September 15th, 2018 is a day marked as something ill remember forever. No, not just because of my birthday, but because of “156/Silence‘s” release show for the new album “Undercover Scumbag” at “The Mr Roboto Project“. I’ve been into the local scene since I was 12 years old, so trust me when I say that this was the greatest showcase of Pittsburgh talent that I had ever seen. This truly set the bar for what...
GWAR returned to Pittsburgh to play a sold out show at Mr Smalls Theater and did not disappoint. Their headlining set was everything you’ve heard it would be and more! The return of Balsac the Jaws of Death was a moment triumph for his fans, who have followed closely as he was battling a rare condition. With the venue draped in black plastic, the show began with a bang, leading up to the moment these alien creatures who...
Held in the ballroom of the Quality Inn in New Kensington, PA, each year during Labor Day weekend, A Concert for Anna is a three day event featuring live music, various genres of bands, and fun. They have people working constantly to make it better every year. Reina Peli , a professional photographer and the woman behind the art used to promote the event, Strobe Lighting and Sound, known for their amazing light shows on various stages in...
Despite existing as a clandestine recording project since 2014, Deathwhite’s first ever concert appearance occurred the other night at The Funhouse, Mr. Small’s of Milvale’s club-within-a-club, and what a brooding statement of intent it was. A quintet made up of ominous, hooded, mysterious, nameless figures took the stage, their brand of “dark metal” consisting of a brew of melodic and gothic-tinged genres. Bands such as Katatonia, Anathema. Evergrey, Green Carnation, and Nevermore came to mind...
Last night’s four-act Cattivo gig was my first time attending anything related to Skull Fest, the annual punk-centric weekend-long event made up of micro-concerts spread out over many small venues that is now in its tenth year. This stand leaned more towards the metal side of things, and due to the nature of the festival, the crowd was crusty and mohawked and jovially rowdy, the number of unfamiliar, youthful faces somewhat overwhelming the senses and...
The air was heavy and damp when I arrived in Bloomfield. It was if it were about to storm, and as soon as I stepped out of my ride and jogged across Liberty Avenue I heard…thunder…in the form of West Virginia outlaws Horseburner. Their set in Howler’s Coyote Cafe, one of Pittsburgh’s most loved rock bars, had just begun, Thin Lizzy riffs burning and in love with life…and death. This being my third time seeing...
Weary, sore, and overwhelmed by so much incredible music over the past two days, a race to the finish had begun. Would I be able to withstand one more eight-hour assault? Only the gods would be able to determine that. Brooklyn’s Pyrolatrous, a band new on the scene, quickly became the band to defeat, blotting out the sun with their melodic Immortal deathstorm/blizzard and early Venom savagery along with a NWOBHM-level mastery of riff....
With Day 1 of Migration Fest 2 behind us, I eagerly anticipated the next wave of acts to invade Mr. Smalls in Millvale. Chicago fiends Immortal Bird busted the day open wide with their rumbling, baleful, almost groovy Mastodon/Goatwhore/EYEHATEGOD blackened sludge stomp, marking their territory and establishing a vibe like predators at the top of their primordial food chain. Speaking of predators, Scorched, whom I caught before earlier this year, proved that man is the...
Every now and then, we’ll have these small local showcases around the Mon Valley. These shows are more than just a typical show, they’re truly something special. There’s a certain charm to them, that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. We have a few local spots who are very welcoming to our art and lifestyles, but this passed Friday night, I spent another night at C’s Place. “C’s Place” is a beautiful welcoming...
