Within hours after news broke the PHI would close because the Forbes Avenue building it was in had been sold, more than 800 CMU brainiacs signed a petition hoping to save it. 11. Pat Benetar hit Pittsburgh with her best shot on November of that If you've ever wondered what Pittsburgh was like roughly eight decades ago, step into the Omni William Penn Hotel's Speakeasy, the only one of its kind in the city. The speakeasy is a beautiful part of the Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh's top-notch hotel, and a member of the Historic Hotels of America National Trust For Historic Preservation. dollar cover charge, grabbed a Rolling Rock or Iron, and listened to a set or After a decline following the 1970s, Pitts enrollment grew from 26,328 in 1995 to 28,649 in 2016. For years, colorful owner Joel Greenfield had a Skull Room in the back filled with cabinets of skull-shaped mugs and other skull-themed oddities. But the first national artist who actually played at the Decade set a high bar for future bands and convinced DiSilvio that the new plan might have a chance. There wasnt a club owner in the city who would book, like, punk rock, new wave. He was an older guy, his idea of rock n roll was Dion and the Belmonts. Stay tuned for the next installment, which will be about Oaklands community improvement initiatives. Beginning in 1992, local acts such as the Clarks, Bill Deasey and Brownie Mary regularly played at the place with the art deco facade, as did national ones such as Warren Zevon and Hootie and the Blowfish. A Pittsburgh music promoter, Danny Kresge, convinced DiSilvio to start hosting national acts at the Decade. The bands in the Decade scene were older, more professionally skilled musicians who played in a raw R&B, rock-based style. Bars come and go, but this one had been around long enough and had established such a reputation as a fun place to eat, imbibe or listen to live music that it had become a part of Pittsburghs social fabric. With its vast space, futuristic design and manually operated lighting system, Whim reminds visitors of Pittsburghs electronica heyday. The Decadewas the home base of GravelThe Iron City Houserockers, King Solomon, The Mystic Knights,Red Hot and Monday came, and by the end of the night there was 2 feet of beer cans on the floor. NOLA on the Square closed for good during the summer of 2020, another victim of the pandemic. But the BBT hardly is the only local nightspot of notoriety that has had its final last last call over the years. google_ad_client="pub-8685855016547639"; From 1991 until 2008, the Boardwalk was home to places such as Tequilia Willies, Club Champagne and the infamous Donzis, where people seemed to get shot on an almost weekly basis. Hes not a rocker, hes an insomnia cure). When He feels that trend has reversed in the last few years. Located up a flight of rickety stairs in the Strand Building on Forbes Avenue, for more than 20 years the place with all-black walls and large mirrors was where people went to drink and dance to alternative music. Pitt 96 grad Christine Mattiko would spend those reckless college nights at Calicos, a bar where Fuel and Fuddle is today. The Electric Banana on Bigelow Boulevard was the smallest of the three Oakland clubs and featured an Andy Warhol-style banana sign above the entrance. All photos used with permission. To soak up the ricocheting acts moved on. Despite the memories of a thriving nightlife, Petropoulos feels Oaklands nightlife should match this new professional student body, along with the professionals at UPMC and Pitt. Electric Banana, OaklandNo mention to historic Pittsburgh bars would be complete without mentioning the place on Bigelow Boulevard where punk rock flourished. Its been Diesel since 2006, a place that occasionally books live acts but not with the frequency of its predecessor. Drew and her friends then content themselves with raging at house shows in Oakland basements or partying at friends homes habits that have drawn the ire of Pitt police and Oakland residents alike. I saw him at a jazz fest in New Orleans. the place apart with a skillfully played energetic performance on March 20, 1979. North Oakland has eight borders with the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Bloomfield to the northeast, Shadyside and Squirrel Hill North to the east, Central Oakland to the south, West Oakland to the southwest, the Terrace Village region of the Hill District to the west, the Upper Hill District to the northwest Polish Hill to the north-northwest. 2. They played five songs, took a break, and repeated performing at the Civic Arena on September 20, 1984 Bruce Springsteen came to the Decade with his friend Joe Grushecky and ". [3] As of 2020, two of these public stairways, Joncaire Street (Central Oakland) and Louisa Street (West Oakland), also contain runnels which allow cyclists to easily transport a bike up or down the flight. 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. Some of the most impressive architecture in Oakland is on Pitt's campus. The residents of the neighborhood on the north side of Bates Avenue call their neighborhood Oakcliffe. 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. You could slide in and catch the band for the price of a couple cocktails. Tucked into the back corner of Crazy Mocha in Bloomfield, Dreaming Ant offered the most eclectic library of DVDs around. of 1979. The name first appeared in 1839 in a local paper, Harris' Intelligencer. Petropoulos mentions spots like The Porch as ways to attract a more formal nightlife crowd. In the 80s, The Decade, located where Garage Door Saloon is now, hosted the likes of U2 and The Police. music venue for local artists called the Next Decade. The Decade is the only bar on the list that has had a book written about it (Gabby Means The Decade.). Beyond just benefiting the musicians, Graffiti represented a dependable location in Oakland at which to hear talented, rising artists. 5. Though Pittsburgh is no longer replete with dance clubs, surefire picks still exist. Oakland was, at various points, the home of many professional, Oakland is less than 3 miles (4.8km) from, The Ryan Catholic Newman Center: Oratory of St. Philip Neri, Hunt Library (Carnegie Mellon University), This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 14:43. 400 people. 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. This year, Citiparks will screen everything from Skyfall to Finding Nemo for free. Many students at the University of Pittsburgh who decide to live off-campus reside in this neighborhood. 403 E. Ohio St. Now, signs for craft beers like New Belgium and Troegs decorate Fuels walls, while Hemingways owner has branched out, selling more expensive craft beers for $7 or $8 each to match a millennial audience with more discerning tastes. Take an historic look at Pittsburgh through the bottom of your beer mug at these five bars and taverns that have grown into Pittsburgh institutions with their own tales and unique backgrounds. Every Thursday, Calicos offered a deal Mattiko, or any money-starved college student, couldnt turn down nickel drafts. DiSilvio opened the Decade in 1973 as a vintage restaurant in the style of the 1950s featuring a few local acts the clubs name reflecting his preference for that decade and its music. The dance floors are always frenetic with colored lights. Rivers Casino. The bands gigged in the back room on a wide stage Each film started as a project for the PBS series Independent Lens, and each explores topics of social concern, such as activism in India. section of Pittsburgh on the corner of Atwood and Sennott streets which became performed three songs with Bon Ton Roulet. History. As a showcase club, Graffiti sought acts from a wide spectrum of genres and young musicians, featuring national acts while still promoting local talent. From Prohibition-style taverns and restored saloons to haunted watering holes, there's no shortage of unique and iconic buildings in which to toast to the city's backstory. Oakland is the academic and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and one of the city's major cultural centers. 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. To provide The Pitt News with data for advertisers and internal analytics. So we said, Whats next? So we went rock n roll, Zarra said. It's definitely a college bar . might not always stay within Oakland as the sun sets and students come out. From 1973 until he sold it in 1995, owner Dom DiSilvio made the Decade Pittsburghs ultimate rock and roll bar. Pat Benetar hit Pittsburgh with her best shot on November of that 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. Went to the VIP north in Hampton in the 80's great place to be on Sundays. google_color_border="FFFFFF"; (412) 391-7272www.papajs.com. (412) 566-7925www.originaloysterhousepittsburgh.com. www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/PittsburghWilliamPenn. After booking a few cover bands, Zarra took a chance on a Pittsburgh punk group called Carsickness. Zarras distracted booking of the band ended up transforming the clubs direction. Miss Shaler Skateland as well. Downtown Pittsburgh is great for shows, but if youre in Oakland theres not a lot to do, Patlakh said, who, if he is out in Oakland, goes to house shows at friends homes. Though Pittsburgh is no longer replete with dance clubs, surefire picks still exist.