The Café section will debut at the same time as the Music Hall and will be open to the public seven days a week during normal bar business hours. The new Music Hall section of the venue, which will only be open on event nights, was outfitted with a full-service kitchen, a new, larger stage, multiple bars, lounge areas, an elevator and a green room. Properties on each side of the original structure, located at 4053 Butler St., were purchased by Pergal’s Lawrenceville Holdings and that’s when the merger of the three properties began. Thunderbird Café closed for remodeling in August 2016, with Chris Lasky, a local architect and friend of the Pergals who designed the first expansion, assisting with the upgrades. It was a popular place, but size constraints limited the number of people who could enjoy it. Pergal and his wife Ami bought the building from Frank Michalski in 2000 and opened Thunderbird Café, giving musicians a place to showcase their talent and providing locals with a friendly watering hole. In 1933, it became Michalski’s Café, the second bar in Pittsburgh to receive a liquor license after Prohibition. The programming encompasses a wide variety of genres, including roots & indie rock, blues, bluegrass, jam, jazz, funk and soul.Originally built as a bakery in 1890, the structure has undergone several makeovers. Thunderbird Music Hall, at 380 capacity, represents the uniquely sized room that has been missing from Pittsburgh’s roster of concert venues. ![]() The Music Hall portion of the venue represents a full-service concert production facility with a sizeable stage, multiple bars, lounge areas, food service, an elevator, and an expansive green room with amenities designed to meet the needs of the touring artist. A small stage area in the back of the café is equipped to host solo artists and small acoustic ensembles. The Café portion of the venue operates as it has in the past, as a bar / restaurant, open to the general public seven days a week. From sight lines to acoustics, hospitality to entertainment, the overall concert experience will be enhanced.” “Our main goal with these renovations was first and foremost to create a space that is great for both the performer and the patron. ![]() “We’ve expanded on what we originally created,” said Pergal. The new venue is booked by Roxian Live, and its events are typically co-presented with Grey Area Productions. ![]() The Thunderbird began the most recent set of renovations in the summer of 2016 and is excited to unveil the finished product this summer. By 2009, the venue had attracted outside promoters, including Grey Area Productions, Joker Productions, and Manny Theiner, who helped establish it as a regular stop on the national circuit for smaller touring acts. In its early years, John booked both local acts and notable nationals into the room, and the Thunderbird quickly became the home for live music in Lawrenceville. Chris Lasky, local architect and friend of the business, designed the first expansion and assisted ownership with design throughout the latest renovation. Shortly afterwards, the neighborhood bar underwent its initial transformation into a live music venue. It was purchased by John and Ami Pergal, from Frank Michalski, in 2000. The newest configuration of the Thunderbird building has been in the works for some time.
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