For the next few years it was a still a live Chiodo's Tavern, HomesteadJoe Chiodo held court in this legendary Homestead Bar that was home to the popular mystery sandwich. Its walls were covered with Steelers knick-knacks and other memorabilia, including an alligator jaw and dozens of bras donated by the bars female patrons for reasons that never were fully explained. A block from busy Forbes Avenue near the University of Pittsburgh, the Decade was an oasis of live rock and blues music in the desert of Oaklands 1970s disco bars like Graffiti featured concerts by national groups just prior to their commercial breakthroughs, including two of the more popular rock bands of the 90s. It also closed in July 2020. In 1955, the first effective polio vaccine was developed by Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. google_color_bg="FFFFFF"; Bruce and I went over to the Original [Hot Dog Shop] and people swarmed him. The french Connection from the North hills area (Hampton-Shaler-west view) Some real good Break-Dance battles took place there! known as the Corner of Rock and Roll. And she canceled. Blue, Bon Ton Roulet, Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band, and many Allow us to take you on a brief journey through our past. As the neighborhood cleaned up and bars shut down, partying seemingly moved to Central and South Oakland houses. 20 Market St. From 1973 until he sold it in 1995, owner Dom DiSilvio made the Decade Pittsburghs ultimate rock and roll bar. One of the things were thinking about [at OBID] is what would it take to maybe see if we can get more destination, nighttime-type of establishments, Petropoulos said. The reigning champions of 80s nostalgia are Belvederes and Lava Lounge. Blues vocalist. 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 &. We played with, at the time, some really great bands Blind Sight, The Goodies and Anti-Flag. The Electric Banana featured more college students and unrehearsed distortion. The flood plain was previously packed with industrial sites such as the Pittsburgh Works Consolidated Gas Co. and the Jones & Laughlin Steel Co.,[9] but presently, the Pittsburgh Technology Center hosts facilities such as the Entertainment Technology Center of Carnegie Mellon University. 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. 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. Closing Current business owners say the key to attracting students is offering higher quality products, even if the price tag goes up, but former business owners like Kramer say the cost of space near Pitts campus is still too high for many venues. Lets take a stroll down Memory Lane today. two of the Iron City Houserockers. If the Decade was Pittsburghs Stone Pony, then the Electric Banana was Pittsburghs CBGB. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training Battles, PA To Consider Adopting Significant Police Protection Measures, Local Brand Advisor offers services in Pittsburgh. Each section has a unique identity, and offers its own flavor of venues and housing. By 164turnera. His shop, The Beehive, which he ran with business partner Steve Zumoff, served as a general hangout. We had bars. Johanasen. The Decade, OaklandWas there ever any doubt this legendary Oakland bar at the corner of Atwood and Sennott streets would top the list? Elbo Room Jack London Oakland She did not mention any specific plans within the near future. Now in Squirrel Hill, she spends her time holding dinner parties with friends or going out dancing. [Oakland] used to be an entertainment district, Kramer said, mentioning bowling alleys, cinemas, live theater and enough bars with names like CJ Barneys, Laga, Zeldas Greenhouse and Sanctuary to comfortably hop from pitcher to pitcher on a cool Pittsburgh night without ever getting chilly. In 1868, Oakland Township, just two years after seceding from Pitt Township, was annexed to the City of Pittsburgh. When October 24, 2013 / 6:00 AM Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. After a decline following the 1970s, Pitt's enrollment grew from 26,328 in 1995 to 28,649 in 2016. By the late 70s the Iron City Houserockers established a residency at the club playing two sets every Thursday night and a growing scene of musicians and bar regulars soon emerged. 11. //-->. Schneider saw Graffiti as the most impressive of the Oakland clubs. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; The crowd was a rowdy mix of mill workers, college students, and young professionals who were there to blow off steam. Wanting to spend more It's a nice dive bar with rolling skating. Nicks Fat City, South Side It was more of a performing venue than a bar, but if the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame can admit James Taylor than I can admit Nicks. In the 90s, The Decade and its predecessors mostly hosted some blues performers, like Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as small-time acts looking for a start. produce store, and a bar named Cumpies. RAND's Pittsburgh center is located in North Oakland as well as the long time RIDC business incubator on Henry Street. , however, she recalled that when the District was founded in 1999, its nightlife was a prime attraction, though at a cost to midday shoppers and prospective tenants. music venue for local artists called the Next Decade. Top Nightlife in Pittsburgh: See reviews and photos of nightlife attractions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Tripadvisor. The club also showcased and rewarded Pittsburghs best talent in its own Battle of the Bands competition called the Rock Challenge. North Oakland also runs catty-corner (without a direct border) with Lower Lawrenceville to the north with its meeting point in the middle of the Bloomfield Bridge. The Ramones rumbled into town for two shows on March 6th and 7th of 1979. A Pittsburgh music promoter, Danny Kresge, convinced DiSilvio to start hosting national acts at the Decade. The University of Pittsburgh, which is heir to the Pittsburgh Academy that was incorporated in 1787, relocated to Oakland in 1909 from its campus that was then in Allegheny. People, however, were mostly well-behaved, The Pittsburgh Press . An up and coming three South Oakland was the childhood home of Andy Warhol, and later the residence of fellow pop artist Keith Haring. Regulars recommend the golani and falafel, any beer off the always-rotating taps and, of course, the bar's free popcorn and peanuts. Papa J Centro's A group of young inexperienced The Decade had two small rooms that were said to hold Bars & Clubs. Stevie Ray Vaughan was my favorite. West Oakland, the smallest of the four districts, is bordered by Fifth Avenue in the south, DeSoto Street in the east, the Birmingham Bridge to the west, and Allequippa Street to the north. Rusted Root won it one year and thats how they recorded their first album. Some folks dress up in pastels and high-top shoes, but really, its all about the attitude. Panther Hollow Inn, OaklandFor decades, this was one of the only bars within easy walking distance for Carnegie Mellon University students, an important consideration when snow is falling in January. As executive director of the Oakland Business Improvement District, Georgia Petropoulos is used to competing with Downtown. South Oakland is reputed to be a student neighborhood, but only 36.9% of its population is between the ages of 18 and 24, compared to Central Oakland's figure of 74.1%. Grushecky noted a rivalry between the two scenes sparked by these differences. The local bands continued to appear. But the BBT hardly is the only local nightspot of notoriety that has had its final last last call over the years. Related: Best Haunted Bars In Pittsburgh Gandy. It was one night out of more than two decades of a thriving music scene in Oakland that brought in a diverse array artists, such as Bruce Springsteen and Black Flag. Elavsky is also bemused that students have the cash for a microbrewed IPA, as well as an Uber to then hit the competition in the North Side, South Side or Lawrenceville, when he couldnt even afford a cab in college. It is also the location of the relatively isolated and historic neighborhood of Panther Hollow which runs along Boundary Street in Junction Hollow as well as the Oakland Square Historic District. It was like turning the lights off. Over the next five years Kresege booked a Diner food is just good, and Tom's Diner served some of the best. DECADE ROCKS OUT, AFTER 22 YEARS -Scott Mervis Pittsburgh Post-Gazette August 22, 1995. Mattiko described the store as eclectic. We liked the punk attitude, but it seemed so restrictive. Over the decades, Oakland pushed through a population dip as Pitt did and became overwhelmed by the Universitys ever-encroaching boundaries. The Decade had two small rooms that were said to hold college nights at Calicos, a bar where Fuel and Fuddle is today. 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. WOODS throughout Pittsburghpopular with kids? SkyWatch at Carnegie Science Center. Other national acts that appeared at the Decade included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cindi Lauper, Jimmy Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Albert Collins, Koko Taylor, The Romantics, the Pixies, Johnny Thunders. music venue for local artists called the Next Decade. 22; 2001 on the North Side; 2002 in White Oak; the Disco Factory in Plum Boro; The V.I.P. So I came up with a list of initial inductees in a sort of Pittsburgh Bar Hall of Fame that focused on places that have been closed for years, or, in the case of the BBT, hours. of 1979. showcase clubs like the Graffiti and Rosebud opened in Pittsburgh the national 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. Finally, Cinema in the Park is a warm-weather favorite. Bloomfield Bridge Tavern, BloomfieldIts painful to include this place on the list. [12] Twenty-one years later, Mary Schenley gave the city 300 acres in Oakland for a park. Jackson sang his Is She Really Going Out with Him and Funny Papers" in April The Frazier Street city steps in South Oakland. Nightlife in Pittsburgh gives you a vast choice of places to drink, hit the dance floor, and enjoy live music. The following errors occurred with your submission. Zen Social Club Night Clubs Website 23 YEARS IN BUSINESS (724) 766-4556 125 W Station Square Dr Pittsburgh, PA 15219 5. Was that in the same building? There shouldnt be any nightlife [in Oakland because] the rents dont allow for that, he said, referencing tight profit margins on cinemas and bars. It was a place where you could just go and see who was playing this Saturday. 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. And Mary Schenley gave another gift: land for Schenley Plaza. A graduate of Robert Morris University with a degree in English Studies, Jessica is also a contributing writer for Allegheny West Magazine. Those guys were the punk rockers and, for whatever reason, those guys did not like the Decade bands, Grushecky said. Business owners take the change as a blank check for higher quality and more specialized drinks and food with higher prices while many Pitt students might be happier with bargains and a variety of choices for fun nights out. The Pretenders packed the Decade on March 19, 1980. in Bridgeville; #1 Park Avenue in the South Hills; the 31st Street Pub, Strip DistrictDuring its 53 years in business, first as Greenfields Pub then as the 31st Street Pub, this place went through several incarnations: First as a shot-and-beer place for mill workers, then as a biker bar and in its final days was a punk rock haven. 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. Carlow University and most of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center can be found there. Address: 123 Shiloh St, Pittsburgh, PA 15211, USA Address: 134 S Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA Address: 24 Market Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, USA Address: 5104 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA Address: 2937 W Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216, USA Address: 1400 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, USA Pittsburgh In Your Inbox began working with producer Brian Eno, they were not the polished superstar U2 that google_color_text="333333"; 12. On any given weekend night during the late '70s, fifteen thousand people between the ages of twenty-one and forty were spread out in disco clubs throughout the region: Backstage Holiday House on Rt. 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. Haring had his first art show while living in Oakland. We come back the next Thursday for our regular gig, and there was Meat Loafs poster up on the wall. 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. packed, sweaty, and loud with menacing bouncers it was a gritty steel town bar. Over the next five years Kresege booked a Cavo Night Club. The f**king place was bonkers there were lines around the block, Grushecky said. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; 4. google_ad_client="pub-8685855016547639"; Henry Rollins still sends us Christmas cards, Zarra said. Graffiti had a successful run from 1983 until 2000. Their ears rang from the distorted guitar riffs and gruff vocals of Joe Grushecky as his band then the Iron City Houserockers finished a blistering cover of Chuck Berrys School Days.. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; Nationally known punk and hardcore bands started filling the Bananas headlining spots. Pretty soon the Decade had seven nights a week of great live music, Grushecky said. After paying a $5 cover, those lucky enough to get in the entrance of the South Oakland bar were greeted with a wave of body heat, cigarette smoke and spilled Rolling Rock. We could accept the deaths of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, but the end of Dreaming Ant is a rude awakening. piece band called the Police who were getting airplay with their song Roxanne tore Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. They played five songs, took a break, and repeated The dressing room at the Decade was the freakin kitchen. 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