December 9, 2015 - Pittsburgh City Paper by Pittsburgh City Paper

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM | 12.09/12.16.2015 X PGHCITYPAPER XXXX PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER XX XX PGHCITYPAPER

IS THE CITY’S BLACK COMMUNITY BEING PRICED OUT OF THE NEW PITTSBURGH? 06

A CLOSER LOOK AT THOSE BIG PLANS FOR THE LOWER HILL 35

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

EVENTS 12.28 – 10am—5pm SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS The Warhol will be open on Monday, December 28, from 10am–5pm.

1.15 – 8pm SOUND SERIES: GABI, WITH SPECIAL GUEST SLEEP EXPERIMENTS The Warhol theater Tickets $15/$12 Members & students

1.28 – 11am POP GENERATION For the generation that inspired Warhol, a new program exclusively for older adults, age 65 and over. Tickets $10/Free Members

1.30 – 8pm SOUND SERIES: EKMELES The Warhol entrance space Co-presented with the Music on the Edge series of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Music FREE parking in The Warhol lot Advance Tickets: $15/$10 students visit www.music.pitt.edu/tickets or call 412.624.7529

2.6 – 8pm SOUND SERIES: THE RED WESTERN The Warhol entrance space FREE parking in The Warhol lot Tickets $10/$8 Members & students

NOW – 1.10 THE WARHOL: BOOK HUNT Find hidden books throughout the city for free admission passes and discounts. Visit warholbookhunt.com for details.

Visit us without paying museum admission. Open during museum hours. Call 412.237.8303.

PHOTO CREDITS: Soup Can Green 200 Piece Puzzle by Mudpuppy Banana Garbage Tote by Rootote Big Top Balloon Dog Bookend by IMM Living Store Image: Photo © Abby Warhola

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The Andy Warhol Museum receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency and The Heinz Endowments. Further support is provided by the Allegheny Regional Asset District.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

{EDITORIAL}

12.09/12.16.2015

Editor CHARLIE DEITCH Arts & Entertainment Editor BILL O’DRISCOLL Music Editor MARGARET WELSH Associate Editor AL HOFF Multimedia Editor ASHLEY MURRAY Listings Editor CELINE ROBERTS Assistant Listings Editor ALEX GORDON Staff Writers RYAN DETO, REBECCA NUTTALL Staff Photographer HEATHER MULL Interns THEO SCHWARZ, ANDREW WOEHREL

VOLUME 25 + ISSUE 49

HOLIDAY CRAFT BEER 101 C heck o ut the se fine Craft beers for yo ur Ho li day fun!

{ART} Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Production Director JULIE SKIDMORE Art Director LISA CUNNINGHAM Graphic Designers JEFF SCHRECKENGOST, JENNIFER TRIVELLI

{ADVERTISING}

[NEWS]

Director of Advertising JESSIE AUMAN-BROCK Senior Account Executives TOM FAULS, PAUL KLATZKIN, SANDI MARTIN, JEREMY WITHERELL Advertising Representatives MATT HAHN, JEFF HRAPLA, SCOTT KLATZKIN, MELISSA LENIGAN, ERICA MATAYA, DANA MCHENRY, MELISSA METZ, JAMES PORCO Classified Manager ANDREA JAMES Radio Sales Manager CHRIS KOHAN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529

“It is in our economic interest to invest in our minority class.” — Pittsburgh City Councilor Daniel Lavelle on keeping African Americans living in the city

[NEWS]

a gross disparity in enforcement 16 “There’s when it comes to possession of marijuana.” — Activist Brandi Fisher on the city’s proposal to decriminalize marijuana possession

YO UR CR AF T BE ER

Great Lake Commodore Perry

{MARKETING+PROMOTIONS}

[TASTE]

GE T TO KN OW

Marketing Director DEANNA KONESNI Marketing Design Coordinator LINDSEY THOMPSON Marketing & Sales Assistant MARIA SNYDER Radio Promotions Director VICKI CAPOCCIONI-WOLFE Radio Promotions Assistants ANDREW BILINSKY, NOAH FLEMING

“The still-small menu is big on contemporized comfort food.” — Bill O’Driscoll on Troy Hill’s newest eatery, Scratch Food & Beverage

[MUSIC]

Beagle Brothers’ bass player 24 —KyleTheKline on what to give the band “A can of beer. Or a keg of beer!”

Business Manager LAURA ANTONIO Circulation Director JIM LAVRINC Office Administrator RODNEY REGAN Technical Director PAUL CARROLL Interactive Media Manager CARLO LEO

[SCREEN]

to the film’s intimacy 33 contribute and immediacy.” — Al Hoff on

“Long takes with handheld cameras

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STEEL CITY MEDIA

[ARTS]

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2015 by Steel City Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Steel City Media. LETTER POLICY: Letters, faxes or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Steel City Media and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper. FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $175 per year, $95 per half year. No refunds.

doesn’t look like a project 35 “This to build; it looks like a project for Bjarke Ingels Group’s next published folio on master-planning.” — Charles Rosenblum on BIG Architects’ Lower Hill redevelopment plan

[LAST PAGE]

“I began to realize how important water is, how necessary it is for green space.” — Larimer resident Mary Turner on the neighborhood’s “Living Waters” project

{REGULAR & SPECIAL FEATURES} CHEAP SEATS BY MIKE WYSOCKI 18 EVENTS LISTINGS 40 SAVAGE LOVE BY DAN SAVAGE 49 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY 50 CROSSWORD BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY 52 N E W S

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THIS WEEK

“UNFORTUNATELY IN PITTSBURGH, WE HAVE A TALE OF TWO CITIES.”

ONLINE

www.pghcitypaper.com

This week Pittsburgh City Council heard testimony on proposed food-truck changes; next week it holds a public hearing on marijuana decriminalization. Keep up with city government on our council blog. www.pghcitypaper.com

Drivers and cyclists marked the beginning of Chanukah in Pittsburgh’s annual Menorah Parade through Squirrel Hill and Oakland. See our photo slideshow at www.pghcitypaper.com.

{PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}

Local ﬁlmmaker Chris Ivey stands at the entrance to East Liberty, now marked by new development.

This week: #CPWeekend celebrates its one-year anniversary! We talk John Waters and the marking of Bellevue’s first drink.

MAJOR DISPARITY

The podcast goes live every Thursday at www.pghcitypaper.com.

CITY PAPER

INTERACTIVE

Instagrammer @capturedid caught this reflection in a Downtown Pittsburgh rain puddle. Tag your Instagram photos as #CPReaderArt, and we just may re-gram you. Download our free app for a chance to win a Family Level Membership to the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. Contest ends Dec. 31.

T USED TO BE that community activists, politicians and developers would fight over allowing the gentrification of city neighborhoods. If you eliminated affordable housing and replaced it with housing that was not as affordable, most people agreed it was at least the start of gentrification. These days, the battle is apparently a little more nuanced. On Nov. 5, for example, Mayor Bill Peduto tweeted: “So far Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood has avoided gentrification while reducing crime & improving investment,” with an accompanying study by local analytics firm Numeritics. The study claims gentrification is “obviously not the case in East Liberty” because all new market-rate development happened on vacant land, and because neighborhood demographics from 2010 to 2013 remained the same. However, Pittsburgh filmmaker Chris

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

Ivey feels differently. “The [report authors] certainly knew the story they wanted to tell and chose to ‘back up’ that story with the facts that happen to support it,” wrote Ivey, who documented the demolition of an East Liberty housing project in 2006, in an email to City Paper.

Pittsburgh is poised for growth for the first time in 60 years. Will the city’s African-American community grow with it? {BY RYAN DETO} Ivey notes there has been a demographic shift in East Liberty since 2000, with the numbers of blacks declining three times as fast as whites, according to U.S. Census data. Census data also indicate that the northern tract of East Liberty lost hundreds

of African-American residents since 2000, and that the median black income there went up 14 percent as a result — or, as Ivey puts it “poor blacks moved out.” Another statistic foregone by the study was homeownership. According to statistics compiled by Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG), from 2011 to 2014, East Liberty saw 55 homes purchased by whites, while only three homes were bought by blacks. So while some may argue whether what’s gone on in East Liberty and other city communities is gentrification, one fact is uncontroverted: African Americans are leaving some of their long-time Pittsburgh neighborhoods in droves because they can no longer afford to live there, and that urban flight could get worse before it gets better. With thousands of residential units slated for development, the city is seemingly poised for growth for the first time more CONTINUES ON PG. 08

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than 50 years. But will Pittsburgh’s black population grow with it? Historically, many African Americans came to Pittsburgh in the years between World War I and World War II. During this era of black migration, African Americans settled in the city neighborhoods of South Side, Garfield, East Liberty and Homewood, with the Hill District becoming the preeminent black neighborhood. Then came Pittsburgh’s urban renewal of the 1960s, when much of the Lower Hill was razed for the Civic Arena, and Penn Circle rushed drivers around East Liberty. Citywide, more than 5,400 families were displaced, according to the 2010 book Race and Renaissance: African Americans in Pittsburgh since World War II, by historians Joe Trotter and Jared Day. Even through these hardships, Pittsburgh’s black population reached an alltime high of around 105,000 residents in 1970. Some of the city’s long-standing black neighborhoods remained — like the Hill District and East Liberty — but new enclaves emerged as well, many closer to the edges of the city, like Northview Heights and Lincoln–Lemington. The trend of African Americans moving farther out of central neighborhoods continued through the new millennium. By 2010, large black populations emerged in historically mostly-white suburbs such as McKees Rocks, Swissvale, McKeesport and the eastern portion of Penn Hills. In fact, according to U.S. Census figures, 2010 was the first time in 100 years that the percentage of the city’s black population declined.

The stakes Pittsburgh City Councilor Daniel Lavelle, of the Hill District, believes that the city has a

crisis when it comes to attracting people of modest income and people of color. “It is extremely hard to attract those new black and brown individuals when we have done such a horrible job of taking care of those who already live here,” says Lavelle. He says that intentionally investing in African Americans in Pittsburgh brings economic beneﬁt. Lavelle says that AfricanAmerican women are the fastest growing entrepreneurial demographic in the country, but in the Pittsburgh area they have one of the lowest average incomes of any region in the nation. “If we are not investing in those people, then we are not investing in the long-term future of our city,” says Lavelle. Carl Redwood, of the Hills District Consensus Group, also believes that the city is not addressing the issues affecting the region’s African-American community with enough intention. “Some call Pittsburgh the most livable city in the United States, but it is also the place where black people rank second from the bottom for economic opportunity,” wrote Redwood in a letter to CP. Redwood says that city policies over the decades have forced the migration of black residents out of Pittsburgh. Redwood says there have been years of missed opportunities to provide affordable housing that might have kept more black residents in the city. He says that zoning changes would go through the city, and ofﬁcials would not “even consider the stated goal of developing affordable housing.” Ivey, who has worked in Philadelphia

and Baltimore, says the black community is less combative here, but that it might have to get louder so the region addresses the problems plaguing African Americans. He says the community can’t rise up only over big issues like the recent evictions at East Liberty’s Penn Plaza apartment complex. “We get complacent and we get quiet, and we only get loud when it’s really knocking on our door,” says Ivey. “You can only be nice for so long, but at the end of the day, when lives are at stake, then you have to be honest.” Ivey says the reserved nature of Pittsburgh’s black community also hampers the growth of the African-American population. “A lot of black people move here, and then a lot of them quickly go because they don’t see too much going on in the black community.” And Lavelle notes that fostering a diverse city is paramount to attracting all of the young talent Pittsburgh is trying to recruit. He says cities like Los Angeles and Miami have ﬂourished in large part thanks to their incredible diversity. “Our country is moving towards a demographic that will be dominated by people of black and brown skin,” says Lavelle. “When you look at any city across this country that is thriving, they have been able to do so because they have accommodated that growing demographic.” But Lavelle believes that before moving forward, the city must ofﬁcially acknowledge the damage done over the years by policies that have driven African Americans out of the city. “We now need to formally right

“IT IS IN OUR ECONOMIC INTEREST TO INVEST IN OUR MINORITY CLASS.”

that wrong,” says Lavelle. “And understand that righting that wrong is in our economic interest. It is in our economic interest to invest in our minority class and to bring as many African Americans back into the city as possible. It is in our economic interest to rebuild our low-income communities, because with that comes our future economy.”

Downfalls of suburban migration For decades, low-income African Americans throughout the nation have been moving to the suburbs out of necessity, not desire. Pittsburgh is no different. From 2000 to 2010, Penn Hills, a large suburb east of the city, gained more than 4,000 black residents while Pittsburgh lost more than 13,000. According to stats from PCRG, since 2011, Penn Hills has seen more than 380 homes bought by African Americans, which is more than triple the number purchased by blacks in all majority-black Pittsburgh neighborhoods combined during the same period. According to census ﬁgures, Penn Hills’ black population was around 11 percent in 1980; estimates today put that number near 35 percent. Joyce Davis, of the Penn Hills NAACP, works with many black families who move to Penn Hills, particularly poor families that come from East Liberty and other city neighborhoods. She says many move to Penn Hills, because it’s easier for them to ﬁnd a home or rental within their price range, and that it’s usually not an “intentional decision.” Intentional or not, Penn Hills currently has more than 14,000 black residents, the second highest total after Pittsburgh in CONTINUES ON PG. 10

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Allegheny County. But Davis says many are struggling through the municipality’s inadequate public transportation. “We are close enough [to Pittsburgh] that people will move here without transportation, and not realize the impact,” says Davis. She says the dearth of bus service worsens residents’ access to jobs and amenities like grocery stores. Davis says a typical sight in Penn Hills is residents walking with grocery bags in tow, on hilly, sidewalk-less streets, like Hulton and Verona roads. Charlotte Foster lives in the Mt. Carmel Road area of Penn Hills. Last year, she had trouble hiring a caretaker for her ailing father because there was no way for caretakers to reach her home without a car. In her neighborhood, bus service operates only on a limited commuter schedule (out in the morning, and back into the community in evening) and doesn’t run on weekends. “There are probably many wonderful caregivers that my dad will never meet because of the bus,” says Foster. (Davis, Foster and other Penn Hills residents are currently involved in an advocacy campaign to have the Port Authority increase service into the municipality. Service changes will be considered by Port Authority over the next year, and spokesman Jim Ritchie

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In November, Penn Hills residents called for increased bus service at a Downtown rally.

told CP in November that Port Authority will have a tough decision considering the volume of similar requests.) In addition to problems like Foster’s, poor public transportation also increases living costs for residents. According to research from the Center for Neighborhood Technology, an urban think tank, Penn Hills residents spend around 24 percent of their income on transportation. In neighborhoods like East Liberty, Garﬁeld and the Hill District, that number is around 17 percent. Penn Hills planning director Chris Blackwell agrees that transportation is the biggest obstacle for low-income residents of Penn Hills. “The existing services we have in Penn Hills are sufﬁcient for growth, but not the services we don’t control, like transportation,” says Blackwell. “We don’t have the resources to [fund transportation] ourselves.” Blackwell is optimistic about Penn Hills’ future, though. He says the area is relatively safe and is working to attract investment. “Pittsburgh is growing and eventually we will grow here too,” he says. And while Penn Hills’ population appears to be leveling off like Pittsburgh’s, a noticeable difference between the two remains: According to 2014 estimates, Penn Hills added 1,000 black residents since 2010, while Pittsburgh lost 4,000. When discussing African Americans in Pittsburgh, one cannot ignore issues relating to low income and poverty. Estimates from 2014 surveys show that African Americans in Allegheny County make an average of $ 19,000, while whites make on average more than $35,000. The Pittsburgh

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

metro area’s black poverty rate was around 32 percent in 2012, higher than national averages and on par with the struggling cities of Detroit and Cleveland.

A tale of two Pittsburghs Becky Cowan and her husband, Rander Thompson, opened up Steel City Rib House in East Liberty in 2006. Cowan says that at first, they had received strong support from many organizations in the community, including the East Liberty Chamber of Commerce, and were told they were “a marker of the revitalization of the community.” Cowan says they were consistent with rent for the most part, but failed to pay rent one month. After they fell behind, she says, they paid what they could manage each month, but the owner announced they would be kicked out in 2009. Cowan says she looked everywhere for help to stay open, but was told there were not many resources, and did not stay open through 2009. In 2012, Union Pig and Chicken opened in the same location. Ivey says this is ironic because Union is also a barbecue restaurant, and because the owner, acclaimed chef Kevin Sousa, has also had financial struggles at the restaurant. However, Sousa has received about $ 900,000 in loans and donations over the years to finance his restaurants from public and private entities like Heinz Endowments and East Liberty Development Inc., according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cowan says that she received around $ 75,000 in

start-up loans from nonprofits like ELDI and Bridgeway Capital. “It is crazy, because when people before wanted to do the exact same thing, they did not get that kind of help,” says Ivey. “And now mom-and-pops can’t afford to set up shop [in East Liberty].” Kendall Pelling, of ELDI, says it’s “preposterous” to say that the new developments and the growing popularity of East Liberty has driven out mom-and-pops. He notes that are many other small, locally owned businesses in the neighborhood. However, Pelling says there could be a better philanthropic effort to help existing small businesses stay, and provide those businesses with not only capital, but connections. “It would be great if there was an entrepreneurial program that does other things too, not just write a check,” says Pelling. “Like connect them with partners that already know how to succeed in their type of work.” Cowan, who is originally from Southern California, says that it can be tough for African Americans in this city and that without good connections, starting a business is difficult. “This city is black and white,” says Cowan. “It is tougher for African Americans, but if you do the right things and find [good connections], you can make it.” Ivey says stories like Steel City Rib House’s signifies a dichotomy in Pittsburgh, where some are enjoying growth and others are still struggling. City Councilor Daniel Lavelle recognizes this, too. “Unfortunately in Pittsburgh, we have a tale of two cities,” says Lavelle. “One that is considered most livable and one that has one of the most impoverished AfricanAmerican communities in the entire country.” Ivey says this division has created urgency among some in East Liberty to rush to find subsidized housing before rents get too high. Currently, East Liberty has more than 860 subsidized units, but the wait lists are two to five years long. ELDI recognizes demand for affordable housing will increase when more than 300 units at Penn Plaza are demolished over the next two years. Pelling says 150 to 200 affordable units are in East Liberty’s pipeline, but he wishes there were more, and not just in East Liberty. “If we could add another 250 to 300 affordable units in East Liberty, that would be great,” says Pelling, “but the whole city needs thousands.”

“A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE MOVE HERE, AND THEN A LOT OF THEM QUICKLY GO.”

CONTINUES ON PG. 12

presents

PET of the

WEEK

The Mod Collector

Photo Credit: Animal Friends

Spinner and Poseidon onn Spinner and Poseidon came in together and are looking for a forever home they can share. When they are together, they are a confident pair that feeds off each other, making for an entertaining scene! At our public bun runs, Spinner is known to run around making friends with other bunnies. Poseidon is a mellow guy. If you are looking for two buddies to complete your home, talk to an Adoption Counselor today!

December 10

Join us at TechShop Pittsburgh to learn about CMOA's current slate of modernism exhibitions and receive a limited edition design object, courtesy of TechShop Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

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Bringing African Americans back

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

Pittsburgh needs 21,580 permanently affordable housing units, to be exact, according to a study by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania. According to a amendment to the city’s zoning code proposed by city councilors Lavelle and Ricky Burgess, “an estimated 8,000-12,000 new housing units are proposed to be built in the city of Pittsburgh, none of which will be affordable for low-income families.” Redwood says that the city’s past failures in requiring developers to produce housing at rates corresponding to average African-American income, effectively excludes black families from living in places like the Lower Hill. Kyle Chintalapalli, housing manager for the mayor’s office, was unable to comment on the city’s affordable-housing plans by press time. And while some affordable-housing successes have occurred in a few neighborhoods, Lavelle says city-wide legislation is still needed. The city’s Affordable Housing Task Force, which formed this past summer, should have its recommendation

for city council by the summer of 2016, according to Lavelle. “What we need is funding that is tied to the entire city, so housing can be placed all throughout our city,” says Lavelle. And the city still has many neighborhoods with weak market forces, so ofﬁcials can get out in front of the problem. Uptown, for example, has low density, great transit and close proximity to major job centers. Jeanne McNutt, of Uptown Partners, says Uptown is in a unique situation because most of the land is vacant and they “don’t have buildings that will come down and displace people.” The area has already attracted investors, including those interested in the nearby former Civic Arena site, and has around 345 subsidized units and new market-rate lofts opening in 2016. Justin Miller, head city planner for Uptown, says the city is doing extensive data collection on the neighborhood and equitable development is at the top of the list of priorities. And equity is a top priority for McNutt, too, who says, “We want Uptown to be the neighborhood that young people can afford … young people of all colors.” RYA N D E TO@ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

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Thursday, December 17 The Cantina opens at 5:30 p.m. Concert at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 11 at 8 P.M. Saturday, Dec. 12 at 2:30 & 8 P.M. Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2:30 P.M. Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2:30 & 8 P.M. Sunday, Dec. 20 at 2:30 P.M.

i>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;} Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;i Â&#x2C6;VÂ&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;V Â&#x201C;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;V LĂ&#x17E; Â&#x153;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2DC; 7Â&#x2C6;Â?Â?Â&#x2C6;>Â&#x201C;Ă&#x192; vĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C; Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;i wĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152; Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă? Star Wars wÂ?Â&#x201C;Ă&#x192;] including fan favorites The Imperial March, Across the Stars, The Main Title and many more! Presented without intermission, this concert will end in ÂŤÂ?iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E; Â&#x153;v Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;i vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC; > Â&#x201C;Â&#x2C6;`Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;Ă&#x152; Ă&#x192;Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;} Â&#x153;v Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;i Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x153; wÂ?Â&#x201C;Â° Starting at 5:30, enjoy a drink while listening to Star Wars music played live by a 14 piece trombone choir in Heinz Hallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grand Lobby.

DANIEL MEYER, CONDUCTOR

CHRIS JAMISON

*Â?i>Ă&#x192;i Â&#x2DC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;i Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;>Ă&#x152; wÂ?Â&#x201C; VÂ?Â&#x2C6;ÂŤĂ&#x192; >Ă&#x20AC;i Â&#x2DC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152; Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;VÂ?Ă&#x2022;`i` >Ă&#x192; ÂŤ>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152; Â&#x153;v Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192; VÂ&#x153;Â&#x2DC;ViĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;] LĂ&#x2022;Ă&#x152; VÂ&#x153;Ă&#x192;ÂŤÂ?>Ă&#x17E; and a visit to our photo booth pre-concert are strongly encouraged!

Featuring The Voiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chris Jamison, the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Three Rivers Ringers and Attack Theatre

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ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW! *GKP\ *CNN $QZ 1HĆ&#x201A;EG | 412.392.4900 | pittsburghsymphony.org

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WHACKING WEED Marijuana decriminalization would free up law enforcement resources {BY REBECCA NUTTALL} MOST PEOPLE CAN come up with a slew of reasons to decriminalize or even legalize marijuana: It has proven medicinal benefits; it consistently accounts for fewer deaths annually than alcohol consumption; and many believe minorities are disproportionately persecuted for its possession. But another case for decriminalizing marijuana is that it can reduce the strain on city resources by freeing up law-enforcement officials to focus on violent crimes, and also free up court resources by reducing the number of individuals circulating through the criminal justice system. “From a fiscally responsible government perspective,” says Pittsburgh City Councilor Daniel Lavelle, “when police have to go about dealing with small amounts of marijuana and these charges end up having to go through the court system, it ultimately is a huge burden and fiscal waste of government resources.” And that’s one of the reasons why last month Lavelle proposed legislation to decriminalize marijuana. Under the ordinance, possession would be punishable by a civil fine of up to $ 100 for less than 30 grams of marijuana or 8 grams of hashish, which has a higher concentration of THC. “It’s giving the police the option,” says Lavelle. “As opposed to having to place criminal charges on [offenders], they can provide a fine similar to a parking ticket.” Lavelle was inspired to take a look at decriminalization when he was approached by the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation and the Alliance for Police Accountability, which had both been working on the issue. “The reason we thought decriminalizing is a good thing is there’s a gross

disparity in enforcement when it comes to possession of marijuana,” says Brandi Fisher, APA president. “African-American males are arrested six to seven times more in the city of Pittsburgh than white people. We know the usage isn’t six to seven times more. So that is one of the reasons we’ve pushed to decriminalize marijuana.” Supporters of the ordinance say it will reduce the number of youths funneled into the criminal-justice system. Many individuals with a marijuana-possession charge on their records are barred from economic opportunity. “From a social perspective it will really help a lot of young men and women’s lives from being destroyed or caught in sort of the hamster wheel of prosecution through governmental means,” says Lavelle. “By having to deal with the court system, having this put on their record, potentially losing vouchers for housing opportunities, job opportunities, they sort of get caught in that system and have a damag[ing] criminal record.”

An estimated 1,000 individuals annually are charged with minor marijuana possession. But Lavelle’s office says that most charges are reduced and end up resulting in a fine anyway. This ordinance would essentially cut out the middle man by directing police officers to issue a fine from the beginning. “Within our community of Garfield mainly, we’ve witnessed over the years that some of our African-American males as young people made a mistake,” says Aggie Brose, deputy director of the BGC. “They smoked a joint, got arrested, got a record, got fingerprinted, only to find out that as they moved through the system and got to the courts, it was reduced to a summary and they were fined. But it didn’t take the record off. “I just don’t want that to happen to another generation.” The legislation would also steer police away from making marijuana possession a priority. It directs police not to use “the mere odor of marijuana to unreasonably detain an individual or seek entry to a pri-

“IT WILL REALLY HELP A LOT OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN’S LIVES FROM BEING DESTROYED.”

vate residence,” and to enact policies consistent with this mission within 60 days. “Targeting marijuana possession is unnecessary manpower being used,” says Fisher. “It’s affecting people’s lives in a real, negative way. And it’s costing us a lot of money for something so small.” At the national level, economists say legalizing marijuana would save an estimate $ 8 billion per year in law-enforcement expenditures. So far, the legislation has received support from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office. In a letter to Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said: “If the Mayor and City Council, after discussion with the residents of our city through public hearings would adopt the type of legislation used in Philadelphia, my office would work with you to try to accomplish what the Mayor and City Council would like to see done.” Based on the outcomes of similar measures that have been passed in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, the ordinance could have a positive impact on the city as a whole. Zappala’s letter describes how Philadelphia law enforcement has benefitted from a marijuana-decriminalization ordinance. “Addressing ‘small amounts’ as a civil matter with fines in Philadelphia has reduced the 4,000 arrests annually for this offense by 73 percent, thus diverting limited assets to addressing other types of crimes,” Zappala says. Lavelle says his legislation has also received support from the majority of members on council. “I am generally supportive of efforts for decriminalization,” says District 8 Councilor Daniel Gilman. “All we have done is put an incredible number of teenagers in the criminal-justice system for possession of small amounts of marijuana.” A public hearing on the legislation will be held Dec. 15. RN U T TA L L @ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

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3. Billy Conn

{BY MIKE WYSOCKI}

WE NEED MORE boxing events ents in Pittsburgh. Sure, it’s an archaic rchaic practice akin to bygone pursuits like dueling, but it is fun to watch. It’s no surprise that hat our area has produced an immpressive array of pugilists in the “sweet science.” It’s the he one science that nobody protests. The big name nowadays days is Sammy Vasquez Jr., a 20-0 welterweight from Monessen who looks destined to get a world-title shot. But there have been a lot of greats before him. So this week we are going to look at the top ﬁve boxers from Pittsburgh in the past 100 years.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

I think he was torn between hoagie and grinder as a nickname and chose wisely. Canonsburg gave us Perry Como, Bobby Vinton and arguments over chairs on the street during the annual July 4th parade. It also contributed an incredible heavyweight boxer who ﬁnished his career at 51-16, with 20 knockouts. The Grinder was knocked out once in his carrer — by Archie Moore, in 1954. Considering that Moore, the “Old Mongoose” (boxing nicknames are so gloriously weird), earned 131 of his 185 wins by knockout, Baker has no reason to feel shame. Baker never got his chance to box the great Rocky Marciano. If he had, white people might never have had Marciano to talk endlessly about. Baker was so Pittsburgh that in the 1980s, he worked for PennDOT in Penn Hills. He reportedly never spoke of his fame or his many accomplishments.

The original origi Pittsburgh Kid was the Rocky Rock Balboa of his day. He took Joe Louis, the heavyweight champion of the wei world and one of the wo greatest fighters in history, gre to tthe brink of defeat only to ccome up a bit short. His fights with Louis drew more Americans to boxing than any America others. Conn was w 64-12 and those wins came in 15-round fights against the best opponents of the day. At the age of 75 — almost 50 years after fighting Louis — he beat up a robber at a local convenience store.

2. Paul Spadafora Even with a jurisprudence report as long as his list of accomplishments, you can’t deny that the other Pittsburgh Kid was a great ﬁghter. At 48-1, he has the rightful claim to the title of the toughest guy in McKees Rocks, including dudes from the Bottoms. He has been shot and has shot at people. Spaddy was a boxing machine, even out-sparring Floyd Mayweather in a once-viral video. All his troubles have severely hampered his career, and he hasn’t been in a ring since November 2014.

“MOORER HAD NUMEROUS ENCOUNTERS 1. Harry Greb OUTSIDE THE The best of all time is the Pittsburgh badass RING, INCLUDING biggest you’ve probably never A FIGHT AT AN heard of. Greb, known as Pittsburgh Windmill ELKS CLUB.” the and the Smoke City Wild-

4. Michael Moorer The Monessen Mauler is one of only four boxers in history to win world titles in both the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. His defeat of Evander Holyfield in 1994 made him the first left-handed heavyweight champ. His reign lasted only nine months; he lost his title to 87-year-old George Foreman. The loss was the first of his pro career. He wasn’t a bad bar fighter either: His numerous encounters outside the ring included a fight at an Elks club. You can’t take the Pittsburgh out of this guy, but a stellar 52-4-1 record will one day get him a spot in the Boxing Hall of Fame.

cat, lived only 32 years but won 261 fights between 1913 and 1926. The International Boxing Research Organization ranked him the second greatest pound-for-pound boxer in the long history of the sport. Only the great Sugar Ray Robinson was better. Greb delivered punches with unrestrained fury. He even continued to fight after being blinded in one eye. Greb was the only boxer in history to best the legendary Gene Tunney. He was such a tough guy he once fought 45 times in one year. Nobody can top that. If you live in Pittsburgh, chances are you will eventually have to fight someone for some reason or another. It might be over a parking spot, or in a bar fight because some yahoo thinks he’s better than you. If this happens, don’t be scared. Just remember this city’s proud boxing tradition and give them a taste of the windmill.

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THE FLATBREAD LIST FEATURED VARIATIONS, FROM SPAIN, TUSCANY, MOROCCO, KOREA AND BEYOND

NEIGHBORS {BY BILL O’DRISCOLL}

Too often, when new Pittsburgh meets old Pittsburgh, the former displaces the latter. Don Mahaney says it needn’t be so. In November, Mahaney’s restaurant, Scratch Food & Beverage, opened in the building that Troy Hill knew for three decades as neighborhood spot Billy’s. Troy Hill has lots of younger newcomers; Mahaney, a Pittsburgh native who had left for college, himself arrived in 2009. But the former Six Penn general manager also has family roots there, and he wants to retain Billy’s regulars while updating the menu and décor for a fresh crowd. Mahaney’s desire to serve food that’s seasonal and locally sourced might suggest priciness. But he says his carefully budgeted makeover of the roomy space — “We did a lot of the work ourselves” — kept debt service low enough that, for instance, Scratch’s cheeseburger and fries costs about the same as Billy’s did. The still-small menu, moreover, is big on contemporized comfort food like chef Chris Biondo’s reuben, succulent with smoked beef tongue, pickled beet kraut, aioli and bone-marrow-infused butter. And Scratch’s separate dining room — with its tabletop terrariums — and bar serve craft brews alongside PBR. Scratch’s staff even includes two long-time Billy’s employees. Scratch just added Sunday brunch. Karaoke and trivia nights are planned. As Mahaney says, “It’s going to take us quite some time before we can say who we are with any confidence.” DRISCOLL@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

1720 Lowrie St. 412-251-0822 or www.facebook.com/scratchpgh/

the

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comforting mug of hot cocoa, and here’s some easy ways to make it look fancy for the holidays: Top with whipped cream (always). Pop a candy cane in as a stirrer. Grate chocolate on top. Add a dash of cinnamon. Crush candy cane or starlight mints, and sprinkle on top.

FOOD WITH

PERSONALITY

{PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}

Spicy wings and wafﬂe with Korean chili sauce and pickled watermelon

{BY ANGELIQUE BAMBERG + JASON ROTH}

S RESTAURANTS in Pittsburgh have gotten more sophisticated, so has ...the business of branding. Once the bloodless domain of themed chains out by the mall, the idea of a commercial “concept” that encompasses not only the menu but the tableware and even the attire of the serving staff has become increasingly prevalent among trendy in-town spots. The result has been to subdue the personalities and passions of local restaurateurs behind identities so formulaic, we can almost predict menu and decor from the name and typeface on the sign. But not always. Chaz & Odette, the latest venture in the old house on Baum Boulevard that was once Baum Vivant (and, more recently, Toast!), is idiosyncratic, even enigmatic. The paired names captured our imaginations: We pictured a French couple, adventurously devouring Paris in the 1950s. Or, perhaps, their dogs, which would, of

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

course, be a bulldog and a poodle. In fact, Chaz and Odette are the names of the restaurant’s co-owners, Charles “Chaz” Smith and Odette Smith-Ransome, and there was not a cartoon dog mascot in sight. Both Chaz and Odette are industry veterans,

CHAZ & ODETTE

5102 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield. 412-683-8300 HOURS: Mon. lunch only 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Tue.Thu. lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., dinner 6-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., dinner 6 p.m.-midnight PRICES: Starters $8-9; flatbreads and entrees $14-29 LIQUOR: Full bar

CP APPROVED the former as a private chef and caterer, the latter as a teacher of culinary arts. Longtime colleagues, neither has owned a restaurant before, but together, they decided to take

the plunge. The space — long and narrow downstairs, three intimate rooms upstairs — is bright and warm. It is accented with many black-and-white photos of landmarks, from here and abroad, above a long banquette, as well as drawings of African villages and distinctive window treatments. As with the name, the connecting thread is the owners themselves: Our server volunteered that Chaz is an artist, who created the drawings, while Odette did all the textile work, including the upholstery on the banquette and even the kerchiefs that the servers tuck in their pockets. So if the name and decor are straightforward expressions of the owners, how about the food? All we can say is that if Chaz and Odette are as fascinating and well traveled as their menu implies, we’d love to hang out some time. Offerings were current but not clichéd, with inspiration — like the art on

the walls — from around the world. European smoked-whitefish crostini, Caribbean jerk pork with yam coulis, Mumbai curriedchicken flatbread and all-American chicken and waffles — make that cayenne waffles, with sriracha-spiked maple syrup — all somehow blended together into a coherent vision of pan-global temptation. Perhaps nothing exemplified this spirit better than the flatbread list, featuring seven different variations, from Spain, Tuscany, Morocco, Korea and beyond. The toppings all looked amazing, but the transcendent element was the sourdough crust, from a recipe by sous chef Jeremy Zimmer and descended from a sourdough starter named “George.” It won a crust cook-off among the restaurant’s staff and makes Chaz & Odette’s flatbreads as good as, if not better than any on offer in Pittsburgh. The unusual four-cheese combination of aged cheddar, feta, parmesan and smoked gouda worked, covering the various bases of sharp, salty, nutty and tangy flavors, accentuated by a head of roasted garlic in its skin. A similar cheese combination, minus the smoked gouda, contributed to the success of mac-and-cheese with smoked beef brisket, scallion and panko. Anyone who thinks they have tired of the mac-andcheese revival need only try this luscious, deeply satisfying dish to be reminded of its potential. House-cured sausage made a major, meaty impact on shrimp and grits, while firm, plump shrimp paired well with sweet, smoky roasted peppers. Sharp aged cheddar gave depth to the smooth, creamy grits, and a puréed tomato sauce helped tie the elements together. Charred Brussels sprouts with honey, shallots, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar and shaved Parmesan was well executed but too sweet for our tastes. But garlic-lamb meatballs with yogurt, spinach, farro and walnuts were perfection: finely ground, full of distinctive lamb flavor but completely absent any gaminess. Unusually for a Pittsburgh restaurant, Chaz & Odette doesn’t offer a steak entree; the only entree featuring meat as its main component was the Berkshire tomahawk pork chop, a thick, magnificent cut served on a board with small cups of roasted-garlic dijon cream and apple-raisin chutney. Both condiments were excellent, but the chop needed no assistance. The Berkshire is a heritage breed, and the meat was wonderfully porky, juicy and tender with suitably charred edges. The food at Chaz & Odette was topnotch, but we also enjoyed the pervasive sense of personality that flavored our entire experience.

On the RoCKs

{BY DREW CRANISKY}

A COCKTAIL THAT “TASTES LIKE CHRISTMAS” A Tom & Jerry does eggnog one better

Hora Feliz

Eggnog always seems like a good idea. Every year I make a big batch, and every year I want exactly one glass of it. For a slightly lighter and far more warming alternative, I turn to the Tom & Jerry. I was introduced to the Tom & Jerry by William Lardinois, who currently mans the bar at Maggie’s Farm distillery. A native of North Dakota, Lardinois remembers the drink appearing at nearly every family gathering. “When I was younger, my grandmother would make them for me using only hot water and skipping the alcohol, but my first ‘real’ Tom & Jerry was almost a comingof-age moment,” he explains. “To me, it simply tastes like Christmas.”

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“MY FIRST ‘REAL’ TOM & JERRY WAS ALMOST A COMING-OF-AGE MOMENT.” A common but questionable story traces the drink’s origins to 1821, when it was used to promote a book about two chaps whose names you can probably guess. The concept is simple: an eggnog-like batter, hot water, winter spices and booze combine to make a festive dessert cocktail. Though the batter can still be found at some Midwestern bakeries, it’s easy to make your own. For Lardinois’ recipe, separate six eggs, then beat the whites to a soft peak. Combine the yolks with a pound of powdered sugar and a half-pound of softened butter. Fold in the whites and add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla extract to taste. From there, the batter can be used immediately or frozen and stored for a few weeks. An optional half-teaspoon of cream of tartar will keep the sugar from settling out of the mix. To make a Tom & Jerry, combine two ounces each of the batter, hot water and liquor in a mug. Lardinois suggests a combination of brandy and rum, and favors Maggie’s Farm spiced rum for its orange zestiness. Top with a little grated cinnamon and nutmeg, and you have a warm, indulgent drink strong enough to brave the bitterest Midwest (or Pittsburgh) winter. INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

INFO@ PGHC ITY PAP ER.CO M

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(Happy Hour) every Monday thru Friday from 5-7 PM.

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BENJAMIN’S

THE FOLLOWING DINING LISTINGS ARE RESTAURANTS RECOMMENDED BY CITY PAPER FOOD CRITICS

WESTERN AVENUE BURGER BAR

bar • billiards • burgers

DINING LISTINGS KEY

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BEECHVIEW Craft Bottle, Domestic Beer & Wine Available! 2128 BROADWAY AVENUE Phone: 412-531-1068

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CARNEGIE

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

BLUE. Duncan Manor Plaza, McCandless. 412-369-9050. Blue may be located in a strip mall, but it makes up points with an urbane, lively, clublike interior and a sophisticated, contemporary menu that runs the gamut from the de rigueur (chicken satay) to the refreshing (gorgonzola hummus). And that’s just the appetizers. LE BRGR. 5997 Centre Ave., East Liberty (412-362-2333) and 20111 Rt. 19, Cranberry Township (724-742-2333). This casual restaurant celebrates — and in many cases, imaginatively re-creates — America’s signature contribution to global cuisine. BRGR keeps its patties to a reasonable size, which allows for a variety of gourmet toppings — plus room for excellent fried sides (French fries, onion rings, pickles), or milkshakes (traditional or spiked). JE

La Palapa {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL} coffee beans. Also, the Grille employs its own butcher (for cutting and dry-aging), and desserts are made on site. LE CARMI’S. 917 Western Ave., North Side. 412-231-0100. A soul-food restaurant offers traditional home-style Southern cooking on the North Side. On offer: waffles and fried chicken; hearty chicken-anddumpling soup; greens, studded with smoked meat; mashed potatoes; spare ribs; and a stand-out Cajun shrimp paired with creamy grits. KF

TACDOAY!

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1000 Sutherland Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15205 412-787-8888 www.plazaazteca.com

BZ BAR AND GRILL. 140 Federal St., North Side. 412-323-2924. This sports bar offers thoughtfully conceived a nd better-than-average fare. Lively sandwiches include brisket sliders and a Cuban, with pickled red onions. Or try the pearand-bleu-cheese pizza, or the “turducken burger”: a turkey burger with duck confit, sage aioli, fried egg and arugula. KE THE CAPITAL GRILLE. 301 Fifth Ave., Downtown. 412-338-9100. This dark, clubby restaurant excels at VIP service, and offers a menu highlighted by steaks, chops and seafood, with sophisticated but straightforward preparations such as crab cakes with added lobster, or steak encrusted in Kona

with red-sauce pasta, chops and an unusual predilection for Mornay sauce. But that’s not to say that dinner here is rote. From the fritto baguette to the rarebit-ish Chicken Wisconsin, the classics prove quite surprising. JE CURRY ON MURRAY. 2121 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-422-3120. The menu here is fairly standard Thai, featuring your favorites but also offering few surprises. So alongside satay, larb salad, pad Thai and the popular street-food noodle dish, pad see ew, look for moo dad deaw, a fried pork appetizer or a pumpkin-tofu curry. KF DELUCA’S. 2015 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-566-2195. DeLuca’s doesn’t have the White House cachet of Pamela’s, but the portions are large and the quarters are close. On weekends, it’s one of Pittsburgh’s great gathering places. Try the “Super Bowl” omelet. J

BRILLOBOX. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. 412-621-4900. A bar that serves well-designed retro chic with its whiskey and beer, Brillobox is (for now) the cool place to be. The menu isn’t lengthy, but it’s broad: Choose from bar staples or more inventive (and veggiefriendly) specialties such as Moroccan roasted-vegetable stew or herbed polenta wedges. JE

Asian American Cuisine

Over 200 Specialty Items:

AMEL’S. 435 McNeilly Road, Baldwin. 412-563-3466. This South Hills institution serves up a broad selection of Mediterranean favorites, from kabobs and pilafs to lemony salads, as well as staples of the American and Italian comfort cuisine. Amel’s atmosphere is lively with seating in the restaurant’s amusing and lavishly decorated warrens. KE

Lula {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL} CENTRAL DINER. 6408 Steubenville Pike, Robinson. 412-275-3243. This spot offers a winning hybrid of American diner fare and Greek specialties. Breakfast and lunch favorites (giant pancakes, omelets, pork souvlaki, spanakopita) give way to entrées such as stuffed peppers, shrimp santorini and Roumanian tenderloin steak. KE THE CHELSEA GRILLE. 515 Allegheny Ave., Oakmont. 412-828-0570. The menu here covers mostly familiar ground,

DIAMOND MARKET. 430 Market St., Downtown. 412-325-2000. The tavern-like décor provides a comfortable, unpretentious setting for socializing, and the menu bridges retro and au courant in a now-familiar way, with grownup comfort food and big burgers on brioche buns with fancy toppings. Try the excellent mac-and-cheese, accented with bacon and truffle oil, or the donut-sized onion rings drizzled with balsamic vinegar. KE DOUBLE WIDE GRILL. 2339 E. Carson St., South Side (412-390-1111) and 100 Adams Shoppes, Route 288, Mars (724-553-5212). You may cringe at the “white trash” theme, or feel bemused at ordering sautéed shrimp and woodgrilled portabella on a faux TV-dinner tray. But there’s plenty

Sukhothai Bistro {PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL} of good vegan fare, beer and a fun filling-station-turnedrestaurant ambience. KE D’S SIX PAX & DOGZ. 1118 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-241-4666. This established venue is known for its revered pub fries and the classic wiener with kraut (plus plenty of beer to wash it down). But don’t miss the pizza, with a top-notch crust. D’s continues to raise the preparation of salty, cheesy, fatty comfort food to an art. JE

The menu, which also offers a few entrees, is eclectic, and suggestive of Mediterranean cafés, with plenty of seafood, cured meats, cheeses and seasonal produce. Portions are adequate for sharing, if you can bear to part with, say, asparagus spears wrapped in ham. KE MEAT AND POTATOES. 649 Penn Ave., Downtown. 412-325-7007. This restaurant combines several current trends, including revisiting staples of the American pantry, the gastro-pub and nose-to-tail cooking, all in a lively Downtown space. Expect everything from marrow bones to burgers, flatbreads and chicken pot pie, as well as pots of rhubarb jam and hand-crafted cocktails. LE

JOSEPH TAMBELLINI RESTAURANT. 5701 Bryant St., Highland Park. 412-665-9000. The menu at this convivial white-linen Italian restaurant straddles the ultra-familiar — the five choices in the chicken and veal section are trattoria staples — and RANDITA’S ORGANIC the more unusual. VEGAN CAFÉ. 207 There’s a strong Commercial Ave., www. per pa emphasis on fresh Aspinwall. 412-408pghcitym o .c pasta and inventively 3907. The all-vegan prepared seafood, such as menu here spans the crusted Chilean sea bass in an range, from faux meats like orange buerre blanc and seitan “sausage,” and meat berry marmalade. LE replacements like tofu, to meatfree classics like a hummus wrap LA PALAPA. 1925 E. Carson and West African sweet-potato St., South Side. 412-586-7015 or and peanut soup. Weekend-only 412-586-4943. Among the basic dinner specials include fare such as offerings at this bright, colorful casseroles and cabbage rolls. JF storefront Mexican restaurant — tamales, nachos, tacos, enchiladas SUKHOTHAI BISTRO. 5813 — there is other less familiar Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. fare, such as a squid and shrimp 412-521-8989. This restaurant salad. And the staple dishes excel merges the traditional flavors with the inclusion of expertly and preparations of Thailand cooked meats, which are moist with modern European-bistro and flavorful. KF aspirations. The menu features an assortment of curries and rice LUCCA. 317 S. Craig St., Oakland. and noodle dishes, peppered with 412-682-3310. This long-standing a few more intriguing options Oakland restaurant features an among the chef’s specials and updated, pan-Italian selection entrée lists. KF focused on pastas and seafood, with very little in the way of TASTE OF INDIA. 4320 Penn red-sauce standards or the Ave., Bloomfield. 412-681-7700. Northern Italian clichés of the Yogi Berra groused about the ’80s. Salads are big enough to restaurant nobody went to — share, pasta is made in house, because it was always too and in season, there is a charming crowded. Taste of India is the outdoor patio. LE opposite: Everyone goes there partly because you can always LULA. 515 Broad St., Sewickley. get a table. The atmosphere is 412-749-1200. Seating at this almost surreally quiet, but the informal tapas bar is lounge-style food is consistently good (try indoors, and in warm weather, the paneer). Portions are ample, along the sidewalk at café tables. prices reasonable. JE

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LOCAL

“IF YOU PLAY A CERTAIN SOUND, A CERTAIN PITCH, THAT PITCH CAN HEAL.”

BEAT

{BY MARGARET WELSH}

LIKE FAMILY

MWELSH@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

THE BEAGLE BROTHERS with THE MAVENS, THE ARMADILLOS. 9 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12. Thunderbird Café, 4023 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $8. 412-682-0177 or www.thunderbirdcafe.net

PATRON

SAINT {BY MIKE SHANLEY}

The Beagle Brothers

Wondering what to get the Beagle Brothers for their tenth anniversary? Traditionally, the gift for that milestone would be made of aluminum, and bassist Kyle Kline has the perfect suggestion: “A can of beer. Or a keg of beer!” And fittingly, when the well-loved old-time country band plays a celebratory show at the Thunderbird this Saturday, it will also tap the first keg of East End Brewing Company’s Beagle Brothers Porter, the first beer the brewery has made using all Pennsylvania hops. The band even played while the beer was made — the brewers felt it was very important to the process. “And at the end of our set we jumped up and threw in the hops and Irish moss,” recalls Read Connolly, who plays steel guitar. The Beagle Brothers initially formed as a rock band, in the late ’90s, but started playing country in 2005. The lineup has changed over the years (“There’s been maybe four or five guitar-players,” Connolly says), and currently includes guitarist Eric Brockschmidt, drummer Ezra Smith and vocalists Noah and Gabriel Smith. (The latter two, along with Kline, have been on board the full ten years). Among other accomplishments, the band has released four full-length records and several EPs, and performed as part of Groundhog Day festivities in Punxatawney, Pa., resulting in a shout-out on The Daily Show. The group is also Rick Sebak’s undisputed favorite band, which might make it the most Pittsburgh band in existence — a position soon to be solidified when Mayor Bill Peduto’s office declares Dec. 12 Beagle Brothers Day. Staying together for a decade isn’t always easy, and things get bumpy from time to time: Kline mentions that the group once (only semi-jokingly) put an ad on Craigslist seeking a band counselor. But brotherhood, be it biological or adoptive, is at the core of the group. That’s something audiences sense and respond to, Connolly theorizes, and Kline agrees: “Our ticket to success is our foundation of friendship. … There are all kinds of cool things that we’ve done,” he continues, “but we’ve remained friends, and I love these guys and I’m proudest of that part of it.” And that’s something we can all drink to.

N 1969, the saxophonist Albert Ayler released an album titled Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe. Coming at the end of a decade ﬁlled with social upheaval and quests for higher consciousness, the title might now be regarded as a slogan. But to tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, this credo represents his life’s work. Have you ever felt really touched by a melody or harmony? It’s not a ﬂuke. Harper, whose music comes as the logical progression of hard bop, posits that the way certain tones are combined in a piece has a profound effect on listeners. “Music and sound itself have such a healing quality. You can depend on the particular vibrations that are being played on a particular tone. And everybody hears their own kind of musical pitch anyway, without knowing it,” he explains. “But even if you play a certain sound, a certain pitch, that pitch can heal. In ancient times, music was always used for healing, and certainly there are so many jazz tunes that express that kind of healing power. “Some people take it for granted, because it would seem like magic to them, but sound does have these qualities. It’s like colors having effect in art. It’s the same thing.” Born in Houston, Texas, Harper eventually moved to New York in the 1960s, where he had the opportunity to play with some of the era’s most reputable bandleaders. Drummers Art Blakey and Max Roach both hired him for their bands around that time. On Lift Every Voice and Sing, Roach combined a vocal group with his quintet for intense readings of traditional gospel

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

Healing vibrations: Billy Harper

works like “Troubled Waters” and “Motherless Child.” The latter featured Harper combining his rich tone with an intensity that recalled John Coltrane.

BILLY HARPER SEXTET 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12. The New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. $30. 412-320-4610 or www.newhazletttheater.org

Trumpeter Lee Morgan, who had also played with Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, recruited Harper for his own band. After having a huge hit with the groovy “The

Sidewinder” — which planted the seeds for a funkier, more accessible version of hard bop — Morgan was progressing again, in no small part due to the compositions Harper brought to the band. “He came on the scene at 16, playing with Dizzy [Gillespie]’s big band. He had a reason to be kind of cocky. But he was a good guy inside,” Harper says of Morgan. “At the time I was playing with him, he was interested in politics and straightening himself up. We were going in a new direction, and he was playing good. His chops were back up.” Although Harper has a sizeable discography as a sideman or co-leader, which CONTINUES ON PG. 26

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THE WORLD’S GREATEST PINK FLOYD SHOW

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016 • 8 pm

BENEDUM CENTER

ON SALE FRIDAY!

TRUSTARTS.ORG • BOX OFFICE AT THEATER SQUARE 412-456-6666 • GROUPS 10+ TICKETS 412-471-6930

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PATRON SAINT, CONTINUED FROM PG. 24

continues today with the all-star cooperative the Cookers, he has recorded extensively under his own name. Capra Black, titled for a song he had played with Morgan and continues to play with the Cookers, has been heralded as one of the cornerstones of jazz’s Black Consciousness movement. The saxophonist helped to launch the Italian jazz label Black Saint in 1975 with an album of the same name. He did the same for Black Saint’s sister label Soul Note a few years later. Pianist Francesca Tanksley, who appears with Harper this week, has been working with him since the 1980s. A strong recent release came with The Roots of the Blues, an album he recorded with a longtime friend, pianist Randy Weston, who is also versed in the history and healing power of music. Weston came up with the concept, which features original, blues-derived originals along with a few standards that distill the music to its basic elements. Harper liked the adventure of playing in a duo. “It leaves even more freedom because you don’t have to be relying on a particular rhythm,” he says. “There’s no constriction in relation to rhythm or time or all the things that are added by other players. You may be directed to jump from 4/4 to a waltz, and it’s much more free.” Along with performing, Harper has spent many years teaching music. He currently instructs an improvisation class at the New School, in New York. He says improvisation isn’t something that can be taught in the traditional sense, but he’s not forcing students to memorize John Coltrane solos either. Students “have to learn a lot of music theory,” he explains. “That is actually the secret, to have a structure, so that you can go forward and solo and feel free on top of the structure. “I remember a time that I went to Russia with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band in 1972. We got with some musicians there and [pianist] Roland Hanna was playing something, just soloing at a party. And it was amazing: He had no music, but he was improvising, which is what we do all the time. Where did it come from? It comes from that structure I was talking about —the music-theory structure that he already knows. It’s inside.” Harper studied music himself, but channeling the healing power of the music is easier said than done. “I sit there at the piano until something comes,” he says. “Then maybe a melody comes and it’s pretty good, but it might not be strong enough. So I just write it down and put it on the side till something comes that’s really strong and I know it’s great. And that’s the way I go about approaching it.” INF O @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

NEW RELEASES

THEM LABS MORE GROWL (SELF-RELEASED) THEMLABS.BANDCAMP.COM

Them Labs is the brainchild of singer/ guitarist Seth Pfannenschmidt (an occasional City Paper contributor) and drummer Joe Perkins, who started as a duo back in 2011. They released a selftitled debut shortly after and since then, Them Labs has expanded to a quartet with the addition of Tommy Patrick (bass) and Paloma Wu (violin). With a full band, Them Labs returns with the aptly titled album More Growl. Led by spunky yet stripped-down folk sounds, the dozen tracks on the release are toe-tapping fun. At times the band sounds like it is playing an Irish pub and is ready to belly up to the bar with you for a cold one (“Drink My Eyes Shut”). It also has the ability to scale the sound back, like on the morose “It Takes a Time Machine to Cry.” No matter if it is two-stepping or lollygagging, Them Labs plays with conviction. BY TROY MICHAEL

JEFF BURGESS HORSE FRIEND (SELF-RELEASED) JSBURGH. BANDCAMP.COM

Speedily flipping from anthemic X-ish punk (“Bugs!”) to Birthday Party-style goth punk (“You Beautiful Creatures”) to what I’ll call “Billy Joel-esque piano punk” (“P.S.”), Jeff Burgess is a musical chameleon, and a pretty talented one at that: Seriously, his ability to sound like Nick Cave is kind of stunning. This record, which was written and recorded entirely by Burgess in his bedroom, is odd and disjointed and scattered. The actual songwriting here is hit-or-miss and some tracks feel only partially fleshed out. But the whole thing is overflowing with fun and energy and a pure, raw confidence that makes it hard to dislike. BY MARGARET WELSH

LISTEN UP! You read City Paperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music coverage every week, but why not listen to it too? Each Wednesday, music editor Margaret Welsh crafts a Spotify playlist with tracks from artists featured in the music section, and other artists playing around town in the coming days. Tune in while you read, and judge for yourself whether that indie bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guitar work is really angular, or if that singer actually sounds like Sandy Denny.

Find it on our music blog, FFW>>, at pghcitypaper.com

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{PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY KOVACIC}

The SpacePimps (left) and the Wonder Years at last year’s Four Chord festival

CHORD PROGRESSION {BY ZACH BRENDZA}

- BIG NEWS OUR NEW MENU IS HERE!

Stop in and give our Pulled Bacon a try!

Late Night Kitchen open until 1am , Everyday Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm eat. eat t ttweet. weett lilik like. ke ffollow. ollllllow @b @bi @bighamtavern igh hamtavern t www.bighamtavern.com 321 BIGHAM STREET, MT WASHINGTON 28

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

ADVERSITY IS a funny thing. Whether someone gives up or keeps going can say a lot about that person. But what some might consider failures, or at least major stumbling blocks, Four Chord Music Festival organizer Rishi Bahl sees as learning opportunities. “I think messing up is a good thing,” he says. “Fuck up as much as you want, dude.” Bahl has seen his fair share of challenges — including everything from date changes and last-minute lineup switches to ﬁnancial setbacks — but few would call the Four Chord Music Festival, happening Sunday at XTAZA Nightclub, a failure. More than 1,000 people attended the fest’s debut last year, and around the same number are expected in 2015. Last year, Bahl says, all of the touring bands more or less ﬁt the same pop-punk genre, but this year’s bill presents a more eclectic picture of that scene. The lineup includes Yellowcard (a more alt-rock brand of pop punk), Masked Intruder (Fat Wreck Chords punk rock), Aaron West (Dan “Soupy” Campbell from The Wonder Years’ folk side project) and Citizen (emotinged pop punk). Other headliners include Anti-Flag, Hit the Lights and The Roaring Twenties. Despite its stellar lineup, the Four Chord Music Festival has strayed from Bahl’s original concept. Last year’s inaugural fest was supposed to feature a variety of old-school pop-punk

bands, like Less Than Jake. But thanks to scheduling conflicts, the lineup was filled with younger (but still well-established) pop-punk bands like The Wonder Years and Real Friends. More importantly, the goal was to start an all-ages, mixed-genre, one-day music festival in Pittsburgh — the kind that Bahl had seen and played elsewhere with his band, The SpacePimps. But for Bahl, Four Chord is more than a music festival. It’s his way of helping the music scene that he grew up in to expand and flourish. Half of the bands playing on Sunday are local or have a connection to Pittsburgh. In addition, Bahl stresses that with 18 bands playing and tickets costing $ 30 (VIP packages are also available), it costs fest-goers approximately $1.66 to see each act. “I believe every one of the bands playing is worth more than that, even if you are coming for one or two bands,” Bahl says.

THIS YEAR’S BILL PRESENTS A MORE ECLECTIC PICTURE OF THAT SCENE.

FOUR CHORD MUSIC FESTIVAL 1 p.m. Sun., Dec. 13. XTAZA Nightclub, 1620 Smallman St., Strip District. $29.99-55. www.fourchordmusicfestival.com

Thinking ahead to next year, Bahl is aiming for a larger-scale, outdoor format — something he’d planned for this year but had to scale back after a business partner bowed out. If that doesn’t pan out for 2016, he wants to do the fest over two days. If nothing else, he’s learned to be ﬂexible. Putting together Four Chord hasn’t been easy, but Bahl is resilient, joking, “Fucking up is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” I N F O@ P G H C I T Y PA P E R. C OM

CRITICS’ PICKS {PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNABEL MEHRAN}

blogh.pghcitypaper.com

Work yourself into a lather. Rinse. Repeat. Joanna Newsom

[RELEASE PARTY] + SAT., DEC. 12 The 31st St. Pub closed its doors forever earlier this year, but for those who remember the grimy watering hole fondly, a Canada-based production company called “Punk Rick’s Videos” is releasing Yinzer Fest 2015. The DVD features performances from several Pub mainstays including The Cheats, Thunder Vest, The Legendary Hucklebucks, Volcano Dogs and more. Tonight at Sinners and Saints Tattoo Shop, you can pick up a copy of the DVD, enjoy a drink from a keg of Stoney’s beer, help yourself to some free food and maybe grab a door prize or two. Admission to this event is free, so why not? Andrew Woehrel 7 p.m. 252 S. Highland Timbeleza Ave., Shadyside. 412-345-0189 or www.oldfashioned assholes.com

[SAMBA] + SAT., DEC. 12

Timbeleza, Pittsburgh’s samba (or more specifically, batucada) group has been raising money for a two-week trip to Brazil to study under master percussionists and visit famous samba schools. Tonight’s event at Spirit is a celebration of the end of its Indiegogo fundraising campaign. Dubbed “Timbelectro,” this electro-dance party combines DJs Kerem, 7UP and Strobe playing electronic dance music with live performances by members of Timbeleza and 3rd Street Belly Dance. AW 9 p.m. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $10. 412-586-4441 or www.spiritpgh.com

[INDIE FOLK] + SAT., DEC. 12

It’s no surprise that Joanna Newsom’s new album, Divers, is showing up on almost everyone’s year-end lists: She could probably

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spit in a record sleeve to similar results (not that she ever would, she’s a class act!). Regardless, accolades are well deserved. Many have described Divers — her first full-length since 2010’s ambitious Have One on Me — as the singer/songwriter/harpist’s most accessible release. That’s probably because, unlike Have One on Me, none of the songs are longer than seven minutes, and it was released on one LP rather than three. Newsom’s warble and pitch may still be an acquired taste for some, but she’s come a long way from the freak folk of her early career. With Divers, she approaches Kate Bush territory. Is there higher praise {PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL BELLON} than that? Tonight, Newsom plays at the Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead, her first Pittsburgh appearance in years. Margaret Welsh 8 p.m. 510 E. 10th St., Munhall. $29-49. 412-368-5225 or www.library musichall.com

[DOO WOP] + WED., DEC. 16

This year, the 14th Annual Pittsburgh Holiday Doo-Wop Concert is headlined by Mary Wilson of the classic ‘60s girl-group The Supremes. Although she didn’t achieve such high-profile fame as lead singer Diana Ross, Wilson was the longest-lasting original member of The Supremes; after Florence Ballard was ousted from the group in 1967 and Ross left in 1970, Wilson remained in The Supremes until the group’s dissolution in 1977. Post-Supremes, Wilson has enjoyed a solo career and written two bestselling autobiographies. Tonight’s show at Heinz Hall also features Lenny Welch, The Original Tymes, Shirley Alston Reeves of The Shirelles, and more. AW 7:30 p.m. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $32.50-99.50. 412-392-4900 or www.heinzhall.org

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Brooktree Health Services A Holistic Approach to Drug & Alcohol Treatment

S C R E E N

Specific treatment programs offered by Brooktree Health Services include: • Partial Hospitalization Program • Intensive Outpatient • Outpatient Services • Greater Pennsylvania Sober Living Conveniently located in Wexford

Brooktree Health Services 6500 Brooktree Road Wexford, PA 15090 724-935-0460

Recovery is a journey, not a destination. +

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TO SUBMIT A LISTING: HTTP://PGHCITYPAPER.COM/HAPPENINGS

412.316.3388 (FAX) + 412.316.3342 X165 (PHONE)

{ALL LISTINGS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 9 A.M. FRIDAY PRIOR TO PUBLICATION}

THU 10 CLUB CAFE. Emerson Jay w/ Eastend Mile, The Getaway. South Side. 412-431-4950. LAVA LOUNGE. Love Letters, Will Simmons & the Upholsters, Murder For Girls. South Side. 412-431-5282. MEMORIAL PARK CHURCH. Phil Keaggy. Proceeds benefit EduNations. Allison Park. 412-522-4756. MR. SMALLS THEATER. Texas In July, Reflections, To The Wind & Invent, Animate. Millvale. 412-821-4447. SMILING MOOSE. The Clock Reads, w/ Wink. South Side. 412-431-4668.

FRI 11

Pittsburgh’s

Live Music Scene!

Tickets at www.jergels.com

SAT 12

THURSDAY DEC 17

WEDNESDAY DEC 23 30

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

CLUB CAFE. Greg Capozzi. Early. CD Release. Alive. Late. South Side. 412-431-4950. THE FALLOUT SHELTER. The Renfields, Only Flesh, Playoff Beard, Barracuda, Mindless Chaos, The Jasona, Children of October, Super Fun Time Awesome Party Band, Weapons of Choice. Aliquippa. 740-424-0302. LINDEN GROVE. Totally 80s. Castle Shannon. 412-882-8687. MR. SMALLS THEATER. 10,000 Maniacs, Kelsey Friday, Paul Luc. Millvale. 412-821-4447. THUNDERBIRD CAFE. Paddy the Wanderer, Andre Costello & Cool Minors, City Steps. Lawrenceville. 412-682-0177.

CLUB CAFE. Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers. South Side. 412-431-4950. HAMBONE’S. Peter Leslie, Dylan Rooke, Tori Plack, Bryan McQuaid. Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318. HOWLERS. Neon Swing X-Perience. Bloomfield. 412-682-0320. MARKET SQUARE. King’s Ransom. Downtown. 412-471-1511. MEADOWS CASINO. Bo Wagner Celebrates Frank Sinatra’s 100th Birthday. Sinatra Tribute. Washington. 724-503-1200. TJ’S HIDEAWAY. Dawn Savage Band. Evans City. 724-789-7858.

SUN 13 BRILLOBOX. All Them Witches w/ New Madrid. Bloomfield. 412-621-4900. HARD ROCK CAFE. Jason Kendall Productions 4th Annual

Holiday Show. Station Square. 412-481-7625. KNUCKLEHEAD’S BAR. Tobacco Road. Ross. 412-366-7468. THE R BAR. Midnite Horns. Dormont. 412-942-0882. SMILING MOOSE. Nick Tangorra, Dylan Holland. South Side. 412-431-4668.

MON 14 THUNDERBIRD CAFE. Butler Street Session w/ Jason Carneys Carnival. Lawrenceville. 412-682-0177.

WED 16 CLUB CAFE. Mike Rezac, Jonathan Warner, Andrew Moser, Dan Barr, Billy Rogerson, Joel Friend. All proceeds will benefit World Relief, a non-profit focused on meeting the needs of Syrian Refugees. South Side. 412-431-4950. MR. SMALLS THEATER. Rebecca Black, Jonah Marais, 5QUAD: BruhItsZach, Nick Bean, Timmy Connors, Rudan C, Edwin

Burgos, w/ Dylan Dauzat. Millvale. 412-821-4447. SMILING MOOSE. Live or Regret, Prime 8, Left of Pittsburgh, The Classifieds. South Side. 412-431-4668.

DJS FRI 11 ANDYS WINE BAR. DJ Malls Spins Vinyl. Downtown. 412-773-8884. BOOM CONCEPTS. DJ Baby Teeth, Eva Smittle & Edward Angelo, & DJ Lerato. Proceeds go towards the production of “Delivering Justice”. Garfield. 724-448-2772. ONE 10 LOUNGE. DJ Goodnight, DJ Rojo. Downtown. 412-874-4582. REGINA ELENA CLUB. DJ Ron Hopkinson. Sharpsburg. 412-781-0229. RIVERS CASINO. DJ NIN. North Side. 412-231-7777. ROWDY BUCK. Top 40 Dance. South Side. 412-431-2825. RUGGER’S PUB. 80s Night w/ DJ Connor. South Side. 412-381-1330.

MP 3 MONDAY

STILLBORN IDENTITY

{PHOTO COURTESY OF GREG NEISER}

ROCK/POP

Each week we bring you a song from a local artist. This week’s track comes from indie rapper Stillborn Identity. Stream or download “Mean Clicks Don’t Give a Damn” for free at FFW>>, our music blog at www.pghcitypaper.com.

SAT 12 BRILLOBOX. TITLE TOWN Soul & Funk Party. Rare Soul, Funk & wild R&B 45s feat. DJ Gordy G. & J.Malls. Bloomfield. 412-621-4900. DIESEL. DJ CK. South Side. 412-431-8800. LAVA LOUNGE. Top 40 Dance Party. South Side. 412-431-5282. REMEDY. Touching Without Feeling. Lawrenceville. 412-781-6771. RIVERS CASINO. DJ Kingfish. North Side. 412-231-7777. ROWDY BUCK. Top 40 Dance. South Side. 412-431-2825.

WED 16 SMILING MOOSE. Rock Star Karaoke w/ T-MONEY. South Side. 412-431-4668. SPOON. Spoon Fed. East Liberty. 412-362-6001.

HIP HOP/R&B WED 16 HOWLERS. Carl Kavorkian, E Grizzly, AA Arm, Sikes, I The Conflict. Bloomfield. 412-682-0320.

BLUES FRI 11 JAMES STREET GASTROPUB & SPEAKEASY. The Blues Orphans. North Side. 412-904-3335. MOONDOG’S. Jeff Fetterman Band, w/ Diggin’ Roots Band. Blawnox. 412-828-2040.

SAT 12

HEAVY ROTATION

Campbell & Howie Alexander. Downtown. 412-391-1004.

SAT 12 ANDYS WINE BAR. Spanky Wilson. Downtown. 412-773-8884. THE CLUB BAR & GRILL 1. Tubby Daniels. Monroeville. 412-728-4155. LEMONT. Judi Figel & Dave Crisci. Mt. Washington. 412-431-3100. MANCHESTER CRAFTSMEN’S GUILD. Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra Holiday w/ Ann Hampton Callaway. North Side. 412-323-4000. PARLAY LOUGNE. RML Jazz. Washington. 412-370-9621. THE SPACE UPSTAIRS. Second Saturdays. Jazz-happening series feat. live music, multimedia experimentations, more. Hosted by The Pillow Project. Point Breeze. 412-225-9269. SUPPER CLUB RESTAURANT. Virgil Walters & Erin Burkett. Greensburg. 724-691-0536.

TUE 15

565 LIVE. Cadillac Club. Bellevue. 412-301-8623. ANDYS WINE BAR. Tania Grubbs. Downtown. 412-773-8884. BACKSTAGE BAR AT THEATRE SQUARE. The Boilermaker Jazz Band. Downtown. 412-456-6666. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF PITTSBURGH. Lee Robinson. A live jazz by saxophonist, Lee Robinson. North Side. 412-322-5058. ELWOOD’S PUB. Virgil Walters & Erin Burkett. w/ Eric Susoeff. Rural Ridge. 742-265-1181. GRILLE ON SEVENTH. Tony

N E W S

Jake Meginsky

“Three Naga Uta (Last Loop First)”

The Goats

CLASSICAL

SUN 13

THE PITTSBURGH PHILHARMONIC. Holiday tunes. Succop Theater, Butler Community College, Butler. 724-284-8505. PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Holiday Pops w/ singer/songwriter & PGH native Chris Jamison. Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-392-4900.

HAMBONE’S. Acoustic Brunch. Hosted by Jeremy Caywood. Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318.

TUE 15 THE R BAR. Tom Lagi & Katie Simone. Dormont. 412-942-0882.

WED 16 ALLEGHENY ELKS LODGE #339. Pittsburgh Banjo Club. Wednesdays. North Side. 412-321-1834. PARK HOUSE. Shelf Life String Band. North Side. 412-224-2273.

COUNTRY

DOWNEY’S HOUSE. Donte Spinosi. Robinson. 412-489-5631.

FRI 11 CLADDAGH IRISH PUB. Weekend at Blarneys. South Side. 412-381-4800. MIXTAPE. Alyssa Turkowski. Garfield. 412-661-1727.

FRI 11 MEADOWS CASINO. Eldorado Band. Washington. 724-503-1200.

SAT 12 THUNDERBIRD CAFE. Beagle Brothers 10th Anniversary w/ The Armadillos, The Mavens. Lawrenceville. 412-682-0177.

SAT 12

SUN 13

PARK HOUSE. Luke Gallagher. North Side. 412-224-2273. STAGE AE. Eric Hutchinson. At the

CARNEGIE LIBRARY, OAKLAND. Slim Forsythe. Oakland. 412-622-3151.

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SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL. The Brass Roots Ensemble-in-Residence, The 6th Regiment USCT Drum Corps, The Pine Creek Community Band. Oakland. 412-621-4253. UPPER ROOM WORSHIP. Seventy Times Seven. Praise music. Squirrel Hill. 412-502-5052.

CARNEGIE MUSIC HALL. River City Brass: Christmas Brasstacular. Get into the holiday spirit w/ River City Brass’s own special brand of humor & fun. Oakland. 412-434-7222.

Club. North Side. 412-229-5483. TAVERN IN THE WALL. Peter King. Aspinwall. 412-782-6542.

CAPRI PIZZA AND BAR. Bombo Claat w/ VYBZ Machine Intl Sound System. East Liberty. 412-362-1250.

THU 10

THE LAMP THEATRE. Sinatra Centennial Celebration. Irwin. 724-367-4000. OAKS THEATER. Johnny Angel & the Halos Christmas Show. A night of Yuletide cheer. Oakmont. 412-828-6322. SPEAL’S TAVERN. The Bo’Hog Brothers. New Alexandria. 724-433-1322. ST. PAUL’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. Pittsburgh Concert Chorale. Christmas tunes. Allison Park. 412-635-7654.

THU 10

“TV Cops”

FRI 11

ACOUSTIC

SAT 12

HOLIDAY MUSIC

REGGAE

ANDYS WINE BAR. Lisa Bleil. Downtown. 412-773-8884. RIVERS CLUB. Richie Cole. Downtown. 412-391-5227.

OTHER MUSIC

SUN 13

“InOut”

FIFTH AVENUE PLACE. Roger Barbour Jazz Quartet. Downtown.

WED 16

FRI 11

Anton Bruhin

MON 14

TUE 15

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB & SPEAKEASY. Roger Humphries Jam Session. Ballroom. North Side. 412-904-3335.

“Aelita”

EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Don Aliquo, Jr., Dr. James Johnson, Pamela Johnson, Tony DePaolis, Lou Schreiber & James Johnson III. North Side. 412-231-0454.

FULL LIST E N O LIN

THU 10

Victoria Keddie

SUN 13

THE BLIND PIG SALOON. Virgil Walters & Erin Burkett. DOUBLE WIDE GRILL. Sweaty W/ Eric Susoeff, Eric DeFade, & Betty. North Huntingdon. Victor Garzotto. New Kensington. 724-863-8181. 724-337-7008. DOWNEY’S HOUSE. The BREW ON BROADWAY. Blue Bombers. Robinson. Reggie Watkins, Howard 412-489-5631. Alexander, Tony MOONDOG’S. DePaolis, Lou Stalutte, Sauce Boss. Blawnox. Tom Wendt. Beechview. 412-828-9842. www. per a p 412-437-8676. THE R BAR. Nicole pghcitym o .c MANSIONS ON FIFTH. Belli Band. Dormont. Tania Grubbs. Tania’s 412-942-0882. Cool Yule w/ Daniel May, Jeff Grubbs & a few special surprises. Shadyside. 800-678-8946. BLUSH SPORTS BAR. Shari THUNDERBIRD CAFE. Space Richards. Jam session. Downtown. Exchange w/ Thoth Trio. 412-281-7703. Lawrenceville. 412-682-0177.

JAZZ

Here are the tracks Anthony Levin-Decanini of Lead Pall can’t stop listening to:

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FRI 11

SAT 12 EL MUNDO. Synod Hall, Oakland. 412-361-2048. ERIC DZUGAN. Scriabin 100th Memorial Recital. First Unitarian Church, Shadyside. 412-422-1630. PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Holiday Pops w/ singer/songwriter & PGH native Chris Jamison. Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-392-4900. RENAISSANCE CITY CHOIR. 30th Anniversary Holiday Concert, joined by the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra & featuring the premiere of the anniversary commission. East Liberty Presbyterian Church, East Liberty. 412-345-1722.

SUN 13 PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Holiday Pops w/ singer/songwriter & PGH native Chris Jamison. Heinz Hall, Downtown. 412-392-4900. SHADYSIDE CHANCEL CHOIR. Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Shadyside. 412-682-4300.

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FRI 11 HEINZ CHAPEL. Heinz Chapel Choir Holiday Concert. Medley of holiday music. Oakland. 412-624-4157. ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Pittsburgh Camerata. A Celtic Christmas Carol. Highland Park. 412-421-5884.

SAT 12 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. Men’s Glee Club Holiday Concert. Works by Bach, Darke & Golovanov & English, French & Ukrainian carols. www.music.pitt.edu. Oakland. 412-621-0500. HEINZ CHAPEL. Women’s Choral Ensemble Holiday Concert. A variety of repertoire ranging from Palestrina to Pentatonix & traditional holiday favorites. www.music.pitt.edu. Oakland. 412-624-4157.

SUN 13 BRIGHTWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Harmony Singers. Bethel Park. 412-835-6703. FIRST TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH. Steel City Men’s Chorale. Performing Let Men Their Songs Employ: A Choral Celebration of the Season. Oakland. 909-917-2702. SIXTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. The Pittsburgh Camerata. A Celtic Christmas Carol. Squirrel Hill. 412-421-5884. ST. MARY OF THE MOUNT. Music on the Mount: Christmas Brass. Mt. Washington. 412-396-6083.

E V E N T S

THURSDAY DEC 10/10PM

LOVE LETTERS, MURDER FOR GIRLS, WILL SIMMONS & THE UPHOLSTERERS

FRIDAYS 10PM ALT 80S NIGHT SATURDAYS 10PM DANCE PARTY $2.75 PBR POUNDERS OR PBR DRAFTS

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY 2204 E. CARSON ST. (412) 431-5282 lavaloungepgh.com C L A S S I F I E D S

What to do December 9 - 15

PAID ADVERTORIAL SPONSORED BY

IN PITTSBURGH MUSIC HALL Munhall. All ages show. Tickets: ticketﬂy.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 8p.m.

WEDNESDAY 9 A Pillow Project: Paper Memory

THE SPACE UPSTAIRS Point Breeze. 412-225-9269. Tickets: $10-$15 at the door. Through Dec. 12.

Our Lady of 121st Street RAUH THEATRE, PITTSBURGH PLAYHOUSE Oakland. 412-392-8000. Tickets: pittsburghplayhouse.com. 2p.m.

G-Herbo “The #BLIK Tour” ALTAR BAR Strip District. 412-263-2877. All ages show. Tickets: ticketﬂy.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 8p.m.

THURSDAY 10

WYEP’s 8th Annual Holiday Hootenanny

MR. SMALLS THEATRE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11

STAGE AE North Side. Tickets: wyep.org. 7p.m.

412-687-2157. All ages show. Tickets: ticketﬂy.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 7p.m.

FRIDAY 11

Sancho: An Act of Remembrance

HEINZ HALL Downtown. 412-392-4900. Tickets: pittsburghsymphony.org. Through Dec. 20.

Downtown. 412-456-6666. Tickets: trustarts.org. 8p.m.

Highmark Holiday Pops AUGUST WILSON CENTER

Battlecross CATTIVO Lawrenceville.

Four Chords Music Festival

10,000 MANIACS

10,000 Maniacs MR. SMALLS THEATRE Millvale. 412-821-4447. Tickets: ticketweb.com/opusone. 8p.m.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

XTAZA NIGHTCLUB Strip District. Tickets: fourchordsmusicfestival.com. 1p.m.

A John Waters’ Christmas: Holier & Dirtier CARNEGIE MUSIC HALL Oakland. Tickets: warhol.org. 8p.m.

SATURDAY 12

Men’s Glee Club 2015 Holiday Concert FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PITTSBURGH Oakland. Tickets: music.pitt.edu/tickets. 4p.m.

Billy Harper Sextet

6p.m. & 8:30p.m.

NEW HAZLETT THEATER North Side. All ages show. Tickets: showclix.com or 1-888-71-Tickets. 8p.m.

Cowboy - The Kid Rock Tribute Band

Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra Holiday Celebration with Ann Hampton Callaway MANCHESTER CRAFTSMEN GUILD Manchester. Tickets: mcgjazz.org.

ALTAR BAR Strip District. 412-263-2877. Over 21 show. Tickets: ticketﬂy.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 8:30p.m.

SUNDAY 13

MONDAY 14 Trailer Park Boys

BENEDUM CENTER Downtown. 412-456-6666. All ages event. Tickets: trustarts.org. 8p.m.

TUESDAY 15

B.E. Taylor Transiberian Experience: HEINZ HALL Downtown. Wizards of Winter 412-392-4900. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD

Tickets: heinzhall.org. 7:30p.m.

HISTORY LESSON {BY AL HOFF}

LONG TAKES WITH HANDHELD CAMERAS ADD TO THE FILM’S INTIMACY AND IMMEDIACY

It’s a smart move to open this new documentary about the Black Panthers by having one participant recount the fable of the blind men and the elephant. Just as each man drew a different conclusion depending on which part of the animal he touched, so too, says the interviewee, did each Black Panther have a different experience. It’s a given for such a sprawling organization, one that had many focuses and varying degrees of participation: Some members were imprisoned, others went to rallies; some joined to foster black pride, others to foment a violent overthrow. And it helps inoculate the film against charges that it is not comprehensive, or missed this aspect or that.

{PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY BLANKFORT}

Lady Panther: Kathleen Cleaver, in Oakland in 1968

Because even at two hours, Stanley Nelson Jr.’s The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution functions mostly as a primer, an introduction to who, what and why the Black Panthers were. The structure is linear, beginning with the Panthers’ founding in Oakland, Calif., and moving through significant events such as the gun showdown in Sacramento, the arrest of Huey Newton, the departure of Eldridge Cleaver, the death of Fred Hampton, and the police raid on the Los Angeles office. Nelson conducts contemporary interviews with former Panthers, historians, law enforcement and assorted supporters and colleagues. And there is ample use of archival footage. That’s a lot of basic ground to cover, but Nelson also attempts to sort out what the larger social, political and cultural impacts were — for the country and for individuals. There is also an examination of how even powerful movements can get derailed, and from both external and internal forces. The story of the Panthers is a complex, fascinating one, touching on so many aspects — domestic revolution, gun control, the role of women in political movements, the tensions between violent and nonviolent protests, the overreach of the police, influence on other protest movements, and so on. For those who might know about the Panthers only from a stylish photo or two, this is a good place to start. Starts Fri., Dec. 11. Regent Square

Ayiva (Koudous Seihon) and Abas (Alassane Sy) en route to Europe

A MOVING JOURNEY {BY AL HOFF}

HE FOCUS IN Mediterranea — im-

migrants pouring into a not-necessarily-welcoming Europe — could be ripped from today’s headlines. But this has been an ongoing crisis, and director Jonas Carpignano began working on this film more than five years ago. While covering the contentious relations between immigrants and residents in the southern Italian town of Rosarno, Carpignano struck up a friendship with Koudous Seihon, an immigrant from Burkina Faso, in West Africa, and an advocate for the mostly African workers who toil in the region’s orange groves. Seihon became the subject of a 2011 short by Carpignano, and the filmmaker later decided to adapt Seihon’s experience into a full-length docudrama. Mediterranea begins in Algeria, as two buddies from Burkina Faso — Ayiva (Seihon) and Abas (Alassane Sy) — are en route to Europe. For them, it is a place of good jobs and beautiful women. But first, the hardships and dangers of the journey — trekking across the North

African desert, fending off bandits and setting off to cross from Libya to Italy in a barely seaworthy vessel. The pair are lucky; they are rescued at sea and granted temporary residency in Rosarno.

MEDITERRANEA DIRECTED BY: Jonas Carpignano STARRING: Koudous Seihon and Alassane Sy In several languages, with subtitles Starts Fri., Dec. 11. Harris

CP APPROVED But this is no paradise. They are taken aback by the cold weather, shanty-town accommodations, shitty off-the-books jobs in the orange groves, and hostility and racially motivated violence from the locals. But it’s not all bad: Some residents are kind, and there are other African immigrants to share beers and Rihanna songs with. Of the two, Ayiva is more adaptable. While he trades today’s miseries for what he hopes will be tomorrow’s gains, Abas is

dejected and depressed that the promised land proves to be a bust. There isn’t a lot of plot in Mediterranea, though the day to day of the immigrants’ lives is disrupted by a violent incident (drawn from actual events that occurred in 2010). But the non-professional actor Seihon has a lot of screen presence, and he adeptly conveys the many conflicting emotions Ayiva feels, from hope and excitement to anger and betrayal. Carpignano employs a lot of long takes with handheld cameras which contributes to the film’s intimacy and immediacy. Ayiva and Abas aren’t escaping religious persecution or the horrors of war, like so many in today’s headlines. Rather, for them, Europe represents more and better opportunities, economically and culturally. Yet much of what they endure and encounter is applicable to those we spy in brief news round-ups. As such, Mediterranea helps define and humanize those who are too easily dismissed under the rubric of a “crisis.”

AHOFF@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

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A H OF F @ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM

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FILM CAPSULES Entertainment (2015) - 12/10 @ 7:30pm

An abrasive stand-up comic (Gregg Turkington) hits the road to perform a series of shows at seedy venues. _________________________________________________

A Christmas Story (1983) - 12/11 @ 7:30pm &

9:30pm, 12/13 @ 7:30pm, 12/15 @ 7:30pm Ralphie has to convince his parents, his teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940s. _________________________________________________

Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) - 12/12 @ 7pm

In a very cheesy universe, from a tv studio lot not too far away... its FREE ADMISSION! Notoriously bad, legendarily campy, but deﬁnitely a must-see. _________________________________________________

Christmas Evil (1980) - 11/12 @ 10pm

Eavesdropping on mother turns a boy into a killer who roams the streets dressed as Santa Claus.

The ﬁrst hit is free. blogh.pghcitypaper.com

Actually, so are all the others.

= CITY PAPER APPROVED

NEW THIS WEEK IN THE HEART OF THE SEA. Ron Howard directs this seafarin’ actioner based on real events: In 1820, a whaling ship was menaced by a super-sized whale and its crew cast adrift. (Herman Melville later incorporated the tale into his novel Moby Dick.) Chris Hemsworth stars as the captain of the ill-fated ship. In 3-D, in select theaters. Starts Fri., Dec. 11 KRAMPUS. A boy loses his Christmas spirit and summons Krampus, a horned evil Santa Claus from German folklore who comes down the chimney delivering punishment instead of presents. But don’t expect a horror movie. Michael Dougherty’s dark comedy is PG-13 and is more cheesy than frightening. Krampus himself may be slightly terrifying, but his plentiful sidekicks seem pulled from the recent Goosebumps movie, designed to elicit laughs, not screams, from the kids. The film also seems to aim to be the dark version of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Lots of similarities to that classic, such as: the advent calendar counting down the days, a burned-down Christmas tree in the living room, and the gathering of dysfunctional relatives. Only Krampus’ crazy uncle isn’t as funny as Cousin Eddie, and the whole tale is better suited for casual TV viewing. (Lisa Cunningham)

REPERTORY THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL. Brian Henson directs this 1992 holiday comedy, in which the lovable puppets put their fuzzy spin on Dickens’ classic cautionary tale. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 9. Hollywood WHITE CHRISTMAS. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye are a pair of entertainers who travel to Vermont with two singing sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) for the holidays. Once there, the men discover the country inn is run by their old Army general, and he’s in financial straits. Looks like a big musical show might be the ticket! Besides the title song, Michael Curtiz’s 1954 film includes other Irving Berlin classics such as “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep” and “Blue Skies.” 7:30 p.m. Thu., Dec. 10. AMC Loews. $5 MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO. When two girls move to the country, they befriend magical creatures in the woods. Hayao Miyazaki directs this 1988 animated tale. Dec. 11-15 and Dec. 17. Row House Cinema NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. Princess Nausicaa tries to broker peace between two warring nations and save the planet in this 1984 anime directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Dec. 11-16. Row House Cinema PRINCESS MONONOKE. In Hayao Miyazaki’s 1997 animated tale, a cursed warrior journeys into the forest where he gets caught up in a battle involving humans and gods. Dec. 11-14 and Dec. 16-17. Row House Cinema SPIRITED AWAY. A 10-year-old girl and her family accidentally wander into the spirit world, where the parents are turned into pigs and their daughter must figure out how to save the day. The 2001 animated feature was directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Dec. 11, Dec. 13 and Dec. 15-17. Row House Cinema

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

Krampus A CHRISTMAS STORY. Guess what Ralphie wants for Christmas? An official Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot air rifle. Will he get it? Discover this and other small wonders of holidays past in Bob Clark’s 1983 holiday film. 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11; 7:30 p.m. Sun., Dec. 13; and 7:30 p.m. Tue., Dec. 15. Hollywood CHRISTMAS EVIL. Lewis Jackson directs this 1980 cult horror thriller about a man (whose mind was warped in childhood by a primal Yuletide scene) who grows increasingly obsessed with Christmas. He keeps a “naughty or nice” list, and administers it in bloody fashion. 10 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12. Hollywood SILENT POOCHES. Join adorable (and quiet) oldtimey dogs in this program of short silent films featuring man’s best friend. “The Scarecrow” (1920) features Buster Keaton and Luke the Dog, a bull terrier with a notable career in silent comedies and a contract that paid $150 a week. Luke the Dog also stars in “Fatty and Mabel Adrift” (1916), in which Fatty Arbuckle and Mabel Normand portray honeymooners whose cabin floats away. The third short, “Cat, Dog & Co.” (1929) features the adorable tykes of Our Gang, who take to the principles of animal welfare but not the practicalities. They release a bunch of animals from cages, resulting in chaos. The chief dog star is Pete the Pup. (And if you’re looking for a canine companion of your own, the Western PA Humane Society will be on hand to provide information about adopting a dog.) With live musical accompaniment from pianist Tom Roberts and violinist Dawn Posey. 2 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12. Hollywood. $10 ($5 for under 12) HOME ALONE. Kevin (Macauley Culkin) is accidentally left behind when his family heads out for the holidays, and this proves to be very bad news for a pair of burglars. Chris Columbus directs this 1990 comedy that made a star of the face-palming Culkin. 7:30 p.m. Tue., Dec. 15. AMC Loews. $5

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION. For my money, the funniest entry in the “Vacation” franchise because it taps a universal truth: Other people’s behavior ruins your holidays, while your behavior contributes to other people’s misery. It’s all about giving and getting! Everyman Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) tries to lay on the perfect Christmas but is undercut by his low-rent cousin (Randy Quaid), uptight neighbors, demanding elderly relatives, his boss, a squirrel and a tangle of Christmas lights. Jeremiah S. Chechik directs this 1989 neo-classic holiday comedy, penned by John Hughes. 7:30 p.m. Thu., Dec. 17. AMC Loews. $5 (AH)

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, AND IT IS NOT ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL

[STAGE]

Even as a black Briton, Paterson Joseph once thought that the history of free blacks in England began with its first Jamaican emigrants, in 1948. But in searching for a historical role he might play himself — such roles being scarce for black British actors — Joseph discovered the remarkable Charles Ignatius Sancho. A portrait of Sancho from 1768 — painted by the great Thomas Gainsborough, no less — gazed out from Gretchen Gerzina’s book Black England: Life Before Emancipation. “It just looks strange,” says Joseph, by phone from London. “Because in the midst of all these images of slavery, and foreignness, exoticism, of black people, you suddenly have this gentleman, in a bright-red waistcoat, and a frock coat, looking incredibly well-groomed and very serene. And you think, ‘Who on earth is this man?’ … It’s the image that stirred me to write the play.” Joseph is a well-known stage and TV actor whose credits include HBO’s The Leftovers. He premiered his one-man play Sancho: An Act of Remembrance this fall in England. Its U.S. premiere was at the Kennedy Center, and on Dec. 10 and 11, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust brings it to the August Wilson Center. The show, co-directed by Simon Godwin, covers Sancho’s life from his birth, in 1729 — his parents were enslaved Africans — to his latter days as a London shopkeeper, musician, composer, man of letters and, in 1774, the first black Briton to vote in a Parliamentary election. Because only male property-owners could then vote, Sancho cast his ballot at a time when most white men lacked that privilege. The self-educated, socially connected Sancho counted among his friends famed actor David Garrick and novelist Laurence Sterne. And like another noted, free 18thcentury black Briton, the protagonist of the 2014 film Belle, Sancho was an abolitionist. Sancho’s very life was a powerful argument against what Joseph calls “the invisibility” of free blacks. “Sancho is one of those great examples of a man steeped in his time, but who forced the white establishment to see that these are human beings who are being treated in this way,” says Joseph. “As long as they can articulate their thoughts, then you’ve got a chance of changing the way they’re seen.” DRISCOLL@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

SANCHO: AN ACT OF REMEMBRANCE 8 p.m. Thu., Dec. 10, and 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11. August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $20-30. 412-456-6666 or www.trustarts.org N E W S

Paterson Joseph as Charles Ignatius Sancho

A FREE MAN {BY BILL O’DRISCOLL}

{IMAGE COURTESY OF BIG ARCHITECTS}

Rendering of an aerial view of the Lower Hill redevelopment plan

FOR BUILDING, [ARCHITECTURE]

OR FOR SHOW? {BY CHARLES ROSENBLUM}

Y GRANDPARENTS were long-

time residents of I.M. Pei’s Washington Plaza apartments, overlooking the Lower Hill. One day 40 or so years ago, pointing toward the west side of the building, my grandfather said to me, “That’s where the next building is going to go.” Of course, a second mute slab to match Pei’s ﬁrst one never came. “Every story should have a beginning, middle, and an end,” declared ﬁlmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, “just not in that order.” Sometimes the story ends in the middle. In fact, I suspect that Kai-Uwe Bergman and the staff of BIG Architects and their collaborators in Atelier 10 and West 8 are more adept than they let on in rearranging the commonly understood phases of story-

telling. The team just unveiled its plan for 1,200 units of housing and one million square feet of commercial space, overlaid on the 28-acre former Civic Arena site, designed for developers McCormack Baron Salazar. It’s a beautifully contemporary plan, reminiscent of some of their Danish work, not unrelated to their new building in New York. And they presented very adeptly the calculus-like multi-variability with which they blended issues such as sunlight, zoning, drainage, slope, and access to produce their signature designs. But like bad lovers, they ﬁnished while we were still in the middle. After a few weeks of community meetings in the fall, they brought in models and renderings of designs that I strongly suspect they had

completed before the input was really done. That’s OK — it’s still beautiful work. But I fear the same principle applies to construction. Bulldozers are already grading for streets and other infrastructure, but that doesn’t guarantee that completion of buildings of this kind will be part of the story. More renderings than necessary accompany these plans, and these include structures shown with fancier materials, more complex rooﬂines and more elaborate custom windows than what the Pittsburgh construction market is really going to allow, based on what is being built elsewhere now. This doesn’t look like a project to build; it looks like a project that is going to have a prominent placement in Bjarke Ingels Group’s next CONTINUES ON PG. 36

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Feb 6 Feb 14 Feb 18 Feb 19

Sat Sun Thu Fri

5PM/9PM 3PM 7:45PM 8PM

Feb 20 Mar 5 Mar 11 Mar 12

Sat Sat Fri Sat

7:30PM 7:30PM 8PM 8PM

Mar 15 Mar 16 Mar 18 Mar 19 Apr 1

Tue Wed Fri Sat Fri

7:30PM 7:30PM 8PM 7:30PM 8PM

Apr 6 Apr 8 Apr 9 Apr 23 Apr 30 May 7 May 13

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PalacePA

Dec 12 Dec 13 Dec 14 Dec 19

Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra: The Nutcracker Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra: The Nutcracker JB Productions: A Christmas w/Shoji Tabuchi WSO presents Home For The Holidays 2016 SHOWS Westmoreland Cultural Trust: Travis Tritt Westmoreland Cultural Trust: Get The Led Out TRAVIS TRITT Elko Concerts presents The Musical Box Westmoreland Cultural Trust presents Duquesne University Tamburitzans Westmoreland Cultural Trust presents STOMP Latshaw: The Spinners & Eddie Holman Elko Concerts presents Abba Mania Latshaw Productions presents Masters of Illusion “Believe The Impossible” WSO presents Shakespeare In Love GET THE LED OUT River City Brass presents Celtic Connections Westmoreland Cultural Trust: Three Dog Night Pat DiCesare Productions: Lou Christie In Concert w/guest Barbara Harris and The Toys WCT presents Gaelic Storm (on sale 12/11) WCT: PostSecret The Show (on sale 12/10) Latshaw Productions presents Air Supply THE MUSIC WSO presents Spanish Guitar AL BOX Best Entertainment Group: The Three Tenors (who can’t sing) starring Vic DiBitetto Elko Concerts presents Belinda Carlisle Elko presents Luma: Art in Darkness River City Brass presents Big Band Brass WSO presents Mozart’s Requiem Elko Concerts presents Robin Trower River City Brass presents Classic Rock STOMP Westmoreland Cultural Trust: Jack Hanna’s Into The Wild LIVE (on sale 12/11)

The Palace Theatre, Greensburg 724-836-8000 • www.thepalacetheatre.org FREE PARKING FOR EVENING & WEEKEND SHOWS

EM L R A H H S I SPAN SALSA A R T S E H NAVIDAD ORC

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2015 • 8 pm

AUGUST WILSON CENTER TRUSTARTS.ORG • BOX OFFICE AT THEATER SQUARE 412-456-6666 • GROUPS 10+ TICKETS 412-471-6930

published folio on master-planning. For all the legacy of unrealized projects for the Lower Hill, McCormack Baron Salazar actually has a track record of construction of housing in the Middle Hill. Its website says that it has constructed 681 units in various projects, the most prominent of which is Crawford Square, built in three phases between 1993 and 2000 (and actually ﬁnished!) to designs by UDA Architects, authors of the Lower Hill’s most recently abandoned master plan. Crawford Square, judging by published sources, tidily blends people of different incomes and races. But it is eerily suburban in its single-use nature, and it is utterly dead in terms of precisely the urban activity that the new work promises to deliver. We are not trying to begin the process of new housing in the hill; we are in the middle of it. Yet nothing about BIG’s design or process acknowledges successes or failures in immediately adjacent work by the same developers.

BIG MIGHT BE A BAD LOVER, BUT IT’S AN AWESOME PROM DATE. One good outcome of this design release is that BIG inundated the webosphere with articles and images of this project. Like the Hanukah song that parodies Jewish last names by singing, “Leaven, LeVinn, Leveen, LeVyne,” BIG seems to have hit every popular website that might be a variation on Design or Dezeen. BIG might be a bad lover, but it’s an awesome prom date. We really had no idea what cool was until BIG took charge of design and PR. We are so popular now. Of course none of these, nor any local media outlets, has addressed the published designs with a shred of criticality. Notwithstanding a mention or two of the Civic Arena or the lost communities of the Lower Hill, you would think this was all starting for the first time. But we are really just in the middle of a story that has happened over and over. And much as I hope something like BIG’s exciting renderings will get built and fulfill these promises, we know quite clearly, based on decades of experience, that this version of this project will stop, at best, somewhere in the middle, like Washington Plaza. Have any of these people ever heard of phased development? Actually, that’s how these developers did Crawford Square — a portion at a time, because you might not finish the whole thing. Why not acknowledge that as a reasonable approach here? That would be a good start. INF O @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

[DANCE]

HOME GROWN {BY STEVE SUCATO}

Alison Geroche in Daniel Karasik’s “Tides” {PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF SWENSEN}

The Palace Theatre Highlights!

FOR BUILDING, OR FOR SHOW?, CONTINUED FROM PG. 35

Point Park University’s dance department has a national reputation for turning out talented young dancers and choreographers. So it makes perfect sense that some graduates are asked back as instructors or choreographers for the student Conservatory Dance Company. The annual Point Park Connections program, at the university’s George Rowland White Performance Studio, features six choreographers with department connections, including four alumni. The show, with four performances Dec. 11-3, features work by alumni including Daniel Karasik, artistic director of Morgantown Ballet Company, who will premiere his new contemporary ballet “Tides.” The 10-minute ballet for 11 dancers, set to music by Italian composer Ezio Bosso, “is about the internal emotional reminders we experience in our everyday life that our friends and colleagues never know about,” says Karasik. In “Follow You Like a Shadow,” Shana Simmons, founder and director of Shana Simmons Dance Company, reworks her 2013 contemporary-dance piece for nine women. Set to music from the 2009 film thriller The International, the 10-minute work centers on the emotion of fear. “Got Your Shoes On?” is something Jill Randolph Lazzini lovingly remembers her late father, Wayne, saying when he wanted her help. It is also the title of her new 11-minute jazz-dance piece that pays tribute to him. Says Lazzini, the work is danced to some of her father’s favorite tunes and incorporates some of his most memorable “moves.” Rounding out the alumni offerings is Texture Contemporary Ballet company member Brynn Vogel’s new work “Unhinged.” Vogel says that the frenetic, 11-minute piece for 10 women, set to music by Philip Glass, was inspired by the everyday stresses we internalize and hide from others behind a façade of control. Also on the program is former Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre soloist Ernest Tolentino’s “A Dream Is a Wish …,” a 13-minute work for nine dancers set to a mix of Broadway, jazz and classical music performed live. Completing the selections is choreographer Michelle Van Doeren’s reconstruction of her 2005 work “True North,” a 12-minute narrative piece about a tribe and its quest to find an eagle that represents the group’s tribal identity. INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CONSERVATORY DANCE COMPANY presents POINT PARK CONNECTIONS 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12; and 2 p.m., Sun., Dec. 13. George Rowland White Performance Studio, 201 Wood St., Downtown. $10-24. 412-392-8000 or www.pittsburghplayhouse.com

COH EN

“…absorbing from beginning to end.”

GR IGSBY

TR U ST

P RES EN TS

S ERI ES

— Pittsburgh City Paper

Born on a slave ship, never a slave. Royal Shakespearean actor

Paterson Joseph is

An Act of Remembrance DECEMBER 10 & 11, 2015 AUGUST WILSON CENTER

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BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 412.431.CITY (2489) / CityTheatreCompany.org 1300 Bingham Street, South Side

November 27, 2015–January 11, 2016 Looking for ways to enjoy the holidays with a special someone, your family, or out-of-town guests? Celebrate the season in one of Pittsburgh's most majestic spaces. And while you’re here, why not cross some items off of your holiday shopping list? Gifts from the CMOA Design Store and CMNH Store are sure to delight. Neapolitan Presepio November 27–January 11

Holidays at the Museums is sponsored by

Carnegie Trees: Holidays in the Highlands December 3–January 11

carnegiemnh.org | cmoa.org | 412.622.3131 |

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Admission is FREE from 3–8 p.m. on December 3, 10, and 17, courtesy of the Jack Buncher Foundation!

one of the four carnegie museums of pittsburgh

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C L A S S I F I E D S

5887 FORBES AVENUE

301 SOUTH HILLS VILLAGE

Pittsburgh, PA 15217 412-421-2909 pittsburgh.colormemine.com

Pittsburgh, PA 15241 412-854-1074 southhills.colormemine.com

{PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF SWENSEN}

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services with Dr. Kurt Bjorklund Friday, Dec. 18, 7:00 pm Saturday, Dec. 19, 5:00 & 7:00 pm Sunday, Dec. 20, 3:00 pm

Tuesday, Dec. 22, 7:00 pm Wednesday, Dec. 23, 7:00 & 9:00 pm Thursday, Dec. 24, 11:00 am; 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00 & 9:00 pm

2551 Brandt School Road, Wexford, PA 15090 www.orchardhillchurch.com 724.935.5555

Angela D’Occhio (left) and Te’Era Coleman in Our Lady of 121st Street, at the Conservatory Theatre Company

[PLAY REVIEWS]

CITY SERENADE {BY STUART SHEPARD}

THE CHARACTERS in Our Lady of 121st Street

could have stepped right out of a Nelson Algren story. With names like Rooftop, Flip and Pinky, you know these souls are truly “characters.” And in an Algrenesque way, they use gritty street language to express themselves, but struggle to say what they really mean. Which is the main conceit of this engaging 2003 play by Pulitzer Prizewinner Stephen Adly Guirgis, receiving its local premiere from the Conservatory Theatre Company of Point Park University.

OUR LADY OF 121ST STREET

DECEMBER 427, 2015

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

ARTIST: WILLIAM MOORE; PHOTO: DUANE RIEDER

continues through Sun., Dec. 13. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. $10-24. 412-392-8000 or www.pittsburghplayhouse.com

The Lady of the title is Catholic nun Sister Rose, whose deceased body has been stolen from her church’s viewing room just prior to the action. She also serves as the MacGufﬁn — in the Hitchcockian sense — that brings the characters together and launches their respective journeys of self-discovery. Lamont Walker II stands out as the vivacious Rooftop, and his confessional scenes with Father Lux (Zach Petrovich) are scintillating. Even Walker’s use of the simple prop of a wool cap is brilliant. Te’Era R. Coleman owns the stage whenever she appears and gives a powerful performance as Inez, still

jealous of the sassy and dangerous Norca (Angela D’Occhio), from her past. The first half of the play comprises seven fast, two-character scenes. But the second half slows markedly — and uncomfortably, in places — with multi-character scenes that feel welded together by the playwright. However, director Steven Wilson keeps the energy flowing, sans intermissions, with only blackouts and lighting to indicate changes of time and place on Michael Thomas Essad’s multifarious set. Perris Drew, as the detective Balthazar, and Tal Kroser as the luckless Victor (whose pants were stolen, along with Sister Rose), begin and end the performance with portentous scenes, the former based on questions, the latter on confessions. Troy Patrick is the cartoonishly written Gail, who has the tiresome task of declaring “I’m gay” in all of his scenes. But at least gets to say, “Denial’s like a pair of Prada silk pajamas, Robert — the price is just too high!” Still, the play’s flaws are the exception in the dualistic world these characters create as they continue searching for the beloved Sister Rose in their pasts as well as their futures. I N F O@ P G H C I T Y PA P E R. C OM

ACTING SCARED {BY TED HOOVER}

IT’S ALL ABOUT the performances. Off the Wall Productions presents the regional premiere of Laura Brienza’s Scared of Sarah, and while there’s certainly a lot going

on with the play, the takeaway is the work of this outrageously good cast. Erika Cuenca, Sarah Silk and Shaun Cameron Hall are the three actors trapped inside the play’s emotional hothouse. With the impeccable direction of Ingrid Sonnichsen, they manage to navigate their own way, and help plot a course for us, through all that Brienza has thrown down. Cuenca and Hall play Lily and Sam, a young, smart, trendy Manhattanite couple who could have stepped out of the pages of a Sharper Image catalogue. But their idyllic life is about to undergo profound stress as Brienza unleashes a series of near-biblical trials upon them.

SCARED OF SARAH

continues through Dec. 19. Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main St., Carnegie. $5-40. 888-718-4253 or www.carnegiestage.com

The biggest stressor is Lily’s sister Sarah (played by Silk), whose Fragile X Syndrome diagnosis places her on the autism spectrum. Sarah has zero social skills and cannot tolerate any sort of physical contact. For most of her life she’s been taken care of by her father. (The mother left when she and Lily were children.) But Dad has recently died and Lily is, against her wishes, pressed into service. As the play opens, Lily’s learned that she’s pregnant, which is the first of many complications Brienza racks up. She’s a terrific writer and she’s got a genius play on her horizon, but Scared of Sarah isn’t quite it. There’s so much that’s good, but Brienza doesn’t know when to quit. Each scene brings a new calamity, some horrible occurrence, until Lily’s life resembles the Book of Job. Predictably, Scared of Sarah turns into a soap opera; terrible things happen and then everybody has to discuss how they feel about it. It might be a high-minded soap opera, but it’s still soapy. But as mentioned above, it’s the performances that’ll knock your socks off. What’s most admirable is the way the cast (thanks to Sonnichsen’s direction) expertly walks the fine line between high-stakes drama and over-the-top histrionics. Cuenca, Silk and Hall play with ruthless honesty, and it yields devastating results.

controversy of Pope Francis’ stern comments on the meaning and celebrations of Christmas. No froth or frivolity, Twist slams into the travails of the poor and less fortunate, while their “betters” (as His Holiness also notes) carelessly demean — or even increase — their suffering. PICT artistic and executive director Alan Stanford helms his own adaptation (produced in 2000 by Dublin’s Gate Theatre) of Charles Dickens’ 1837 classic in its U.S. premiere. While the very worst happens off-stage, few holds are barred in this portrayal of the vicious cycle of poverty and cruelty. Yes, there’s a happy ending (for some), but it has a deus ex machina veneer that, certainly, even Dickens couldn’t swallow. Stanford’s Twist is a massive show on a spare set with a huge cast of remarkable actors spanning many decades. In the demanding title role, Will Sendera packs a punchy personality into his diminutive frame. His eight or so contemporaries (“child actor” is such a put-down) likewise deliver rich, nuanced performances as workhouse inmates, thieves, gang members, street-walkers, etc., mostly in multiple roles. But the real stunner is Karen Baum, propelling her inner urchin into a much-sinned-against woman who attains a moral triumph of self-revelation and selfsacriﬁce. Her Nancy is deﬁnitely the heroine of the tale (“a story of redemption” is how Stanford describes it). Opposite her, Tony Bingham perfectly slithers into the role of the sociopathic Bill Sykes.

IT’S THE PERFORMANCES THAT’LL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF.

INFO@ PGHC ITY PAP ER.CO M

POTENT TWIST {BY MICHELLE PILECKI}

SERENDIPITOUSLY, PICT Classic Theatre’s production of Oliver Twist reﬂects the

OLIVER TWIST

continues through Dec. 19. PICT Classic Theatre at the Charity Randall Theatre, Stephen Foster Memorial, 4301 Fifth Ave., Oakland. $13-48. 412-561-6000 or wwww.picttheatre.org

James FitzGerald oozes rapacity and mendacity as Fagin. Ken Bolden credibly recreates a trio of Dickensian types, and David Cabot is wonderfully bombastic as Mr. Bumble. As his paramour and partner in parochial persecution of the poor waifs, Bridget Connors is appropriately smarmy. Martin Giles is best when his good-guy Mr. Brownlow pontificates on the ills of society and hypocrisy of the times. While there is much that is depressing in Oliver Twist, there are the occasional chuckles (look for sly references to other Dickensianisms) and the cry for charity. Which is what the holiday season is really about, right?

www.wizardofozthemusical.com

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I NF O @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M

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FOR THE WEEK OF

12.1012.17.15

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO SUBMIT LISTINGS AND PRESS RELEASES, CALL 412.316.3342 X161. of Fine Art Building, plus art on sale, DJs and refreshments. Both events are free. BO Mind the Matter: 6-8 p.m. (exhibit continues through Dec. 13; www.cfa.cmu.edu). Danger in the Club: 5-10 p.m. CMU campus, Oakland (www.cmu.edu/art)

DEC. 11

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With the Paris climate talks ongoing, let’s hear from Jeremy Rifkin. The internationally known author and consultant’s latest book, The Third Industrial Revolution, explores how we can end the era of dirty, corporatized fossil fuels for an inclusive, equitable economy based on renewable energy. Tonight, Rifkin visits the Green Building Alliance’s Inspire Speakers Series with Bill Generett, CEO of Urban Innovation21, a Pittsburghbased group that links the innovation economy to inner-city communities. Envisioning a Sustainable, Collaborative and Inclusive Economy, at the Hill House Kaufmann Center, is co-organized by p4 Pittsburgh. Bill O’Driscoll 5:30-7 p.m. 1825 Centre Ave., Hill District. $10-40. Register at www.go-gba.org

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

{TALK} You might have a love/hate relationship with Christmas, but you’ve probably got nothing on John Waters. The legendary cult filmmaker and apostle of bad taste is taken with the inevitability of what

DEC. 11

Printwork 2015

+ FRI., DEC. 11 {ART}

Carnegie Mellon University art

and design students wrap up the semester tonight with two big events. In Miller Gallery, Mind the Matter, the School of Design’s senior exhibition, showcases work by some 30 students using design to “improve the way people connect, live, work and play.” And the School of Art’s annual open studio, Danger in the Club, works a nightclub theme with open access to more than 50 artists’ studios in the College

Artists Image Resources’ annual national juried print exhibition opens tonight with a reception. Printwork 2015 spotlights contemporary work by 22 artists from around the U.S., employing “innovative techniques combined with solid conceptual thinking,” according to press materials. The exhibition includes a solo show by Virginia-based, internationally exhibited Ricardo Vicente Jose Ruiz, who won the top prize at Printwork 2014. Printwork 2015 was juried by Dan Byers, a senior curator at ICA/Boston (and formerly of the Carnegie Museum of Art). BO 7-10 p.m. 518 Foreland St., North Side. 412-321-8664 or www.artistsimageresource.org

Art by Ricardo Vicente Jose Ruiz

sp otlight {PHOTO COURTESY OF RENEE ROSENSTEEL}

A lot has changed since dancer/choreographer Anthony Williams’ work-in-progress showing of Loving Black last year. Williams has enlisted the talents of actor/playwright Billy Wayne Coakley and singer-songwriter and composer Anqwenique Wingfield to transform the former multimedia dance work into a “dansical” that combines elements of dance and musical theater. The new 70-minute, adult-themed Loving Black is directed and choreographed by Williams, who also stars. It premieres Dec. 10 at the New Hazlett Theater as part of its CSA Performance Series. What hasn’t changed is the inspiration behind Loving Black, which delves into the 28-year-old Williams’ own story and the popular perceptions of black men in society. “We took ‘loving black’ to be literal,” says Williams. It’s the story of a character named “black” who is a young queer boy experiencing his sexuality and trying to figure out the layers of his own personality and how family, friends and society have shaped his perceptions of himself. Performing to variously styled original music by Wingfield and others, the work’s seven cast members now act, dance and sing. Loving Black also responds to the Black Lives Matter movement and Williams’ feelings on its inclusiveness. “This is my version of [Broadway’s] In the Heights,” says Williams. Steve Sucato 8 p.m. Thu., Dec. 10. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. $20-25. 412-320-4610 or www.newhazletttheater.org

he calls Christmas “trauma.” He confronts it at home through strategies including decorating Christmas balls with ugly pictures of relatives and Yuling up his electric chair from Female Trouble. The writer and naughty wit shares his coping mechanisms and more in his one-man show A John Waters Christmas: Holier & Dirtier. The national tour hits the Carnegie Music Hall tonight, courtesy of The Andy Warhol Museum. BO 8 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $20-25. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org

exactly gotten saner since. But if you’re looking for laughs, and maybe some insights, tonight’s panel — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cartoonist Rob Rogers, the ACLU’s Vic Walczak and Doug Saltzman, formerly a staffer for U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter — might be of service at the Oaks Theater. BO 8 p.m. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. $15-18. 412-828-6322 or www.theoakstheater.com

{DRAG} Since competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race, in 2013, the

{MUSIC}

As it often does, the Pittsburgh Camerata goes way back for this year’s holiday concert. ncert. The professional chamberr choir’s A Celtic Christmas Carol ol features the so-called O Antiphons phons — church music sung att Vespers during Advent since at least the eighth century. The concert, programmed d by artistic director Rebecca cca Rollett, also includes traditional nal and contemporary hymns ymns and carols from Scotland, and, Ireland and Wales. The first of three performances at three ee different area churches hes is tonight, at St. Andrew’s rew’s Episcopal Church, in Highland Park. BO 8 p.m. Also 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. c. 13 (Sixth Presbyterian Church, hurch, Squirrel Hill) and 8 p.m. m. Sat., Dec. 19 (Mount Lebanon Lutheran Church). hurch). $5-25. 412-421-5884 or www.pittsburghcamerata.org erata.org

DEC. 11 A John Waters Christmas: Holier & Dirtier

{ART} {ART Holly Hollywood Westerns, survey photographs, miniature photo paintings and more — it’s all paint fodder for the artists in The fodde Mountain and the Bumblebee. Moun the new exhibit at SPACE For th gallery, curator Chris McGinnis galler chose work by contemporary artists and poets who tackle artist accepted ideas about our a landscape. The show features lands contributions from more than contr dozen artists, working in a doz media including photography, medi sculpture, painting, digital sculpt media and poetic verse. BO medi a.m.-8 p.m. Exhibit continues 11 a.m through Jan. 24. 812 Liberty throu Ave., Downtown. 412-325-7723 www.spacepittsburgh.org or ww

+ MON.,

+ TUE., DEC. 15

DEC. 14

{ACTIVISM}

{COMEDY} Trailer Park Boys, a brilliantly funny TV mockumentary series, has seen major cult and mainstream success since its inception in 2001. Set in a Nova Scotia trailer park, the show (now on Netflix) follows the misadventures both in and out of jail of best friends Julian, Ricky and Bubbles. After 10 seasons of living lives of petty crime and two-bit schemes on screen, the boys have hit the stage. The Dear Santa Claus: Go Fuck Yourself Tour, which

Eastern dance performances; holiday shopping; and a fancy-dress dance party with a best-dressed-pair contest. It all takes place at the Unitarian Universalist Church

follows Ricky’s quest to meet the “real” Santa, lands at the Benedum Center tonight. Celine Roberts 8 p.m. 237 Seventh St., Downtown. $32.25-60.25. 412-456-6666 or www.trustarts.org

It’s not every day you see an event promoted with a photograph of three dreidls reading, respectively, “Support Refugees,” “Confront Islamophobia” and “Deep Fry.” But that’s Love Thy Neighbor: A PostHanukah Action Party. This Jewish Voice for Peace — Pittsburgh event, at BOOM Concepts, is a fundraiser that includes, indeed, a dreidl game, banner-making and a deep-fryer station that is, considerately, both porkand shellfish-free. BO 7-9 p.m. 5139 Penn Ave., Garfield. Free. www.facebook.com/ JewishVoiceForPeacePGH

DEC. 14

Dear Santa Claus: Go Fuck Yourself Tour

+ SSAT., DEC. 12

{TALK} A few weeks ago, comedian median and pundit John McIntire ntire announced the theme me of his next John McIntire re Dangerously Live Comedy/ medy/ Talk Show as “Happyy Holidays — The World’s on Fire,” re,” and things haven’t

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of the North Hills. BO 6-9 p.m. 2359 W. Ingomar Road, Franklin Park. $15 ($20 after Dec. 10); $10 for ages 11-16; free for kids under 10. 412-8970809 or www.facebook.com/ PittsburghVeganFestival

purveyors includes sales of formerly Pittsburgh-based Alaska Thunderfuck has turned vegan holiday-grocery items (like cookie dough and cashew to music, with notable success. cream). Non-food attractions Her debut album, 2015’s Anus include Indian and Middle (Sidecar Records), spawned club hits including “Your Makeup Is Terrible!” and “This Is My Hair!” Alaska’s international tour brings her to Cruze Bar courtesy of the Pittsburgh Bro Club. Not on Xmas! Alaska Thunderfuck 5000’s Honey-Baked Anus! features such DEC. 10 guest queens as Jeremy Cherri Baum, Amy Rifkin Vodkahaus, Kitty Klottsalot, and Klotts Karmageddon, plus Karm Edgar Um and DJs E Dad Time. BO 9 p.m.DJ Da 2 a.m. a.m 1600 Smallman St., Strip District. $12-15 ($25 VIP). www.brownpapertickets.com www

{FOOD} {FOO Go (o (or stay) vegan for the holidays at tonight’s Pittsburgh holid Vegan Festival Holiday Ball. Vega evening of vegan food This e desserts from various and dd

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Mark, Luke, Juan & Abraham – aka the ALTAR BOYZ. They’re on a mission from above to put the “pop” back in piety, wooing legions of bingo hall & pancake breakfast fans throughout their “Raise the Praise” tour. Sun, 2 p.m., Sat, 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Wed-Fri, 7:30 p.m. Thru Dec. 20. Backstage Bar at Theatre Square, Downtown. 412-323-4709. BEAUTY & THE BEAST HOLIDAY. Presented by Gemini Theater Company. Belle & the Beast spend a magical winter holiday together as the Beast learns the true meaning of the season. Sat, Sun, 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Thru Dec. 27. Latitude 360, North Fayette. 412-693-5555. THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER. A tale of the Herdman Family, whose kids were without a doubt the worst children in the history of the world. Wed, 7:30 p.m. and Sat, Sun, 1:30 p.m. Thru Dec. 19. Little Lake Theatre, Canonsburg. 724-745-6300.

Celebrate the season with John Waters or The Nutcracker and have Bellevue’s first drink. Podcast goes live every Thursday at www.pghcitypaper.com

Dec. 20. The Theatre Factory, A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE Trafford. 412-374-9200. MUSICAL. An adapted Dickens OLIVER TWIST. Wed-Sat, 8 p.m. classic. Dec. 10-12, 7:30 p.m. and and Sun, 2 p.m. Thru Dec. 13. Sun., Dec. 13, 2:30 p.m. Geyer Stephen Foster Memorial, Performing Arts Center, Scottdale. Oakland. 412-561-6000. 724-887-0887. OUR LADY OF 121ST STREET. DANNY & THE DEEP BLUE Where’s Sister Rose? Turns out, SEA. Fri., Dec. 11, 8 p.m. and the body of the beloved nun has Sat., Dec. 12, 8 p.m. Duquesne gone missing from the funeral University, Uptown. 412-396-6050. home & every character in the INSPECTING CAROL. A neighborhood is a suspect. small theater company Sun, 2 p.m., Sat, 2 & is rehearsing for 8 p.m. and Thu, Fri, its umpteenth 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 13. production of A Pittsburgh Playhouse, Christmas Carol when www. per pa Oakland. 412-392-8000. something happens pghcitym .co PAPER MEMORY. The to shake up the story of an idea that found production. Thu-Sat, itself a writer & a writer that 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 19. Little became the idea. Thru Dec. 12, Lake Theatre, Canonsburg. 8 p.m. The Space Upstairs, Point 724-745-6300. MACBETH. The classic Shakespeare Breeze. 412-225-9269. SCARED OF SARAH. Lily & Sam, play. Thu-Sat, 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 19. an upwardly-mobile young urban The Maker Theater, Shadyside. couple, are in crisis mode. Lily’s 412-404-2695. pregnant & Sam is stuck in a panic THE MARVELOUS that rings entirely true: they owe WONDERETTES. A musical takes more than a hundred thousand that takes you to 1958 prom. Fri, dollars – how will they support a Sat, 8 p.m. and Sun, 2 p.m. Thru

FULL LIST ONLINE

[ARTS]

baby? Fri, Sat, 8 p.m. and Sun, 3 p.m. Thru Dec. 19. Carnegie Stage, Carnegie. 724-873-3576. SUNSET BABY. The story of Nina, a smart sexy hustler. Sun, 2 p.m., Sat, 5:30 & 9 p.m. and Thu, Fri, 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 13. City Theatre, South Side. 412-431-2489. YINZ’R SCROOGED. A Pittsburghflavored holiday tale to finish Midnight Radio’s 7th Season. Family-friendly comedy parodying Charles Dickens’ classic holiday story, A Christmas Carol. Thu-Sat, 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 21. Bricolage, Downtown. 412-471-0999.

COMEDY FRI 11 JOHN MCINTIRE DANGEROUSLY LIVE COMEDY TALK SHOW. 8 p.m. Oaks Theater, Oakmont. 412-828-6322.

MON 14 COMEDY SAUCE SHOWCASE. Local & out-of-town comedians. Mon, 9 p.m. Pleasure Bar, Bloomfield. 412-682-9603. OPEN MIC COMEDY NIGHT. Mon, 10 p.m. Lava Lounge, South Side. 412-431-5282. TRAILER PARK BOYS “DEAR SANTA CLAUS” TOUR. 8 p.m. Benedum Center, Downtown. 412-456-6666.

EXHIBITS ALLEGHENY-KISKI VALLEY

Step into the homes and studios of four Highland Park potters to view their creations in the spaces in which they were created. Much of the work on the Highland Park Pottery Tour will be for sale, so enjoy the walk and some refreshments while doing a little shopping that supports local artists. The Union Project Ceramics Co-op will also be open for perusing. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Dec. 13. Various locations, Highland Park. Free. www.highlandparkpotterytour.com

HERITAGE MUSEUM. Military artifacts & exhibits on the Allegheny Valley’s industrial heritage. Tarentum. 724-224-7666. ANDREW CARNEGIE FREE LIBRARY MUSIC HALL. Capt. Thomas Espy Room Tour. The Capt. Thomas Espy Post 153 of the Grand Army of the Republic served local Civil War veterans for over 54 years & is the best preserved & most intact GAR post in the United States. Carnegie. 412-276-3456. BAYERNHOF MUSEUM. Large collection of automatic rollplayed musical instruments & music boxes in a mansion setting. Call for appointment. O’Hara. 412-782-4231. BOST BUILDING. Collectors. Preserved materials reflecting the industrial heritage of Southwestern PA. Homestead. 412-464-4020. CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART. The Propeller Group: The Living Need Light, the Dead Need Music. A video based exhibition that looks at colorful, spirited funeral traditions in Vietnam & New Orleans. Oakland. 412-622-3131. CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. Animal Secrets. Learn about the hidden CONTINUES ON PG. 44

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“Daibutsu I” (mixed media, digital, 2015), by Erin Ko. From the exhibition An Occasional Dream, at The Gallery 4, Shadyside.

NEW THIS WEEK ARTISTS IMAGE RESOURCE. Printwork 2015. Feat. prints created by 22 artists from around the country, the exhibition features innovative techniques combined w/ solid conceptual thinking. Opening reception December 11, 7-9 p.m. North Side. 412-321-8664. CHROMOS EYEWEAR. Steel Mills Past & Present: Lithography by Keith Clouse. Open Reception on Dec. 11, 6 p.m. black and white imagery of both working and decaying mills and the people who worked in them translated through lithography printing. Presented in conjunction w/ Carolyn Pierotti of Purple Room Fine Arts. Lawrenceville. 412-477-4540. DV8 ESPRESSO BAR & GALLERY. Diagram Not To Scale. December 12, 7 - 10 p.m. Greensburg. 724-219-0804.

ONGOING 937 LIBERTY AVE. Humanae/ I AM AUGUST. A series of photographs of everyday Pittsburghers by Angelica Dass. Downtown. 412-338-8742. ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM. Warhol By The Book. An exhibition on Warhol’s book work, from early student-work illustrations to his commercial work in the 50s. Permanent collection. Artwork & artifacts by the famed Pop Artist. North Side. 412-237-8300.

ARTDFACT. Artdfact Gallery. The works of Timothy Kelley & other regional & US artists on display. Sculpture, oil & acrylic paintings, mixed media, found objects, more. North Side. 724-797-3302. BOCK-TOTT GALLERY. 5 Artists: A Collection of Works. Works in various mediums by Brandy Bock-Tott, Jeffrey Phelps, Linda Breen, Joyce Werwie Perry & Cindy Engler. Sewickley. 412-519-3377. BOXHEART GALLERY. No Boundaries: Work by The Pittsburgh Group. Main gallery. 412-687-8858. The Watcher The Watched. Work by Kyle Ethan Fischer, Carolyn Reed Barritt, Irina Koukhanova, Danny Licul, & Sherry Rusinack. Bloomfield. 412-687-8858. CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART. HACLab Pittsburgh: Imagining the Modern. An exhibition of over, under architecture highlighting successive histories of pioneering architectural successes, disrupted neighborhoods & the utopian aspirations & ideals of public officials & business leaders. Silver to Steel: The Modern Designs of Peter Muller-Munk. Displaying the work of 60s German emigre & Pittsburgh industrial design Peter Muller-Munk, who started as a silversmith at Tiffany’s. Oakland. 412-622-3131.

CHRISTINE FRECHARD GALLERY. Compensatory Dreaming. Works by Dean Cercone. Squirrel Hill. 412-421-8888. CRAZY MOCHA COFFEE COMPANY. Glowstick Burn Unit. A series of collages by Brian DiSanto. Bloomfield. 412-681-5225. EAST OF EASTSIDE GALLERY. Eastside Outside. Landscape paintings & print by Adrienne Heinrich, Debra Platt, Phiris Kathryn Sickels, Sue Pollins & Kathleen Zimbicki. Forest Hills. 412-465-0140. ECLECTIC ART & OBJECTS GALLERY. 19th century American & European paintings combined w/ contemporary artists & their artwork. The Hidden Collection. Watercolors by Robert N. Blair (1912- 2003). Hiromi Traditional Japanese Oil Paintings The Lost Artists of the 1893 Chicago Exhibition. Collectors Showcase. Emsworth. 412-734-2099. ESPRESSO A MANO. The Whole Kit & Caboodle. Feat. quirky cats & whimsical floral acrylic paintings by Maura Taylor. Lawrenceville. 412-918-1864. FRAMEHOUSE. Except For The Sound of my Voice: Photogravures by Leslie A. Golomb. Feat. selections from Wielding the Knife, woodcuts by Master Chinese Printmaker, Li Kang. Lawrenceville. 412-586-4559.

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lives of ants, bats, chipmunks, raccoons & more. Out of This World! Jewelry in the Space Age. A fine jewelry exhibition that brings together scientific fact & pop culture in a showcase of wearable & decorative arts related to outer space, space travel, the space age, & the powerful influence these topics have had on human civilization. Dinosaurs in Their Time. Displaying immersive environments spanning the Mesozoic Era & original fossil specimens. Permanent. Hall of Minerals & Gems. Crystal, gems & precious stones from all over the world. Population Impact. How humans are affecting the environment. Oakland. 412-622-3131. CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER. H2Oh! Experience kinetic water-driven motion & discover the relations between water, land & habitat. How do everyday decisions impact water supply & the environment? Ongoing: Buhl Digital Dome (planetarium), Miniature Railroad & Village, USS Requin submarine & more. North Side. 412-237-3400. CENTER FOR POSTNATURAL HISTORY. Explore the complex interplay between culture, nature & biotechnology. Sundays 12-4. Garfield. 412-223-7698. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF PITTSBURGH. Voyage to Vietnam. An immersive exhibit celebrating the Vietnamese Tet

Festival. North Side. 412-322-5058. FRICK ART & HISTORICAL COMPASS INN. Demos & tours CENTER. Ongoing: tours of w/ costumed guides feat. this Clayton, the Frick estate, w/ restored stagecoach stop. classes & programs for all ages. North Versailles. 724-238-4983. Point Breeze. 412-371-0600. DEPRECIATION LANDS HARTWOOD ACRES. Tour this MUSEUM. Small living history Tudor mansion & stable complex. museum celebrating the Enjoy hikes & outdoor activities settlement & history of the in the surrounding park. Depreciation Lands. Allison Park. Allison Park. 412-767-9200. 412-486-0563. HUNT INSTITUTE FOR FALLINGWATER. Tour the BOTANICAL DOCUMENTATION. famed Frank Lloyd Wright house. The Mysterious Nature of Fungi. Mill Run. 724-329-8501. An overview of these mysterious organisms that are found almost FIRST PRESBYTERIAN everywhere on this planet & are CHURCH. Tours of 13 Tiffany the cause of both bliss & blight. stained-glass windows. Oakland. 412-268-2434. Downtown. 412-471-3436. KENTUCK KNOB. Tour FORT PITT MUSEUM. the other Frank Lloyd Captured by Indians: Wright house. Mill Run. Warfare & Assimilation 724-329-8501. on the 18th Century www. per KERR MEMORIAL Frontier. During the pa pghcitym MUSEUM. Tours of a .co mid-18th century, restored 19th-century, thousands of settlers of middle-class home. European & African descent Oakmont. 412-826-9295. were captured by Native MARIDON MUSEUM. Collection Americans. Using documentary includes jade & ivory statues from evidence from 18th & early 19th China & Japan, as well as Meissen century sources, period imagery, & porcelain. Butler. 724-282-0123. artifacts from public & private MCGINLEY HOUSE & MCCULLY collections in the U.S. and Canada, LOG HOUSE. Historic homes the exhibit examines the practice open for tours, lectures & more. of captivity from its prehistoric Monroeville. 412-373-7794. roots to its reverberations in MOUNT PLEASANT GLASS modern Native-, African- & MUSEUM. Bells, Bells, Bells: A Euro-American communities. Reconstructed fort houses museum Lenox Holiday. A collection of Lennox Christmas bells. Isabella of Pittsburgh history circa French & D. Stoker Graham Collection. Indian War & American Revolution. Heritage glass from her estate. Downtown. 412-281-9285. Mount Pleasant. 724-547-5929. NATIONAL AVIARY. Masters of the Sky. Explore the power & grace of the birds who rule the sky. Majestic eagles, impressive condors, stealthy falcons and their friends take center stage! Home to more than 600 birds from over 200 species. W/ classes, lectures, demos & more. North Side. 412-323-7235. NATIONALITY ROOMS. 29 rooms helping to tell the story of Pittsburgh’s immigrant past. University of Pittsburgh. Oakland. 412-624-6000. OLD ST. LUKE’S. Pioneer church features 1823 pipe organ, Revolutionary War graves. Scott. 412-851-9212. OLIVER MILLER HOMESTEAD. This pioneer/Whiskey Rebellion site features log house, blacksmith shop & gardens. South Park. 412-835-1554. PENNSYLVANIA TROLLEY MUSEUM. Trolley rides & exhibits. Includes displays, walking tours, gift shop, picnic area & Trolley Theatre. Washington. 724-228-9256. PHIPPS CONSERVATORY & BOTANICAL GARDEN. Winter Flower Show & Light Garden. Each of the changing exhibit rooms will embody the spirit of the oft-sung holiday tune w/ arrangements of LED lights, props & seasonal favorites such as poinsettias, amaryllis & a massive evergreen situated in the pond of the Victoria Room. Garden Railroad. Model trains chug through miniature landscapes populated w/ living

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FRICK ART & HISTORICAL CENTER. Forbidden Fruit. Porcelain figurines in the 18th century style by Chris Antemann. Permanent collection of European Art. Point Breeze. 412-371-0600. FRICK FINE ARTS AUDITORIUM. Exposure: Black Voices in the Arts. Art exhibition by Pitt Museum Studies students that both calls attention to the absence of black voices, culture, & experiences in art institutions, & celebrates black artists in Pittsburgh. Oakland. 412-648-2400. GALLERIE CHIZ. Trip the Light Fantastic! Holiday Show. Work by Doreen Baskin, Peter Calaboyias, Manuela Holban, Thomas Kelly, Bill Miller, Ellen Chisdes Neuberg, Cory Rockwood, Bruce Senchesen & Marike Vuga. Shadyside. 412-441-6005. THE GALLERY 4. An Occasional Dream. Interactive mixed media works, enhanced w/ a free smartphone app by Erin Ko. Artist’s reception December 11, 6-10 p.m. Shadyside. 412-363-5050. GALLERY ON 43RD STREET. Addicted to Trash. Assemblage & metal collage by Robert Villamagna. Lawrenceville. 412-683-6488. GATEWAY CENTER. 412 Project. Exploring Pittsburgh through the lens of local Instagrammers. Gateway Center Kiosk at 400 Liberty Avenue, next to the Gateway Center Garage. http://412project.org/. Downtown. GLENN GREENE STAINED GLASS STUDIO INC. Original Glass Art by Glenn Greene. Exhibition of new work, recent work & older work. Regent Square. 412-243-2772. HOLOCAUST CENTER, UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION. In Celebration of Life: Living Legacy Project. A photographic/ multimedia exhibit honoring & commemorating local Holocaust survivors. Squirrel Hill. 412-421-1500. IMAGE BOX GALLERY. Birthday Parties. Collaborative Works by Marcy Gerhart & Katelyn Gould. Garfield. 412-441-0930. IRMA FREEMAN CENTER FOR IMAGINATION. The Face of Nature. An exhibition of children’s art. Natural Renderings: Paintings by Irma Freeman. Paintings by Irma Freeman. Garfield. 412-924-0634. JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER. Jane Haskell: Drawing in Light. An exhibition of 30 sculptures, paintings & drawings by the artist. Squirrel Hill. 412-521-8010. MALL AT ROBINSON. Digital Designs: Showcase of Student Design Work.

Robinson. 412-788-0816. MATTRESS FACTORY. Factory Installed. Artists Anne Lindberg, John Morris, Julie Schenkelberg, Jacob Douenias, Ethan Frier, Rob Voerman, Bill Smith, Lisa Sigal & Marnie Weber created new room-sized installations that demonstrate a uniquely different approach to the creative process. Ongoing Installations. Works by Turrell, Lutz, Shiota, Kusama, Anastasi, Highstein, Wexler & Woodrow. North Side. 412-231-3169. MORGAN CONTEMPORARY GLASS GALLERY. parallelgenres. Christine Barney, John Burton, Granite Calimpong, Bernie D’Onofrio, Jen Elek, Saman Kalantari, David Lewin, David Royce, Margaret Spacapan & Cheryl Wilson Smith exploring an interconnected set of parameters through different genres. Shadyside. 412-441-5200. NEU KIRCHE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER. Like a Body Without Skin. Work by Fiona Amundsen addressing the relationships between steel manufacturing industries & their mobilization into a united national front that produced everything from planes to bombs during WWII. North Side. 412-322-2224. PANZA GALLERY. Fusion. An exhibition showcasing two artists, Christianna Kreiss & George Kollar, using unique forms of photography. Millvale. 412-821-0959. PHIPPS CONSERVATORY & BOTANICAL GARDEN. Learning for a Greener Future: A Youth Art Exhibition. Through a series of photography workshops, Phipps’ summer interns were encouraged to explore whatever crossed their paths from beautiful flowers, to people, to architecture. The teens selected their favorite pictures to display in this gallery space. The pictures demonstrate the power of communication & art through the view of a camera lens. Oakland. 412-622-6914. PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS. 50th Anniversary Annual Exhibition. A non-themed juried exhibition showcasing the best work of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists in all mediums. Guild Exhibitions from the Pittsburgh Society of Artists, Society of Sculptors & Group A. Work from guild members. Shadyside. 412-361-0873. PITTSBURGH FILMMAKERS. In the Air: Visualizing what we breath. Photographs that show the effects of western PA’s air quality. Oakland. 412-681-5449. PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER. Indagare. Work by

Therman Statom. Friendship. 412-365-2145. REVISION SPACE. Fired in Freedom. A group exhibition feat. ceramic artists from Northeast Ohio & Pittsburgh. 28 firings in less than four years from a single wood-fired kiln have resulted in clay objects that range from contemporary sculptures to traditional pots. Lawrenceville. 412-735-3201. SILVER EYE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. Golden Hour: Thoughts on the Contemporary Photo Book. An exhibition of images from recent or upcoming publications, experimental installations & thoughtful & evocative sequences that add a new perspective to existing book-based projects. South Side. 412-431-1810. SIMMEN CHIROPRACTIC. Dina Russo Solo Exhibition: A Collection of Various Works. An exhibition of oil paintings. New Kensington. 724-715-7598. SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT SATELLITE GALLERY. A Very Long Engagement. The works collected in this exhibition emerge from lengthy encounters with string – whether knotted, netted, interlaced, woven or percussed. Created by six fiber artists, the works form a kind of network of linked ideas, processes, physical properties & material qualities. Downtown. 412-261-7003 x15. THE SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT. Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art. More than 30 works created by 14 contemporary artists explore the impact that mental illness is having on society & the role the arts can play in helping to address these issues. Strip District. 412-261-7003. TUGBOAT PRINT SHOP. Tugboat Printshop Showroom. Open showroom w/ the artists. Fridays 10 a.m.4 p.m. & by appt. only. Lawrenceville. 412-980-0884. WINDOWSPACE. MIXTAPE: GOD BLESS THE CHILD THAT’S GOT HIS OWN. Work by Paul Zelevansky. Downtown. 412-325-7723. WOOD STREET GALLERIES. At Home. London based artist Hetain Patel unveils the photographic series “Eva,” & a newly commissioned work for the exhibition “Jump.” Part of India in Focus showcase. Nandini Valli Muthiah. Nandini’s photography incorporates traditional ideas of popular Indian art in contemporary, everyday settings. Part of India in Focus showcase. Downtown. 412-471-5605.

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[OPERA] plants, whimsical props & fun interactive buttons. Runs through Feb. 28. 14 indoor rooms & 3 outdoor gardens feature exotic plants & floral displays from around the world. Tropical Forest Congo. An exhibit highlighting some of Africa’s lushest landscapes. Oakland. 412-622-6914. PHOTO ANTIQUITIES. 3-D Photos on glass plates. Peer through antique viewers for examples of 3-D effects & see scores of other glass hand-colored transparencies. North Side. 412-231-7881. PINBALL PERFECTION. Pinball museum & players club. West View. 412-931-4425. PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM. Home to 4,000 animals, including many endangered species. Highland Park. 412-665-3639. RACHEL CARSON HOMESTEAD. A Reverence for Life. Photos & artifacts of her life & work. Springdale. 724-274-5459. RIVERS OF STEEL NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA. Exhibits on the Homestead Mill. Steel industry & community artifacts from 1881-1986. Homestead. 412-464-4020. SENATOR JOHN HEINZ HISTORY CENTER. We Can Do It!: WWII. Discover how Pittsburgh affected World War II & the war affected our region. Explore the development of the Jeep, produced in Butler, PA & the stories behind real-life “Rosie the

Riveters” & local Tuskegee Airmen whose contributions made an unquestionable impact on the war effort. From Slavery to Freedom. Highlight’s Pittsburgh’s role in the anti-slavery movement. Ongoing: Western PA Sports Museum, Clash of Empires, & exhibits on local history, more. Strip District. 412-454-6000. SEWICKLEY HEIGHTS HISTORY CENTER. Museum commemorates Pittsburgh industrialists, local history. Sewickley. 412-741-4487. SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL. War in the Pacific 1941-1945. Feat. a collection of military artifacts showcasing photographs, uniforms, shells & other related items. Military museum dedicated to honoring military service members since the Civil War through artifacts & personal mementos. Oakland. 412-621-4253. ST. ANTHONY’S CHAPEL. Features 5,000 relics of Catholic saints. North Side. 412-323-9504. ST. NICHOLAS CROATIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. Maxo Vanka Murals. Mid-20th century murals depicting war, social justice & the immigrant experience in America. Millvale. 412-407-2570. WEST OVERTON MUSEUMS. Learn about distilling & cokemaking in this pre-Civil War industrial village. West Overton. 724-887-7910.

HOLIDAY SAT 12 - SUN 13 SANTA VISITS. Join us for a festive photo-op w/ the man in the big red suit (Santa). Sat, Sun, 10 a.m. Thru Dec. 25 Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden, Oakland. 412-622-6914.

DANCE

the Marylloyd Claytor Dance Technique & do a restaging of an excerpt from the company. Live audiences welcome. Interested dancers should go to marylloydclaytordancecompany. com to register. Fri. Thru Dec. 18 YWCA, Downtown. 412-391-5100.

FUNDRAISERS FRI 11

THE NUTCRACKER. Presented by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Sun, 12 & 4:30 p.m., Sat, 2 & 7 p.m. and Thu, Fri, 7 p.m. Thru Dec. 27 Benedum Center, Downtown. 412-456-6666.

“THE FIRST DRINK EVER” IN BELLEVUE. Drawing for the first drink & live music. All proceeds benefit the North Suburban Chamber of Commerce & the Bellevue Volunteer Fire Dept. 6 p.m. 565 LIVE, Bellevue. 412-522-7556.

FRI 11 - SUN 13

FRI 11 - SAT 12

THU 10 - WED 16

THE NUTCRACKER. Christmas time brings the magical dream of a little girl named Clara & her handsome Nutcracker Prince. Sun, 2 p.m. and Fri, Sat, 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 13 Carnegie Performing Arts Center, Carnegie. 412-279-8887. POINT PARK CONNECTIONS. Choreographed by adjunct dance faculty. George Rowland White Performance Studio. 8 p.m., Sat., Dec. 12, 2 & 8 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 13, 2 p.m. Point Park University, Downtown. 412-391-4100.

FRI 11 - WED 16 MCDC MODERN DANCE INTENSIVE. Dancers will learn

FRIENDS OF CARRICK LIBRARY HOLIDAY BOOK & BAKE SALE. 10 a.m. and Sat., Dec. 12, 10 a.m. Carnegie Library, Carrick. 412-882-3897.

SAT 12 HELLO BULLY HOLIDAY PARTY. Hello Bully, a local non-profit Pit Bull rescue, hosts their 2015 Holiday Party fundraiser complete w/ Hello Bully Spokesbulls & Adopt-a-Bulls. 8 p.m. BZ’s Bar & Grill, North Side. 412-235-1997. JINGLE BELL RUN/WALK FOR ARTHRITIS. Meet at Art Rooney Ave. Holiday themed 5k to raise money to cure arthritis. 10 a.m. Heinz Field, North Side. 412-250-3340.

SUN 13 BRENTWOOD LIBRARY HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR. A self-guided tour. All proceeds benefit Brentwood Library. 12-4 p.m. Brentwood Library, Brentwood. 412-882-5694.

POLITICS THU 10

{PHOTO COURTESY OF ALISA GARIN}

Resonance Works has assembled top local talent for its second annual production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, Gian Carlo Menotti’s beloved 1951 chamber opera about a mischievous little boy and three mysterious strangers seeking Bethlehem. Bass Jonathan Stuckey, baritone Daniel Teadt and tenor Robert Frankenberry play the kings. The program at Third Presbyterian Church, performed with the Resonance Chamber Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble, also includes Ottorino Respighi’s Trittico Botticelliano. 7:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11; 7:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12; and 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 13. 5701 Fifth Ave., Shadyside. $10-40 (free for children under age 10). 412-501-3330 or www.resonanceworks.org

poems & writings on life, love, family & the future. 6-8 p.m. Neu Kirche Contemporary Art Center, North Side. 412-322-2224.

12-16. Tue, Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Thru Dec. 22 TechShop, East Liberty. 412-345-7182.

SAT 12

YOUTH MAKE: PIE IN THE SKY. Must be between 10-15 years old. 5-7 p.m. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058.

PITTSBURGH WRITERS PROJECT - ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS. Second Sat of every month, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Green Tree Public Library, Green Tree. 412-921-9292.

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GERTRUDE STEIN POLITICAL CLUB BAH HUMBUG 2: www. per OF GREATER pa WRITERS (STILL) pghcitym PITTSBURGH. .co WRESTLE THE HOLIDAY Meetings of group SPIRIT. Writers entertain devoted to LGBT issues in w/ tales of their holiday work electoral politics. Second Thu of experiences. 8 p.m. Hambone’s, every month, 7 p.m. United Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318. Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh, Oakland. 412-521-2504.

LITERARY THU 10

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THE HOUR AFTER HAPPY HOUR WRITER’S WORKSHOP. Young writers & recent graduates looking for additional feedback on their work. thehourafterhappyhour. wordpress.com Thu, 7-9 p.m. Lot 17, Bloomfield. 412-687-8117. JUDY ROBINSON & MICHAEL ALBRIGHT. Book releases. 7 p.m. East End Book Exchange, Bloomfield. 412-224-2847. A READING BY THE WOMEN WRITERS OF NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS. The Women Writers of Northview Heights present a reading of their favorite personal

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TUE 15

STEEL CITY SLAM. Open mic poets & slam poets. 3 rounds of 3 minute poems. Tue, 7:45 p.m. Capri Pizza and Bar, East Liberty. 412-362-1250.

KIDSTUFF THU 10 DESIGN & BUILD AFTERSCHOOL. Introducing young innovators to the engineering design process using laser cutters & 3D printers. Students will move through identifying a problem, brainstorming, prototyping & iterative design before refining their CAD skills in Autodesk & Adobe software. For students aged

FRI 11

SAT 12 FAMILY CHRISTMAS PLAY. A play by the staff & a visit from Santa. 10:30 a.m. Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw. 412-486-0211. PAWS FOR A CAUSE W/ ANIMAL FRIENDS. Meet an approved literacy animal, hear stories, read aloud to the visiting animal & participate in a literacy activity. 11 a.m. Baldwin Borough Public Library, Baldwin. 412-885-2255. PENNY ARCADE. Kids comedy show. Second Sat of every month, 1 p.m. Arcade Comedy Theater, Downtown. 412-339-0608.

MON 14 MAKER STORY TIME. Explore tools, materials & processes inspired by books. Listen to stories read by librarian-turned-Teaching Artist Molly. Mon, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058.

TUE 15 DESIGN & BUILD AFTERSCHOOL. Introducing young innovators to the engineering design process using laser cutters & 3D printers.

WED 16 HANDWRITTEN. Try hand lettering, sign making & handwritten letters to those you love. Dec. 16-18 Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058. HAT MAKING. Cut, sew & shape fabrics to keep your head cozy & cool-looking. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058.

*Stuff We Like {PHOTO BY ASHLEY MURRAY}

Students will move through identifying a problem, brainstorming, prototyping & iterative design before refining their CAD skills in Autodesk & Adobe software. For students aged 12-16. Tue, Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Thru Dec. 22 TechShop, East Liberty. 412-345-7182.

Representations of Santa This jolly-looking fellow stands outside of S.W. Randall Toyes and Giftes on Smithfield Street, Downtown.

Empire’s Crossroads

OUTSIDE

The Caribbean, a region typically thought of as an island paradise, has a grim and complicated history. Carrie Gibson’s book is a comprehensive and accessible account.

WED 16 WEDNESDAY MORNING WALK. Naturalist-led, rain or shine. Wed Beechwood Farms, Fox Chapel. 412-963-6100.

A SOTO ZEN BUDDHIST SITTING GROUP. http:// citydharma.wordpress.com/ schedule/ Tue, Thu Church of the Redeemer, Squirrel Hill. 412-965-9903. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF PITTSBURGH. Social, cultural club of American/ international women. Thu First Baptist Church, Oakland. iwap. pittsburgh@gmail.com. PITTSBURGH AIDS TASK FORCE “PREP RALLY”. Talks from HIV specialists, PrEP providers & community members on PrEP. There will be community organizations tabling w/ info & resources, a drag queen cheers squad w/ Janet Granite & friends, refreshments & a vogue dance showcase to follow! 7:30 p.m. Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, East Liberty. 412-345-7456. PITTSBURGH CHRISTMAS CAROL TOUR- DOWNTOWN. Tour includes a visit to historic churches &/or mansions & a stop for a sweet treat or light lunch. 10 a.m. and Thu., Dec. 17, 10 a.m. Station Square, Station Square. 412-323-4709. RADICAL TRIVIA. Thu, 9 p.m. Smiling Moose, South Side. 412-431-4668. WYEP’S HOLIDAY HOOTENANNY. Holiday music performed by Brooke Annibale, Bill Deasy Mark Dignam, Morgan Erina, & many more. 7 p.m. Stage AE, North Side. 412-697-2939.

FRI 11 AFRICAN DANCE CLASS. Second and Third Fri of every month and Fourth and Last Fri of every month Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, Garfield. 412-924-0634.

Pittsburgh Popcorn Company Tins Bring a taste of Pittsburgh to your holiday gathering with a festive tin full of popcorn from this local shop. Create a combo from a bunch of delicious flavor options, including chunky chocolate caramel and peanut-butter cup. www.pghpopcorn.com {PHOTO COURTESY PETER KRAMER/NBC}

THU 10

{PHOTO BY LISA CUNNINGHAM}

OTHER STUFF

Blindspot NBC’s drama is about a tattooed amnesiac who crawls out of a duffle bag in the middle of Times Square with the name of an FBI agent inked between her shoulder blades. The tattoos are clues to crimes and the amnesiac has to work with the agent and his team to figure it all out. Catch up on the season so far before it starts again in February.

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CONTINUES ON PG. 48

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FLAVOR OF PITTSBURGH FOOD TOUR. Tour features samplings at local eateries & behind-the-scenes stories. A 3 hour tour. 10 a.m. Market Square, Downtown. 412-323-4709. FRIDAY NIGHT CONTRA DANCE. A social, traditional American dance. No partner needed, beginners welcome, lesson at 7:30. Fri, 8 p.m. Swisshelm Park Community Center, Swissvale. 412-945-0554. GUITAR STYLES OF THE RICH & FAMOUS. Peter Kind performing songs by Paul Simon, James Taylor & Lennon-McCartney. Register by calling. 7 p.m. Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw. 412-486-0211. A JOHN WATERS CHRISTMAS: HOLIER & DIRTIER. 8 p.m. Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland. 412-237-8300. NOT ON XMAS! Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 will be performing her hits from her debut album w/ special guests. 9 p.m. Cruze Bar, Strip District. 412-471-1400. SANTA’S NAUGHTY LIST A BURLESQUE SHOW. 9 p.m. Hambone’s, Lawrenceville. 412-681-4318. SINATRA’S 100TH BIRTHDAY PARTY. Live music, an appearance from Marilyn Monroe, more. For more info, visit www. sinatras100thbirthday.com. Monroeville Convention Center, Monroeville. 800-747-5599.

FRI 11 - SAT 12 OLD ALLEGHENY VICTORIAN CHURCH HOUSE TOUR. Guided tour of 6 restored Victorian homes. 5-8 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 12, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Calvary United Methodist Church, North Side. 1-888-718-4253.

SAT 12 (ALMOST) WINTER SOLSTICE FEST. Celebrate the Winter Solstice w/ tinsel-making, seed sewing, popcorn popping & stringing garlands, a documentary on Stonehenge & more. 11 a.m. Chatham University Eden Hall Campus, Gibsonia. 412-365-1479. BEGINNER TAI CHI CLASSES. Sat, 9 a.m. Friends Meeting House, Oakland. 412-683-2669. HOLIDAY SPIRITS BREW TOUR. Visit ShuBrew, & the musicsynchronized holiday light drivethru show & a final stop at DR Distillery. 4 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 19, 4 p.m. Pittsburgh Public Market, Strip District. 412-323-4709. MEET, LEARN, PLAY: A GAMING MEET UP. All-ages board gaming session, playing & learning about new games w/ an instructor. Quiet Reading Room. Second and Fourth Sat of every month, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Carnegie Library, Oakland. 412-622-3151. PITTSBURGH WINE TOUR. Visit Pittsburgh Winery, Dreadnought Wines & Glades Pike Winery.

12 p.m. Pennsylvania Wine Cellar, Station Square. 412-323-4709. SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING. Lessons 7-8 p.m., social dancing follows. No partner needed. Mon, 7 p.m. and Sat, 7 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, Mt. Washington. 412-683-5670.

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Jubilee Soup Kitchen is seeking volunteers daily 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Round up a volunteer group, or come as an individual. Help is needed preparing food, serving meals and cleaning up; support in the office is also needed. For more information, call 412-261-5417 or visit www.jubileesoupkitchen.org.

SECOND SATURDAY ART WORKSHOPS. Classes in jewelry making, painting, cartooning, puppet making, quilting, more. Second Sat of every month Trust Arts Education Center, Downtown. 412-471-6079. SECOND SATURDAY AT THE SPINNING PLATE. Art exhibits w/ various musical, literary & artistic performances. Second Sat of every month Spinning Plate Gallery, Friendship. www.artspace.org. SOUTH HILLS SCRABBLE CLUB. Free Scrabble games, all levels. Sat, 1-3 p.m. Mount

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

Lebanon Public Library, Mt. Lebanon. 412-531-1912. A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS. Part immersive performance, part neighborhood dinner, an evening of food, drink, story & song for all ages, hosted by motley gang of professional entertainers. 6 p.m.

Heathside Cottage, North Side. 510-225-5221. SWING CITY. Learn & practice swing dancing skills w/ the Jim Adler Band. Sat, 8 p.m. Wightman School, Squirrel Hill. 412-759-1569. TEEN READER’S THEATER. Looking for teens (grades 6 & up) to practice & perform “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” Practice, make scenery & perform in December. 1 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 19, 1 p.m. Baldwin Borough Public Library, Baldwin. 412-885-2255. THREE CENTURIES OF CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA. A lecture about the history of Christmas in the U.S. Reservations are required. Sat, 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. Thru Dec. 12 Historic Hanna’s Town, Greensburg. 724-532-1935 ext. 210. VOICECATCH WORKSHOP W/ KATHY AYRES. A community writing workshop & writing space provided by Chatham’s Words Without Walls program. Sat, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Carnegie Library, East Liberty. 412-363-8232. WIGLE WHISKEY BARRELHOUSE TOURS. Sat, 12:30 & 2 p.m. Wigle Whiskey Barrel House, North Side. 412-224-2827.

SAT 12 - SUN 13 HIGHLAND PARK POTTERY TOUR. Visit the homes & studios of local potters, enjoy refreshments & buy local artwork for the holidays. For more info, www.highlandparkpotterytour. com. Dec. 12-13, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. SUPER SCIENCE SERIES: HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD. Travel through holiday-themed stations as we share the traditions of other cultures through crafts, food, & amazing specimens & artifacts. 12 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 13, 12 p.m. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Oakland. 412-622-3131.

SUN 13 PFLAG PITTSBURGH. Support, education & advocacy for the LGBTQ community, family & friends. http://pflagpgh.weebly.

com/. Second Sun of every month, 2-4:30 p.m. Third Presbyterian Church, Oakland. QUILTS & HOLIDAY TEAS. Quilts & the stories behind them. 2 p.m. Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw. 412-486-0211. RADICAL TRIVIA. Trivia game hosted by DJ Jared Evans. Come alone or bring a team. Sun, 7 p.m. Oaks Theater, Oakmont. 412-828-6322. SPECIAL NEEDS BALLROOM PROGRAM. Ballroom dance classes for adults & teens (16+) w/ cognitive disabilities. Students are paired w/ Dance Mentors (trained volunteers) who provide each student w/ the individual support & attention he or she needs to succeed. Sun, 12 p.m. Thru Dec. 20 DancExplosion Arts Center, Ross. 412-999-3998. SUNDAY MARKET. A gathering of local crafters & dealers selling unique items, from home made foodstuffs to art. Sun, 6-10 p.m. The Night Gallery, Lawrenceville. 724-417-0223.

MON 14 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PITTSBURGH MEETING. Monthly meeting. Second Mon of every month, 7 p.m. First Unitarian Church, Shadyside. 412-621-8008. DEVELOPING AN ANXIETYFREE HOLIDAY SEASON. Professional Counselor & Coach Paula Kauffman Oberly will provide attendees w/ simple strategies to help relax. 7 p.m. Mount Lebanon Public Library, Mt. Lebanon. 412-531-1912. FRIENDS & FAMILY OF SUBTANCE USERS/ABUSERS SUPPORT GROUP. 5:30 p.m. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mt. Oliver. 412-853-3189. IMPROV ACTING CLASS. Mon, 7 p.m. Thru Dec. 15 Percolate, Wilkinsburg. 412-607-4297. SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING. Lessons 7-8 p.m., social dancing follows. No partner needed. Mon, 7 p.m. and Sat, 7 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, Mt. Washington. 412-683-5670.

TUE 15 A SOTO ZEN BUDDHIST SITTING GROUP. http://citydharma. wordpress.com/schedule/ Tue, Thu Church of the Redeemer, Squirrel Hill. 412-965-9903. COMMUNITY CREATE NIGHT: AQUAPONICS. Learn the basic biology, chemistry & engineering behind aquaponics systems. 6 p.m. Chatham University Eden Hall Campus, Gibsonia. 412-365-9918.

WED 16 ABSINT MINDED RELEASE. Butcher & the Rye’s Cecil Usher will lead demos on the classic “absinthe drip” tradition. 5 p.m. Wigle Whiskey, Strip District. 412-224-2827. CARNEGIE KNITS & READS. Informal knitting session w/ literary conversation. First and Third Wed of every month, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Carnegie Library, Oakland.

412-622-3151. PITTSBURGH CHRISTMAS CAROL TOUR- NORTHSIDE. Tour includes visits to Calvary United Methodist Church & Emmanuel Episcopal Church & a sweet treat at the Priory. Wed, 12 p.m. Thru Dec. 17 Station Square, Station Square. 412-323-4709. THE PITTSBURGH SHOW OFFS. A meeting of jugglers & spinners. All levels welcome. Wed, 7:30 p.m. Union Project, Highland Park. 412-363-4550.

AUDITIONS THE THEATRE FACTORY. Cold readings from the script. December 19, 12-3 p.m & December 20, 6-9 p.m. Thru Dec. 20. Trafford. 724-374-9200.

SUBMISSIONS 2016 FARMING FOR THE FUTURE CONFERENCE. PASA Scholarship & WorkShare Applications are open for the conference. To learn more or apply, visit pasafarming.org/ conference. Thru Jan. 4, 2016. BOULEVARD GALLERY & DIFFERENT STROKES GALLERY. Searching for glass artists, fiber artists, potters, etc. to compliment the exhibits for 2015 & 2016. Booking for both galleries for 2017. Exhibits run from 1 to 2 months. Ongoing. 412-721-0943. HOLIDAY MART. Call for artists working in Collage, Assemblage & any other processes of incorporating elements of re-purposed materials as a way of expressing our contemporary experience. Deadline Dec. 14. Thru Dec. 14. Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Sewickley. 412-741-4405. THE HOUR AFTER HAPPY HOUR REVIEW. Seeking submissions in all genres for fledgling literary magazine curated by members of the Hour After Happy Hour Writing Workshop. afterhappyhourreview. com Ongoing. INDEPENDENT FILM NIGHT. Submit your film, 10 minutes or less. Screenings held on the second Thursday of every month. Ongoing. DV8 Espresso Bar & Gallery, Greensburg. 724-219-0804. THE NEW YINZER. Seeking original essays about literature, music, TV or film, & also essays generally about Pittsburgh. To see some examples, visit www. newyinzer.com & view the current issue. Email all pitches, submissions & inquiries to newyinzer@gmail. com. Ongoing. PITTSBURGH POETRY REVIEW. Seeking submissions of no less than 3 & no more than 5 poems. Interested in series’ & linked poems. For more information, visit www.pittsburghpoetryreview.com. Thru Jan. 15, 2016. THE POET BAND COMPANY. Seeking various types of poetry. Contact wewuvpoetry@ hotmail.com Ongoing.

Savage Love {BY DAN SAVAGE}

I’m a 24-year-old gay male with few resources and no “marketable” skills. I have made a lot of bad choices and now I struggle to make ends meet in a crappy dead-end job, living paycheck to paycheck in an expensive East Coast city. Recently, someone on Grindr offered me $3,000 to have sex with him. He is homely and nearly three times my age, but he seems kind and respectful. I could really use that money. I have no moral opposition to prostitution, but the few friends I’ve spoken to were horrified. Part of me agrees and thinks this is a really bad idea and that I’ll regret it. But there’s another part of me that figures, hey, it’s just sex — and I’ve done more humiliating things for a lot less money. It makes me sad to think the only way I can make money is prostituting myself, because my looks aren’t going to last forever. And let’s face it: Prostitution is an ugly and messy business, and it wouldn’t impress a potential future employer. STRESSED OVER TAKING ELDERLY MAN’S PAYMENT TO EAT DICK

I shared your letter with Dr. Eric Sprankle, an assistant professor of psychology at Minnesota State University and a licensed clinical psychologist. “This young man is distressed that he may have to resort to ‘prostituting himself,’ which suggests he, like most people, views sex work as the selling of one’s body or the selling of oneself,” says Sprankle, who tweets about sexual health, the rights of sex workers, and secularism @DrSprankle. But you wouldn’t be selling yourself or your body, SOTEMPTED, you would be selling access to your body — temporary access — and whatever particular kind of sex you consented to have with this man in exchange for his money. “Sex work is the sale of a service,” says Sprankle. “Just as massage therapists aren’t selling their hands or themselves when working out the kinks of some wealthy older client, sex workers are merely selling physical and emotional labor.” Massage therapists who haaaaate seeing their occupation referenced in conversations about sex work — all those hardworking, neverjerking massage therapists — might wanna check their privilege, as all the cool kids on campus are saying these days. “Massage therapists have the privilege of not worrying about being shamed and shunned by friends,” says Sprankle, “and not worrying about being arrested for violating archaic laws.” You will have to worry about shame, stigma and arrest if you decide to go ahead with this, SOTEMPTED. “He will have to be selective about whom he shares his work experiences with and may have to keep it a life-long secret from family and coworkers. This could feel isolating and inauthentic. This young man’s friends have already given him a glimpse of the unfortunate doublestandard social stigma of pursuing this work.” Because I’m a full-service sex-advice professional, SOTEMPTED, I also shared your letter with a couple of guys who’ve actually done sex work — one a bona fide sex worker, the other a sexual adventurer.

“I was struck by the words SOTEMPTED used to describe sex work: ugly, messy, humiliating,” says Mike Crawford, a sex worker, sex-workers’rights activist, and self-identified “cashsexual” who tweets @BringMeTheAx. “For many of us, it’s actually nothing like that. When you strip away the moralizing and misinformation, sex work is simply a job that provides a valuable service to your clients. Humiliation or mess can be involved — if that’s what gets them off — but there is absolutely nothing inherently ugly or degrading about the work itself.” What about regrets? “It’s true that he could wind up regretting doing the paid-sex thing,” says Crawford. “Then again, there’s a chance of regret in almost any hookup. Lots of people who didn’t get paid for sex wind up having post-fuck regrets. I’d also encourage him to consider the possibility that he might look back and regret not taking the plunge. I’ve met plenty of sex workers over the years who wish they had started sooner.” “I don’t regret it,” says Philip (not his real name), a reader who sent me a question about wanting to experience getting paid for sex and later took the plunge. “I felt like I was in the power position. And in the moment, it wasn’t distressing. Just be sure to negotiate everything in advance — what’s on the table and what’s not — and be very clear about expectations and limits.” Philip, who is bisexual, wound up being paid for sex by two guys. Both were older, both were more nervous than he was, and neither were lookers. “But you don’t really look,” says Philip. “You close your eyes, you detach yourself from yourself — it is like metasex, like watching yourself having sex.” You may find detaching from yourself in that way to be emotionally unpleasant or even exhausting, SOTEMPTED, but not everyone does. If your first experience goes well and you decide to see this particular guy again, or to start doing sex work regularly, pay close attention to your emotions and your health. If you don’t enjoy the actual work of sex work, or if you find it emotionally unpleasant or exhausting, stop doing sex work. It has to be said that there are plenty of people out there who regret doing sex work — their stories aren’t hard to find, as activists who want sex work to remain illegal are constantly promoting them. But feelings of regret aren’t unique to sex work, and people who do regret doing sex work often cite the consequences of its illegality (police harassment, criminal record) as chief among their regrets. One last piece of advice from Mike Crawford: “There is a pretty glaring red flag here: $3,000 is a really, really steep price for a single date. I’m not implying that SOTEMPTED isn’t worth it, but the old ‘if it sounds too good to be true’ adage definitely applies in sex work. Should he decide to do this, he needs to screen carefully before agreeing to meet in person. The safety resources on the Sex Workers Outreach Project website (swopusa.org) are a great place for him to learn how to do just that.”

“LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T GET PAID FOR SEX WIND UP HAVING POST-FUCK REGRETS.”

HAVE A GREAT PITTSBURGH PHOTO TO SHARE? Tag your photos #CPReaderArt, and we’ll regram and print the best submissions!

On the Lovecast, it’s the one-minute wonder show! Listen at savagelovecast.com.

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

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FOR THE WEEK OF

Free Will Astrology

12.09-12.16

{BY ROB BREZSNY}

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): My old friend Jeff started working at a casino in Atlantic City. “You’ve gone over to the dark side!” I kidded. He acknowledged that 90 percent of the casino’s visitors lose money gambling. On the bright side, he said, 95 percent of them leave happy. I don’t encourage you to do this kind of gambling in the near future, Sagittarius. It’s true that you will be riding a lucky streak. But smarter, surer risks will be a better way to channel your good fortune. So here’s the bottom line: In whatever way you choose to bet or speculate, don’t let your lively spirits trick you into relying on pure impulsiveness. Do the research. Perform your due diligence. It’s not enough just to be entertained. The goal is to both have fun and be successful.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus was a pioneering thinker whose ideas helped pave the way for the development of science. Believe nothing, he taught, unless you can evaluate it through your personal observation and logical analysis. Using this admirable approach, he determined that the size of our sun is about two feet in diameter. I’m guessing that you have made comparable misestimations about at least two facts of life, Capricorn. They seem quite reasonable but are very wrong. The good news is that you will soon be relieved of those mistakes. After some initial disruption, you will feel liberated.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian inventor Thomas Edison owned 1,093 patents. Nicknamed “The Wizard of Menlo Park,” he devised the first practical electrical light bulb, the movie camera, the alkaline storage battery and many more useful things. The creation he loved best was the phonograph. It was the first machine in history that could record and reproduce sound. Edison

bragged that no one else had ever made such a wonderful instrument. It was “absolutely original.” I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I think you’re due for an outbreak of absolute originality. What are the most unique gifts you have to offer? In addition to those you already know about, new ones may be ready to emerge.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here’s an experiment that makes good astrological sense for you to try in the coming weeks. Whenever you feel a tinge of frustration, immediately say, “I am an irrepressible source of power and freedom and love.” Anytime you notice a trace of inadequacy rising up in you, or a touch of blame, or a taste of anger, declare, “I am an irresistible magnet for power and freedom and love.” If you’re bothered by a mistake you made, or a flash of ignorance expressed by another person, or a maddening glitch in the flow of the life force, stop what you’re doing, interrupt the irritation and proclaim, “I am awash in power and freedom and love.”

get your yoga on! give the gift of good health JLIW FHUWLÀFDWHV FDQ EH SXUFKDVHG RQOLQH DW

VFKRROKRXVH\RJD FRP

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Happiness sneaks through a door you didn’t know that you left open,” said actor John Barrymore. I hope you’ve left open a lot of those doors, Aries. The more there are, the happier you will be. This is the week of all weeks when joy, pleasure and even zany bliss are likely to find their ways into your life from unexpected sources and unanticipated directions. If you’re lucky, you also have a few forgotten cracks and neglected gaps where fierce delights and crisp wonders can come wandering in.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What state of mind do you desire the most? What is the quality of being that you aspire to inhabit more and more as you grow older? Maybe it’s the feeling of being deeply appreciated, or the ability to see things as they really are, or an intuitive wisdom about how to cultivate vibrant relationships. I invite you to set an intention to cultivate this singular experience with all your passion and ingenuity. The time is right. Make a pact with yourself.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Like Metallica jamming with Nicki Minaj and Death Cab for Cutie on a passage from Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, you are redefining the meanings of the words “hybrid,” “amalgam” and “hodgepodge.” You’re mixing metaphors with panache. You’re building bridges with cheeky verve. Some of your blends are messy mishmashes, but more often they are synergistic successes. With the power granted to me by the gods of mixing and matching, I hereby authorize you to keep splurging on the urge to merge. This is your special time to experiment with the magic of combining things that have rarely or never been combined.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I hope you can figure out the difference between the fake cure and the real cure. And once you know which is which, I hope you will do the right thing rather than the sentimental thing. For best results, keep these considerations in mind: The fake cure may taste sweeter than the real one. It may also be better packaged and more alluringly promoted. In fact, the only advantage the real cure may have over the fake one is that it will actually work to heal you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): There’s a sinuous, serpentine quality about you these days. It’s as if you are the elegant and crafty hero of an epic myth set in the ancient future. You are sweeter and saucier than usual, edgier and more extravagantly emotive. You are somehow both a repository of tantalizing secrets and a fount of arousing revela-

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

tions. As I meditate on the magic you embody, I am reminded of a passage from Laini Taylor’s fantasy novel Daughter of Smoke & Bone: “She tastes like nectar and salt. Nectar and salt and apples. Pollen and stars and hinges. She tastes like fairy tales. Swan maiden at midnight. Cream on the tip of a fox’s tongue. She tastes like hope.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I bought an old horoscope book at a garage sale for 25 cents. The cover was missing and some pages were water-damaged, so parts of it were hard to decipher. But the following passage jumped out at me: “In romantic matters, Virgos initially tend to be cool, even standoffish. Their perfectionism may interfere with their ability to follow through on promising beginnings. But if they ever allow themselves to relax and go further, they will eventually ignite. And then, watch out! Their passion will generate intense heat and light.” I suspect that this description may apply to you in the coming weeks. Let’s hope you will trust your intuition about which possibilities warrant your caution and which deserve your opening.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “The secret of being a bore is to tell everything,” said French writer Voltaire. I agree, and add these thoughts: To tell everything also tempts you to wrongly imagine that you have everything completely figured out. Furthermore, it may compromise your leverage in dicey situations where other people are using information as a weapon. So the moral of the current story is this: Don’t tell everything! I realize this could be hard, since you are a good talker these days; your ability to express yourself is at a peak. So what should you do? Whenever you speak, aim for quality over quantity. And always weave in a bit of mystery.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Ducks are the most unflappable creatures I know. Cats are often regarded as the top practitioners of the “I don’t give a fuck” attitude, but I think ducks outshine them. When domestic felines exhibit their classic aloofness, there’s sometimes a subtext of annoyance or contempt. But ducks are consistently as imperturbable as Zen masters. Right now, as I gaze out my office window, I’m watching five of them swim calmly, with easygoing nonchalance, against the swift current of the creek in the torrential rain. I invite you to be like ducks in the coming days. Now is an excellent time to practice the high art of truly not giving a fuck. Review in loving detail the history of your life. Remember how and why you came to be where you are now. Testify at FreeWillAstrology.com.

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

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• Currently smoke cigarettes • Be 18-55 years old, in good health • Be willing to ﬁll out questionnaires • not smoke before two sessions.

RN Charge Nurse – New RN Wage Scale

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Room 251, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on January 5 and 19 (refer to project manuals for specific date), until 2:00 p.m., local prevailing time for:

To participate, you must:

Open Interviews

N E W S

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

The University of Pittsburgh’s Alcohol and Smoking Research Laboratory is looking for people to participate in a three-part research project.

Ring in the New Year with a New Career!

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Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on December 7, 2015 at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700) 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Only Pittsburgh Obama Asphalt Improvement and the Pittsburgh Perry Science Labs will be available on December 14, 2015. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is nonrefundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual We are an equal rights and opportunity school district. Parent Hotline: 412-622-7920 www.pps.k12.pa.us

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

ACROSS

1. Applies sloppily 6. Deep kneading maneuver 10. Prevention workers, for short 13. Pronoun used to emphasize a particular thing 15. 58-Down holder 16. Agcy. that developed the hepatitis vaccine 17. Guinea-___ 18. Fellow 19. Source of anxiety for a coll. senior 20. First part of an ode in a Greek tragedy 22. Coors Field pro 24. Weed purchase 26. ... don’t stop now 28. “Move along, lil’ doggie” 31. Crier’s cry 33. Software for testing 34. Like thousands of emails in my inbox, sadly 36. Flash drive alternative 37. Picked out resources? 38. Facebook co-founder Saverin 40. ... keep it coming 42. Edible fat 43. Throw into the mix 45. Conquistador Hernando 46. Video game

raccoon Cooper and rocker Stone 47. ... almost there 49. Fellow rasta 50. ... a little bit more 52. Thermometer liquid: Abbr. 53. The whole works 55. Aladdin’s love 61. It looks good on paper 62. Pop singer Perry 64. F1, F2, F3, etc. on a computer keyboard 65. Cy Young candidate, often 66. “Don’t ___ change” 67. “Seinfeld” character with the catchphrase “get out” 68. Maiden name preceder in columns 69. Noblemen 70. Places to get off your high camel

DOWN

1. “It’s mine!” 2. Currently fighting 3. Its flag had a hammer and sickle 4. Spanish smooch 5. Many a blocked shot in basketball 6. You can usually find one under a couch 7. “No!” 8. TV host who has a YouTube channel dedicated to cars

9. “No!” 10. Shipping center? 11. Pointed in the direction of 12. Any aunt 14. “No!” 21. It’s full of periods 23. Meals on sticks 25. Lobbed throw’s path 27. Lenient with 28. “No!” 29. Dark chocolate, to some 30. Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter, colloquially, in the eyes of fans 31. Sarcastic laugh 32. Wipe out

35. Gets humiliated big time 39. Dash component 41. Small dick? 44. Deserving recognition 48. Dunking legend 51. Sneaks on a track 54. Shankar who is Norah Jones’ father 56. Time to show of your chops 57. Ratings issuer 58. Colorful part of the eye 59. Zippo 60. Shorn females 61. TV actor McShane 63. Soph. and jr., e.g. {LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS}

NON-DAILY SMOKERS NEEDED Do you smoke cigarettes but only on some days? You may be eligible to participate in a research study for non-daily smokers. Must be at least 21 years old. Eligible participants will be compensated for their time. For more information and to see if you’re eligible, call the Smoking Research Group at the University of Pittsburgh at

SUBOXONE SUBUTEX

(412) 383-2059 or text NONDAILY to (412) 999-2758 *Studies for non-daily smokers who DO want to quit and DO NOT want to quit.

WE TREAT:

www.smokingresearchgroup.com

Opiate Addiction Heroin Addiction & Other Drug Addictions

SMOKERS WANTED for Paid Psychology Research

to participate in a research project at Carnegie Mellon University!

Serving Western Pennsylvania

To be eligible for this study, you must be: • 18-50 yrs. old • In good health • Willing to not smoke or use nicotine products before one session You may earn up to $85 for your participation in a 3 hour study. For more information, call: The Behavioral Health Research Lab (412-268-3029) NOTE: Unfortunately, our lab is not wheelchair accessible.

412.434.6700

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M U S I C

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info@freedomtreatment.com +

A R T S

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WATER FEATURE {BY ABBY MENDELSON}

IT WAS MISS BETTY who brought Miss Mary (and many others, truth be told) into the Living Waters of Larimer project. “I’m always saying, ‘How do I make this better?’” Miss Betty says. “And when I know how, I try to get the message out to the community.” Her community, Larimer, is arguably the city’s most overlooked neighborhood. Tucked between Homewood and what used to be Silver Lake, Larimer is small, downscale and subject to ﬂoods — and for good reason. Stripping away the current concrete and clay, Larimer would stand as it historically did, as a plateau between two waterways — Negley Run and Two Mile Run. Urbanizing the wilderness, Pittsburgh did what it did to so many of the area’s streams, rivulets and run-offs: simply paved them over and then hoped they would slink away, returning to alluvial slime.

ﬁrm and a major player in Living Waters of Larimer. “Members of the community made plans for self-sustaining urban gardens, orchards, businesses, hydroponic farms and water features in playgrounds and fountains.” Ground zero is a planned series of cisterns designed to slow down stormwater, to capture it for re-use. Separate stormwaterdrainage pipes would help, too, catching and channeling water. “These endeavors would be visible public displays of water’s ﬂexibility and would fuel the local ecosystem,” Mondor says. “Water is our greatest resource,” Miss Mary adds. “I began to think about what we would do if there were no water. If we lived in Arizona or Nevada and had to buy water. I asked myself how can we preserve this precious resource that we have? What can one person do to help? To conserve my fair share of water?” Taking an inventory of her life — cooking, cleaning, bathing,

“I BEGAN TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT WATER IS.” Too bad it didn’t work. Not in Larimer. Not anywhere, really. While these natural waterways are buried, water still finds them, often in incredibly damaging ways. On top of that, some 80 million gallons of rainwater fall on Larimer annually. Worst case: back in 2011, rising rainwaters killed four people on Washington Boulevard, just below Larimer. Becoming aware of this issue, Betty Lane applied her community-organizing chops and set to work. An experienced social worker with a gold-star résumé that includes turns at Hill House, Pittsburgh Neighborhood Alliance and Lawrenceville Block Watch, she went door-to-door, recruiting acolytes and finding resources for the willing and able. “I try to bring people into the fold,” she says, “educate them about water, about the larger scale.” One of her converted was Mary Turner. A retired Mellon Bank investigator whose rich patois reveals her rural Georgia roots, Miss Mary began thinking of “the potential of this neighborhood.” “My community,” she gestures about her, “had become a major concern.” Water was top of the list. “It wasn’t that important to me at first,” Miss Mary admits. “Then I began to realize how important water is, how necessary it is for green space.” Dovetailing with that concern is the Living Waters of Larimer project. “We asked how rainwater could be used to fuel businesses, jobs and community projects,” offers Christine Mondor, principal at evolveEA, a sustainable architecture and consulting

gardening — she first set up her summer capture: a 60-gallon black-plastic rain barrel. Connected to a downspout, it filled quickly, Miss Mary found — and quite easily watered her garden (farm, really), a breathtaking 150-square-foot cornucopia that is full to bursting with collards, tomatoes, kale, cabbage, black-eyed peas, corn, lettuce and beets. Quickly, she found that single rain barrel slashed her prodigious water bill in half. Then Miss Mary asked the obvious question. “How am I going to capture water in the winter?” Taking a handful of five-gallon buckets of clean snow, she proceeded to melt it, then used the water for mopping the floor, flushing the commode. “It’s no joke to carry five gallons of water,” she says. Finding it was hard but profitable. Miss Mary asked, well, “What else can I do with this water?” And set about washing the windows and the walls, even doing the dishes. “If you’re conscious about what you put out,” she says, “you can hear that water meter running. And not hearing it is quite significant.” So significant that Miss Mary has been preaching the water gospel at community workshops, to anyone who will listen, really. “This can happen,” she says. “We can conserve water. I’m proof that we can.” There’s a hidden cost, of course. Miss Betty looks at her friend. “Now,” she sighs, “I feel guilty every time I turn the water on.” INF O @ P G HC I T Y PA P E R. C OM

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 12.09/12.16.2015

2015

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