One week after receiving the IMEA Award for Best Americana Album, John Vento is celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of”Steamworks Creative” in Gibsonia.
Two years ago, Pittsburgh music veteran, John Vento (Top 20 iTunes rock artist and lead vocalist of the Nied’s Hotel Band) created Steamworks Creative, after his unpleasant experience with a crowded Pittsburgh venue. Vento and a friend went to see John Oates. Parking was non-existent, there were no seats left, his view was obstructed, and they struggled to be served at the bar. That evening, Vento realized what he had to do with an empty space he had leased in Hampton Township: A former vape shop was destined to steam a new tune – with a philanthropic harmony.
On January 25th, 2020, Steamworks Creative celebrates their 2nd Anniversary in operation as the intimate, welcoming listening room that Vento envisioned. The anniversary comes just one week after Vento was awarded the International Music and Entertainment Association’s Award for Americana Album of the Year, for “Love, Lust & Other Wreckage.”
Steamworks Creative’s qualities include: a maximum capacity is 50 guests with exactly 50 chairs, a BYOB policy, a spacious parking lot, and a friendly volunteer staff. A member of the volunteer staff repeats the mantra, “We respect the artist, and we respect the audience,” before each event. Respect and intimacy were Vento’s first priority. One of the venue’s earliest performers was Pittsburgh’s Joe Grushecky. Since Steamworks’ opening, he has done five acoustic concerts in the space. Grushecky raves, “I love the intimate connection that this venue helps me create with my audience.”
Not only is the venue intimate, but it is accessible to differently-abled people. The parking lot holds multiple handicapped spots, and a staff member will always go out of their way to aid anyone entering the building. Venue manager, Kim Coles, who also struggles with multiple sclerosis, has said about Steamworks, “It allows me to see and listen to great local music in a comfortable venue. It’s been very rewarding to volunteer and meet all the talented folks in our area as well as some traveling troubadours.” Regardless of physical or intellectual disabilities, it’s proven to be an inclusive venue. Additionally, Band Together Pittsburgh hosts an autism-friendly open mic monthly to welcome those on the spectrum to express themselves.
Steamworks Creative is located at 4967 William Flynn Hwy, Gibsonia. For more information on upcoming events or bookings, visit steamworkscreative.com.
ABOUT JOHN VENTO: John Vento is often called a chameleon in the Pittsburgh music scene; and, while his critics may use the term as a pejorative, Vento views it as a compliment. He understands that they’re motivated by the frustration of their inability to lock him into a specific musical style. After all, the front man for the high-energy, hard-rockin’ band, the Nied’s Hotel Band, is also known for his introspective, brooding solo recordings. Rather than a drawback, however, Vento considers such diversity to be among his strengths; and his fans agree. They relish sharing his tumultuous trek toward achieving his artistic vision, which he accomplishes by channeling a blend of eclectic influences through his own, raw emotions. Vento is a Billboard Magazine Emerging Artist and a Top 25 iTunes rock chart artist. He has appeared on ABC, FOX and other outlets. For more information, please visit http://www.johnvento.com.