Pittsburgh Weekend Events: 4/17-18

Now that the unseasonably cold weather and grey skies have passed, it’s time to get outside and enjoy April. ‘He” has risen indeed and you Christians need not abstain from vice anymore (after all, didn’t he die for your sins?!) - take lots of showers and you know what will happen in a couple of weeks…

There are a lot of options this weekend… many of which are not specifically “art-related”, so what the hell- check ‘em out.

Friday

Did you know that The CMU activities board annually brings to Pittsburgh some of the best indie rock bands on the national scene? Did you know that you can show up on the CFA lawn and see super-group The New Pornographers and Ted Leo’s band for FREE? You can if you get there several hours before the 8PM scheduled show time. Bring plenty of liquids and whatever else you might require for the wait.

If happiness isn’t your bag, you can stop at the Warhol for a Depression double feature (including John Ford’s Grapes of Wrath and a Busby Berkely film). That’ll cost you $10. Check the listings for the times.

You could also consider taking an evening walk through Pittsburgh’s best neighborhood- the Lawrenceville Blossom Tour is here once again. There are 25 establishments giving out free seeds in honor of Earth Day. Get in touch with Maya Haptas of the Lawrenceville Corporation at (412) 782-5100 ext 103 for more details.

Maybe you want to continue spending time in the great outdoors? Consider checking out the Public Star Party at Mingo Creek Park Observatory. The Amateur Astronomers Association Of Pittsburgh supplies the telescopes. It gets underway just before sunset. I’ve never tried it, but I’m pretty sure I’d see a UFO.

There are also a couple of openings downtown at 707/709 Penn Gallery. Apparently Joe DeFerrari’s keeping tabs on Isabella Rossellini. He’s put together an exhibit (Ritual Decadence) examining animal mating rituals at Future Tenant, and the opening starts at 6PM. Over at 707/709 you can see Michael Ninehouser’s meditations (On This, The Land) on early man, familiar fables and gospel myths. That reception runs from 5-7PM.

Saturday

If you don’t stay out too late partying, you can take advantage of several events this morning. There are flea markets at St. Louise DeMarillac's LeGras Parish Center (320 McMurray Road, Pittsburgh), St Aloysius (3614 Mount Troy Road, Reserve Township), and Saint Gabriel Of The Sorrowful Virgin (5200 Greenridge Drive). Do a bit of hunting for the details if you are interested. If you can’t prepare yourself, then there’s no way you are going anywhere early enough to make the trip worthwhile.

Alternatively, you could nerd out with two other destinations. Grab your caped crusader costume and head out to North Park for the Superhero 5K Run/Walk. No, I am not kidding. It starts at 9AM and fittingly benefits the Parental Stress Center. The Superhero Foundation (which operates a similar event in Austin, TX) seeks to raise awareness about child abuse prevention. If you move quickly (like you should in a leotard) you can meet the regional "Star Wars" fan group Garrison Carida at the Warhol. They will be hanging out (apparently dressed as stormtroopers and such) to support the museum’s “Vader Project” exhibit). Show up at 1PM and they won’t sic the Death Star on you.

So yeah… geek out. But make sure you don’t beat yourself up over it. If you have that tendency (and you are a writer), you should take a minute (10AM) with psychotherapist Don Laird at the Greentree Public Library. Presented by the Pittsburgh Writers Project, Laird is hosting a discussion about the anxiety-ridden prospect of facing down your “inner critic”. That may be a debilitating thought, but what’s your alternative? (loser)

Once you get through with your daytime activities, ya might want to think about seeing the Squonk Opera at the Hillman Center for Performing Arts (7:20PM, $17-20). The expense might give you pause, but I assure you that this group is well worth seeing. I’ve done so myself on occasion.

Or if you’re feeling frisky… splurge on a ticket ($50 general, $100 Velvet Lounge, $250 Dirty Donor) for the Attack Theater’s Dirty Ball (8 pm - midnight 135 51st Street, Lawrenceville). You’ll be contributing to the dance troupe’s cause, and you might even get (un)lucky with a partner of your own choosing. Who says you gotta settle for free internet porn? The organizers promise that it will be luscious, flirty and salacious. And I believe that drinks and food are covered in the admission price. Damn, that’s tempting.

At the end of the night, I understand if you want to dance. You have a choice at 10PM. The Shadow Lounge has Classic Material #24-"These Are The Breaks" Edition, with the “Breakbeats that have shaped many classic hip-hop tracks.” And the New Amsterdam is offering the ultimate after-party with the production teams of Hijack and Humanaut, “teaming up for night of solid house and minimal”. Dress in layers, yo.