Foo Conner, simply known as Foo, maybe The Most Interesting Man in Pittsburgh. You’d be hard press to find someone he hasn’t affected in the city. His house was a music venue, he ran the most colorful museum (Randyland), and he has documented thousands of events for his news outlet Jekko. To relax he builds super hero gadgets on YouTube. Despite all this, he prefers a backseat, instead highlight others instead.
Foo moved to Pittsburgh in 2005 just in time for his weird goth phase. He landed as many college students do in Oakland. The Upstage bar served as an absurd melting pot for the abnormal, goth, and strange. Weekly DJ’s Lou and Spaz grew cult followings and became local legends. Their cultees dyed their hair and danced up against the 2am close. The infamous bar would close soon after his arrival to town but Foo would take the spirit with him.
After The Upstage closed, Foo started producing goth shows in the Strip District with niche super stars such as Aurelio Voltaire. At the same time he worked at Skatopia in Ohio as the producer for the Bowl Bash festival. The two genres might seem very different but Foo told us, “I didn’t know what was punk or goth. I just knew the music I liked.” The music ‘he liked‘ would earn his festival recognition in Rolling Stone a few years later.
Music wasn’t a weekend gig for Foo. He lived at and ran 222 Ormsby, an old grocer turned into a punk venue. Touring bands played nightly gigs and crashed on his couch. Acts included Andrew Jackson Jihad ‘AJJ‘, Channel 3, DOA, and Jeff Rosenstock who would go on to win USA Today’s best album of the year in 2016. He never took money for the shows asking that any donations go straight to the touring bands.
A lot of people discover Pittsburgh through Foo. Over three million people a month view his articles, photos, and videos. Many of the shows he held were recorded and posted to his news outlet called Jekko. He covers hundreds of events each year including our crazy ones at Maniac. Much of the time, he posts a photo with a title before hopping on his bike to the next thing. There is even an Art Gallery in East Liberty showcasing his work.
His do-it-yourself ethos is very exhausting. He recently resigned as the co-director at Randyland, our favorite place to take a selfie btw. And he’s also paused uploading videos to YouTube where he has over 600k subscribers. He isn’t taking a break though. He says he’s working on something new…
Maniac Magazine’s Interview with Foo
Maniac: What’s with the goggles? You’re always wearing them.
Foo: The short answer They’re safety gear. I started wearing them covering riots. I bike everywhere. Pittsburgh has a lot of hills and wind is real. Since people could pick me out in a crowd, I kept wearing them.
Maniac: What is it about Pittsburgh? Why do you call it home?
Foo: Pittsburgh has 90 neighborhoods. 91 if you count Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Artists have room to breath. There is a place to fit everyone’s personality here.
Maniac: You seem to be everywhere! How do you choose the events you cover?
Foo: It’s all about the cause of the event. I choose gala’s based on the mission of the non-profit organizing them.
Maniac: Why did you take a break from social media?
Foo: I’ll get back to it eventually. I wanted to try longer content. I have a lot of ideas that simply don’t fit into a photo or a ten minute YouTube Video. That’s why I’ve started work on an Original Series.
Maniac: Wow! An Original Series? What’s it about?
Foo: I can’t share details yet, but I’m filming a lot
Maniac: Thanks for taking the time with us! I look forward to seeing it when it airs!
