Community Art and Demolition Derby: Support #PghArtCar2015

At first, I was skeptical. My friends at Most Wanted Fine Art (MWFA) dragged a car all around the country, wheat pasting photos of supporters onto the car only to end up smashing the vehicle at a country fair. Then they make art out of the car scraps, selling the art to buy another car. […]

Giveaway: 2-CD Deluxe Editions of Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink from Tori Amos

Tori Amos giveaway

  Enter to win 2-CD Deluxe Editions of Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink from Tori Amos! Featuring remastered audio, special B-sides, live tracks, and other rarities! Available April 14 Little Earthquakes (Deluxe Edition) http://smarturl.it/LEdlx2CD Under The Pink (Deluxe Edition) http://smarturl.it/UTPDlx2CD Lucky winner will receive 2-CD Deluxe Editions of both Little Earthquakes and Under The […]

Art All Night Bans All Weapons at Community Art Event

Some good news from Art All Night, a community art event held annually each spring in Lawrenceville. They have put an official no-weapons policy in place, for volunteers and the public. No guns – permit or not. As you may recall, last year we found a volunteer openly carrying a handgun in his waistband. From […]

A Reel Take: Boys (Jongens)

Boys the Film

  Dutch director Mischa Kamp’s 2014 feature film, Boys (Jongens) is a quiet reflection on two teenage boys first loves. The film was originally created for television and this doesn’t show at all, it’s far from the content that i remember seeing as a young teenager watching after school specials. In many ways the “made-­for-­TV” feeling of the […]

An Open Letter to @ColinMeloy About #Bisexual Jokes

Andre Gray

Dear Colin, Last night, I was in the audience for The Decemberists Pittsburgh concert at The Benedum. The crowd numbered about 2,800 and the house was sold-out (per the usher.) Our seats were pretty good (Orchestra, Row T) and while we did have one screamer near us, for the most part it was a congenial little […]

CBS Daytime Soap Reveals Transgender Storyline Twist

Maya Bold and the Beautiful

This week, The Bold and The Beautiful revealed a significant plot twist with the disclosure that Maya Avant is a transwoman. The show had played up a “big secret” moment involving Maya’s college-aged sister, referencing family rejection and denial. Maya first appeared on screen in December 2013 as an old-friend of Dayzee with a troubled […]

A Reel Take On the Movie ‘Boys’

Boys the Film

Boys is a sweet movie about teenaged boys who run a lot and kiss sometimes, and that’s alright, although I’m not familiar with the legal aspect of things. It’s the sort of movie that’s shot in a way that makes you think “teenaged boys kissing is alright in my book!” and then you think, “I […]

Eli Conley: Music Opens Space to Connect Queer, Trans Community

Eli Conley

Singer-songwriter Eli Conley will be in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, April 15 from 7-9 PM at Biddle’s Escape in Regent Square. It struck me that the second trans male singer-songerwriter who has come to Pittsburgh in the past year is part of the Americana music tradition (Joe Stevens was the other.) Eli’s unique voice as a […]

Secrets Resonate Through Off The Wall Production of Ibsen

Ghosts Off The Wall

Ghosts.  It might be more aptly known as Secrets. Helen Alving has spent her life putting duty before her personal desires. In spite of her careful attempts to fulfill her duties to her degenerate husband and protect the victims of his debauchery – their son and his illegitimate daughter toiling as a parlor maid under […]

Sleater-Kinney and 2.5 Wave Feminism

Sleater-Kinney

  Last night, I saw my first riot grrrl concert when Sleater-Kinney took the stage in Pittsburgh for the first time in 19 years. The show was sold-out. It was good. My ears hurt. I recognized about half the songs after marathon listening sessions in the prior weeks. I didn’t care when I didn’t recognize […]