Deutschtown festival fills the North Side with free music
It began with about 40 acts and has expanded to more than 200 at 30 indoor and outdoor stages Friday and Saturday, with rock, blues, jazz, hip-hop, folk, bluegrass and electronic represented. Among the marquee bands at the festival are Bastard Bearded Irishmen, Grand Piano, Wreck Loose, A.T.S, Chet Vincent and the Big Bend, and Andre Costello and the Cool Minors.
Jimmer Podrasky, of the Rave-Ups, who is in town to play The Oaks Theater on Friday night, will do a stripped down set with Syd Straw and Steve Seel at Casellula @ Alphabet City.
“We had over 370 bands submit,” Mr. Soltesz says. “We listened to all of them. Currently we have 225 playing over the two days. They are all over the place.”
That includes primary venues like the outdoor stages and James Street Gastropub as well as coffeehouses and studios. There are two stages labeled as Pittsburgh Winery, for the Strip District venue.
“As you know, Tim Gaber’s venue got shut down as a music space by building inspection, and we figured this would help him out a bit,” Mr. Soltesz says. “He’s selling wine at the two stages he is at.”
Along with the music, there will be games with City of Play and a printmaking station at Artist Image Resources (518 Foreland St.). Family-friendly daytime activities will include face painting, balloon sculptor, bounce houses, the city Art Cart and more than 20 food trucks and vendors. As in years past, free school bus shuttles will transport attendees from North Shore parking lots and the North Side T station to the venues.
Deutschtown will continue to be a presence after the weekend ends with a Deutschtown Summer Series every Saturday at 6 p.m. at Arnold’s Tea.
“This kind of came out of Cody and I going to the Music City conference in Austin with a bunch of other Pittsburghers this year. The idea is to bring people into the neighborhood in the early evening for a free show and keep them in the neighborhood, having flyers each week with the different activities/bands happening in the neighborhood in Park House, James Street, etc.”