Pittsburgh, PA 15222 All you need is a dark room and comfortable seating, and the trend is strengthening every month. The first national act to play the Decade was. Elavsky also credits the shift in nightlife to a smarter, more serious college crowd determined to finish in four years. After a decline following the 1970s, Pitts enrollment grew from. dollar cover charge, grabbed a Rolling Rock or Iron, and listened to a set or international recording acts the Decade presented memorable shows with the Police, U2, Stevie Ray Vaughan, (Photo Credit: KDKA) Sandcastle 1000 Sandcastle. In 1984 Dom DiSilvio, owner of the Decade club, asked guitarist and ex Silencer member Warren King to form an "all-star" band to bring in customers on club's slow Monday nights. google_color_bg="FFFFFF"; It lost some charm, but maybe it was time for that, Kramer said. singer David Johansen on December, 28, 1980. The bands in the Decade scene were older, more professionally skilled musicians who played in a raw R&B, rock-based style. Pittsburgh is a steel town rich in industrial and immigration history. While playing in the band Mother McCrees Garden, Russ Schneider performed at all three of the Oakland clubs in the mid-90s and described the Electric Banana as a start-up venue. Many students at the University of Pittsburgh who decide to live off-campus reside in this neighborhood. Old Pittsburgh Nightclubs. piece band called the Police who were getting airplay with their song Roxanne tore And she canceled. Get more stories like this one delivered right to your email. Electronic Dance Clubs in Pittsburgh. I thought it might be interesting to rank these late local establishments by the imprint they left during their heyday. 1. Pick where to catch your flicks: Cinema in the Park sets up in seven grassy locations. Meanwhile, Film Kitchen is in full swing once again because of Pittsburgh Filmmakers and its volunteers. Hes not a rocker, hes an insomnia cure). The food is American fare at its best, with burgers, tacos, pizza, salads, and steaks highlighting the menu offerings. Jam 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. That was where everybody went to go play first. Finally, Cinema in the Park is a warm-weather favorite. NOLA on the Square closed for good during the summer of 2020, another victim of the pandemic. John Elavsky, the owner of Hemingways Cafe since the mid-90s and a Pitt alum, has watched the decline of nightlife in Oakland that Patlakh laments. The bands gigged in the back room on a wide stage If the Decade was Pittsburghs Stone Pony, then the Electric Banana was Pittsburghs CBGB. They always had the Rock Challenge, which was big. google_ad_width=120; Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, 1 Person Dead, Others Injured In 2 Pittsburgh-Area Shootings: Report, Here's How Many Guns Were Sold In Pennsylvania Last Month, What Kind Of Home Can $1.9 Million Buy In Pittsburgh? These businesses are organized by the Oakland Business Improvement District (OBID). Irish Rockers called U2 played the Decade on April 21, 1981. Because they would give a gig to anybody, he said. The Decade was the antithesis of the Electric Banana. At Schenley Plaza, industrialist Andrew Carnegie built a library, museum and concert hall complex, which opened in 1895. topped bar. 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 &. She did not mention any specific plans within the near future. But we went over to Decade and jammed with the band that was playing, Grushecky said. ft venue holds up to 2,000 partiers along with five soft drink bars and an enormous dance floor, and is open every Friday and Saturday night from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Party to Top 40 hits and hip-hop tracks blasting at 75,000 watts under incredible lighting and visual effects and maybe enter one of the contests held every weekend Regulars recommend the golani and falafel, any beer off the always-rotating taps and, of course, the bar's free popcorn and peanuts. 6. ceiling was low. Plate 15", "Can Pitt get SOUL (i.e., South Oakland Urban Litter)? The Boardwalk, Strip District This actually wasnt a single bar, but several bars and restaurants over the years that were located on a barge moored on the Allegheny River. Pittsburghers rocked at the Decade Lounge Petropoulos takes great pride in oakland's rise over the past years to the third largest commercial district in pennsylvania behind philadelphia and downtown . Carlow University and most of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center can be found there. Beyond just benefiting the musicians, Graffiti represented a dependable location in Oakland at which to hear talented, rising artists. Some residents of Central Oakland think of their neighborhood as being part of South Oakland. Related: Best Historic Sites To See In Pittsburgh. 14 on McKee Place and Fire Station No. Even if you've never eaten at NOLA on the Square, you certainly recognize it from the outside if you spend any time in downtown Pittsburgh and in Market Square, in particular, The popular New Orleans-themed restaurant brought a bit of Louisiana flare with its southern-inspired dishes. 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. Elbo Room Jack London Oakland So we said, Whats next? So we went rock n roll, Zarra said. Tequila Cowboy is a bar and grill, but its self-proclaimed "revved-up nightlife" makes it more than a viable option for one of Pittsburgh's best nightclubs. The fate of the building, and the crests of various Polish cities painted on the small wall of the bars parking lot, is unknown. Over the next five years Kresege booked a The club also showcased and rewarded Pittsburghs best talent in its own Battle of the Bands competition called the Rock Challenge. Went to the VIP north in Hampton in the 80's great place to be on Sundays. Meat Loaf was, literally and figuratively, the biggest rock star in America. 530 William Penn Place google_color_link="000000"; For part one of the series, click here. Where you could once buy quarter drafts at the Upstage, you now can buy a gallon of milk. Jessica Wasik lives in Pittsburgh where works as a full-time figure skating coach sharing her passion with todays generation of young skaters. 5. Those Doc Marten-wearing feet could then walk a few blocks down to The Decade, a bar and concert venue, then The Next Decade, a rehashed version of the venue on Atwood Street. Froggys, DowntownFor a quarter of a century beginning in 1978, the gravelly voiced Steve Froggy Morris held court in his Market Square bar and restaurant where celebrities such as Jack Nicholson flocked when they were in town. Brandon Smith, the 35-year-old co-owner of Fuel and Fuddle and a Pitt alum. Officials bought another 100 acres from her for "Schenley Park." Rusted Root won it one year and thats how they recorded their first album. The Decade guys were definitely better musicians not better artists, but players, he said. Love Pittsburgh? google_ad_type="text_image"; I was walking past the bar one night, and there was these two weird-looking dudes all dressed in black. The bar's interior is a treasure chest of old distilled whiskey bottles from the hotel between 1911 and 1913 and several functioning antique seltzer bottles. He says, Weve never been further north than Georgia. I paid them $500 and they came all the way north and played for $500, he said. Its been the Garage Door Saloon for many years now, but in the hearts of many the place always will be the Decade. Morris died five years later; the bar space currently is vacant. Across the Monongahela River, South Oakland runs adjacent with Pittsburgh's South Side Flats neighborhood. Some of the most impressive architecture in Oakland is on Pitt's campus. 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. My sister was in love with the 2 Brothers from the French Connection group all I can remember is their names were Tom & Dave they were good back then. After 22 years of Rock N Roll Dom wanted out. (412) 224-2273www.parkhousepgh.com. Jackson sang his Is She Really Going Out with Him and Funny Papers" in April SkyWatch at Carnegie Science Center. After a decline following the 1970s, Pitts enrollment grew from 26,328 in 1995 to 28,649 in 2016. In 1925, work began on what was then the world's tallest educational building, the 42-story Cathedral of Learning. OBID is a government-chartered area that provides services above and beyond that of the city government by taxing property holders within Oakland. sounds parachutes were hung across. Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts. (412) 281-7100www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/PittsburghWilliamPenn. Johanasen. 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. 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. The Pretenders packed the Decade on March 19, 1980. Zen Social Club Night Clubs Website 23 YEARS IN BUSINESS (724) 766-4556 125 W Station Square Dr Pittsburgh, PA 15219 5. 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. 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. google_ad_type="text_image"; the place apart with a skillfully played energetic performance on March 20, 1979. Pitt 96 grad Christine Mattiko would spend those reckless college nights at Calicos, a bar where Fuel and Fuddle is today. 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. That was the the best part. Though Pittsburgh is no longer replete with dance clubs, surefire picks still exist. Lets take a stroll down Memory Lane today. Famous national artists like Aerosmith and Bon Jovi visited the Decade after playing shows at larger venues in the city because of its reputation. The Decade was legendary, he said. Papa J Centro's Though Pittsburgh is no longer replete with dance clubs, surefire picks still exist. 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. 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. By 1860, there was considerable commercial development along Fifth Avenue. The first floor bar of the hotel was the hang out of baseball hall of fame member Honus Wagner and the Pittsburgh Pirate. Central Oakland is bordered by Schenley Park, the Boulevard of the Allies, Fifth Avenue, and Halket Street. In 1963, The Pittsburgh Press dubbed Shadyside 'our Greenwich Village.'. Free to play original rock and blues the music scene flourished at the Decade. After a long week of term papers and 9 a.m. classes, Pitt students in the 1990s had a pitcher full of options when they needed to knock back brews and let loose to Spice Girls or Biggie Smalls. ceiling was low. performing at the Civic Arena on September 20, 1984 Bruce Springsteen came to the Decade with his friend Joe Grushecky and A graduate of Robert Morris University with a degree in English Studies, Jessica is also a contributing writer for Allegheny West Magazine. As the neighborhood cleaned up and bars shut down, partying seemingly moved to Central and South Oakland houses. Its incarnations since have included a deli, lesbian bar, produce store, and a bar. 9. The f**king place was bonkers there were lines around the block, Grushecky said. Disco dropped dead. The local bands continued to appear. google_color_text="333333"; By Stephen Caruso / Senior Staff Writer December 1, 2016. An up and coming three Lidia's Italy permanently shut down, after 20 years, in August of 2019. The Decade and Electric Banana bands rarely mixed, despite a shared hard-edged sound. Wanting to spend more 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. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}402628N 795725W / 40.441N 79.957W / 40.441; -79.957, This article is about the neighborhood in, Although adjacent to Oakland, these attractions are technically just within the official border of, Oakland Business Improvement District (OBID), Kimbo Art Gallery and International Jazz Hall of Fame (Pitt Union), Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University, Nicholas Lochoff Cloister and University Arts Gallery (Pitt), Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial, University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band, Henry Clay Frick Training School for Teachers, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian, "PGHSNAP 2010 Raw Census Data by Neighborhood", "Muslims in Islamic Center of Pittsburgh demonstrate little-known facets of their faith", "Real estate plat-book of the city of Pittsburgh: from official records, private plans and actual surveys, Volume 1. 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