In just a few short hours, Soulmobile takes the stage at Brother Bean to help celebrate Venangago-go's third birthday. If you love me, you'll be there from 7-9pm. If you've been waiting for a chance to check out the Bean, tonight's the night!

Speaking of Brother Bean, they have a:

mini-efficiency apartment is available for rent. trust me, when i say it's small...it's SMALL. but oh so efficient! $300 covers tv, utilities, internet, garbage, water, heat...everything but phone. it's furnished, you must be willing to live alone (only room for one person) and climb a ladder to the sleeping loft.surely there's some recent graduate out there wanting their own first place....this could be it....and it's easy to get a job out here in cranberry too!Call at 814-677-0232 or message on myspace.

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Is Oil City's Latonia Theater haunted?

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Oil City artist Linda Lineman is featured in the latest issue of Porcelain Artist. And, BTW, the Pennsylvania Porcelain Artists state convention is coming to Franklin in September. That my friend, is the arts helping to drive the area's economic engine - 500 artists and families buying up hotel rooms, meals, and what not. Looking at Business.Net's national average of ~$400 spent per convention attendee per day, that's a big potential windfall for the region.

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My wife's favorite comedian, George Carlin, has died.

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Three films took the top prizes when awards were announced at the second annual Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project's "Best Of" screening Friday night.

Special congrats to Best Costumes: "R.P.A." (fantasy), DuBois Business College, Ephraim Stockwell.

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TheTop 10 Indie Music Marketing Tools

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The Post Gazette reviews the Avett Brothers' and Alejandro Escovedo Arts Fest performances.

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How are graphic novelists changing the way reader see the Iraq debacle.

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Time Out Kids composes a jazz mixtape for the young 'uns (stream for free, purchase at itunes)

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If you've got a MusicNation page, you can enter Spin's hot pursuit unsigned band contest.

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Free and Legal Downloads:

Gogol Bordello at Coachella 2008

The Handsome Family Live at Spaceland on July 14, 1998

The New Amsterdams Live at Blind Pig on November 20, 2003

2 and half hours in the dentist chair yesterday, but I think the problem has been solved. Now, I just need to deal with my clove oil addiction.

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It's a cold rainy morning for Bike To Work Day, but I was psyched yesterday to see a young-ish woman riding a green fixed wheel bike past Shop and Save. Nice! The bike, not the woman. Although I'm sure she was very nice and pretty, but like the emotionally stunted eight year old that weeps inside me, I was fascinated by the machinery more than the flesh. (And in a motorized note, is that a Honda Ruckus the French Creek Cafe is using for deliveries? That, my friend, is a butch scooter.)

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The Franklin Public Library's used book sale starts tomorrw during library hours. I'll be volunteering there on the 20th from 3-5 pm, so drop by and say hello. I'll be your BFF if you bring a reusable bag instead of relying on plastic.

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Erie's Photomedia Center's 2008 Juried Exhibition is now open for submissions

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Today is the Post Gazette's big Summer Times issue and there's lots of arty stuff amongst the chaff.

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and post-gazette.com are launching Pittsburgh Rocks -- an online battle of the bands in which voters decide the winner.

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The Post Gazette reviews the Carnegie International:

The vulnerability of many works, intensified by their inherent poetry, is physical as well as dialogical, and invites intimacy.

Oh, That Mary Thomas. It's like her prose went to grad school in the early 90s and never really left. You see it now and again in Oakland, grey in its beard, a dogeared copy of Artforum in its cargo pockets, Birkenstocking between study carrels and huddles of smokers, talking loudly about shows it hasn't seen and explaining why it hasn't watched TV. Ever.

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American Eagle's New American Music Union festival go on sale today for the two day "festival" August 8th and 9th in Pittsburgh, and although the Post Gazette calls the lineup, "shockingly good" , I say, "meh" to Bob Dylan and His Band, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, The Roots, Spoon, The Black Keys, Black Mountain, The Duke Spirit, NASA, Tiny Masters of Today.

Not a damn thing I haven't heard before.

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The 48 Hour Film Project returns to Pittsburgh for a second year, with the competition taking place in early June rather than early August.

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Jessica Lee , formerly of Franklin, will be performing for free as part of Pittsburgh's 2008 Courtyard Series at the Allegheny Courthouse Noon on Friday June 21st. You can buy her CDs locally at Callaghan's Pharmacy in Franklin.

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Next Thursday May 22, is the WYEP Music Taste Test from 6-7:30 pm at the WYEP Community Broadcast Center.

Have you ever wondered how WYEP DJs choose the music you hear on the station? Well, here’s your chance to find out during a fun, informal happy-hour-style event!

The WYEP gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how WYEP DJs select the music on 91.3fm. This new workshop gives you the chance to listen to brand new music and participate in a candid discussion about the songs and artists you hear on the air. And best of all, tasty eats and beverages will be provided while you check out the music in a fun group setting at the WYEP Community Broadcast Center.

Sign up for the WYEP Music Taste Test

I probably wouldn't make a special trip, but if you're already in the area, for something else, it might make a nice pre-event nosh.

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Stream Okkervill River's WYEP in studio performace

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The Boston Phoenix takes a look at one of my current obsessions - the Steampunk movment.

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Free and Legal Downloads

Animal Liberation Orchestra Live at The Mystic Theatre on February 16, 2008

Chicago Afrobeat Project Live at The Bottleneck on April 11, 2008