"Jazz Poetry Month: Bad Activist," September 20 at Alphabet City.

The City of Asylum will host Mai Khoi and Bad Activist on September 20 as part of its Jazz Poetry Month.

Bad Activist is an autobiographical performance piece, combining storytelling with state-of-the-art music performance. The narrative charts the extraordinary trajectory of Mai Khoi’s life—from renowned to Vietnamese pop star to dissident activist, fighting for artistic freedom in Vietnam and pitting herself against the strong arm of the communist government. Within this crucible of political titans, international powers, and constant surveillance and threat, Khoi develops a personal and unique art form. Her new sound is rooted in forgotten Vietnamese musical traditions fused with jazz and ripe with political song lyrics. Bad Activist explores both the actual historic events of the artist’s life, as well as the subconscious dream worlds that have fueled her work.

Unable to safely live and work in Vietnam, Mai Khoi is currently an Artist Protection Fund Fellow at City of Asylum and the University of Pittsburgh. This performance of Bad Activist features collaborators from the University of Pittsburgh’s PhD in jazz, and all new arrangements for larger bands.

The event runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm and will be held both in person and online. Please visit the website for ticket information and for safety protocols. Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).

One Piece Film: Strong World (ワンピース フィルム ストロングワールド) in Pittsburgh, November 7 and 9.

The 2009 film One Piece Film: Strong World (ワンピース　フィルム　ストロングワールド) will play in Pittsburgh on November 7 and 9 as part of a Fathom Events re-release. The Anime News Network has a synopsis:

20 years after his escape from Impel Down, the legendary pirate Shiki "the Golden Lion" reappears causing massive upheaval to the Marines. During his long seclusion, he was able to come up with a scheme to bring the World Government to its knees. On his way to execute the plan, Shiki crosses paths with the Straw Hat Pirates and becomes so impressed with Nami's knowledge of meteorology that he abducts her to forcedly enlist her into his crew. Luffy and the gang end up on a strange land populated with monstrous beasts as they desperately search for Shiki and Nami.

It is scheduled so far to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront, though more theaters will likely be announced later.

Panda Supermarket hiring.

Squirrel Hill's Panda Supermarket is hiring all shifts for its new location:



Actually, most of your favorite stores and restaurants are probably hiring these days, so if you are interested in full- or part-time work, contact a manager at wherever you like to shop or dine.

Food delivery service Hungry Panda hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for Pittsburgh area.

Hungry Panda is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for the Pittsburgh area. As PennsylvAsia noted last summer, more Chinese delivery options, like Fantuan, Chowbus, and Hungry Panda are making their way to Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival, October 16 at Mellon Park.

The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival returns on Saturday, October 16 at Mellon Park in Shadyside (map). It runs from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, and those interested in participating as vendors or performers are invited to contact PITCHINESE at gmail.com.

New Japanese animated film Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars (シドニアの騎士 あいつむぐほし) in Pittsburgh, September 13 and 14.

The 2021 Japanese animated film Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars (シドニアの騎士 あいつむぐほし) will play in Pittsburgh on September 13 and 14. From the distributor:

It’s been nearly 10 years since ace pilot Nagate Tanikaze repelled the Gauna forces and saved Sidonia, humanity’s last home. And now, the Guardians are bringing the fight to them. In this final battle where annihilation looms and love blossoms unexpectedly, will humanity persevere or will the Gauna see domination?

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

2019 Japanese animated film Promare (プロメア) in Pittsburgh, September 16 and 19.

The 2019 Japanese animated film Promare (プロメア) will play in Pittsburgh on September 16 and 19. From the distributor:

The first feature-length film from the acclaimed studio TRIGGER, creators of the hit series KILL la KILL and Little Witch Academia, and director Hiroyuki Imaishi (GURREN LAGANN, KILL la KILL), Promare uses a bold cel-shaded visual style to tell a blistering action-adventure story, and is the spiritual successor to many of director Imaishi’s former works.

Thirty years has passed since the appearance of the Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves Mad Burnish appears, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team Burning Rescue, and Lio Fotia, the leader of Mad Burnish begins.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson. The September 16 shows are dubbed in English and the September 19 ones are in Japanese with English subtitles.

"Music on the Edge Presents Devon Osamu Tipp: New Music for Shakuhachi and Electroacoustic Sound," October 23 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Music presents "Music on the Edge Presents Devon Osamu Tipp: New Music for Shakuhachi and Electroacoustic Sound" on October 23.

Music on the Edge presents Pitt PhD candidate Devon Osamu Tipp performing new music by Pitt graduate composers for shakuhachi and electroacoustic elements. The program will include works by Brian Riordan, Ryan McMasters, Mark Micchelli, Jason Belcher, Emmanuel Berrido, Ramin Akhavijou, and Tipp.

Pittsburgh based composer/performer Devon Osamu Tipp creates unorthodox musical environments from ostensibly incompatible realms. A PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh, Tipp’s music draws influence from his Japanese and Eastern European roots, his experiences as a jeweler and painter, and his studies of gagaku and hogaku in Japan and the US. His compositions focus on rhythmic and timbral transmutation of cyclical materials, ranging from the orchestral, to string basses prepared with honey stirrers, to concerti for traditional Japanese instruments. He received his BMus from Montclair State University, where he studied composition and microtonal music with Dean Drummond, and shakuhachi with Elizabeth Brown. His music has been performed by microtonal specialists Kjell Tore Innervik, Veli Kujala and Tolgahan Çogulu. He has also worked with Rarescale, the Thin Edge New Music Collective, the TAK Ensemble, and members of Avanti! Chamber Orchestra. His compositions have been featured at the Soundscape Festival, Bowdoin Festival, Beyond 2020: Microtonal Music Festival, and the 2015 Tokyo International Double Reed Society Conference.

The event will be broadcast live online for the general public, though limited in-person seating is available in Bellefield Hall for COVID-safety-compliant university students, faculty, and staff. The event starts at 7:30 pm and registration is required.

13-week Chinese program for kids and adults at Win-Win Kung Fu in Squirrel Hill, from September 11.

Win-Win Kung Fu Culture Center in Squirrel Hill will offer its Chinese-language program for interested children and adults from September 11. It will run for 13 weeks until December 18, with breaks on October 16 and November 17. The kids' class is from 2:40 to 3:30 pm, and the adults' class is 3:40 to 4:30 pm. Instruction is by Yan Zhao of Pittsburgh-based American Almond International Education. The cost is $5 per student if currently enrolled in Win-Win classes, or $10 per class for those not currently enrolled.

Those interested should contact the enter to enroll or email masters at winwinkungfu.com. The school is located at 2705-2707 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill (map).

"Jazz Poetry Month: Norihide Nakajima Quintet" at City of Asylum, (online) on September 14.

The City of Asylum will present "Jazz Poetry Month: Norihide Nakajima Quintet" in an online concert on September 14.

This concert marks the first time Jazz Poetry reaches Japan. A concert filmed for fans in Pittsburgh inside the top jazz club in Kyoto, Rag Jazz.

The program features original compositions, with Japanese poetry woven throughout as lyrics, as well as Japanese Jazz standards. Featuring musicians Utako Yamauchi (vocals), Tsutomu Takei (saxophone), Kiyoshi Takeshita (piano), Norihide Nakajima (bass), and Takehiro Shimizu (drums).

It runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and those interested should register in advance.