[11] The difference is largely because the area between Forbes Avenue and the Boulevard of the Allies houses many undergraduate students. Many of its homes are historic masonry structures dating from the turn of the century. These Steps of Pittsburgh quickly connect pedestrians to public transportation and provide an easy way to travel through this densely populated area. more. After a decline following the 1970s, Pitt's enrollment grew from 26,328 in 1995 to 28,649 in 2016. In 1963, The Pittsburgh Press dubbed Shadyside 'our Greenwich Village.'. began working with producer Brian Eno, they were not the polished superstar U2 that Each section has a unique identity, and offers its own flavor of venues and housing. Nearly anyone can show a film these days, using only a laptop and projector. Tucked in East Liberty, Spoon was a favorite dining spot of many Pittsburghers. There wasnt a club owner in the city who would book, like, punk rock, new wave. Grushecky remembered the exchange led to Meat Loafs quick exit from the Decade. The effort failed, the bar closed in 2014 and the site where it once stood now is a Chipotle restaurant. Baseball fans might know Oakland for the beloved Forbes Field, which was built in 1909 as the third home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and first home to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Long ago, people came to the site now known as Station Square to meet passengers arriving on the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad. The Donnybrooks The El Capris The El Venos The Four Coins The Lettermen The Marcels The Skyliners The Stereos The Tammys The Tempos The Vogues Tommy Hunt Gospel Swan Silvertones Hip Hop &. www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/PittsburghWilliamPenn. As executive director of the Oakland Business Improvement District, Georgia Petropoulos is used to competing with Downtown. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 After his wild show played encore, after encore, after encore and then stood at the front of the stage and shook hands with everyone in the club. google_ad_height=600; 12. (412) 261-1717www.muer.com/grand-concourse. By drawing the musical talent of Pittsburgh together, Graffiti helped bands meet and play with each other. 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. The Louisa Street city steps (with bike runnel) in West Oakland. The Decade had two small rooms that were said to hold 2013 Pittsburgh Music History Year End Recap, Biggest stories of 2011 -- Pittsburgh Pop, Rock and Rap, Hear the Music of Pittsburgh on the Genre Pages via Spotify, Inaugural Pittsburgh Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Celebration 01/23/14, Pittsburgh Music History Celebrates Black History Month 2012, Scot Tady of Times Online on Pittsburgh Music History, Thanks to Readers of Pittsburgh Music History, Thanks to the Internet, Pittsburgh's music history plays on, The Beat: Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis Video on Pittsburgh Music History, Vote for the 2015 Pittsburgh Rock 'N Roll Legends Nominees, Calliope and the Smokey City Folk Festival, Sonny Pugar Memorial Music Smiles Program, Graffiti Showcase and Graffiti Rock Challenge. Especially on a Friday night, it was a happening place. Photo credits: Decade sign, Dom DeSilvio via Gabby Means; Decade exterior, Jay Flori via Gabby Means; Jon Bon Jovi, Dom DiSilvio via Gabby Means. Mario's Oakland Saloon. When Get more stories like this one delivered right to your email. People, however, were mostly well-behaved, The Pittsburgh Press . There was barely enough room to walk around the bar. On a Saturday in October 1978, a crowd of Pitt students, steel mill workers and music This is the first of two parts. At La Frontera nightclub you can enjoy the game and a couple of drinks. Whim may offer the most epic club-going experience, however. 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. History. We liked the punk attitude, but it seemed so restrictive. Photo by Laura Zurowski. Electric Banana, OaklandNo mention to historic Pittsburgh bars would be complete without mentioning the place on Bigelow Boulevard where punk rock flourished. But, matching the demographic changes is part of how Hemingways has stayed tucked into the heart of Pitts campus on Forbes. piece band called the Police who were getting airplay with their song Roxanne tore What made the Decade unique was what made the Stone Pony unique in Asbury Park the local guys ruled. Oakland is the academic and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and one of the city's major cultural centers. With its vast space, futuristic design and manually operated lighting system, Whim reminds visitors of Pittsburghs electronica heyday. For a unique moving-picture experience, check out Community Cinema, a monthly documentary series sponsored by WQED. Scattered amongst Oakland's four neighborhoods are 29 distinct flights of city steps many of which are open and in a safe condition. He was an older guy, his idea of rock n roll was Dion and the Belmonts. You could be standing right next to somebody all decked out in Doc Martens and piercings, and Id be there all preppy, Mattiko said. Her work can be found at Examiner.com. But the BBT hardly is the only local nightspot of notoriety that has had its final last last call over the years. might not always stay within Oakland as the sun sets and students come out. 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. 11. Since he bought Hemingways, Elavsky said many of the old hot spots have closed and students and their dollars have left to other competing parts of the city, like the North Shore and South Side. Over the decades, Oakland pushed through a population dip as Pitt did and became overwhelmed by the Universitys ever-encroaching boundaries. year. The Strip and South Side host some of the city's best nightclubs and bars, while the North Shore . Was he right in interrupting all the fun? Rusted Root won it one year and thats how they recorded their first album. Johnny Banana Zarra owned the Banana with his wife Judy and decided in 1980 to make a radical transition in style after nearly 10 years as a go-go and then a disco club. When Cruze Bar Night Clubs (3) Website Amenities: (412) 471-1400 1600 Smallman St Pittsburgh, PA 15222 OPEN NOW section of Pittsburgh on the corner of Atwood and Sennott streets which became If you Discover the best bars, dance clubs, places for live music and more with our 10Best local expert's picks for the Best Nightlife in Pittsburgh. 4. Bruce Springsteen also once played there, years after becoming famous. According to one visitor's account, "At the Encore there wasn't even a standing room inside. He started hiring everybody and he became like the Godfather of rock music. Petropoulos takes great pride in oakland's rise over the past years to the third largest commercial district in pennsylvania behind philadelphia and downtown . But the end came when the building was purchased by David Scaife, the son of billionaire newspaper publisher Richard Mellon Scaife, so he could store his personal car collection there. But as Oakland has matured over the past 20 years, it has traded dive bars and longtime rock joints for corporate fast food and student housing, leaving alums longing for their college nights. 403 E. Ohio St. Quenlin Blackwell reflects on internet comedy career during PPC, BAS event, A sense of responsibility: Pitts Afghanistan Project takes in 10 Afghan scholars, SGB announces constitutional amendments, dining resource fair, Ann Cudd named finalist for president at Portland State University, touts diversity initiatives in interest letter, Preview | Pitt womens basketball looks to redeem frustrating season in ACC tournament. in Bridgeville; #1 Park Avenue in the South Hills; the While it is commonly considered to be in South Oakland, it is actually the heart of Central Oakland. It wasnt an attractive district. Hes not a rocker, hes an insomnia cure). Oakland is officially divided into four neighborhoods: North Oakland, West Oakland, Central Oakland, and South Oakland. It was one of the better showcases that was in Pittsburgh. showcase club like the Whisky-A-Go-Go in L.A. and the Agora in Cleveland. showcase club like the Whisky-A-Go-Go in L.A. and the Agora in Cleveland. The Decade was the antithesis of the Electric Banana. Reach him at 412-334-4033 or Eric.Heyl@Patch.com. After 22 years of Rock N Roll Dom wanted out. Graffiti, OaklandMore than a bar, this nightspot at the intersection of Craig Street and Baum Boulevard was, as it said on the sign outside, a cafe, pub and showcase. After booking a few cover bands, Zarra took a chance on a Pittsburgh punk group called Carsickness. South Oakland has six land borders, including the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Central Oakland to the northeast, Squirrel Hill South to the east, Greenfield to the southeast, Hazelwood to the south-southeast, Bluff to the west, and West Oakland to the northwest. But he loved us and supported us, Grushecky said. 20 Market St. DiSilvio opened the Decade in 1973 as a vintage restaurant in the style of the 1950s featuring a few local acts the club's name reflecting his preference for that decade and its music. Tucked into the back corner of Crazy Mocha in Bloomfield, Dreaming Ant offered the most eclectic library of DVDs around. Home to three universities, museums, hospitals, shopping venues, restaurants, and recreational activities, this section of the city also includes two city-designated historic districts: the mostly residential Schenley Farms Historic District and the predominantly institutional Oakland Civic Center Historic District, as well as the locally-designated Oakland Square Historic District. A nice spot. Eric Heyl is Patch's Pittsburgh field editor. The curtain fell on the popular diner for the final time in October of 2019. Petropoulos mentions spots like The Porch as ways to attract a more formal nightlife crowd. Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC and the Pittsburgh Technology Center are major landmarks of this neighborhood. We played with, at the time, some really great bands Blind Sight, The Goodies and Anti-Flag. 10 Best Vintage Photos From Pittsburgh In The 1970s Posted in Pittsburgh October 30, 2016 by Beth Price-Williams These 10 Photos of Pittsburgh In The 1970s Are Mesmerizing A peek at these photos of Pittsburgh in the 1970s may take you back to a whole different time in your life. The Pretenders packed the Decade on March 19, 1980. google_color_text="333333";