June 16: Cave Canem at The Mattress Factory

Cave Canem in collaboration with The Mattress Factory presents a reading by the faculty of the Cave Canem Summer Workshop/Retreat at the museum. There will be a reception following the reading.

Cost Free

Date(s) of event:
June 16, 2005
Event time(s):
7:30 p.m.

Where is the event?
The Mattress Factory
500 Sampsonia Way
Pittsburgh's North Side, PA 15212
Phone:(412) 231-3169
URL: Event website

Courtesy of the Tribune-Review

June 19: Aimee Mann at the Arts Festival

Aimee Mann
Sheryl Nields

Details

They've been married since 1997, but Aimee Mann and Michael Penn don't have near the star power of, say, J. Lo and Marc Anthony. Perhaps that's because they're musicians first and celebrities incidentally. Both are accomplished songwriters and performers, albeit more cult favorites than popular stars.

Mann and Penn will both be in Pittsburgh this weekend, at different events. Penn performs at WYEP's Summer Music Festival on Friday and Saturday, while Mann entertains Sunday at the final musical event of the Three Rivers Arts Festival.

Aimee Mann

What: Three Rivers Arts Festival concert with Ben Lee opening at 6 p.m.

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: Free.

Where: Volkswagen Stage, Point State Park.

Details: 412-281-8723 or www.artsfestival.net.

June 16; Local Scene

BYE, BYE, BOXSTEP

Boxstep plays its final show as one of Pittsburgh's own this Saturday at Club Cafe, South Side. Eric Graf is moving to Chicago, citing a number of reasons -- more musicians, more places to play, connections, a Chicago Reader critic naming Boxstep's latest to her Best of 2004. But mostly, it's because as he was mulling over all these reasons on a recent visit to Chicago, he stopped into a thrift store, found a vintage jacket that reminded him of something the late Gram Parsons might have worn, tried it on and when he looked inside to see how much it cost, there on the tag, in permanent black ink, he found his name -- E. GRAF. The show begins at 10.

CRAVE AT SUMMER JAM

Meanstreet recording artists CRAVE add an unexpected local twist to WAMO's Summer Jam with Master P, Faith Evans, Common, Pretty Ricky and more this Saturday at the Chevrolet Amphitheatre, Station Square. The show begins at 1:30 p.m.

A.T.S. REUNION OF SORTS

Anyone who's ever followed A.T.S. will definitely want to catch tonight's performance at the 31st Street Pub. For one, the band is backing Daryl Fleming. For another, it's playing its own set, too. The big news, though, is the headlining set by original A.T.S. drummer Steve Heineman and his band, Sunpie. Don't miss out. There's also been talk of Josh Arnson returning at some point this summer for a full-scale original-lineup reunion to celebrate 20 years of A.T.S. Tonight's show at the Pub begins at 9.

THREEPENNY EXPANDS

Once a monthly showcase for the local singer-songwriter community, The Threepenny Opry has expanded its schedule to twice-weekly at the Starlite Lounge. Friday, Heather Kropf is joined by George Kantor and Peter B. King, while Saturday's lineup features Stacey Stewart, Frank Bienkowski, Randy Hoffman and the Fuzzy Comets Girls. Shows begin at 8 p.m. There is no cover, but donations are appreciated. The Starlite Lounge is in Blawnox at 364 Freeport Road. Call 412-828-9842.

The Soulcialism DJs bring their crates of Northern Soul to the White Eagle Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., promising Joe Simon's "Long Hot Summer," Booker T.'s "Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy" and more. The White Eagle is on Freyburg and 11th in the South Side.

Courtesy of the Post-Gazette.

June 14: The Sound of Music

Venue: Benedum Center
Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Time: 8 p.m.
Ticket price: Tickets starting at $14
Ticket contact info: 412-456-6666

How do you solve a problem like Maria? With one of the one of the world’s best loved musicals! Maria, a young, aspiring but quirky, nun fills the lives of the Von Trapp children with “The Sound of Music” and captures the heart of their stern and lonely father. But, will their harmonious lives be torn apart when their beautiful homeland is ravaged by war? Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Tony® Award-winning musical delights audiences with the uplifting story and an irresistible score: “Climb Every Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Edelweiss” and “My Favorite Things." [Post-Gazette]

June 14: Copeland w/ Rainer Maria, Denison Witmer

Venue: Mr. Small's Theatre
Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Ticket price: $9.99-$12.00
Ticket contact info: 412-821-4447

Lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Aaron Marsh was bred in the diverse Florida music scene where he started the band with his close friend, bassist James Likeness. During their search to finish off the line-up, Aaron found a kindred spirit in Maryland native guitarist Bryan Laurenson, with a mutual appreciation of quality pop melodies to push his writing to new levels. With a concerted effort to weave memorable melodies with insightful lyrics, the band began crafting their intelligent brand of anthemic pop songs in 2000. [Post-Gazette]

June 14: So Have I @ Club Cafe

So have i : 7:00 - 8:30pm
Longtime Darlings: 8:50 - 9:45pm

So have i
Gordon McGirt: Lead Vocals, Guitar
Mark LeCornu: Guitar
Mike Sheets: Lead guitar
Chris Yanakos: Bass
Allen Muckle: Drums

So have i has developed exceptional versatility playing a wide range of venues over the last couple of years. In addition, 4 of the 5 members have been primary songwriters for different bands from LA to Nashville to Boston. From classical training to rock club skills, So have i write and perform original songs which emerge from the varied backgrounds of the band members themselves. Topics range from jilted lovers to individual fallibility but one thing is consistent – melodies that grab you and won’t let go. Combine that with superb musicianship and So have i is a must-see live show.

“If Velvet Revolver and Coldplay had a love child, it may or may not be this band.”
Monty LeBrango, February, 2005

Yeah, yeah. Now that you’ve heard the company line here is the low down. While all of the above is true, So have i has been around long enough to learn that you can’t take yourself too seriously when performing rock music. After all, it’s SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!! You aren’t going to find the “Tortured Artist” thing or the “Life is Such Crap I Think I’ll Shoot Myself Onstage” thing or the “I Really Want to be a Male Model” thing or the “I’m Such a_____ (fill in blank: blues, reggae, country, etc…) Purist That I Don’t Listen to Anything Unless It Was Recorded Pre-World War II on a 78 rpm Record” thing…You get the picture. So have i is about having a good time playing live and that translates to the audience. So, if you’re ready to let loose a little bit and have a good time seeing a great band, So have i is a must-see live show.

The Lowdown:
Doors Open At 6PM
$7 Cover Charge
Call Club Cafe at 412-431-4950 for more details.

WTAE Rundown: To-Do List This Weekend

Three Rivers Arts Festival
Fri-Sun, various locations, Downtown
Schedule, More Info: artsfestival.net
Video: Deep-Fried Oreos At Arts Fest
Rib America Food & Music Festival
Fri-Sun, Chevy Amphitheatre, Station Square
chevroletamphitheatre.com
Senior Games 2005
About 10,000 athletes -- all of them 50 and older -- visit western Pennsylvania to compete in basketball, softball, table tennis and 15 other sports. More details
"Cinema In The Park" - Free Movies
Fri: "Shark Tale" (9 pm, Arsenal Park, Lawrenceville)
Sat: "Racing Stripes" (9 pm, Grandview Park, Mount Washington)
Sat: "Shark Tale" (9 pm, Riverview Park, Observatory Hill)
Sun: "Shark Tale" (9 pm, Schenley Park, Oakland)
cityofpittsburgh.net
"Candy Unwrapped" - interactive exhibits, guest chefs, candy-making demos
Fri-Sun, Carnegie Science Center, North Side
CarnegieScienceCenter.org
Get Leid Luau
Sat, 9 pm, Touch nightclub, Strip District
pghnightlife.com or (412) 392-0300
Playboy Playmate Rachel Sterling
Sat, 10 pm, Matrix nightclub, Station Square
matrixpgh.com or (412) 261-2220
"A Little Night Music"
Fri-Sun, Benedum Center, Downtown
pgharts.org or (412) 281-0192"
panPittsburgh2005: The New Sound of Steel"
Fri-Sat, CAPA Theatre, Downtown
pgharts.org or (412) 394-3353
"Cruizin To Summer" - Classic Cars, Oldies Bands
Sun, 10 am-6 pm, Station Square
stationsquare.com
Annual Pirates Fun Run/Walk For Epilepsy
Channel 4 Action Sports Director Andrew Stockey, Pittsburgh Pirates' Craig Wilson, WDVE's Jim Krenn
Benefits Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central Pa.
Sat, 9:30 am, Federal Street at PNC Park; Clemente Bridge tailgate party 10 am
All participants receive autograph, Pirates tickets, breakfast
(412) 261-5880
"Mystery of the Nile"
Fri-Sun, Rangos Omnimax Theater, Carnegie Science Center, North Side
CarnegieScienceCenter.org or (412) 237.3400
Annual Summer Reading Extravaganza: "Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds"
Sun, noon-5 pm, lawn of Carnegie Library main branch, Oakland
carnegielibrary.org (412) 622-3114
Amish Monkeys improv comedy group
Sat, 8 pm, Gemini Theater, Point Breeze
amishmonkeys.com or (412) 243-5201
"Urban Wedding: Dance Loves Art and Art Loves Dance"
Party to benefit LABCO Dance
Sat, 7 pm, 937 Liberty Avenue, Downtown
labcodance.net or (800) 607-0857
Summertime Fun
Sat, 11 am-3 pm, Heinz History Center, Strip District
Free food & photographs, family admission special
pghhistory.org or (412) 454-6000
Unseam'd Shakespeare Co.'s "The Nina Variations"
Fri-Sun, Henry Heymann Theatre-Stephen Foster Memorial, Oakland
proartstickets.org or (412) 394-3353
"Trancendent Finale"
Fri-Sun, Heinz Hall, Downtown
pittsburghsymphony.org or (412) 392-4900
"Lobby Hero"
Fri-Sun, O'Reilly Theater, Downtown
www.ppt.org or (412) 316-1600
Steve Martin's "The Underpants"
Fri-Sun, City Theatre, South Side
citytheatrecompany.org or (412) 431-CITY
"Music Video: 1982-2000"
Fri-Sun, Wood Street Galleries, Downtown
woodstreetgalleries.org
Late Night Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown
Fri: Kevin Hurley
Sat: Howard Elson
CLOcabaret.com or (412) 281-1264 ext. 237
We Be Entertainment: Hip-Hop Show and Party
Sat, 10 pm-2 am, Shadow Lounge, East Liberty
7thmovement.net/shadowlounge.html or (412) 363-8277
Girls Night Out Bachelorette Party Cabaret
Sat, 8 pm-1 am, Universal Vol. Fire Dept. 6, Penn Hills
(412) 901-2991
Urban Garden Party
Fri, 7-11 pm, Mattress Factory, North Side
mattress.org or (412) 231-3169
Invention Show
Fri-Sun, Pittsburgh Expo Mart, Monroeville
pghexpomart.com
North Strabane Township Spring Festival
Fri-Sun, North Strabane Twp. Municipal Park
Wing-eating contest, Miss/Master North Strabane Pageant, Battle of the bands, free concerts, crafters, vendors, kid's corner, fireworks
Gateway Clipper Cruises
gatewayclipper.com

Courtesy of ThePittsburghChannel.com