venangago-go: March 13, 2009 – Good-bye to the Howling Dog, Open Studios, Play It Forward and Free and Legal Downloads

In the eternally conflict between art and commerce, art has won. Oil City’s Howling Dog Cafe is closing:

The building, the business, the equipment — the whole shooting match — is for sale for $225,000," Whipple said. "Or, because I'd like to keep the building, the business is for sale for $15,000 and a favorable lease.

The National Transit Studios, 206-210 Seneca Street in Oil City, will be open to the public Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 15 from noon to 5:00 p.m. Meet the 20+ painters, jewelers, photographers and glass artists who create in this historic building. Admission free. For more information, visit www.artsoilcity.com.

Did anyone happen to record last night’s lecture on Kathryn Kuhlman? If so, please drop me a line. I was unable to attend.

I don’t go out on amateur night, but I was pretty puzzled by the news that Franklin is sponsoring a celebration on the evening of the 17th. That is until I overheard a helpful gentleman in the locker room explaining that it was a ploy to fill the city’s coffers.

“With DUIs at $3000 a pop,” he said, “you get the people downtown, you get ‘em drunk, then you put ‘em back in their cars and arrest them and the bars get rich, the city gets rich, everybody gets rich except for the drunks.”

Wouldn’t Play it Forward be fantastic for Venango? If anyone pursues this, you can count venangago-go in as a sponsor!

The question shouldn’t be does Pittsburgh have too much art? But rather does the region have enough good art.

PittPoint is attempting to create a community of citizen journalists to explain what's happening in local government.

This week’s entry in Venango Campus’ indie film series is Margot at the Wedding . And while I’ll quibble with its designation of “indie”, that shouldn’t stop you from going, since it’s free and open to the public.

Questions? Contact Emily Aubele at 676-6591, ext. 1269.

Upcoming Shows of Local Interest:

Tonight from 8- 10 Full Steam Ahead plays bluegrass in the Great Room of Oil City’s National Transit Building

Brian Morgante and Anthony Heubel play Seneca’s Brother Bean this weekend from 7-9pm. No cover. All ages. map

The 62nd annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival will begin at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Shafer Auditorium on the Allegheny College campus. Free and open to the Public.

What am I missing? What’s on your must-see for the weekend. Remember that the Venangago-go Events Calendar provides curated arts and culture listings for the region. Send yours to me for inclusion.

Free and Legal Downloads:

Suicide Squeeze at SXSW sampler