Pittsburgh Earth Day Activities; The B-52’s Land at the Palace (Fri., 4/22/16)

Baron Batch paints a mighty pachyderm while a DJ from the Pittsburgh collective Detour provides the beats. The painting was later auctioned to benefit Tree Pittsburgh. Earth Day 2015 photo: Martha Rial.

1) Happy birthday Mother Earth! Thank you for your beauty and for the sustenance you provide us with. On behalf of myself and fellow tree-huggers we are sorry that some not-yet-enlightened-people treat you with such disrespect. In Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A. we have a full day of fun tributes to you at Pittsburgh Earth Day 2016: Steel to Sustainable. Your day starts off early at 8 p.m. with the Sustainability Business Breakfast (free, ticket required) at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center where topics will include a new Pittsburgh video, Steel to Sustainable, will be unveiled and local leaders will discuss the ongoing green innovation efforts in the region.

At 11 a.m. the festivities continue outside the convention center with the Earth Day Solar Powered Food Truck Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. At Mellon Square there will be a lunchtime bluegrass concert and marketplace with performances by Molly Alphabet, The Armadillos, and The Beagle Brothers. Market Square will be holding its own with Paint the Square Green featuring the Goodwill Green Fashion Challenge with DJ Nugget, Mia, Rachel B, Nina Sainato, painter Sarah Zeffiro, Pioneer Records Showcase and Ishtar, occurring from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Earth Day concludes at the Convention Center with the Art + Artifact Market,
an official stop on the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl, from 5 to 9 p.m. with Handmade Arcade vinyl spin art, local art and vendors. Music and visuals by DETOUR.  All Earth day Events mentioned in this preview Pick are free (except for the food trucks)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofkzvM7Skxg

2) You probably know the hits—“Rock Lobster,” “Love Shack,” and “Roam”—the beehive hairstyles, too. You may also know that the B-52’s emerged from the vibrant Athens, Georgia, music scene alongside contemporaries R.E.M. But their story, like so many other bands, is one of perseverance. The group began as a quintet in 1976 but nearly fell apart in 1985 after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson from complications related to AIDS. His bouncy guitar licks are what propelled those early hits, particularly “Rock Lobster.” The band soldiered on as a quartet and rebounded in 1989 with Cosmic Thing, a comeback album which includes “Love Shack” and some lesser remembered, but equally irresistible singles, like “The Deadbeat Club.” Vocalist Cindy Wilson, Ricky’s younger sister, left three years later. Now a trio, the B-52’s released Good Stuff in 1992, but 16 years would pass before another studio album, 2008’s Funplex. A semi-trio again—Cindy Wilson long ago returned but multi-instrumentalist Keith Strickland no longer tours—the B-52’s are set to bring their party jams to the Palace Theatre. 8 p.m. 21 West Otterman St., Greensburg. (CM)

3) Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District is happening tonight; it features visual arts, musical performances, and interactive exhibits. All events are free and take place at a variety of galleries, art spaces, and venues. Some galleries offer drinks and hors d’oeuvres. What a great way to sample some of Pittsburgh’s great art and entertainment! 5:30 – 9 p.m., Cultural District.

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