Kierra Darshell’s PittsburghDrag Brunch Wraps Up James Street Run, Plans to Relocate

Drag Brunch Pittsburgh

I have been a longtime fan of Kierra Darshell, Pittsburgh’s First Lady of Drag. When she brought the region’s first regular drag brunch show to the Northside in 2015, I was very happy. I’m a daytime gal, not a nightlife lady (are those things?) so drag at noon is my idea of fun. Soon it […]

I Owe Allegheny West Neighbors an Apology

I Owe Allegheny West Neighbors an Apology

On October 19, I wrote a blog post about the looming closure of James Street Tavern, loosely based on a FB post I had created the night before. In that post, I incorrectly identified the James Street neighborhood as Allegheny West. I was wrong – it is East Allegheny. And that matters because each neighborhood […]

Impact of the Closure of James St Gastropub and Speakeasy – My Opinion

Impact of the Closure of James St Gastropub and Speakeasy – My Opinion

Wednesday, James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy announced that they are closing permanently on November 11, 2017. You can read more details in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette piece. I’ve been reading a lot of responses on Facebook and beyond. I’m struck by the power of the clash between those who see this as a personal decision and those […]

Guest Bartender Night at James Street Tavern October 24, 5-9 PM to Benefit #AMPLIFY

Here’s how it will work. Each bartender will earn points for two things – the number of people they bring to the event and the amount of $$ they raise. They are competing among themselves and just for fun, as teams, too. Please note that the actual bartender (the one making anything not beer or […]

Let’s #AMPLIFY LGBTQ Things To Do in Western PA

Let’s #AMPLIFY LGBTQ Things To Do in Western PA

We have a new feature that we hope will be a regular post on the blog – a signal boost to the efforts of our #AMPLIFY contributors to strengthen our communities. This list is not all-inclusive or comprehensive, but we’ll do our best to share the items our contributors ask us to promote. If you’d […]

Burlesque Or Bust! Queer Burlesque Show at James St. Speakeasy 4/29

Queer Burlesque

AMPLIFY is proud to be a sponsor of the upcoming queer burlesque show at the James St Gastropub and Speakeasy.  A few reserved tables are still left; General Admission is $7 at the door. Plenty of parking both on the street and in nearby surface lots. The show will start at 10 PM so don’t […]

James Street Gastropub Brings Queer Entertainment to #PghNorthside

James Street Gastropub

The James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy has been a welcome addition to the Northside, bringing live jazz and so much more to the Deutschtown neighborhood. The food is pretty good, the beer options plentiful, and it always seems to be bustling with live music options. We’ve watched venues come and go in that space so […]