Search This Blog


Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Rhyme Calisthenics

Rhyme Calisthenics, for its 10 competition, has teamed up with Classic Material to bring you a hip-hop event of epic proportions. 


 Thelonious Stretch hosts the Rhyme Calisthenics Top 10 MC Competition with a roster of fresh freestyle MC's from around the region all gunning for the #1 spot.  After the competition switch into party mode for the Classic Material Hip-hop, Soul and Funk Party with resident DJ's Selecta + SMI and guest DJ Vex.  We're really excited to have a special guest performance by Elzhi.  After grinding in the Detroit underground during the late 90's Elzhi began working with the likes of J.Dilla, Wajeed, Dwele and rose to recognition when he joined Slum Village in 2002, later shining on smash singes "Tainted" (feat. Dwele) and "Selfish" (feat. Kanye West).  In 2008 Elzhi dropped the Preface, deemed one of the best albums of the year and exclusively produced by Black Milk.  It's all going down Saturday, December 18th at the Shadow Lounge.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Classic Material

No matter what you might think of the antics or personality of Mr. West, it would be very hard to deny his musical talents. His production discography has gotten pretty deep and he now has a pretty impressive catalog as a solo artist. Although time is usually a criteria when judging the lasting power of music, we have no hesitation in granting him with Classic Material Status. His recent explosion of output has brought us great collaborations that we could only dream of. He has somehow managed to push this thing we call Hip-Hop further into the future yet still holding on to a nostalgic sound that we long for. Jay -Z, Slum village,dwele,John Legend, Common,rhymefest,estelle,Kid Cudi, Dialated Peoples, etc..... a Sick amount of good music to choose from. The power hour is back!

Please Join us this Saturday at 10pm at the Shadow Lounge for a Dance Party Featuring Dj's SMI and Special Guest DJ Buscrates as we usher in the new Classic Material as well as the Old. Buscrates will also be bringing some special treats that have nothing to do with Ye.



18+ to party 21+ to drink .cost: $5 dress code: anything

Monday, November 15, 2010

The Sonoma Grille (Giveaway)

Yves Carreau, award recipient of The Restaurateur of the Year award, has really hit a home run with The Sonoma Grille located downtown Pittsburgh at 946 Penn avenue. Last week Malik and I had the opportunuty to sit down and sample some of the best food that I have had the pleasure of enjoying in long time. Not a stranger to the Pittsburgh restaurant scene, I have very discriminating tastes when it comes to food and wine. Thankfully the Sonoma Grille did not disappoint.

When we arrived I was instantly pleased and set at ease by the inviting decor of The Sonoma Grille. A West Coast kitchen and wine bar indeed! The bar is large, the back wall of the bar is actually a 20ft. wine case which houses a collection of over 1,000 bottles of wine. Quit impressive. We waited for a half hour, I was not happy. Fortunately, Randy Wright the General Manger came to greet us, then invited us to our seats, and prepared us for a five course tasting of some of the stand out items on the menu. Our servers Barb and Eddie were very knowledgeable and quit pleasant, which added to an exceptional dining experience. Allow me to expound...


The Food: Executive Chef Andrew Hebson makes sure that Sonoma’s fare is a melting pot of international cuisine, wrapped with a California twist. Each dish highlights local, organic or sustainable food, each utilized at the peak of their season. Each dish accentuates the purity of the ingredients and is served with complementing preparations and pairings. Some of my favorites include the wild mushroom/pesto/goat cheese flat bread, the organic salmon, which is done to perfection, and my absolute top choice, the Char Su duck w/sticky rice. For dessert, the gianduja tartlette with hazelnut butter and chocolate ganache was surprisingly tasty as it was pared with a nice 20yr Tawny Port.



The Wine: Sonoma Grille has over 1,000 bottles of wine for serving, and hundreds of those are served by the glass. The W H Smith Pinot Noir was the lightest and fruitiest Noir I have tasted, and paired well with the beet salad w/honeyed beets and micro arugula.


There are many great wines to choose from to pair with any dish. I didn't try any cocktails, but a lovely woman out with her family enjoying The Sonoma Grille for the first time, informed me that her martini was "exquisite".


May I suggest ordering from the tasting menu if you are going to The Sonoma Grille for the first time either alone or with a group, and you are not sure what to order. Be sure to sample wines. Ask your server if you are unsure about which wines would be best with your meal choice.


The Sonoma Grille is most certainly one of great Pittsburgh restaurants that I will be returning to, and also recommending to anyone who wants to know where to have great food, great wine, and have a great dinning experience. The fact that Sonoma uses local, in season, and organic food that is "farm to plate" is enough to get me in the door, the fact that the food tastes awesome is enough to keep me coming back!


Want to try it for yourself? My friends at The Sonoma Grille have offered one $25 gift card to a lucky SpotlightPittsburgh reader. All you have to do is comment to this post below, and tell us what your favorite wine is and why it is your favorite, and we will choose the reader with the most interesting answer. Thats all you have to do! Be sure to leave your email address so that you can be contacted about your prize! Good luck!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Grand Groove w/ DJ Selecta

Hey everyone! I am sure that you have all been well. You have had ups and downs sure, but we are HERE, and that means that there is hope.

So, this week we are fortunate to have another Grand Groove Radio newsletter post from the great DJ Selecta. Read on as he shares about his time on the Left, side as he calls it. GG radio airs live every Sunday night from 12am-4am on 91.3 FM WYEP in Pittsburgh and online worldwide. Selecta can be reached @ 412.916.7365 with any questions. Enjoy!



Peoples:
Well, I'm back from my enjoyable, albeit short excursion to the Left (Coast). I Was in San Fran for an extended weekend of crate digging and matrimonial festivities. Shout to Chris @ Groove Merchant for keeping a nice stock of rarities across a multi-genre spectrum. I peeped a 7" copy of the Leroy McGee sleeper "The Burg" on the wall for a mere $125! The crazy thing is that they steadily go for the price, even in this dire economy. I still can't believe that my man Buscrates found a grip of 45's for $3 a pop @ Jerry's before the record was unearthed by UK soundsmith Nick Faber several years back. Check the link below if you haven't heard this funky mid 70's ode to our City Of Steel! But, let me digress and get back on the Groove Merchant tip and congratulate them for 20 years in the biz! The always funky team (shout to Jason!) at Ubiquity Records just released an amazing comp of Edits entitled "Groove Merchant Turns 20", giving praise to the legendary record shop that spawned the equally as legendary record label.
R-1215204-1289056541.jpeg
Speaking of black cylindrical objects.... One project that has been taking up most of my time, hence the short updates as of late, is the re-opening of 720 Records in our largest location yet. The new shop will be part Cafe', Record Shop, and Clothing Store, catering to both genders. Our team has been working hard for the last 6 months and we are ready to officially open on Black Friday. Stay tuned for more information on the grand opening shindig in updates to follow.
Musically speaking, perusing the blogosphere paid off royally this week. I accidentally stumbled upon a track from 1500 Or Nothing featuring none other than Little Brother/Foreign Exchange member Phonte. I'm a sucker for anything he puts out these days. Tigallo can bring life to the most lackluster of joints with his mixture of crooning and lyrical prowess. Keep them coming Te! Now on to digging of the more traditional kind, I was extremely late on discovering the DJ Platurn (Oakland, CA) reworking of Midnight Star's "Midas Touch on the Bastard Boots imprint. I tend to stay up on anything that comes out on the tiny BK based label but somehow this one slipped through the cracks. Platurn completely reconstructs the MS classic, giving it a broken beat/electro feel complete with new vocals from Kat. Dancefloor killer!
Next week promises to be jam packed with treats as several releases drop including the highly anticipated "LadyKiller" Lp from Cee-Lo Greene. I also have a cache of records that I intend to throw in the mix from my journey out west as well!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Color of Strings


featuring Dwayne Dolphin - Jeff Grubbs - and Curtis Lundy
with Dave Budway: Piano & Tom Wendt: Drums

Presented by Kente Arts Alliance
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Hazlett Theatre
6 Allegheny Square East

Tickets $20 Advance/ $25 At Door
By Phone: 412-394-3353

Ticket Outlets: Jamil's Global Village (East Liberty) - Paul's CD's (Bloomfield)
Dorsey's Records (Homewood) - Stedeford's Record Shop (Northside)

For more information www.kentearts.org or
412-322-0292

Belly Dancing and Drumming

Classic Material



The CM fam is proud to bring another legendary artist to town, in our ongoing attempt to highlight both Deejay's and MC's from the golden era and beyond. Keith Murray will be making his Pittsburgh debut as part of the "Most Beautifullest" Edition of Classic Material. Keith is most notably known for his LP "The Most Beautifullest Thing In The World" (an album that received 4 mics from the source), and his affiliation with the EPMD offshoot super group, the Def Squad. He has recently teamed up with fellow animated MC, Cannibus, to form the "Undergods", with production duties handled by Erick SermonSelecta and SMI set off the night with their usual blend of multi-genre classics, with crooner and all around party rocker, Gene Stovall, handling the hosting duties once again. Get ready for the "Most Beautifullest MC Tour" with Keith Murray and special guest BurntMD, hitting the Shadow Lounge on October 16th. Tickets are available at the SL, Timebomb, and www.showclix.com

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Runway Clearing for Takeoff

Pittsburgh Fashion Week is in full swing!  Its not too late to get in on everything fashion that is happening throughout the city.  I was at the weeks opening show extravaganza, and it was fantastic!  Since I am participating in PFW as a pro makeup artist, my ability to properly report for SpotlightPittsburgh has been diminished this week,  so thankfully Allegra Johnson,  of Urban Media Today decided to share with  us all her perspective of what the opening night of PFW was like.  To read more from Allegra Johnson visit urbanmediatoday.com













Allegra Johnson for SLP

Pittsburgh Fashion Week is off to a great start!  If you missed Monday’s opening event, then shame on you.  Just image the Southside Works Square , filled with fashionista’s and all-around fabulous-ness!  There was music, dancing, singing and of course some of the best fashion in the city. Designers like Planet Pulse, Roberta Weissburg Leather, e.b. Pepper, MJ Whalen, Jupe and Sugar showcased their work. 
 
The opening show was fun, well organized and just a good ole’ time; I laughed, I cried and I wanted to shop!  (I guess that’s the whole purpose of fashion shows).  Anyway, I’m so excited about the rest of fashion week.  Last week, I interview Pittsburgh Fashion Week Executive Assistant LaMont Jones; he said that the whole purpose of Pittsburgh Fashion Week was to showcase the talents of local models, designers, and stylist.  He also said, when we(Pittsburghers) appreciate what Pittsburgh has to offer; then the city can propel into world-class status!  I so agree and Pittsburgh Fashion Week is just a taste of the fabulous things to come.  Now check out some snapshots from the opening; unfortunately, my camera battery died on me midway through the show L  I know, I was on some last minute stuff.  But I will be fully charged for the Zang Toi show today!   
 










 
For a complete list of fashion week events go to www.pittsburghfashionweek.com  

Monday, September 20, 2010

Pittsburgh Fashion Week!!!!!

The introduction of Pittsburgh Fashion Week in 2010 will be a historical event, highlighting what makes ours a region of style as well as steel at a time when Pittsburgh is emerging as a world-class city. From Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, area fashion designers and retailers, industry insiders, and lovers of style and fashion will converge on the Sen. John Heinz History Center, the William Penn Hotel, and other venues in the Golden Triangle to enjoy an array of fashion-related events. With its unique pace of fashion shows around the city, Runway will strut a new style of fashion entertainment and become the Bryant Park of Pittsburgh. We'll witness the change in pace of fashion shows from around the city. 


Here is the schedule:

Runway: Clearing for Takeoff – Destination, Fashion Oz!
Monday, Sept. 27, 2010
Show Starts: 7 pm
Where: South Side Works Square
Appetizers at nearby Tusca, 6pm

International Fashion Designer: Presenting Zang Toi
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010
Show Starts: 7 pm
Where: Senator John Heinz History Center
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Presents
An Evening with Zang Toi
9 to 11 p.m. At The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
A Private Cocktail Reception open to ticket holders of Zang Toi's fashion event. 

PINK! Fashion Show Benefiting Susan G. Komen Foundation
Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010
Show Starts: 7 pm
Commemorating breast cancer awareness
Where: Senator John Heinz History Center

I've Been Framed
Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010
Show Starts: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Haute Eyeware Trunk Show with Chic Fashions
Eyepolis at the Waterfront
RSVP by Sept. 28 412.464.2020

All Day Fashion Shows – 10 am to 7 pm
Petite & Plus Perfection – 8 pm
Friday, Oct. 1, 2010
Where: Ramada Hotel And Conference Center Pittsburgh in Green Tree

Saturday All Day Fashion Shows – 10 am to 7 pm
ManStyle All Menswear Fashion Show – 1 pm to 2 pm
Eco-chic Custom Designs and Charity Auction – 8 pm
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010
Where: Ramada Hotel And Conference Center Pittsburgh in Green Tree

Pittsburgh Fashion Hall of Fame Luncheon
Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010
Luncheon: 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Omni William Penn Hotel


This should be a great week!  See you there!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Classic Material




Big Phill has been bugging me for years to track down reissues of some classic blaxploitation records via one of my distributors. Admittedly, I've lallygagged, and it's been a bit of a recurring joke every time we cross paths. So, when Phil approached SMI about doing a blaxploitation night at CM, I couldn't refuse. Blaxploitation movies have provided the backdrop for many a classic hip-hop track. If it wasn't for James Brown's contribution to the Black Caesar soundtrack "Blind Man Can See It", we would be stuck with the wack remix of "They Want EFX", not the the ill guitar loop that still drives folks bananas to this day. And who can forgot about Marvin Gaye lending "A Touch Of Jazz" to Jeff & The Fresh Prince courtesy of "T Plays It Cool" from the all Marvin "Trouble Man" soundtrack.

Blaxploitation flix's have provided countless hours of visual and audible entertainment over the years, tonight we will honor the best of the genre, complete with the hip-hop artists that freaked the samples + film clips on the big screen all night! Phil is a master at this genre, come check out the collection he has amassed over the years, alongside residents Selecta and SMI. Thanks for keeping Classic Material fresh and exciting as we move in to our fourth year of amazing parties. Next month Mr. Murray will be in the place to be for the "Most Beautifullest" edition of CM. Cheers! 



-SELECTA

Thursday, September 2, 2010

After the Event, Hot House

This After the Event is all about the Sprout Funds annual event, HOT HOUSE.  If you know anything about the Sprout Fund, and I am sure that many of you do, then you know something about, or have heard about HOT HOUSE.  This year the crowd was bigger, the spectacle was bigger, and the event was fantastic!  How could it not be though?  Food, liquor, beer, wine, art, lively people, there was one eye catching experience after another.  The opportunity to learn about some businesses and projects in the community that I had never even knew existed, is the cherry on the cake for me.  I realized that that is only our perspective, the happy party goer. What about the event coordinators  themselves, what about their perspective?  I had a brief conversation this morning with Matt Hannigan of the the Sprout Fund to get the collective thoughts of the non- profit, and share some of how they felt about the HOT HOUSE event this year, and to learn more about the Sprout Fund.


SLP :   How did you like the Don Allen location compared to Bakery Sqaure last year?

Matt Hannigan : I think that they were really different sites, ...all the sites are very different that we do so generally each one has its own benefits.

SLP :  Did you guys meet your goal this year?

MH :   Yeah, I think that we got the volume of people that we were looking for.  For us it an opportunity to showcase the projects and activities that we've supported over the last year.  So, in looking at the event and seeing how many people were stopping by the project booths and learning a little more about what they are doing in the community, that is a really important aspect of what the event is about.  Some people think its just a really fun party but for us it does have that secondary purpose as well.

click play to view pics


SLP :  For people who are not familer with the Sprout fund, could you breifly summarize what you all are in place to do?

MH :  What we basically provide is catalog support for community projects, and we do that through small grants and through the creation of works of public art.  We have a couple of grant making programs, where people can apply to us for support and try to get there idea off the ground.  Then we have a public art program thats focused on creating murals around the town.

SLP :  Thanks for all the great info Matt, one last question before you go, any new projects or collaborations that the Sprout Fund is currently engaged?

MH :   Well, the thing thats coming up the fastest for us right now after HOT HOUSE is the application deadline for a new funding program that were offering which is called SPRING.  Thats a program that focuses on programs that are related to biodiversity, and that application deadline is  Friday September 24, 2010.  So we're hopeful to get  projects from across Pittsburgh and Allegheny county to come back to us with ideas of community projects that would kinda measure the impact of the biodiversity within the Pittsburgh region.

If you would like more information on the SPRING program or any more info at all about the Sprout Fund click the title link to there website.  The Sprout Fund is located at 5423 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa, 15206-3423

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Classic Material


Have you ever been to Classic Material?  Well, Dj Selecta is the best at what he does.  Classic material is the music that you WANT to hear and dance to.  No top 40, only the music that feels good.  Come to the Shadow Lounge this Saturday 10pm and enjoy good music, and good people.  Hosted by Gene Stovall.  Tell Selecta SLP sent you!



Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Hot House, Cool Event



THE SPROUT FUND’S ANNUAL BENEFIT PARTy
THE SPROUT FUND WILL HOST ITS ANNUAL HOTHOUSE EVENT ON
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010 AT THE OLD DON ALLEN AUTO CITY AT BAUM BOULEVARD & LIBERTY AVENUE IN PITTSBURGH’S BLOOMFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS THE SPROUT FUND’S “LIVE ANNUAL REPORT” TO THE COMMUNITY, HOTHOUSE CREATES AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF PITTSBURGH’S BUSINESS AND SOCIAL CIRCLES THAT COME TOGETHER EACH YEAR IN SUPPORT OF SPROUT’S MISSION TO MEET AND MINGLE. ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S MOST POPULAR (AND POPULOUS) SUMMER EVENTS, THE EVENT HAS BEEN LAUDED AS ONE OF THE TOP PARTIES OF THE YEAR AND ATTRACTED MORE THAN 3,000 ATTENDEES LAST YEAR!
THIS YEAR’S LOCATION, BAUM BOULEVARD & LIBERTY AVENUE, THE SITE OF THE OLD DON ALLEN AUTO CITY, IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF PITTSBURGH’S EAST END NEIGHBORHOODS AND IS SOON TO BECOME SEVERAL MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT SITES TO BENEFIT BLOOMFIELD.
Hothouse is The Sprout Fund’s annual benefit and showcase event. The event serves as stage to present a sampling of some of the innovative projects and emerging leaders of successful community initiatives supported by Sprout over the past year. Held annually at unique development sites, the event celebrates the organization’s accomplishments and features live music and performances, food and drink by Pittsburgh favorites, a silent auction, and a VIP reception.
Support for the event has been strong every year; last year 35 financial sponsors, 30 media and in-kind supporters, 31 food & drink sponsors, and 91 silent auction donors joined hundreds of friends of the organization to help raise nearly $170,000.

Click the title for tickets, and more info about Sprout Fund.


Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Happs

Hey SpotlightPittsburgh supporters!!! Here are some up coming events for this week. Also, FLIRT is right around the corner so lock it into your calenders for next Saturday. Any questions? Comment below or email me. Enjoy...








Also, this Friday the 18th 8pm-11pm at Friendly Grounds Cafe on the North Side, 3619 California Avenue
SPOKEN WORD $5 cover, Should be great!


August 15 Saturday at 11:00am - at 7:00pm
Allegheny Commons Park-NorthSide By the Aviary
In addition, to Dru Hill, the main stage will be filled with African and African Diaspora music. Attendees can bring their chairs and blankets, sit under the trees, and hear live bands. You will be entertained by such music genres as West African, jazz, rhythm/blues, gospel, reggae, and salsa. There will be a Pittsburgh All-Star line up of entertainment from RH Factor, Azucar, Jill West & Blues Attack, Artistree, Hakim Rasheed, Jazz Garcelle,The Flow Band, Kevin Howard, Brian Wright, Sr., Afro-American Music Institute, Torie Banks, My Brother's Keeper, Spirit Filled Ministries and of course Umoja African Arts Company.



Formula 412 will be performing at the REX theater on this coming Tuesday the 17th. Its really a Meth and Redman show, but...LET ME HEAR YOU SAY 412...thats what WE care about so, hit TicketMaster up. Gonna be a dope show!


Next Saturday August 21 at 10:00pm - 2:00am @ Capri

Do you like to FLIRT? Wanna mingle with SEXY and ELIGIBLE singles? Next Saturday's One Night Stand is just for you! FREE ADMISSION by emailing your name to ONSPGH@GMAIL.COM. Complimentary Drink and Appetizer before 12p! Music by DJ PHINESSE. Capri Bar | 21+







Sunday, August 8, 2010

Who You Callin' a Snitch!

In just a few days SpotlightPittsburgh will sit down with Chuck Brown, writer, directer, and,producer of an eye opening new documentary titled, Speaking of Snitching. Check out the trailer, and stay connected with SLP to see the interview and to find out when and where you can check out this provocative film.

Speaking of Snitching


This is the trailer for the upcoming documentary, "Speaking of Snitching: Examining the Snitching Phenomenon & it's Impact." It's a raw look at the stop snitching movement, those directly and indirectly impacted by it, and comments from lawyers, teachers, rappers, ministers and many others.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Reggae Festival

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Pittsburgh Citywide Talent Show

The talent show of the year is here! Over 25 of the Burgh's best singers, dancers, rappers, spoken word artists, and instrumentalists come together this Sunday to compete for the title of Pittsburgh's Top Talent... and YOU ARE THE JUDGES!

This event is APOLLO style... meaning if you like what you see, you can applaud and cheer for the act. But if they're wack... you know what to do! Boooooo! It's up to the audience to decide who is the best in the city!

The winner will recieve a one album deal with 360 Entertainment with distribution, up to 10 performances with a $2,500 promo package, video and radio interviews, and music blogs, along with the trophy and title of Pittsburgh's Top Talent 2010.

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2010
AUGUST WILSON CENTER - DOWNTOWN
980 LIBERTY AVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222
6PM SHOWTIME

Tickets are available at all Villa Locations (Sneaker Villa), Dorsey's, and the Son of Stedefords on the Northside! Get your tickets now because they are selling fast!

For more information: 412-403-5807 or 412-401-3919


Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Happs

July 15th The Dating Truth @ Kelly Strayhorn Theater 7pm-10pm http://thedatingtruth.eventbrite.com


July 17th THRILLER 2nd Annual Tribute to the King of Pop @ Capri Bar 10pm-2am http://styleandsteel.net 


July 24th The Art of  Luxury @ The Pittsburgh Center of the Arts(6300 Fifth Ave. Pittsburgh, PA  Hosted By DJ Nate Da Phat Barber 
charismaticnightlife.com










Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Party The Weekend Away w/ Style and Steel!




NEXT WEEKEND, 2 HOT PARTIES ARE POPPIN' OFF IN DA BURGH! 

FRI. JUNE 18 IS STYLE & STEEL'S 3RD ANNUAL  ALL WHITE SUMMER LAUNCH PARTY "EnErGY" @ THE SHADOW LOUNGE/BLUE ROOM3-DJS and 3-GENRES OF MUSIC in 2 RMS. 
((((DJ SELECTA, VYBZ MACHINE, and LAUREN G)))) FREE ADMISSION UNTIL 10PM. $5 UNTIL 11PM
COMPLIMENTARY BOTTLE OF MOET TO THE BEST DRESSED GUEST. 

SATURDAY JUNE 19 @ CAPRI IS A SPECIAL HIP HOP VS REGGAE CLASH! FEAT. $3 HENNE AND GOOSE.
http://www.styleandsteel.net/


You already know SpotlightPittsburgh will be in the house to see and be seen, and I will definitely let you all know what we thought of it all.  Better yet, I will see you there...

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Standard


One hot summer a few years ago Malik and I sat down with Nate Mitchell at his home in Penn Hills and we, along with Jovon - Nates fiance, chatted it up like the friends that we are.  We talked about many things that night, and one thing in particular.  I have always secretly felt to be privileged and "in the know" for learning the history of Charismatic Marketing, as it was formerly named. We talked about his early days of marketing and dj ing events - and how that created a life of its own.  Over many years Nate had began to cultivate a culture of young, over 25 party goers that had grown accustomed to his brand of partying.  Charismatic Marketing had transformed Pittsburgh's entire urban nightlife scene by supplying followers with a sexy venue, great drink specials, and the best record spinning within a 300 mile radius which always includes two turntables and a mic!!

 Life happens, and things never stay the same, and so, the nightlife in Pittsburgh has been changed forever.  New urban entertainment companies have emerged, and have gained a significant share of the nightlife market in this region.  There is a nice grown and sexy experience waiting to happen any day of the week in this city.  It has made Pittsburgh a much more enjoyable place to life, and is greatly appreciated by many.  While so many ent. companies where gaining ground, the man that set the standard was seemingly fading into obscurity.  Having a party here and there could never be enough to satisfy Pittsburgh appetite for grown and sexy fun. Also, there are  far more options for nightlife ent. these days.  Nate seemed to be losing his demographic to a younger,  less experienced albeit savvy crew of nightlife conductors.  Many including myself wondered if he still even had an audience.

Well, on Sunday, May 30th Charismatic Nightlife set out to remind some, and convince others that the helm was/is occupied.  The way that my feet feel even as I type is proof positive that the Standard has been reprised.  In my opinion the mark of a great party experience is how packed the dance floor is.  Many times I have gone out for the evening and thought to my self, "i don't even feel like dancing", we all have.  Then, a song gets played that hurls you from your position, and onto  the dance floor.  Anyone can promote a party and pack it, but can you keep people on the floor?  People do not get dressed up, and women don't squeeze into high heels, to just see and be seen.  Of course that is all a part of it, but people want to dance til they sweat.  If your party is filled with people standing around and watching one another, then it is not a total success.  Sure you got money in your pocket, but will they come back?  Are they anticipating the next one?  The quintessential element that DJ Nate has over the competition is that he IS the DJ!  When Charismatic Nightlife promotes an event, the DJ is the promoter, so he is in full control of the event outcome from the flyer printing, to the record spinning, leaving very little room for chance.

The Standard was like a reunion of sorts as well.  Many party goers that have not seen one another for quite some time were in attendance and over joyed that Nate was in the building.  Many of these Charismatic NL fans, had not even been in the nightlife scene for a while simply because they do not trust other DJ's to make it worth their time, and energy, and money.  When a DJ's intention is to ROCK the crowd, it is measured by the dance floor and how happy people seem to be, and it was apparent that Nate pleased many. We all danced.  We could not sit down, believe me I tried!     There are no pics to accompany this post simply because we were dancing so much!  Neither Malik nor I wanted the task of taking pictures when there was dancing to be done!  We had a great time.  No, all three rooms were not packed out, however the entire building was jumping.  DJ SMI was spinning in AVA, which is always a great experience.  By the way, an over crowded venue is NEVER the shit!!


I could go on and on about why the Standard was the best party of 2010 so far, but I will stop now.

Parting words:  Everyone wants to be inspired.  We look for inspiration in many forms.  It can be found in books, bibles, and in other people etcetera.  When we make the decision to put on the fresh cloths and shoes, and get all dolled up, to come out for a nice evening, it is NOT too much to ask that the night inspire us.  Inspire us to dance, to laugh, to connect, and to go away fortified for the challenges that await us in our daily grinds.  On Sunday May 30, 2010 the Standard was reprised, and we all left the building INSPIRED!!
Thanks to Charismatic Nightlife!

 You can visit Charismatic @ http://charismaticnightlife.blogspot.com/