[Oakland has] became more sterile. 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. The Decade was the antithesis of the Electric Banana. In 1963, The Pittsburgh Press dubbed Shadyside 'our Greenwich Village.'. 1960s, 1970s Pittsburgh Nightlife, Bars, Restaurants, Nightclubs Kinolibrary 178K subscribers 7.6K views 5 years ago From the Kinolibrary Archive Film collections. Theres one or two bars, theres no movie theatre theres nothing., The change in students isnt limited to the booze, said. Those guys were the punk rockers and, for whatever reason, those guys did not like the Decade bands, Grushecky said. 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. Her main observation from the years in Pitts shadow are simple. DiSilvio remained cautiously pessimistic about the prospect of crowd-drawing live music in his club. These Steps of Pittsburgh quickly connect pedestrians to public transportation and provide an easy way to travel through this densely populated area. The tavern boasts 142 years of Pittsburgh history, countless photographs of Miss America pageant contestants, great drinks and gigantic fish sandwiches made from "Silver Dollar Louie" Americus' longstanding recipe. By 164turnera. Diesel Club Lounge doubles as a DJ mecca and live-music venue, and it's still South Side's most virile independent venue. 10 on Allequippa Street. 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. I thought it might be interesting to rank these late local establishments by the imprint they left during their heyday. The parachutes on the ceiling were all the ambience that was needed. And she canceled. Graffiti featured concerts by national groups just prior to their commercial breakthroughs, including two of the more popular rock bands of the 90s. in Bridgeville; #1 Park Avenue in the South Hills; the Its incarnations since have included a deli, lesbian bar, produce store, and a bar named Cumpies. google_ad_type="text_image"; We played with, at the time, some really great bands Blind Sight, The Goodies and Anti-Flag. Central Oakland has five Pittsburgh neighborhood borders, including North Oakland to the north, Squirrel Hill North to the northeast, Squirrel Hill South to the east, South Oakland to the south and southwest, and West Oakland to the northwest. There wasnt a club owner in the city who would book, like, punk rock, new wave. For the next few years it was a still a live See Part II. Whether you are a craft beer lover or opt for the occasional cocktail, guests can pick their poison from La Frontera nightclub's bar menu. Our marketing agency in Pittsburgh is ready to help right now! The under 21 crowd packed the place every week to watch the Break-dance teams like the mid-town rockers. wanted to sit at one of the few tables, you had to get there early. The french Connection from the North hills area (Hampton-Shaler-west view) Some real good Break-Dance battles took place there! 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. Oakland was, at various points, the home of many professional, Oakland is less than 3 miles (4.8km) from, The Ryan Catholic Newman Center: Oratory of St. Philip Neri, Hunt Library (Carnegie Mellon University), This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 14:43. 212 Boulevard of the Allies The Decade guys were definitely better musicians not better artists, but players, he said. 8. South Oakland was the childhood home of Andy Warhol, and later the residence of fellow pop artist Keith Haring. There was a bit of a competition between us, where the Electric Banana guys played the Banana and the Decade guys played the Decade. If the Decade was Pittsburghs Stone Pony, then the Electric Banana was Pittsburghs CBGB. Gooski's 4.3 (94 reviews) Dive Bars $Polish Hill Divey "the perfect dive bar tho for someone that wants to get out of the house and have fun with someone (if" more Outdoor seating 2. google_color_url="B76401"; Diesel Club Lounge doubles as a DJ mecca and live-music venue, and its still South Sides most virile independent venue. series of memorable shows that put the Decade on the national Rock and Roll map. Omni William Penn Hotel Speakeasy Let's Find Out, PA County Wants To Make Its Own Gun Laws After Recent Court Defeat. Read on for the 5 best Pittsburgh nightlife spots geared toward those who aren't quite legal to drink, or who need a break from the bar scene. Belvederes Ultra Dive is a nightclub located in Butter street, Pittsburgh, United States. Pittsburghers rocked at the Decade Lounge google_ad_client="pub-8685855016547639"; While some things have changed since Pittsburgh's oldest bar and restaurant first opened in 1870 such as its 10-cent beers and penny oysters, the iconic recipes, unmatched customer service and the building's original character remain unchanged. 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 &. The residents of the neighborhood on the north side of Bates Avenue call their neighborhood Oakcliffe. Grushecky noted a rivalry between the two scenes sparked by these differences. As a showcase club, Graffiti sought acts from a wide spectrum of genres and young musicians, featuring national acts while still promoting local talent. Since then, this revered watering hole has cultivated many loyal locals thanks to its weekly events, happy hour specials and seasonal international dishes. While Pitt and UPMC attract daytime traffic, employees of the institutions. sounds parachutes were hung across. acts moved on. 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. While Oakland featured other music venues including the Syria Mosque, which housed mostly larger acts the three clubs in the Triangle spanned a similar era and contained much smaller capacity crowds watching less firmly established artists. The bands gigged in the back room on a wide stage Love Pittsburgh? (412) 224-2273www.parkhousepgh.com. 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. Patlakh, a first-year computer science major from Philadelphia, admits his hometown spoiled him when it comes to nightlife. . A Pittsburgh music promoter, Danny Kresge, convinced DiSilvio to start hosting national acts at the Decade. It didnt matter who was going. concert promoter Danny Kresege convinced Dom Disilvio to make the Decade a Drew and her friends then content themselves with raging at house shows in Oakland basements or partying at friends homes habits that have drawn the ire of Pitt police and Oakland residents alike. Gene's Place 3.9 (38 reviews) Dive Bars $Oakland Divey Lets take a stroll down Memory Lane today. Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC and the Pittsburgh Technology Center are major landmarks of this neighborhood. 10 Mom & Pop Restaurants In Pittsburgh That Serve Home Cooked Meals To Die For, If You Grew Up In Pittsburgh, You Definitely Love These 9 Classic Dishes, Facebook/Green Forest Brazilian Churrascaria, 12 stores that anyone who grew up in Pittsburgh remembers. year. A Pittsburgh music promoter, Danny Kresge, convinced DiSilvio to start hosting national acts at the Decade. The Original Oyster House Wanting to spend more 4. We would go to each others shows, but we would also try and do shows with each other, Schneider said. The following errors occurred with your submission. Unfortunately, it became another victim of the pandemic, officially closing its doors for the final time on July 28, 2020, after celebrating a final bacon night. After the Boardwalk closed, the barge was towed to Chattanooga, Tenn., where a developers plans to develop a similar Boardwalk operation never materialized. The Decade scored big booking a little-known guitarist out from Austin. By Stephen Caruso / Senior Staff Writer December 1, 2016. Her work can be found at Examiner.com. Price is not such a concern.. [12] Twenty-one years later, Mary Schenley gave the city 300 acres in Oakland for a park. But the BBT hardly is the only local nightspot of notoriety that has had its final last last call over the years. In addition, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire operates Fire Station No. The Decade had two small rooms that were said to hold The Decade nightclub was a staple of the neighborhood in the 1970s and 1980s. The Pretenders packed the Decade on March 19, 1980. 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 refurbished Joncaire Street city steps (with bike runnel) in Central Oakland. People, however, were mostly well-behaved, The Pittsburgh Press . 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. Influential bands from the era such as Sonic Youth, the Minutemen, Operation Ivy and Black Flag all played shows there. This Flea Market Near Pittsburgh Covers 14,000 Square Feet With More Than 100 Vendors On-Site, The Charming Out Of The Way Flea Market Near Pittsburgh You Wont Soon Forget, 6 Must-Visit Flea Markets In Pittsburgh Where Youll Find Awesome Stuff, 5 Amazing Flea Markets In Pittsburgh You Absolutely Have To Visit, 10 Beloved Places In Pittsburgh That Well Never Forget. Jam [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. Photo by Laura Zurowski. 530 William Penn Place 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. If you've ever wondered what Pittsburgh was like roughly eight decades ago, step into the Omni William Penn Hotel's Speakeasy, the only one of its kind in the city. The third club in the Triangle was Graffiti, which opened on Baum Boulevard in North Oakland in 1982. The Cathedral of Learning, the engineering or midsection of the University of Pittsburgh campus, and the Craig Street business district are in North Oakland. 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. 80s Night Clubs in Downtown on YP.com. Was he right in interrupting all the fun? The club survived for another seven years. google_color_link="000000"; So feel free to disagree with these rankings in the comments section below. Each location is dark, smoky and weird-looking. An up and coming three Regulars recommend the golani and falafel, any beer off the always-rotating taps and, of course, the bar's free popcorn and peanuts. 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. 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. In 1868, Oakland Township, just two years after seceding from Pitt Township, was annexed to the City of Pittsburgh. Many of its homes are historic masonry structures dating from the turn of the century. Famous national artists like Aerosmith and Bon Jovi visited the Decade after playing shows at larger venues in the city because of its reputation. They always had the Rock Challenge, which was big. After that he would stop into the Decade to jam whenever he was appearing in the Burgh. How many of these, 12 stores that anyone who grew up in Pittsburgh remembers, do you still miss? 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. There was probably 30 people crammed in there, Grushecky said. Papa J Centro's 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. For years, colorful owner Joel Greenfield had a Skull Room in the back filled with cabinets of skull-shaped mugs and other skull-themed oddities. 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.. But the first national artist who actually played at the Decade set a high bar for future bands and convinced DiSilvio that the new plan might have a chance. set along the side wall a few inches off the ground. The area between Forbes Avenue and Boulevard of the Allies is officially part of Central Oakland. packed, sweaty, and loud with menacing bouncers it was a gritty steel town bar. [11] The difference is largely because the area between Forbes Avenue and the Boulevard of the Allies houses many undergraduate students. Later it became arestaurant called Atwoods Garden. Since its formation, Oakwatch has noticed a decline in disruptions and house parties in recent years, based on reports from a September Oakwatch, Despite the memories of a thriving nightlife, Petropoulos. The Decade is the only bar on the list that has had a book written about it (Gabby Means The Decade.). All you need is a dark room and comfortable seating, and the trend is strengthening every month. Went to the VIP north in Hampton in the 80's great place to be on Sundays. We were on the same label at the time Cleveland International Records. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Where to go? Stay tuned for the next installment, which will be about Oaklands community improvement initiatives. Carlow University and most of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center can be found there. The Decade, OaklandWas there ever any doubt this legendary Oakland bar at the corner of Atwood and Sennott streets would top the list? 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. piece band called the Police who were getting airplay with their song Roxanne tore My preference was Graffiti, by far. 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%. Tucked into the back corner of Crazy Mocha in Bloomfield, Dreaming Ant offered the most eclectic library of DVDs around. 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. After booking a few cover bands, Zarra took a chance on a Pittsburgh punk group called Carsickness. Pittsburgh is a steel town rich in industrial and immigration history. After The local bands continued to appear. Petropoulos takes great pride in Oaklands rise over the past years to the third largest commercial district in Pennsylvania behind Philadelphia and downtown Pittsburgh mostly on the strength of the neighborhoods daytime economy. //-->. Manor Theater. There shouldnt be any nightlife [in Oakland because] the rents dont allow for that,, he said, referencing tight profit margins on, cinemas and bars. Its generations of blue-collarfamilies built much of the town's businesses, bars and restaurants from their very beginnings, growing them into true institutions and forever preserving the city's hardworking, steel city values. It was one of the better showcases that was in Pittsburgh. That support stretched to other musicians both locally and nationally as the clubs size grew. The area got its name from the abundance of oak trees found on the farm of William Eichbaum, who settled there in 1840. To order the clip clean and. Chauncys, South Side This Station Square landmark was the place to go to dance away the doldrums for more than 20 years -- until a judge pulled the plug on the music in 2004 and ordered the place closed after numerous complaints of assaults, drug dealing and gun activity at the nightclub. 14 on McKee Place and Fire Station No. If we were still trying to sell things we did 20, 25 years ago, wed be out of business, Elavsky said. There they may have celebrated their 1903 World Series win. At the end of it I thought, This punk isnt bad, he said. google_ad_width=120; 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. Thank you! series of memorable shows that put the Decade on the national Rock and Roll map. 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