The Pittsburgh Banjo Club operates as a non-profit and has donated over $120,000 to local charities over the past 26 years. And though most arent avid banjo enthusiasts, the option of attending a banjo night, with its focus on old-time music, has a kind of exotic appeal to a generation raised on electronic, over-produced songwriting. When the song ends, Rossi makes a joke of it: If I were dancing that slow, we would have never had any kids, Ill tell you that.. Recently, the group, consisting of 87 members but only ever fielding about 20 for a performance, has seen a new popularity among the younger arts crowd. Steel production made way for the demand for coal, expanding Pittsburghs offerings through World War I. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) . Their weekly gig at the Elks Club on Cedar Avenue, which is actually disguised as a rehearsal, often brings in a crowd of more than 100. There are typically about 20 members who show up each Wednesday, and they play from 8 to 11 p.m. A 50/50 raffle makes its way around to raise money for charity, and the cheap beer at the bar is the cherry on top (they offer a healthy mix of domestic staples as well as craft beverages for an incredibly respectable price point). Songs are often dedicated to our military's servicemen that fight for us at home. Are you looking to promote your business or destination? A number of museums, including the Fort Pitt Museum and Heinz Museum, are a stroll down memory lane, while attractions like the century-old Duquesne Incline cable cars offer breathtaking views of the citys golden triangle, surrounded by three rivers. CMU art grad Magali Duzant falls into this crowd. Well what about plans for tomorrow? Its also landed on national TV; it was featured in an episode of ABCs sitcom , Spotlight on Theater in Pittsburgh: Shakespeare Like You've Never Seen Before, Can't Miss Events in Pittsburgh in February, Pittsburgh Amtrak Customers To Travel To The Big Apple In Style With Upgraded Trains, 8 Best New Restaurants in Pittsburgh in 2022, Popular North Hills Restaurant Reopens Across The Street for Takeout and Catering. After being in a, At Bright Light Academy customizes and accommodates curriculum to your child's, Emily L. said: Amazing daycare. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Their goal is to revive the 4-string banjo (as opposed to the bluegrass 5-string) and turn younger generations on to the instrument. Then come see us! Hot Food, Snacks and Beverages available, For more information and/or reservations, call 412-321-1834 The Jefferson Awards program is part of a national volunteer recognition program founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. It lacks the pretension other places have, and the beer is cheap, Duzant said, and that her interest in banjo night lies strongly in the atmosphere. Weve been in Florida for 30 years, Bach says. Adult Admission: FREEChild Admission: FREESenior Admission: FREE. This event has already finished but is here for your information. Address Dickerson of the few have taken banjo lessons. We Have No Bananas and drinking a beer with volunteer waiter and my new friend, Rich. The crowd was as diverse as it was eclecticall of them here to see the same Roaring 1920s-style banjo bandand it wasnt long before the generations merged together over drinks and a song. Elks Lodge #339 is located at 400 Cedar Avenueand hosts the Pittsburgh Banjo Club every Wednesday from 8pm to 11pm. Erie, PA; Fretted Instrument Guild of America Conventions in New Orleans, Nashua, NH., Ft. Mitchell, KY., and Raleigh, NC. Get directions, reviews and information for Pittsburgh Banjo Club in Pittsburgh, PA. Before long, crowds of twentysomethings, tattooed and pierced, sporting hipster fashions and guzzling $2 beers, packed the long rectangular bar in the back until it was standing room only. The city boasts of itself as a sports fans paradise, offering visitors a range of choices, from professional baseball to high school footballa cherished pastime in these parts. The club has donated over $140,000 to local Pittsburgh area charities. We add new reviews on this site weekly! The Pittsburgh Banjo Club has been playing free public concerts on Wednesday nights in Deutschtown so long that without many of its members hailing from this side of town, many think of them as a Northside band. All rights reserved. Over 40 banjo players, along with accompanying tubas and horns, take the floor for a wild rumpus of folksy fun every Wednesday night at the Northside Elks Lodge. But rather than having these practice sessions be private, they open them up to the public, free of charge, from 8 to 11 pm on Wednesday nights! Pittsburgh Banjo Club/ FB We play the music of the 1890s and the 1950s. Its one of those environments where young and very old have fun, and as the night progresses, everybody comes together.. For a certain segment of the beard-growing, vintage dress wearing counterculture, often called hipsters, there isnt a better Wednesday night hangout in the city. Places like this are not only nostalgic but they are emblematic of cultural institutions in our city, said Jonathan Livingston, 36, a PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh and a regular at the Elks Lodge banjo night. The swell of trumpets and banjos fill the North Side Elks Club every Wednesday night from 8-10pm. Over the years this group has gathered somewhat of a cult-like following, and shortly after the beginning of their practice at 8 pm the lodge is always completely full of attendees of all ages listening to the music, dancing, singing along (lyrics are available by the entrance), drinking, and having a grand old time. So join over 200,000 monthly readers and come find out the best that Pittsburgh has to offer! Location Allegheny Elks Lodge. provides care for. Bring your banjo down to the Elks Lodge to become part of the Wednesday night festivities or just show up and sing the night away. As a non-profit group, the Pittsburgh Banjo Club donates the monies raised through its performances t Roberto Clemente: A Tribute to the Great One. 90 minutes of bluegrass with a lovely beer from the brewery starts the night, and then at just before 8 pm we migrate our way to the Elks Lodge just a few blocks over for old-time banjo music! The band leader bounces on his toes, a signal to pick up the pace. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Not sure yet? Frank Rossi was inducted into the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame on May 24, 2001. Have you heard of the Pittsburgh Banjo Club? In doing so, it not only embraced the concept of urban revival, but also created a buffer to help protect against economic decline. In 1976, Frank Rossi joined an organization that had one goal: the preservation of America's instrument the banjo. In the process, they are becoming a must see for anyone visiting Pittsburgh, a city that has stayed true to its Rust Belt roots despite a push to modernize in recent years. If you do consider this side of the city, it is likely about the concert venue Stage AE or even one of the stadiums when big named musicians come to town. Seasoned bad members, like Dickerson, then play the corresponding string melody by plucking individual notes. Councilman gives update on city budgeting process Photo: Office of Councilman Wilson Hello! Norman Azinger, musical director of the Pittsburgh Banjo Club, says it was 1954 when he heard the song Foggy Mountain Breakdown and got bit by the banjo bug. As soon as I heard it, something happened, the retired telephone installation technician said in between sets. Rossi estimated the average age of the crowd at the Elks Club at 65, but more and more of the college-aged crowd is filtering in. PITTSBURGH'S PLACE TO BE ON WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS..RELAX AND HAVE FUN. I also discovered my new favorite song at the banjo club Yes! You can catch me at the Allegheny Elks Lodge on Cedar Avenue every Wednesday night listening to banjo music, singing Yes! 2023 World of Discovery Media LLC. When you think of Pittsburgh's music scene, your first thought is likelynotabout the North Side. Beyond catching the Banjo Club performance on any given Wednesday night, visitors to Pittsburgh have dozens of activities to choose from. Since Banjo Night at the Elks Lodge begins at around 8 pm, the solution to this problem was simple- we flipped the order. For more live music in the North Side, check out MCG Jazz! The Pittsburgh Banjo Club appears every Wednesday 8-11 p.m., Julianna Bagwell is the Managing Editor for LOCALpittsburgh as well as a freelance writer for various publications including Thrillist.com. The city is known for other names like the steel city and Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. No cover Its really a fun evening for anyone of any age.. Take a Wild Romp With The Pittsburgh Banjo Club, Urban Grange: Local Farmers & Delectable Dishes, The Bridge is bringing live music back to a historic spot in East Liberty, Mayday Parade`s Anniversary Show at Stage AE, Joshua Radin is Making Mr. Smalls his Home for the Night, With Trippy Colors, The War on Drugs, returned to Pittsburgh, Botanical musician Steve Sciulli visits a new sonic neighborhood. One factor that endears the band is Rossis talent at making breezy small talk with the audience during and between each song. But the North Side has far more than just these if you're looking to take in a live performance. The PBC is available for banquets, parties, grand openings, concerts, sing-alongs, conventions, fund raisers, political rallies, reunions and any other gathering where the happy sound of the banjo is needed. and drinking a beer with volunteer waiter and my new friend, Rich. You haven't booked a hotel yet?!?! He was also chosen as a 2009 Jefferson Awards winner for his work with the Pittsburgh Banjo Club. In addition, the Pittsburgh Banjo Club performs for hospitals, nursing homes, VA Hospitals, senior centers, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and various other groups in and around the Pittsburgh area. There are typically about 20 members who show up each Wednesday, and they play from 8 to 11 p.m. Rather than working with new members on an individual basis, Rossi has them sit in with the band during these Elks Lodge performances. Besides the weekly rehearsals at the Elks Lodge, Azinger jams with men and women at the local retirement home. Unfortunately, Park House Tavern closed at the end of 2020 (and as of publishing this article in August 2021, is set to re-open with new owners) which meant Shelf Life String Band needed a new home. Pittsburgh PA (North Side). These practice sessions are open to the general public. But just a word of warning before you go- grabbing a seat even just for two after practice starts can be tricky. It is no surprise that Rossi's very own Pittsburgh Banjo Club shares the same goal, 37 years after Rossi started playing the instrument.