The Roots Cellar

The Roots Cellar is an intimate concert venue located inside Pittsburgh's Center for the Arts. The mansion that houses the Center was originally built in 1911 on "Millionaire's Row" for wealthy industrialist, Charles D. Marshall.  However in 1943, Marshall donated his home to the city and it became the Arts and Crafts Center, which was later renamed the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.  A local educational organization, Remake Learning, states that: "The opening of the Center was intrinsically linked to the city’s first Renaissance and marked the coming of age of the artistic heart of industrial Pittsburgh" (“Pittsburgh Center...”).

Years later, the Center expanded, converting the basement into a music venue called the Roots Cellar, which currently functions as a hub for folk artists to share and perform their music.  Although the space is smaller than the typical concert venue, the size allows for an intimate and cozy experience. This atmosphere is further accentuated by the dim lighting and the vague smell of alcohol from the bar in the back of the room. During the shows, audience members sit close together around circular tables, giving them the opportunity to converse, creating a sense of community within the Roots Cellar.  Many of the audience members are regulars and already know each other, but newcomers are always welcome and sure to meet new friends. In the back of the room, there is open floor space that many people enjoy using as a dance floor. Not only do the people dance during shows but singing and clapping with the music is also encouraged, allowing the audience to engage with the music and musicians. All these elements combined create a show that is lively, exciting, and captivating - not only for folk-music fans but audiences of all kinds.

This intimate style of performance harkens back to the traditional folk artists who traveled to the city and performed in local houses, each artist occupying a different bedroom. Guests would stop to listen and were invited to participate by singing along.  The songs that were performed frequently encompassed the political turmoil of the time period. They also captured the stories and experiences of the average man, unlike the often trivial pop-songs created by multi-million-dollar music corporations of the time. For this reason, folk music served as a mouthpiece for the common citizen to voice their thoughts and grievances. It continues to do this today at the Roots Cellar, where artists freely speak their minds through their music, making this location a vital component to many of Pittsburgh's communities.

Works Cited
“Pittsburgh Center for the Arts: Artist resources, community education.” Remake Learning, remakelearning.org/organization/pittsburgh-center-for-the-arts. Accessed 11 April 2018.