhol Museum. 8 p.m. North Side. SANCTUARY. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 6:30 p.m. Whitehall. BARONESS. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 8 p.m. Millvale.
ELECTRONIC
MICHIGAN RATTLERS. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.
SOULFUL FEMME. Spork Pit. 5:30 p.m. Garfield.
KY VÖSS, THE REAL SEA. Brillobox. 9 p.m. Bloomfield.
RAP
COUNTRY
CAM’RON. Jergel’s. 8 p.m. Warrendale.
DAVE ALVIN. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.
LULA WILES, ANGELA AUTUMN. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.
BLUES JIMMY ADLER. Wolfie’s Pub. 6 p.m. Downtown.
FOLK FLECHAUS. Full Pint Wild Side. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville.
FOLK I’M WITH HER. Byham Theater. 7:30 p.m. Downtown. LINDSAY DRAGAN. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. 12:15 p.m. North Side.
These listings are curated by Pittsburgh City Paper’s music writer Jordan Snowden and include events from our free online listings. Submit yours today at www.pghcitypaper.com/submitevent PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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PHOTOS: DEREK REESE
A Boo Boo in the Woods by Derek Reese
.ART . .
NEW IN TOWN BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
I
T DIDN’T TAKE LONG for newcomer
Tina Dillman to integrate herself into the Pittsburgh arts scene. After moving here from Buffalo in December 2018 to attend an arts writing residency hosted by Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and Bunker Projects, she quickly began networking with local
arts professionals and attending various cultural events throughout the city. So it’s no surprise that she recently secured a gig as the new director of exhibitions and programming at the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media (PCAM) — formerly Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
ROLLING COAL OPENING PARTY Fri., July 12. 5-10 p.m. Continues on Sat., July 13 and Sun., July 14. Terminal Building. Bay #37, 333 E. Carson St., South Side. Free. Registration required. facebook.com/TinaDillmanProjects
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— where she plans to help rebrand and reestablish an organization that, over the years, has struggled with what many see as mismanagement and poor leadership. “I’ve kind of just gotten the greenlight to do whatever I want, but in a healthy way,” says Dillman, whose background includes working as an artist, curator, educator, writer, and arts consultant. During her five years living in Buffalo, Dillman was a member of the Greater Buffalo Cultural Alliance arts advocacy group and an arts writer for Buffalo Rising and The Public. She also served as a
faculty member of the Arts Management Department at the University of Buffalo. On Fri., July 12, Dillman will make her curatorial debut at the South Side Terminal Building with the opening of Rolling Coal. Featuring new works by Seth LeDonne and Derek Reese — including several collaborative pieces — the pop-up exhibition uses its two white male artists to explore masculinity in rural America (think worn-in blue jeans, pick-up trucks, and entitled macho posturing). Dillman says the show came together
Squirt by Derek Reese
after she met LeDonne and Reese and found out how much they admired each other. (The show is also LeDonne’s last Pittsburgh exhibition before he moves to New York City in August.) “They kind of had always wanted to do something collaborative but never really had the platform for it,” says Dillman. From there, she reached out to the co-working space Beauty Shoppe, which set her up in one of the Terminal Building bays. While the building is currently under construction, Dillman explains that Beauty Shoppe has an agreement with the developer that allows them to lease the vacant bay spaces. “It just kind of worked out that our timeline matched up with one of those spaces,” says Dillman. Before that, however, Dillman found it difficult to nail down a location for the short-term exhibit, as many venues were either booked throughout the rest of the year or charged what she says were exorbitant prices. She sees this as an issue for local independent artists and curators who would never be able to pay such large rental fees. “I find that really problematic,” says Dillman, who paid for all of Rolling Coal’s expenses out-of-pocket. “There are a lot of people out there who are just making money off of artists.” She adds that, while the practice is “extremely prevalent across the country,” she wants to address the issue in Pittsburgh by looking at ways to make spaces more accessible to everyone.
Besides Rolling Coal, she also has several projects in the works, including a special PCAM guild member exhibition inspired by Dillman’s concerns about climate change and living in Pittsburgh, a city with some of the worst air quality in the country. She says the show will have new installations, prints, performances, and other art forms depicting a “nightmarish, dystopian future.”
“I HAVE A LOT OF WORK CUT OUT FOR ME.” She believes the show — which is slated for November 2019 — will demonstrate how artists can “utilize their craft to explore this realm of environmental concern” and wants to use the PCAM “as a platform to have these difficult conversations of how the community of Pittsburgh can be more proactive in changing the things that we do have control over.” This adds to a long list of goals she has for her role at PCAM, where she’s working on restructuring and diversifying the programming, tackling fundraising efforts, and doing more outreach to ensure that elements of the community are folded into future events and workshops. “I have a lot of work cut out for me,” says Dillman.
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Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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.ART . .
BACKSTAGE BY LISSA BRENNAN CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
NAME: Erin Byrne, Highland Park WORK: Archivist, The Andy Warhol Museum
WHAT DOES AN ARCHIVIST DO? A myriad of different activities, especially here because we’re a single-artist museum. As opposed to something like the complete records of Lyndon Johnson [and] papers from his presidential work, we have Warhol’s paints, his record collection, his book collection, his mother’s belongings … the largest part of his archives is the time capsule collection, in itself a work that is both archival and art. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES? To put it most succinctly, my job is to create the organizational backbone for all of those objects, that makes them most accessible to researchers and scholars. Kind of part detective, part researcher, part librarian. HOW DID YOU START DOING THIS? I have a Masters of Library and Information Science that I got at Pitt. Even before I started my graduate degree, I was volunteering at my public library back home in Scranton; in Pittsburgh, working at academic libraries. Archival work is similar and yet very different. The idea of being a conduit to help people find information that they need is the same. HOW SO? Whether working at Pitt’s reference desk helping an undergrad find peerreviewed sources for their paper, or here helping a scholar find Andy Warhol’s wigs, it’s walking that same path. Just the idea of preserving and capturing materials that can change the way history is perceived. A single document can really change the legacy of a presidency or the history of a particular moment. When you uncover those details, it’s exciting, when you’re able to figure out what you have in your hand. WHAT DO YOU DO FROM DAY TO DAY? We work with museum departments; just finished a publication; social media
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CP PHOTO: JARED MURPHY
Erin Byrne
to find imagery to coincide with events that are happening; with the exhibitions team, laying out things; helping to design archival casework; with development to help figure out interesting items for people who work with us or would like to. Anything happening in terms of Warhol scholarship at large, outside of the museum. We answer a lot of reference questions through our website. If there’s an exhibition with archival materials traveling with it, I may be with them to oversee installation. On top of all this is the ongoing work of cataloging and researching the items, an estimated 500,000 currently; that’s probably low. Process and catalog
[materials] ... so that you can access them through our database or imagery. Organizing every medium imaginable – you have clothing, you have acetates that he used for his artwork, pottery, antiques he collected. Everything. HAVE YOU WORKED IN MUSEUMS BEFORE? This is my first. I started when I was in grad school. I had my internship here, and basically I haven’t left. I was able to advance into a project position for the time capsules. It certainly wasn’t lost on anybody involved that it was a very special experience and honor. They weren’t opened until we were the ones standing over them. It was very
Schrödinger’s cat … you have no idea what’s going to be in that box. WHAT BESIDES THE VOLUME OF HIS OBJECTS MAKES WARHOL UNIQUE FOR THE ARCHIVIST? In some ways, Warhol is the historian’s best friend because he did save so much in an uncurated way. If you wanted to donate your archives, you could go through and say, “Oh, these letters make me look kind of bad. My hair doesn’t look good in this photo.” Warhol as a subject was classic for ducking and dodging questions, giving out wrong information. The archives that we have here is his most faithful and truest autobiography.
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.EVENT.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANTWON BY SARAH CONNOR // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
A
NTWON ROSE II, who was shot and killed by then-East Pittsburgh police officer, Michael Rosfeld, in June 2018, would be turning 19 on July 12. On that day, two local organizations are throwing the Antwon Rose II Community Birthday Celebration in Hawkins Village, the neighborhood where Rose grew up. Hosted by Young Black Motivated Kings & Queens and 1Hood Media, two local nonprofits focused on empowering young people through music, media education, and social justice activism, the block party-style birthday celebration is just as the name suggests: a celebration. The event includes activities such as bounce houses, face painting, and a bookbag drive for the local children, as well as live music and food trucks. The event follows one held for Rose’s 18th birthday last year, which occurred
CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
ANTWON ROSE II COMMUNITY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 1-7 p.m. Fri., July 12. Kenmawr Ave., Hawkins Village, Rankin.
less than a month after the fatal shooting. Tye Clark, the director of public relations and creative enrichment for 1Hood, says that the event aims to engage young people in the community. Clark also aims to bring positivity to Hawkins Village, which she says is needed given
the sadness Rose’s passing brought to many members of the community. That grief was compounded in March when Rosfeld went to trial and was acquitted for Rose’s shooting, which led to city-wide protests. “Last year we had a really amazing turnout and there was a lot of positivity around it, which was difficult because it was only a month after Antwon’s passing,” Clark says. “This year, we’re on the heels of the verdict [in the trial of Michael Rosfeld], but we’re hoping that we still have an opportunity to bring together the community and support in a way that is positive and impactful.” Clark feels an uplifting event is important for the community, as well as Rose’s family, who support the celebration. “This is something that Antwon’s family really wanted to see happen. They really want Antwon’s memory to live on and for it to be understood that just because the verdict was less than ideal, the fight isn’t over,” Clark says. “His mom, even though she has suffered an irreplaceable loss, genuinely wants everything around her son to be positive and uplifting. [His birthday] is a hard day for her, and she just wants to be around people who loved her son, who love the community and will help her get through it.”
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Gator Shakes
.MUSIC.
METAL DETECTING BY EDWARD BANCHS // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
A
N ALL-WEEKEND street-music fes-
tival is always a great idea, unless you’re a metalhead, in which case the family-minded events are seldom tailored for your tastes. Unless you consider the Deutschtown Music Festival, whose organizers catered the programming with heshers in mind. There is a great assortment of bands to headbang your way through the weekend-long celebration. Here are a few favorites:
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guitarist Kris Kilohertz. 5 p.m. Sat., July 13. Armory Print Works, 509 Tripoli St., North Side
DEUTSCHTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL Fri., July 12-Sun., July 14. North Side. deutschtownmusicfestival.com
GATOR SHAKES
Thirty years going, these extreme-metal stalwarts are planning to provide festivalgoers with “carnage.” “I can’t ever imagine not playing or being part of the music scene in one form or another. Plus, it gives me an excuse to drench myself in blood and perform in rotting attire,” says frontman Chris Pawlowski. 9 p.m. Fri., July 12. The Government Center, 519 E. Ohio St., North Side
2019’s DMF marks a return for this metalcore foursome, who are happy to perform at the event a second time. “Honestly, our first year performing at DMF was a bit nerve-wracking. We weren’t used to mixed-genre shows so we didn’t know how the crowd would react to us. But it ended up being our favorite show to date,” says vocalist Jake Morgan. 7 p.m. Sat., July 13. St. Mary’s Lyceum, 910 Chestnut St., North Side
OCEANS TO ASH
THE NIGHT’S WATCH
Making its DMF debut, this quintet plays attack-oriented metal. Having grown a fan base in recent years, the band was humbled by the invitation. “This will be our first time performing [at] this festival, and we’re very excited to be part of it. We love seeing how much support there is nowadays for Pittsburgh music,” says
This power trio does not shy away from channeling its progressive influences into a very loud, metallic package. This year marks the band’s third appearance at DMF, one that frontman J.D. Rau promises will be very loud. “People tend to be surprised by how much sound comes out of just three people.”
7 p.m. Sat., July 13. Armory Print Works, 509 Tripoli St., North Side
ONLY FLESH Noted for its shock theatrics, these DMF first-timers are bringing their “mixed cocktail of metal, punk, and a dash of industrial” sound and “shock” to unsuspecting festival-goers. “For those attendees that have seen our live performances or YouTube videos know we will be sure to go overboard to entertain and even shock onlookers with hooks, blood, sparks, sideshow and more,” says vocalist Revina Lower. 8 p.m. Sat., July 13. Straub Stage at Constance St., North Side
SHROUDED IN NEGLECT This self-described groove and death metal hybrid happily jumped at the opportunity to perform for fans who may not otherwise ever attend a metal show, regardless of their late start-time, which the band is embracing. “Playing late at a festival of this magnitude puts a lot of pressure on us to make people feel like staying late was worth it. I can promise everyone who decides to stick it out and see us play, we won’t disappoint you,” says guitarist Nate Kepner. 11 p.m. Sat., July 13. Pittsburgh Winery Satellite, 709 East St., North Side
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Western Pennsylvania’s
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A VOICE OF THE WARM
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EMEMBER ROD MCKUEN? If you do, you are likely over 50 and fall into one of two categories: 1. You’re thrilled someone remembers one of the most popular figures of the 1960s and 1970s in Barry Alfonso’s biography, A Voice of the Warm: The Life of Rod McKuen (Backbeat Books). 2. You’re wondering why there is a book about one of the most criticized poets, songwriters, actors, and performers of the 20th century. Alfonso, a Swissvale resident, understands McKuen is a polarizing figure. “I appreciate a lot of what he did,” says Alfonso, who has worked as a music journalist and songwriter, and earned a Grammy nomination for the liner notes for the Peter, Paul and Mary box set Carry It On. “I wouldn’t endorse everything he did aesthetically. I think he was a force for good and a force for kindness,” says Alfonso. “I think he wrote some wonderful songs, and I think that his books of poetry helped people.” No matter how McKuen’s work is perceived, it’s undeniable his life was quixotic and unbelievable. Born in Oakland, Calif., in 1933, McKuen was abused physically and sexually by relatives as a child. After running away from home, he ended up in a juvenile detention center in Nevada for three years. After being released from the facility, he joined a rodeo. That career was cut short by a riding accident in which McKuen broke both his legs. But by 1954, McKuen published his first collection of poetry, And Autumn Came; in 1956, he earned a role in the teen film Rock, Pretty Baby! with Sal Mineo, Fay Wray, and John Saxon. And he accomplished these feats with little or no training in the arts, launching his acting career by sneaking onto the Universal Studios lot, finagling a screen test, and being rewarded with a sevenyear contract. “He would dream up things and make them true,” Alfonso says. “And he would announce they were true before they were true. He did that repeatedly when he was an adult.”
“The Place to know if you grow” PHOTO: JANET INGRAM
Barry Alfonso
Alfonso admits McKuen was an unreliable narrator of his own life; his claims about fathering a child and publishing under a pseudonym were probably falsehoods. But what’s indisputable are his numbers: 100 million recordings and 60 million books sold, according to his Associated Press obituary from 2015. And McKuen redeemed himself in the eyes of many critics when he started to speak out for LGBTQ rights in the late 1970s. McKuen, who had relationships with both men and women, was especially pointed in his criticism of Anita Bryant, then a spokeswoman for Florida Citrus Commission and a fierce opponent of gay rights.
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After Bryant led a campaign to repeal an ordinance that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation, McKuen dubbed Bryant “Ginny Orange Seed” and wrotea protest song called “Don’t Drink the Orange Juice” (a reference to the nationwide orange boycotts in response to the campaign). “There seems to be some connection between his willingness to crusade against [Bryant] and what was going in his own life,” Alfonso says. “He had been fabulously successful for about nine years at that point and it was starting to wear off. He was selling less records, he was a little less of a celebrity, but he was still very comfortable. I think it probably had something to do with who he was and to acknowledge who he was. … He would not say he was gay, and he did not say he was defending the anti-gay statutes. But there was obviously something in the controversy that touched him.”
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Follow featured contributor Rege Behe on Twitter @RegeBehe_exPTR PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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The 5th Judicial District of T Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Pretrial Services urges you to enjoy your weekend out in Pittsburgh but
make the right choice,
don’t drink & drive.
PHOTO: JAMES SHOBURG
Michael Barnett as Tigger and Alex Blair as Eeyore behind-the-scenes of Winnie-the-Pooh and the Seven Deadly Sins.
.STAGE.
LOVE THE SINNERS
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER - 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, JULY 18 • 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM FILM SCREENING: ALBERT FREY: THE ARCHITECTURAL ENVOY— PART 1 Albert Frey was an unpretentious Swiss-born mid-twentieth-century architect who developed an extraordinary design style by blending industrial techniques and a love of nature. Released in early 2018, the film (the first of a two-part series) explores Frey’s early life and work in Europe and America where he was the envoy of European modernism. His architectural endeavors in the 1930s included, in New York, the famed Aluminaire House and the Canvas Weekend House, and in Palm Springs, the Kocher Samson Building. The film outlines Frey’s collaborative efforts with well-known architects of the time, including A. Lawrence Kocher and Le Corbusier, among others. It contains never-before published archival imagery, as well as beautiful architectural footage. Albert Frey: The Architectural Envoy— Part 1, was produced by Design Onscreen, a private operating nonprofit foundation dedicated to producing, promoting, and preserving high-quality films on architecture and design. Learn more at www.designonscreen.org.
JOIN US AT THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER IN APRIL. 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
BY ALEX GORDON // ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
S
IX YEARS after his stage debut, a particularly gluttonous Winnie the Pooh is making his triumphant(ish) return. James Shoburg’s darkly comic Winnie the Pooh and the Seven Deadly Sins was first produced by his company, Rage of the Stage Players, in 2013. The group has produced similarly adventurous programming since then — notably the ambitious adaptation of the vampire classic Fright Night last year — but the overwhelming success of Pooh was always fresh in the minds of its fans and the company. So Shoburg decided to bring it back this summer, running July 12-27 at McKeesport Little Theater.
WINNIE THE POOH AND THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS Thu., July 11-Sat., July 27. McKeesport Little Theater, 1614 Coursin St., McKeesport. $15. rageofthestage.com
Shoburg made a few tweaks to the script to update it for the 2019 version, but the bones of the plot are the same: a teenage Christopher Robin is struggling to come to terms with being gay in his strict Catholic school environment. A series of events early on send Robin back home to Hundred Acre Wood, where he finds his old friends have grown up. Pooh has a lost a leg to diabetes. Tigger is a frat dude – Tau Iota Gamma – whose good-natured, mischievous personality has evolved into a cat-calling, horny creep. Owl is a pretentious alcoholic. Robin, too, is not the plucky cherub of
A.A. Milne’s books, nor the more modern pity-party his plotline might suggest. “[Robin] is very realistic,” says Shoburg. “He’s a bit of an asshole, a smartass 16-year-old. He’s not a poor little victim gay kid that the world is picking on.” Like the title says, Shoburg’s Hundred Acre Wood crew embodies the seven deadly sins. Some are easy to guess (Pooh’s gluttony, Eeyeore’s sloth), but part of the fun here is the ways Shoburg confirms and subverts ideas we have about these familiar characters. The simple costumes do a good job of nodding to the character traits in neat little flourishes. Like, of course, Eeyeore wears a droopy flannel. A title as spicy as Winnie the Pooh and the Seven Deadly Sins tends to provoke interest, and on a more cynical wavelength, make you wonder if the production might veer into shock value for the sake of itself — especially given Rage of the Stage’s reputation for the profane, and the obvious friction created between beloved children’s characters and adult material. Shoburg is well aware of this. But for him, it’s really not about shocking or offending, but expressing and creating the sort of stories he’d like to see in the world: gallows humor with heart. “Despite its darkly comedic approach to sensitive subject matter, we at Rage feel this is a very important production that connects with many of those who feel misunderstood regarding their sexuality,” Shoburg says. “We want to get the word out, and fill seats with audiences who will appreciate it, not simply for its edgy humor, but also the positive message it ultimately conveys.”
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.JUST JAGGIN’.
GREAT WOLF LODGE RESPECTS WOOD BY JOSH OSWALD JOSWALD@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
I
HAVE BEEN to Great Wolf Lodge
twice. I had not heard of this indoor waterpark/hotel until about a year ago, when my wife suggested we take the kids. With almost 20 locations across the country, the resort is billed as “North America’s Indoor Water Parks Resort Hotel.” Two weeks ago, we took our second trip to the Sandusky-Ohio lodge. Though I knew exactly what to expect, I came away with a different perspective this time around. Great Wolf Lodge is like if The Great Northern Hotel from Twin Peaks and Chuck E. Cheese’s had a love child. The resort is replete with faux-wood composite that is used for anything and
Great Wolf Lodge
everything from the grand main floor staircases (think of that famous Titanic scene) to the lobby’s couches, loveseats, and chairs. They are very committed to the lodge theme. There’s a fireplace, a large animatronic theatrical stage, and throngs of children adorned with branded wolf ears. Are you uncomfortable yet? While the business model is understandably marketed toward children, Great Wolf Lodge does its best to cater
to adults, too. Upon check-in, you are outfitted with a RFID (radio frequency identification) bracelet that opens your room door, gets you in the waterpark, and charges your room when you need a little hair of the wolf, which you are permitted to carry around just about anywhere in the lodge. My daughter loves the waterpark, which has a great selection of slides and pools, a lazy river, and the like. My
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son loves the MagiQuest. If you are still reading, MagiQuest is an “interactive live-action, role playing game where players embark on quests and adventures in an enchanted fantasy world using real magic wands to solve the mysteries of the game.” In plain English, kids search for boxes, screens, and framed pictures that may or may not make sounds and light up when they wave their wands at them. Treasure chests open and a strange voice says, “You have found 100 gold.” It doesn’t ever seem to work properly, and I always get worked up that I don’t think we are doing it right. But the kids love it. Great Wolf Lodge always seemed a bit underwhelming and kitschy to me. But that was before I realized it isn’t about me. The waterslides induce pure bliss, and MagiQuest gets my son to don a wizard cape, hat, and carry a wand without thinking twice about it. As adults, it is rare — if ever — that we get to lose ourselves. But getting a chance to see your kids experience that kind of mental freedom is just as good if not better. Because as the animatronic wolf, raccoon, young Davy Crockett, Native American woman, moose, and talking tree will tell you in song, “There’s nothing to be scared of” at Great Wolf Lodge.
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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Artist’s renderings of Brickworks at 21st and Smallman Streets
.ARCHITECTURE.
JUSTIFIED REJECTION BY CHARLES ROSENBLUM // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
T
HE BEST TIME to plant a tree, so the saying goes, is twenty years ago. The time to start demanding good architecture in the Strip District is around the same. Maybe the number of years is slightly different, but there is a profusion of recent construction that really lacks what you might expect of the builder’s art in a cultured city. The
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Homewood Suites Hotel is visually dissonant, while the Edge 1909 complex is flimsy, cheap, and ill-considered. And the building boom continues along Smallman Street. We should have been raising the standards for years already. So when the 21st and Smallman project, called “The Brickworks,” came before the Planning Commission for
review, as it did July 2, having that body reject the design was welcome news. Rejection of this building proposal and others like it should only have come sooner. A project of Rugby Realty with AI. Neyer and Desmone Architects, this mixed-use development would place over 700,000 square feet of office, parking, and retail in two seven-story buildings (prob-
ably in two phases) on four acres. The project would face the two most architecturally identifiable buildings in the neighborhood — the Produce Terminal and the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. The length of the Produce Terminal, the unusual width of Smallman, and the jog in the street just at the site of the church, combine to make the buildings especially
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visible and definitive of the area’s character. “It’s one of the city’s most important locations,” says Planning Commission Chair Christine Mondor. Because of this, “It’s got to look more like the Strip,” said Commission Vice-Chair LaShawn Burton-Faulk in one of the best statements to come out of a Planning Commission meeting in recent memory. New architecture has to do better, and we are simply not there yet. As it was presented, the building is an oversized box of mostly glass that would be much more at home on the Parkway West maybe twenty or thirty years ago. This is not the time to plant such a building, and certainly not the place. The problem is not that the architects aren’t doing what they are told. The design team added or changed elements in their design to reflect the heights of adjacent buildings, including the church and the Produce Terminal. But the gestures are not skilled, heartfelt, or well-integrated. They got approval from the Contextual Design Advisory Panel, but that body should have been as demanding in its requests as the Planning Commission is now. The two bodies are following similar principles, it’s just that Planning is demanding higher standards, as they should. As part of their presentation, the architects included images of nearby buildings, but they don’t seem to have an inclination of how to engage a rich and complex historic context with a well-designed building, or what to do
with the most prominent intersection for miles. The alternating short and wide bay articulation of the brick strips on their Smallman Avenue facades is a frustratingly empty design cliché that doesn’t respond to anything — not structure, context, or aesthetic logic — basic ingredients of good design. This building needs to be tighter, denser, and more detailed whenever possible. Mondor’s longer instructions about designing a more detailed curtain wall were spot-on. The real estate team looked at the Armstrong Cork Factory and determined that they could sue in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for the right to add two stories to their original proposal. They won in a ruling last November. What they should really do is look at the Cork Factory and adapt some of architect Frederick Osterling’s truly skillful design elements that make the complex artful, and endearing instead of misplaced and alienating. Team members said in published comments that they were optimistic about making a few stipulated changes and securing final approval. But through a series of half-hearted adjustments that don’t solve fundamental problems thus far, this team has not demonstrated the ability to create the kind of building that the Strip deserves. The second best time to plant a tree, the saying goes, is right now. The second best time to demand good architecture is at the next planning commission meeting this month. This project should be rejected.
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BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
W
HEN KAT DE LAC chooses performers for her Steel City Kitty Burlesque & Variety Show, she looks for more than the usual stripteaseinspired acts. Doing so requires going outside of Pittsburgh and, in many cases, the country, as De Lac, a self-described “international showgirl,” keeps an eye out for the best talent while traveling for work. “If I go to Berlin and I see this one performer and they’re also really awesome onstage, I’ll probably book them in Pittsburgh,” says De Lac. “We never repeat the same show ever. We physically can’t.” This year’s show, on Sat., July 13 at the Mattress Factory, perfectly reflects that approach. The lineup includes LouLou D’vil from Finland; Mr. Joe Black, a cabaret artist from the U.K.; and The Reverend Mother Flash, a New Orleans performer dubbed “The High Priestess of Burlesque.” One of the few repeat acts is Isaiah Esquire, whom De Lac says became a fan favorite after his Pittsburgh debut. “He is a six-foot-four god of a man from Portland,” says De Lac, who describes Isaiah Esquire’s style as “hip
hop meets drag meets boylesque.” The show also includes the Steel City Kitty Crew, which consists of De Lac, boylesque dancer Smokin’ McQueen, and Allinaline, a DJ and electro-pop artist from the Pittsburgh musical act Hot Pink Satan. Over the past eight years, Steel City Kitty has introduced 140 burlesque and variety performers to the city. In that time, the show has also moved from South Side establishments like Lava Lounge, The Smiling Moose, and the Rex Theater, to Mr. Smalls in Millvale before settling at the Mattress Factory. De Lac decided to move the show to the Mattress Factory after Steel City Kitty was hired to do the museum’s annual Garden Party, as well as other events. “I really just had a great connection with the people who work there and then they started coming to my shows, and so it all started happening on its own, which has been great,” she says. She adds that being at the Mattress Factory as opposed to a privately owned venue allows them to be more free with content, as the museum setting means less censorship. “If somebody’s topless, it’s no big
STEEL CITY KITTY BURLESQUE & VARIETY SHOW 7 p.m. Sat., July 13. Mattress Factory, 505 Jacksonia St., North Side. $65-125. mattress.org
deal,” she says. In addition to bringing global, often never-before-seen acts to Pittsburgh, she also searches out high-quality talent, saying, “It’s kind of one of those things where I want people to have a standard, and so I kind of pick through people who have won an award and are actually really good onstage.” She cites LouLou D’vil, who, in 2013, won Miss Exotic World, one of the most coveted titles in the burlesque scene. De Lac came up with Steel City Kitty after her former burlesque troupe, the Bridge City Bombshells, dismantled, leaving what she saw as a void for her type of performance art. “I was like, well, if we don’t do anything, there’s nothing here,” says De Lac, who completely funds, manages, and produces Steel City Kitty. “If you want to be a part of something that no one else is doing, you have to do it yourself.” Besides the featured lineup, what started out with two to three acts now immerses audiences in an environment full of stilt-walkers, vogue dancers, drag acts, interactive art installations, contortionists, and more, providing what De Lac sees as live entertainment that’s both artistic and high energy. “From the minute you walk through the door you’re getting a show,” says De Lac.
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WED., JULY 24 BONES UK 6 P.M. SMILING MOOSE SOUTH SIDE. All-ages event. $12-15. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com.
WED., JULY 24 LIKE A STORM & THROUGH FIRE - FIRESTORM TOUR 2019 5 P.M. CRAFTHOUSE SOUTH HILLS. All-ages event. $20-32.50. 412-653-2695 or ticketfly.com. With special guests Wilson and Stitched Up Heart.
FRI., JULY 26 DANIEL SLOSS
WED., JULY 24 STEVEEARLE & THE DUKES 7 P.M. METROPOLITAN THEATRE MORGANTOWN. $29.75-59.75. ticketfly.com. With special guest The Mastersons.
WED., JULY 24 SOUTHERN ACCENTS TOM PETTY TRIBUTE BAND 7 P.M. ROXIAN THEATRE MCKEES ROCKS. All-ages event. $17-20. 412-331-1050 or roxianlive.com
THU., JULY 25 OK MAYDAY 6 P.M. SMILING MOOSE SOUTH SIDE. All-ages event. $10-12. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com.
FRI., JULY 26 WATCH WHAT CRAPPENS
CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL.
FRI., JULY 26 MOLLY ALPHABET
DOWNTOWN. $37.50-715. 412-642-1800 or ticketmaster.com.
7 P.M. THUNDERBIRD CAFÉ & MUSIC HALL LAWRENCEVILLE. 21 and up. $10 412-331-1050 or roxianlive.com
SUN., JULY 28 SMALL LADYBUGS AND MIGHTY PRAYING MANTIS
FRI., JULY 26 YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
2 P.M. BOYCE PARK PLUM. Free event. alleghenycounty.us/parks
7:30 P.M. ROXIAN THEATRE MCKEES ROCKS. All-ages event. $25-30. 412-331-1050 or roxianlive.com
SAT., JULY 27 THE STRANGER - A TRIBUTE TO BILLY JOEL
SUN., JULY 28 SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK 6 P.M. GRAND PAVILLION HARTWOOD ACRES MANSION. Free event. alleghenycounty.us/parks
MON., JULY 29 LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE WITH LEARN3RIDE
6 P.M. REX TEHATER SOUTH SIDE. All-ages event. $25-75. 412-381-1681 or greyareaprod.com.
9 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFE STATION SQUARE. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. $16-120. 412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.
FRI., JULY 26 DANIEL SLOSS: X - FOR MATURE AUDIENCES
SAT., JULY 27 OLD THYMELESS HERBS AND TEAS
7 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. 16 and up. $38 412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com.
1:30 P.M. HARRISON HILLS PARK NATRONA HEIGHTS. Free event. alleghenycounty.us/parks
7 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFE STATION SQUARE. All-ages event. $10 412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.
FRI., JULY 26 LARGER THAN LIFE THE ULTIMATE BOY BAND TRIBUTE
SAT., JULY 27 YINZFEST 2019
MON., JULY 29 FAMILY FUN DAY AT THE POOL
12:30 P.M. MR. SMALLS THEATRE MILLVALE. All-ages event. $20 412-421-4447 or mrsmalls.com.
1 P.M. SOUTH PARK SOUTH PARK. Free event. alleghenycounty.us/parks
6 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE WARRENDALE. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. $18-30. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com. With special guest ALBVS.
SUN., JULY 28 JOHN MAYER 7:30 P.M. PPG PAINTS ARENA
9 A.M. NORTH PARK ALLISON PARK. $135-169. alleghenycounty.us/parks
MON., JULY 29 THE SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL STARS
TUE., JULY 30 STEELTOWN HORNS 5 P.M. AGNES KATZ PLAZA DOWNTOWN. Free event. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.
FOR UPCOMING ALLEGHENY COUNTY PARKS EVENTS, LOG ONTO WWW.ALLEGHENYPARKS.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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SEVEN DAYS OF ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
^ Tue., July 16: Arabella Proffer: Soft Sugars
THURSDAY JULY 11 WINE Local artist Victoria Bradley’s drawings are uncorked at Pittsburgh Winery’s artist series, where “palate meets palette.” Bradley’s work, which celebrates female bodies, adorns the bottle of the winery’s next release, a 2016 Petite Syrah Reserve. Join the winery for a special happy hour to taste the wine
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and meet the artist. 5 p.m. 2710 Penn Ave., Strip District. Free. Search “2016 Artist Series” on Facebook.
CONCERT The Woodlands is a Wexford-based organization that works to “enrich the lives of children and adults with disability and chronic illness.” One of the ways it does that is through comprehensive music education that empowers individuals to express themselves in ways that aren’t always encouraged for people with disabilities. August Wilson African
American Cultural Center hosts the 20th-anniversary Notes from the Heart Music Camps concert, bringing together its campers with elite talent from institutions like the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Harvard University choral program for a night of unforgettable music. 7 p.m. August Wilson African American Cultural Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Free. mywoodlands.org
COMEDY A “Most Wanted” poster is generally not considered a positive sign. However,
Pittsburgh Improv has taken a term typically associated with the worst criminals of the Wild West and applied it to the best local talent currently flying under the radar. Hosted by Collin Chamberlin and Ray Zawodni, Pittsburgh’s Most Wanted Comedy Showcase invites guests to check out some of the best up-and-coming stand-up comedians in the city. 8-11 p.m. 166 E. Bridge St., Homestead. $5. improv.com/pittsburgh
MUSIC Pittsburgh-based multi-instrumentalist
ILLUSTRATION: MATT MCKELVEY
^ Sat., July 13: Jeff Goldblum Day
Shanyse Strickland “taught herself to play an abandoned French horn at her elementary school at the age of 10,” according to her bio from Chamber Music Pittsburgh. Thank god for whoever abandoned that French horn. Strickland is a spectacular musician, vocalist, composer, and performer (check out her cover of Emily King’s “What Love Is” on YouTube), who blurs the lines between classical, jazz, R&B, and soul. At Ace Hotel, catch Shanyse Strickland & Friends for Chamber Music Pittsburgh’s Just Summer concert. There are sure to be some pleasant surprises. 8 p.m. 120 S. Whitfield St., East Liberty. $25. chambermusicpittsburgh.org
FRIDAY JULY 12 FEST Slovenfest is back for year 38. This three-day festival, held at the SNPJ Recreation Center, brings the city together to celebrate Slovenian culture. Learn to waltz and polka (with special appearances from Canada’s Polka King Walter Ostanek), listen to live performances of traditional Slovenian music, shop the craft bazaar, and watch the 68th annual Miss SNPJ Pageant. Continues through Sun., July 14. 270 Martin Road, Enon Valley. $10-30. Children 16 and under free. slovenefest.com
STAGE High school in the 1980s was the absolute worst. Unless, of course, you were a Heather. You know the type:
the mean but beautiful, big-haired popular girls all the boys loved and all the girls wanted to be. For brooding Generation Xers who didn’t fit in, salvation came in the form of the 1989 movie Heathers, as Winona Ryder and Christian Slater entered the school with a plan to end the plaid skirt-wearing clique, permanently. Trigger warning: Heathers the Musical is dark. The film that The Theatre Factory based its play on came out during a different time period, and the plot includes suicide and teen violence. But it’s also a cult hit, and the comedic musical gives new life to the beloved film so many grew up watching on repeat. Continues through July 21. 235 Cavitt Ave., Trafford. $20. thetheatrefactory.org
FEST Taste of Lawrenceville is back for a summer edition: Neighborhood restaurants, breweries, and shops pop up at Bay 41, so you can taste the area’s best, all in one place. Summer vendors include Arsenal Cider House, Ki Polo, NatuRoll Creamery, and more. Register for free and then pay as you eat. This event is dog friendly, so bring the pooches. 12 p.m. Bay 41, 4107 Willow St., Lawrenceville. Free. bay41pgh.com.
COMEDY Seasoned comedian Sommore is best known for her stand-up comedy on shows like Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at the Apollo, and ComicView. She has also appeared in comedies like Friday After Next and Soul Plane. Her career, spanning three decades, has earned her the title CONTINUES ON PG. 42
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 41
PHOTO: MATT MIYNARSKI
^ Fri., July 12: Heathers the Musical
of “the queen of comedy,” which she’ll likely wear for her five-show run at the Pittsburgh Improv. 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Continues through Sun., July 14. $25. 21 and older. improv.org/pittsburgh
SATURDAY JULY 13 HOLIDAY Show some love for one of Pittsburgh’s favorite native-born celebs when Jeff Goldblum Day returns to Artisan Tattoo Gallery. Now in its second year, the event features a host of activities dedicated to the screen star and fashion icon, including trivia, astrology readings, and, of course, Goldblum cosplay. There will also be special merchandise and Goldblum-themed tattoo flash specials for the most die-hard fans. You can also check out other Jeff Goldblum Day activities at participating businesses throughout the city, including Row House Cinema, Assemble, and Spak Brothers Pizza. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 5001 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville. Free. Registration required. artisanpittsburgh.com
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ART The Deutschtown Music Festival turns the streets of the North Side into a party, and Artists Image Resource, a nonprofit that aims to support visual artists through print and imaging services, plans to make the event even bigger this year. The AIR Summertime party will have exhibitions, demonstrations, activities, and plenty of prints for sale. AIR will also raise funds with an Art Raffle and by offering prints from the organization’s archives. 2-8 p.m., 518 Foreland St., North Side. Free. artistsimageresource.org
COMEDY One staple of Steel City Improv Theater is the duo Trash in the City. The duo of Nash Bernik and Tricia Pennington often kicks off a night of comedy by asking the audience for a single word as a suggestion for their improvised antics from “trampoline” to, you guessed it, “trash.” As the hosts of The Duo Show, Trash in the City will invite other funny twosomes onstage to create some laughs. Most of the duos are a one-night-only team, but some, like the event hosts, will stay together for future
performances. 9:30-11 p.m., 5950 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. $10. steelcityimprov.com
SUNDAY JULY 14 STAGE You won’t need fairy dust to travel to Never Never Land when the Pittsburgh CLO brings Peter Pan to the Benedum Center. The timeless show adds a musical spin to J.M. Barrie’s classic tale of the Darling children and their journey to a magical land, where they help Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and the Lost Boys battle the villainous Captain Hook and his pirate crew. The whole family will thrill with high-flying antics and sing along to such iconic songs as “I’m Flying” and “I’ve Gotta Crow.” Continues through Sun., July 21. 237 Seventh St., Downtown. Tickets start at $27. trustarts.org
LIT In The Stories You Tell, the third installment in the Roxane Weary series by Kristen Lepionka, the P.I. protagonist is
again trying to solve a mysterious disappearance when her brother is accidentally involved in the case of a missing young DJ, tracking the woman’s digital footprint. Along the way, Roxane “struggles to distinguish the truth from the stories people tell about themselves online.” Join Lepionka at Mystery Lovers Bookshop to celebrate the launch of the book. 11 a.m. 514 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. Free. mysterylovers.com
MONDAY JULY 15 ART The Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media is proud to present work by seven artists for the 2019 Solo Exhibitions. Curated by Jessica Alpern Brown, the show includes art by Adrienne Grafton, Carin Mincemoyer, Jameelah Platt, Jason Lee, Ron Copeland, Sheila Cuellar-Shaffer, and Zach Brown. The featured artists represent a variety of media, from painting and sculpture to Graton’s hospital-like
PHOTO: EVE HARLOWE
^ Fri., July 12: Sommore
installation. 6-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., Aug. 25. 6300 Fifth Ave., Shadyside. Free. center.pfpca.org
TUESDAY JULY 16 ART BoxHeart Gallery serves up a sweet exhibition with the opening of Arabella Proffer: Soft Sugars. With its bright, otherworldly floral images, Soft Sugars brings together Proffer’s interests in botany, microbiology, space, disease, and the evolution of cells. As one press release details, the works are also influenced by the artist’s own experiences with cancer from which a new fascination with the “macro universe and micro universe” was born. Located on the gallery’s second floor, Soft Sugars coincides with the main gallery exhibit, Allsorts, presented by guest curator Natalie Shahinian. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Continues through Aug. 23. 4523 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. artsy.net/boxheart
WEDNESDAY JULY 17 FILM Making fun of Phish and its fans is a time-honored American tradition, but it’s mostly in good fun. Even the most ardent jam-band haters have to respect the band’s musicianship, work ethic, and vacuum cleaner solos (OK, they don’t have to, but they probably should). Dig deeper into the story of Vermont’s finest with Between Me and My Mind, a new documentary that follows singer/ guitarist Trey Anastasio as he prepares for an epic New Year’s Eve show at Madison Square Garden. It’s an endearing, thoughtful film about creativity that challenges the perception of selfindulgence and laziness that’s often associated with jam bands. Regardless of where you sit on the hater-spectrum, you’ll find something to like in this one. 9:15 p.m. Carnegie Science Center, 1 Allegheny Ave., North Side. $13.95. carnegiesciencecenter.org • PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Room 251, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on July 16, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:
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ACROSS 1. Water balloon sound effect 6. Summer party, for short 9. “Super Bowl Shuffle” group 14. Team building? 15. Columbus sch. 16. Cancel 17. Group doing downward facing dog? 19. A ___ Called Quest 20. Beyond Meat’s was on May 2, 2019 21. SASE, e.g. 22. Bro 23. Chain that serves Shivers 25. Riverside where one does gliding steps? 29. Give a speech 31. “___ jacket is this?” 32. Kind of acid 33. Can opener transaction? 34. Legal grp. 37. Garcon’s line after handing a patron a menu with the heading “La Mer”? 41. “This isn’t good!” 42. Competes (for) 43. With a heavy chest 44. Green of Gnarls Barkley 46. Former NBA star ___ Okafor
47. Hottie that eats only the last course? 51. Sunscreen ingredient 53. Steel beam 54. “Wasn’t expecting that zinger” 56. “How absolutely dare you, ___!” 57. First aid kit stuff 58. Artificial chocolate concoction made by scientists? 61. Say 62. Spanish peeper 63. Lines on a neck 64. Words of Wordsworth 65. Direction 66. Early responder’s comment on some threads
12. Apply, as ointment 13. Very fast 18. Back in the day 24. Hard pull 26. Onto 27. Harbor sights 28. “Free ___” (2019 Best Documentary) 30. Trifle (with) 32. Shrink’s org. 33. Created 34. Suck-up 35. Ones with growing concerns? 36. “They all look good” 38. Up above 39. Big Wimbledon sponsor 40. Red Sea canal
44. Battery and bra specifications 45. Where congers are caught 46. Highly questionable problem? 47. Unearth 48. Muse that carries a kithara 49. Cook with some olive oil, say 50. “That’s not good” 52. Wave part 55. “Danny and the Dinosaur” author Syd 58. A/C setting 59. “How to Get Away With Murder” star ___ Naomi King 60. Switzerland canton LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS
DOWN 1. “Cat got your tongue?” 2. One with a thing for jokes? 3. Toy block 4. “Los Espookys” star/creator Fabrega 5. Sticky stuff 6. Big name in home appliances 7. Talks trash, briefly 8. Jose’s “huh?” 9. Sits in the tub 10. Dress, as a judge 11. 2019 Thom Yorke album
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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PEEPSHOW A sex and social justice column
GUEST COLUMN BY LISA CUNNINGHAM // LCUNNING@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
“Planned Parenthood was an invaluable resource for me as I was discovering and exploring my sexuality. Being able to find unbiased, evidence-based information on how to have safe sex as a queer woman, specifics on what queer sex even could be, and links to other womens’ experiences made me feel confident and at home in my sexuality — especially when it wasn’t considered ‘OK’ within my community.” — PPWPA patient
W
H AT I S T H E s t r o n g e s t
weapon against the war on women? Using your voice, so say representatives from Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania (PPWPA) when asked what Pittsburghers who want to make a difference can do to help. It’s hard not to get enraged when you read the news these days. The extreme right is attacking women and the LGBTQ community. An unprecedented number of abortion bans are spreading across the country. The #MeToo movement has put sexual abuse in the spotlight, which can be triggering for survivors. Trans rights are being retracted, and now that Pride Month has ended, the LGBTQ community once again takes a backseat in many conversations. Even allies don’t have all the
answers. Outspoken celebrity advocate Alyssa Milano upset many earlier this year when she said women should have a “sex strike” in response to abortion bans. “Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy. JOIN ME by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back,” she tweeted in May. But why should anyone deny themselves sexual pleasure to fix a problem they didn’t create? So what can we do? If you have money to donate, there are always local causes worthy of funding. But it’s not feasible for many people struggling to pay their own bills. One thing people can do locally is
volunteer at a local clinic or shelter. PPWPA volunteer coordinator Paula Simon says their most in-demand positions right now are clinic escorts — people who serve as a barrier between patients and anti-choice protesters on weekends. There are also administrative assistant positions for those with time to offer during the week, helping with data entry and making buttons. Simon says the tasks have an added benefit: they’re largely meditative, and volunteers are encouraged to listen to podcasts and music while working. But the easiest and most effective thing you can do, Planned Parenthood representatives say, is to share your story.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about abortion and Planned Parenthood: our practices, what goes on, how we get the funding ... and a big part of the advocacy is to curb those misconceptions, especially with some politicians spreading lies and promoting harmful legislation,” says Sara Dixon, PPWPA public affairs manager. Social media is a great way to enlighten others, they say, because you can reach people outside your bubble. “If you feel comfortable sharing your story in your social network,” Dixon says, “it can really be a great tool to change a negative perception.” PPWPA is documenting some of those patients’ stories too — like the one quoted at the top of this article, as part of its Health Center Advocacy Program. “We turn collective anger into actions,” says Simon. The goal is to “uplift more marginalized stories,” including hearing more from people of color, LGBTQ, people in rural communities, and people with lower incomes. “As harrowing as some of this news is,” Dixon says, “it’s great to see how many people support our work and want to make a difference.” If you’re interested in finding out more about PPWPA volunteer opportunities, or sharing your story, visit plannedparenthood.org/westernpennsylvania.
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JESSIE SAGE IS CO-HOST OF THE PEEPSHOW PODCAST AT PEEPSHOWPODCAST.COM. HER COLUMN PEEPSHOW IS EXCLUSIVE TO PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER. FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER @PEEP_CAST. HAVE A SEX QUESTION YOU’RE TOO AFRAID TO ASK? ASK JESSIE! EMAIL INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM. QUESTIONS MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR AN UPCOMING COLUMN.
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Addiction and mental health difficulties don’t have to define you forever. If you’re ready to embark on a journey free from active addiction and mental health struggles, our certified therapists are ready to help you. • Opioid Dependency Counseling • Alcohol Counseling • Depression • Anxiety • Anger Management • OCD
1. Group / Individual Counseling RENEW YOUR IDENTITY AT POSITIVE PATHWAYS
2. Suboxone / Vivitrol Treatment. 3. Hepatitis C Treatment 4. Psychiatrists on Staff
WWW.POSITIVEPATHWAYSPA.COM Your pathway to a fresh start and new way of thinking begins with a phone call.
We Accept:
CALL NOW: 412-224-2812 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JULY 10-17, 2019
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