COVID-19 killed a lot of small venues across the country (RIP Howlers here in Pittsburgh). Those that survived suffer from increasing costs, staff turnover, and giant booking fees – for even the smallest bands.
To survive the pandemic, our friends at the Smiling Moose turned the upstairs venue room into a brewery space. This venture very likely saved the Moose from the same fate as dozens of other small venues. Plus, the beer is delicious. Plus they partnered with Pittsburgh Emo Night to create our own hard seltzer called, “Blood! Blood! Gallons of the stuff.”
Unfortunately, this cut the capacity of the venue significantly. This led to a natural decline in the frequency of shows coming through the Moose. The brewing operation took up a significant space – cutting the capacity significantly. Combined with a couple of particularly violent post-lockdown summers on Carson Street, things were looking grim.
Our shows weren’t immune. I started to notice it a few months after we started playing shows again after the COVID restrictions. Crowds just weren’t what they used to be. Not just at Pop Punk Night. Compared to the massive crowds of 2018, the entire South Side started to feel like a ghost town on the weekends.
While the South Side doesn’t seem to have recovered entirely yet, I’m happy to report that The Smiling Moose has! With the opening of their MASSIVE brewing operation in Grove City, the upstairs room is operating as a venue again! The brewing equipment has been removed. Drusky Entertainment and other promoters will be booking concerts.
Pop Punk Night at The Smiling Moose – Our Future
The future of Pop Punk Night at The Smiling Moose is solid! Although we won’t have the last Saturday of each month, we’ve got dated booked for the foreseeable future. We’re also launching a new event – Name that Emo Tune! A chaotic game of Name that Tune featuring all eras of pop punk, emo, metalcore, alternative, and more.
We’ve also talked about potentially hosting some events at some other Smiling Moose locations – Cranberry and Grove City. As we work towards getting a touring vehicle, we’ll look towards making those shows a reality!
Our next events at the Smiling Moose
Name that Emo Tune – February 23, 2024 @ 7:00pm
Pop Punk Night – March 23, 2024 @ 7:00pm
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