Finally, Cinema in the Park is a warm-weather favorite. known as the Corner of Rock and Roll. Graffiti featured concerts by national groups just prior to their commercial breakthroughs, including two of the more popular rock bands of the 90s. We come back the next Thursday for our regular gig, and there was Meat Loafs poster up on the wall. We liked the punk attitude, but it seemed so restrictive. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The neighborhood is split between a riverfront flood plain to the southwest and a plateau to the northeast. Elavsky is also bemused that students have the cash for a microbrewed IPA, as well as an Uber to then hit the competition in the North Side, South Side or Lawrenceville, when he couldnt even afford a cab in college. In 1925, work began on what was then the world's tallest educational building, the 42-story Cathedral of Learning. Where to go? If youve been around long enough (and this town isnt exactly full of transients), you either know many of them by name or were in some of them yourself back in your younger days when your back wasnt troubling you and you didnt have to get up so early for work. 31st Street Pub, Strip DistrictDuring its 53 years in business, first as Greenfields Pub then as the 31st Street Pub, this place went through several incarnations: First as a shot-and-beer place for mill workers, then as a biker bar and in its final days was a punk rock haven. I thought it might be interesting to rank these late local establishments by the imprint they left during their heyday. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; Tequila Cowboy is a bar and grill, but its self-proclaimed "revved-up nightlife" makes it more than a viable option for one of Pittsburgh's best nightclubs. The Ramones, David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter).The Pretenders, Joe At the Decade, if you went a bit later, there wouldnt be a cover charge. In late 1978 The Decade was one of three clubs composing what was referred by some as Oaklands Bermuda Triangle, with locations the Electric Banana and Graffiti rounding out the group. My preference was Graffiti, by far. The reigning champions of 80s nostalgia are Belvederes and Lava Lounge. Walk Like an Egyptian Since 2006, the space has been occupied by the much less tawdry Buckhead Saloon. Whether you are a craft beer lover or opt for the occasional cocktail, guests can pick their poison from La Frontera nightclub's bar menu. This year, Citiparks will screen everything from Skyfall to Finding Nemo for free. Alex Chilton, and Meat Loaf. There shouldnt be any nightlife [in Oakland because] the rents dont allow for that,, he said, referencing tight profit margins on, cinemas and bars. Get Pitt and Oakland news in your inbox, three times a week. Lidia's Italy permanently shut down, after 20 years, in August of 2019. The place was full of people, smoke and sound.". To soak up the ricocheting 10 Mom & Pop Restaurants In Pittsburgh That Serve Home Cooked Meals To Die For, If You Grew Up In Pittsburgh, You Definitely Love These 9 Classic Dishes, Facebook/Green Forest Brazilian Churrascaria, 12 stores that anyone who grew up in Pittsburgh remembers. Over the decades, Oakland pushed through a population dip as Pitt did and became overwhelmed by the Universitys ever-encroaching boundaries. google_color_bg="FFFFFF"; However, he is still disappointed at his options for a night out in Oakland. Pittsburghers rocked at the Decade Lounge in Oakland for 22 years watching their favorite Pittsburgh bands and national rock acts. While Pitt and UPMC attract daytime traffic, employees of the institutions. There is a lot of history between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders dating all the way back to the 1970's. #tbt#PittsburghSteelers #Steelers #N. Scattered amongst Oakland's four neighborhoods are 29 distinct flights of city steps - many of which are open and in a safe condition. Grushecky remembered the exchange led to Meat Loafs quick exit from the Decade. At Schenley Plaza, industrialist Andrew Carnegie built a library, museum and concert hall complex, which opened in 1895. Greenfield sold the bar in 2015; its former regulars would be horrified to know the Pittsburgh Juice Company now serves organic artisanal cold-pressed juices there. Photo credits: Decade sign, Dom DeSilvio via Gabby Means; Decade exterior, Jay Flori via Gabby Means; Jon Bon Jovi, Dom DiSilvio via Gabby Means. Across the Monongahela River, South Oakland runs adjacent with Pittsburgh's South Side Flats neighborhood. cut their teeth. Meanwhile, Film Kitchen is in full swing once again because of Pittsburgh Filmmakers and its volunteers. We could accept the deaths of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, but the end of Dreaming Ant is a rude awakening. DiSilvio personally convinced Stevie Ray Vaughan to play at his club after watching him perform live. Regulars recommend the golani and falafel, any beer off the always-rotating taps and, of course, the bar's free popcorn and peanuts. It was a place where you could just go and see who was playing this Saturday. Chauncys, South Side This Station Square landmark was the place to go to dance away the doldrums for more than 20 years -- until a judge pulled the plug on the music in 2004 and ordered the place closed after numerous complaints of assaults, drug dealing and gun activity at the nightclub. All photos used with permission. For part one of the series, click here. Carlow University and most of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center can be found there. Its been Diesel since 2006, a place that occasionally books live acts but not with the frequency of its predecessor. [15] Oakland is also home to the university's French-Gothic revival Heinz Memorial Chapel and St. Paul Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. On a Saturday in October 1978, a crowd of Pitt students, steel mill workers and music This is the first of two parts. It lost some charm, but maybe it was time for that, Kramer said. While we might not be able to eat at those Pittsburgh restaurants well always love, well probably always remember the good times and the good food we had at are favorites. In an interview with the Post Gazette Danny Kresge said"In ohter cities, there are such clubs and the have proven quite successful. The Decade had the most history, but it was small, he said. ceiling was low. Cruze Bar Night Clubs (3) Website Amenities: (412) 471-1400 1600 Smallman St Pittsburgh, PA 15222 OPEN NOW The walls were thick grey stone and the of 1979. Originally opened in 1901, the railroad station is now part of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation and home to the saloon aptly named after a slang term used for rail workers who maintained railway tracks. In 1955, the first effective polio vaccine was developed by Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. To provide The Pitt News with data for advertisers and internal analytics. While Pitt and UPMC attract daytime traffic, employees of the institutions might not always stay within Oakland as the sun sets and students come out. Wanting to spend more The tavern boasts 142 years of Pittsburgh history, countless photographs of Miss America pageant contestants, great drinks and gigantic fish sandwiches made from "Silver Dollar Louie" Americus' longstanding recipe. feels Oaklands nightlife should match this new professional student body, along with the professionals at UPMC and Pitt. Jessica Wasik lives in Pittsburgh where works as a full-time figure skating coach sharing her passion with todays generation of young skaters. Oakland is boring and expensive, Passerini said. Jam The Boardwalk, Strip District This actually wasnt a single bar, but several bars and restaurants over the years that were located on a barge moored on the Allegheny River. Pittsburgh needs such a club, and the Decade in Oakland is willing to help support such a concept". Over the next five years Kresege booked a Get Pitt and Oakland news in your inbox, three times a week. time with his family DiSilvio sold the Decade in 1995. The Frazier Street city steps in South Oakland. Its fifth proprietor, Louis Grippo, has done an exceptional job preserving the tavern's past architecture and dcor, which helped earn The Original Oyster House its designation as an historic landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. See what the regions indie directors are cooking up from short comedy to animations and docs. piece band called the Police who were getting airplay with their song Roxanne tore Panther Hollow Inn, OaklandFor decades, this was one of the only bars within easy walking distance for Carnegie Mellon University students, an important consideration when snow is falling in January. Pittsburgh, PA with 80s Night Clubs. Jay Yander, a 99 Pitt grad, often went to the two venues, which he remembers focused on local bands.. So the next act that we had was The Ramones. Oakland is the academic and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and one of the city's major cultural centers. Facing increased competition from other local live venues, Nicks closed in 2004. According to Scott Kramer, in the 1990s, Pitt students had a lot of ways to amuse themselves on Forbes Avenue. The first national act to play the Decade was. The Park House Miss Shaler Skateland as well. A tiny retro diner, Tom's Diner served everything you'd expect from a classic diner - burgers, fries, and milkshakes. They brought in outside acts all the time, but still the local guys were the top dogs. If the Decade was Pittsburghs Stone Pony, then the Electric Banana was Pittsburghs CBGB. Jackson sang his Is She Really Going Out with Him and Funny Papers" in April There was probably 30 people crammed in there, Grushecky said. In the 90s, The Decade and its predecessors mostly hosted some blues performers, like Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as small-time acts looking for a start. Irish Rockers called U2 played the Decade on April 21, 1981. Because the prize was a recording session at Audionation, which was a big recording studio at the time, Schneider said. It also closed in July 2020. That was a really nice place. Related: Best Haunted Bars In Pittsburgh Gandy. Bars & Clubs. Formed in 1976 the Houserockers signed a management/ production deal in 1977 with. The bar's interior is a treasure chest of old distilled whiskey bottles from the hotel between 1911 and 1913 and several functioning antique seltzer bottles. in Bridgeville; #1 Park Avenue in the South Hills; the sounds parachutes were hung across the ceiling. google_ad_height=600; Students could grab a coffee, study, hang out or catch a movie then later concerts all in the same spot. dollar cover charge, grabbed a Rolling Rock or Iron, and listened to a set or Jackson, The Romantics and the bluesmancomedian ReverendBilly C. Wirtz. Screen Tests The Pittsburgh landscape, and its neighborhoods, have certainly changed a lot over the years, with some of our very favorite shops and restaurants closing for good. piece band called the Police who were getting airplay with their song Roxanne tore Business owners take the change as a blank check for higher quality and more specialized drinks and food with higher prices while many Pitt students might be happier with bargains and a variety of choices for fun nights out. As downtown Pittsburgh's oldest-standing former brothel and the city's third oldest building, this historic landmark serves up some hauntingly good tales along with its beer, wine and cocktails. The Decade and Electric Banana bands rarely mixed, despite a shared hard-edged sound. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 NOLA on the Square closed for good during the summer of 2020, another victim of the pandemic. These three fostered local music in Oakland in a way that students and residents havent seen on such a large scale since the clubs closings. Elavsky also credits the shift in nightlife to a smarter, more serious college crowd determined to finish in four years. packed, sweaty, and loud with menacing bouncers it was a gritty steel town bar. google_color_url="B76401"; Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, 1 Person Dead, Others Injured In 2 Pittsburgh-Area Shootings: Report, Here's How Many Guns Were Sold In Pennsylvania Last Month, What Kind Of Home Can $1.9 Million Buy In Pittsburgh? 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