Slappers N Bangers stays true to trap music while boosting the DJ-driven party scene in Pittsburgh

NFD and Arie Cole   CP Photo: Mars Johnson” class=”uk-display-block uk-position-relative uk-visible-toggle”> click to enlarge CP Photo: Mars Johnson NFD and Arie Cole Despite not being a Pittsburgh native, I was fortunate enough to come of age here when the nightlife scene was significantly more robust, specifically for Black patrons. Although it may be difficult for some to imagine, at its peak, the bar and club culture in Pittsburgh did not begin and end with East Carson St. There was a time when we had options — one could go to Station Square for both Whim and Matrix nightclubs, where no one ever believes I saw Nicki Minaj live twice, or the Strip District, where there was Club Zoo, Ludic, Club Ivy, Déjà Vu, Altar Bar, and Savoy, among others. Although there are more I may be overlooking, and certainly many other venues that predated my time in Pittsburgh; these spaces were my introduction to nightlife in the city.  There was also, of course, the incomparable Shadow Lounge, which comes up often in the context of historic venues. Situated in East Liberty, Shadow Lounge was part lounge, part bar, part performance venue, and part community space that expanded with the addition...