Features

- by Tom Dumarey

We caught up with Nightmarathons’ Chris Stowe, Chris Feigh, Timothy Little and Corey Cameron to talk about their hometown of Pittsburgh.

In case you missed it, the band released their new album ‘Missing Parts’ late last month via A-F Records and if you haven’t heard it yet, you are seriously missing out. Think of the kind of melodic and anthemic punk rock tunes that will sit well with fans of Latterman, Samiam, Iron Chic and Hot Water Music alike.

PRT: What made you first fall in love with the city?

Corey: Are you aware that there is more ranch dressing consumed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania than any other place on the face of the earth? Because it’s true. As a kid growing up near Punxsutawney Pa i just had to see what that was all about. The political punk bands of the later 1990s (Anti-Flag, Aus Rotten) were pretty appealing to a young person from the middle of nowhere. But all in all i have to say the first time i fell in love with pittsburgh was when i was 8 years old and walked into Three Rivers Stadium and saw the green glare of the astro turf.

Chris: Pittsburgh’s sometimes indescribable originality with it’s usual well known “small town in a big city” vibe. The music initially drew me and it continues to this day especially lately.

Tim: The end of high school/beginning of college we started going to a lot of shows at the Roboto Project. Seeing so many incredible local Pittsburgh bands made me realize that there was a lot cool stuff happening here. And fortunately there’s still a ton of people doing those same things here now.

Stowe: Pittsburgh is my favorite city in america.  It’s the absolute perfect size, it has a small town feel with all the stuff cities have as well, i think it has to do with how many neighborhoods there are. 

PRT: If you had to come up with a marketing slogan for the city, what would it be?

Corey: Pittsburgh, Pass the Ranch.

Chris: Pittsburgh, What’s the Worst that Could Happen?

Tim: Gotta live somewhere, may as well make it relatively cheap.

Stowe: Hahaha Chris’s is too good, i can’t top that. 

PRT: Best place to play?

Corey: Howlers is great because there are barely any rules. 222 Ormsby is even better because there are even less rules.

Chris: Definitely depends on your genre, but currently Spirit is a cool spot.

Tim: I haven’t played there yet but Babyland is my new favorite venue in the city.

Stowe: My favorite place to play is ruggers, stuff 20 people in there and you feel like you’re playing a sold out gig! 

PRT: Best place to go for a late night drink after the show?

Corey: Primanti Bros. HA! im kidding. I usually just drink on my couch.

Chris: Usually the actual venue we’re at whether it be Ruggers, Howlers, Gooski’s, or even Spirit is great for that.

Tim: Kelly’s or Ruggers.

Stowe: I usually go for the drink BEFORE the show, but yea Spirit is great, I also like a bunch of local breweries: Grist House, Hitchhiker, and Roundabout are all great.

PRT: Best place to go for a late night snack after the drink after the show?

Corey: Get-Go baby!!! The one on Baum Blvd. Its right beside a weird strip club.

Chris: Pizza Italia

Tim: Ruggers is good for late night food.

Stowe: Spak Brothers for best seitan in the city (and perhaps the country), best meat wings are either Sidelines or Gooskis depending on if you’re trying to be in a sports bar or a dive bar. 

PRT: Best touristy thing to do in the city?

Corey: Go grab yourself a Primantis sandwich and take a Just Ducky tour up to the north side and check out Randyland. Stop at the Warhol Museum on your way back down town. If you hang out after the sun goes down in the summer you’re bound to catch some fireworks after the Pirates game. There are so many goddamn firework displays in this town.

Chris: Eat. So many restaurants, carts, and trucks. After your done with the view on Mt. Washington and the hipster neighborhoods. Just eat.

Tim: Mt. Washington/Incline. That’s the number one thing friends from out of town usually want to do/see.

Stowe: Mount Washington for sure.  I also like walking around the strip district on the weekends in the morning / early afternoon.  That’s a SUPER touristy thing to do but has never gotten old for me.

PRT: Best hidden spot in the city?

Corey: Ok. So here we go. There is this pizza place on banksville road called Beto’s. People seem to love this place and i just don’t get it. So they take a pizza. Just the crust and sauce and cook it. Then just add cold cheese and toppings. I’m serious here. Cold cheese. Cold pepperoni. WHY? I’m not kidding you this place is packed. People love it! I on the other hand do not. I actually kind of felt mad about it the only time i had it. But seriously if you get the chance. Try it… maybe… i don’t know. Its real fucking weird.

Chris: The numerous bike trails weaving all throughout the city and outer areas.

Tim: Maybe not very hidden anymore but Zenith in the Southside. One of the best vegan food spots in the city. From the outside it just looks like a small warehouse building but inside is great scratch made food and an antiques store.

Stowe: Probably not hidden but i love the Carson Street Deli in the southside.  Awesome sandwiches made with love and best/freshest beer list and six pack selection in the city. 

PRT: One thing you would like to see changed in the city?

Corey: A new quarterback. So i can watch the Steelers again without feeling like a huge pile of crap.

Chris: The weather

Stowe: I’d love to see our T (our subway/train system) expanded to more neighborhoods.  That’s definitely never going to happen but it’d rule.  

Tim: Agree with Stowe on this one. The T train going to more areas in the city would be amazing.

PRT: What's your best memory about the city?

Corey: October 1, 2013. Pnc Park. Can’t even talk about that day without tearing up.

Chris: Club Laga. A venue now closed once had great punk shows along with many other genres. Spent many nights there.

Tim: Going to shows at Laga and the old Roboto space.

Stowe: Most of my favorite memories involve squirrel hill in some way, whether it’s the squirrel cage or the Murray ave grille or forward lanes.  That’s where my wife and i lived when we first moved in together years ago.  Saw the Pirates win a wildcard game at Fanatics, tons of good memories in that hood.  

PRT: Where in the city did you get your heart broken?

Corey: PNC Park. Bucs lead the Cardinals in the NLDS 2 games to 1. Down 1 run in the 9th inning of game 4. Runner on 2nd. 1 out. National League MVP to be, Andrew McCutchen steps to the plate. I mean. Come on. You can’t write a better script for this… and just like that Cutch pops up to 2nd. Michael Martinez quickly struck out right after that. Forcing a game 5 in St. Louis that didn’t turn out so well. *sigh*

Chris: Heinz Field. Where I missed the opportunity to be part of The Dark Knight Rises filming in Pittsburgh.

Tim: Hard Rock Cafe. I once had to play a terrible show there when Dillinger 4 and the Bouncing Souls were playing across town.

Stowe: PNC Park

PRT: Is there a historical fact about your city that makes you chuckle?

Corey: Andy Warhol fucking hated Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh does their best to ignore that.

Chris: Pittsburgh’s historical obsession with zombies. -Since so many of those movies have been made here, tons of conventions, gatherings, and theme races have since followed.

Tim: Pittsburgh actually has more days of rain and snow than Seattle.

Stowe: Pittsburgh has more bars per capita than any other city in the country (12 per 10,000 residents)

PRT: Favorite song about your city you'd like to share, either yours or someone else's?

Corey: Voice in the Wire -“Steeltown Fight Song”

Chris: I don’t really know any? There’s songs about the Steelers but I don’t really care about that.

Tim: I’m not really familiar with any songs specifically about Pittsburgh.

Stowe: I’m not sure there are any songs about Pittsburgh that aren’t jingles for sports teams, but Bruce Springsteen's “A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh)”... 'It’s cloudy out in Pittsburgh / It’s raining in Saigon.”' It sure is, Bruce. It sure fucking is.