About the project director :)
-Rory Monaghan is a University of Pittsburgh undergraduate studying Neuroscience, Psychology, and Mandarin Chinese. He co-founded the Black Lodge music venue and ran the space out of a house on Lawn street in South Oakland hosting weekly DIY concerts by student & local bands, as well as touring acts from all over the East Coast. Rory also collaboratively organized Oakland Indie Fest in the spring of 2023, which was a large outdoor music festival benefitting the victims of the East Palestine train derailment in Ohio. You can read about Oakland Indie Fest in The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pitt News, and WPXI. He is now focusing exclusively on Unplugged as a continuation of his creative efforts and work to give back to the community.
UNPLUGGED INITIATiVe
“Unplugged” is a multifaced media project directed by Rory Monaghan to create a platform for local artists and creatives while increasing students accesibility to Oakland’s DIY music scene and creative culture. The project works to create a template for individuals looking to find shows, learn to make music, start a band, create a venue, or even curate/incubate a new scene all together. The project also aims to study the sociology of DIY culture, and investigate how social media is used as a modern medium for artistic expression and the organzation of shows, events, and DIY spaces similar to those we have run in the past. The name “Unplugged” was chosen as a representation of the fruit of this digital labor. In the modern world, one must plug in (utilize social media and other digital mediums) to to become optimally “Unplugged”, and enjoy DIY creative culture singing, dancing, and making friends away from the screen.
While the project’s efforts will be concentrated in Pittsburgh, Unplugged intends to host various events around the world. Stay in the loop by following our various social media outlets and contact us with any inquiries regaurding performing or hosting an Unplugged event!