Author Archives: Natalia

Hotness – Pittsburgh’s answer to Pink


The party’s inside, so click inside!

Oh yes. It’s HOTNESS, our favorite fuschia-wearin’ silver-sequined spectacle on the Pittsburgh muzack scene. Lindsay and I became Hotness fans when we first saw him play at the Shadow Lounge last year. And we were so excited when we found that the party anthem “We Gotta!” now has a MUSIC VIDEO. (“I got a feeling / from the boredom patrol / that we gotta! / get this party started right now!”) Take that, Pink.

This March 2005 article from the City Paper explains why we love Hotness:

“At a typical show, he does most everything on the fly, often playing along to a CD of pre-recorded material, improvising lyrics and dancing clumsily as he goes. He passes out pots, pans, muffin tins and other kitchen utensils, encouraging the audience to add its own percussion; most enthusiastically comply. At a recent house show in South Oakland, the crowded basement full of twentysomethings took the notion to heart, banging on heating vents while Doggett sang his party anthem, “If You Are What You Eat, Then I Must Eat a Lot of Awesome,â€Â? which commands, “If the party’s inside, let’s go inside,â€Â? and “if the party’s in the tree, let’s get in the tree,â€Â? among other poeticisms.”

Note: “If You Are What You Eat, Then I Must Eat a Lot of Awesome” does not yet have a music video.

You can see Hotness and friend Weird Paul for FREE!! next Thursday April 27. at the Quiet Storm. They will be playing the “Be Well Healthcare Resources for the Uninsured” zine release event at 8PM.

Come to think of it, Hotness is more like Pittsburgh’s answer to Norway’s Hurra Torpedo. Now isn’t that something! We don’t have to travel to Norway to see music made with kitchen appliances!

The Teenie Harris Archive Project Needs Your Help!

We’re on a photo kick this week!

teenie

Know these ladies?

Pittsburgh owes much of its visual history to photographer Teenie Harris. I was going to attempt to capture the spirit of Mr. Harris in this post, but this letter from Larry Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh describes the project best:

“Teenie Harris’ photographs are unsurpassed in the range of subjects they portray and for their ability to evoke the spirit of an era and to display the humanity of a people. Harris’ 40-year career with the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the largest and most influential Black newspapers in the country, began as the nation emerged from the Depression and ended with the Civil Rights Movement. Numbering upwards of 80,000 images, this archive represents the largest single collection of photographic images of any Black community in the United Statesâ€â€?or the world, for that matter.

“Harris’ photographs are finally receiving the recognition they deserve, nationally and internationally. They have been extolled by The New York Times, exhibited in a number of venues, and made the subject of a recent book and exhibition. Harris’ photographs are now taking their place alongside those of such eminent photographers as James VanDerZee of New York City’s Harlem. But the Teenie Harris collection surpasses that of any other African American photographer in its breadth and in its rich documentation of the life and community spirit of Black urban America. In the long run, his photographs may cause Pittsburgh’s Hill District to join New York City’s Harlem in forming our view of urban Black life from the 1930s to the 1960s.”

(Cue: NOW HERE IS THE REALLY AMAZING PART!)

“On these pages we present a sampling of images from the Harris collection. Many of the images have not been identified, and as caretakers of the archive, we are seeking your assistance in discovering and preserving information about Harris and his photographs.

“This electronic image gallery offers an on-going forum for the presentation of Harris’ work. Each month an additional 100 images will be added to the site until all 3600 images are publicly accessible. Visitors can comment on the images, view the comments of others, and e-mail images to increase participation in this documentary project.

“These photographs provide you, the viewer, with a unique opportunity to enhance this visual documentation of Pittsburgh’s history. You can do this by helping to identify the people, places, and events in the photos, by telling the “story behind the picture,” by sharing the memories these photos elicit. In doing so, you, the viewer, can help magnify their power and significance as a vivid historical record of the 20th-century Black experience in Pittsburgh.”

What’s so beautiful is that you can see all the memories and comments on each photograph; some comments, such as these, are especially moving and powerful.

You can see the full list of comments here.

In 2008, the Carnegie Museum of Art plans to present Harris photographs in a major exhibition and publication, followed by a national tour.

Tee-Jay aka Slim aka the Ghetto Will Smith

So if you go to our myspace profile you will hear the most badassest song about Picks-berrrrrrgh ever. Seriously. When do you ever hear St. Clair Village, Mt. Oliver, Knoxville, Arlington and Carrick mentioned in the same breath with such respect and UNITY?

It’s brought to us by Tee-Jay, a Pittsburgh native. This man has skills.

You can purchase his upcoming album My Testimony on April 25th from his myspace page. It will also be available from Stedeford’s Records, located at 417 East Ohio Street on the North Side since 1964.

Please buy local:

“When you spend $100 at the chain Borders Books & Music, your purchase creates only $13 worth of local economic activity. That same $100 spent at a locally owned book or record store generates $45, or more than three times as much local economic activity.� Conclusion of a new study, Economic Impact Analysis: A Case Study conducted by Civic Economics, published by Livable City in Austin, Texas. (brought to us by Sustainable Pittsburgh.)

On that note, check out these upcoming local performances:

teejay

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Main (Oakland)

clpghmain

The Oakland Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is cool as sh*t. We know this.

Here are just five reasons why:

1. They have an amazing array of events from Dance Dance Revolution to Storytime in Spanish.

2. It is open until 8pm from Monday through Thursday! (Closes 5:30pm on Saturday and 5pm on Sunday.)

3. There is a Crazy Mocha on the first floor.

4. You can rent film and audio.

5. Free wireless internet access. (New!)

Feel free to add your own.

People’s Awards … Webby Awards.

This just in! Both the CMU Admissions and University of Pittsburgh JURIST sites are eligible for the Webby “People’s Voice” Award. The public has until May 5 to vote for their favorite nominees. In order to do so, you must register here. After registering, you will be taken to the ballot nomination form here.

Both sites are located under the SOCIETY heading, with CMU under School/University and JURIST under Law.

When I voted, CMU was 4th in its category with 17% of the vote, and JURIST was numero uno in the law category with 47%! Woo! Go Pitt! But come’on CMU! Jeez. I thought you all were the computer dorks or something.

It only takes to minute. It would be enormously beneficial to the nominees if they beat out other large commercial companies and design firms. So go, click away, and represent the ‘burgh!