June ’19 Concert Guide: Sammy Hagar, Yes, Ariana Grande, Twenty One Pilots, and Luke Bryan

We are now entering the Pittsburgh summer concert zone. June has several big acts–Sammy Hagar, Yes,  Ariana Grande, Luke Bryan, Twenty One Pilots, Coheed and Cambria, Night Ranger, and Death Cab for Cutie.

There’s also three big festivals and a British progressive rock special event. The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival has a bevy of noted acts like India.Arie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and Nahko and Medicine for the People. The Arts Fest is also a great showcase for established and rising local talent like Byron Nash and Brittney Chantele.

Willie Nelson is once again visiting our area on his Outlaw Music Festival tour. He will be joined by some very fine friends—Alison Krauss, The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Dawes. And the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will feature Patti LaBelle, War, Stanley Clarke, Tamara Tunie, Black Women Rock!, Roger Humphries, Sean Jones, and others.

Another top event is The Royal Affair, which will feature the British rock acts Yes, Asia, Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy, and John Lodge of The Moody Blues. The new Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks hosts two legendary reggae bands in separate concerts: The Wailers, and Toots and the Maytals. George Clinton also visits Pittsburgh on his farewell tour. This could be the last time to enjoy “Atomic Dog” and “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker).”

On the hometown heroes scene, Joe Grushecky and his son Johnny Grushecky play a Father’s Day rock and roll prelude concert with their respective bands—The Houserockers and Milly. Speaking of The Houserockers, their lead guitarist Danny Gochnour has a solo show this month. Starship Mantis and Feralcat are teaming up for a double album release show too. The DVE Rocker features The Clarks, Gathering Field, The Hawkeyes, The Affordable Floors, and Gene the Werewolf. many Enjoy your time in the summer concert zone!

The Entertainment Central Concert Guide is made up of three sections: EC Spotlighted Concerts, Other Suggested Concerts, and On the Radar. Each section lists concerts in chronological order. Christopher Maggio (CM) also made substantial contributions to the Guide. Mike Vargo (MV) contributed as well.

EC Spotlighted Concerts

Wednesday, June 5

Sammy Hagar, who’s also known as “the Red Rocker,” is like an old west gunfighter that shoots well with both of his sidearms. One can fire Van Halen hit songs like “Dreams,” “Love Walks In,” and “When It’s Love.” The other delivers Hagar solo hits, including “I Can’t Drive 55,” “Red,” and “Give to Live.” Hagar was in Van Halen for two stints, the first was 1985 to 1996, returning in 2003 through 2005. He formed the supergroup Chickenfoot with former Van Halen bass guitarist Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith, and virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani. Chickenfoot is on hiatus, but Hagar formed another supergroup in 2014 with Anthony: The Circle. The group also includes Vic Johnson from another of his projects, The Waboritas, and drummer Jason Bonham. Hagar will be performing with The Circle at Highmark Stadium. With every online ticket purchase, the purchaser will be able to receive a free physical copy of Hagar & The Circle’s just released CD, Space Between. The album debuted at No. 4 on the US Billboard 200 chart, which makes it Hagar’s highest ranked album ever.

“Sister Christian” was one of Night Ranger’s biggest hits when it rose on the Billboard Hot 100 chart to No. 5 in June 1984. The San Francisco rock band has had many iterations over the years and is extremely popular in Japan. Night Ranger’s first five albums had worldwide sales of more than 10 million. Their most recent album, Don’t Let Up, features a classic Dodge muscle car on its cover with a large hood scoop and the words “N1ght Rang3r” on its front license plate. 7 p.m. Highmark Stadium, 510 W. Station Square Dr., Station Square. (RH)

Friday, June 7

One of the biggest acts in country music, Luke Bryan, hits KeyBank Pavilion this summer. Bryan earned his keep as a Nashville songwriter by penning tunes for the likes of Travis Tritt and Billy Currington. He proved to be more than capable of stepping into the spotlight himself, winning the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year award in 2015. More often seen in a baseball hat than a cowboy hat, he has become a fan favorite by writing music that deals with some pretty popular themes (“Wild Weekend,” “Cold Beer Drinker,” “I’m Hungover”). “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” went triple platinum in 2014. He also won the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Artist in 2016, and the following year, he became a judge on “American Idol.” Bryan’s latest album is 2017’s What Makes You Country. Cole Swindell and Jon Langston open. 7 p.m. 665 Rt. 18, Burgettstown. (EC, CM)

Can’t decide if you like rock or rap more? You won’t need to pick when you see Twenty One Pilots at PPG Paints Arena. The Columbus natives work in an indie sub-genre commonly referred to as alternative hip-hop. A little funkier than Aerosmith’s mashup with Run-D.M.C. in “Walk This Way,” the duo combines various tempos and rhythms that will have you dancing and headbanging simultaneously. As demonstrated in “Holding on to You,” the verses are rap-based with a seamless flow into a chorus and raw beat reminiscent of early Linkin Park. The end result: rock and rap had a love child and named it Twenty One Pilots. The duo reached number one on the Billboard 200 with 2015’s Blurryface. Success continued with “Heathens,” which appeared on the Suicide Squad soundtrack in 2016. They are touring in support of their fifth studio album, 2018’s Trench. 7 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (EC, CM)

India.Arie headlines the first night of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. The singer-songwriter won a Grammy for “Little Things” from her second album, Voyage to India, which itself won Best R&B album in 2003. Another popular song from that album is “Get It Together,” which appeared on the soundtracks to 2002’s Brown Sugar and the 2004 animated movie Shark Tale. The title Voyage to India comes from Stevie Wonder’s Journey Through “The Secret Life of Plants” soundtrack. The Wonder connections continue: her mother opened for the legend back in the day, and India later performed with him on his 2014-2015 Songs in the Key of Life Tour. Her latest LP is this year’s Worthy. Additionally, she’s sold millions of records, won four Grammys, and performed for three U.S. presidents. She can also play a variety of instruments, including guitar. 7:30 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage, Point State Park. (CM)

Longtime guitarist Chris Walla departed Death Cab for Cutie after the recording of 2015’s Kintsugi. The title refers to a Japanese method of repairing broken pottery with a metal-infused lacquer, so the cracks are on full display. Embraced even. The title acknowledges making the best of Walla’s departure, and indeed, the band triumphs with 2018’s Thank You for Today. The new album proves frontman Ben Gibbard is still deft at crafting a radiant melody that belies sad subject matter, such as on “Gold Rush.” The song is about the rapidly developing Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle. Gibbard got an assist from new guitarist Dave Depper and Yoko Ono. (Didn’t see that one coming, did you?) The song samples Ono’s “Mindtrain.” The group formed in Bellingham, Washington, and broke with 2003’s Transatlanticism. Other hits include “I Will Possess Your Heart” and “You Are a Tourist.” They play Stage AE. Lala Lala opens. Doors open 6 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (CM)

Parliament-Funkadelic might carry on, but this is George Clinton’s Farewell Tour with the band. Clinton has been on a musical journey of exploration for years. He started out in a doo-wop group called The Parliaments, modeled after Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, while working in a hair salon. Then he became a writer, arranger, and producer for Motown Records before working for other Detroit musical companies. As the leader of P-Funk, he pioneered funk music, along with James Brown and Sly Stone. In the ’70s, “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker),” “Flash Light,” and other songs were huge hits. P-Funk even had a spaceship called the Mothership, which descended to the stage during concerts. Parliament-Funkadelic are 1997 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Medicaid Fraud Dogg was released under the Parliament moniker in 2018. Catch Clinton one last time at the Rivers Casino. Fishbone and Miss Velvet & the Blue Wolf opens. 8 p.m. 777 Casino Dr., North Shore. (RH, CM)

Sunday, June 9

Nahko and Medicine for the People will cap off the first weekend of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. Their music should appeal to fans of Bob Marley and Michael Franti & Spearhead. The band toured with the latter, who headlined the arts festival in 2016. 2017’s My Name is Bear is Nahko and Medicine for the People’s latest album. Nahko Bear, an Oregon-native, fronts this world music collective. Their songs are perfect for dancing on grassy fields in the early June evening. Even if you aren’t a member of the Medicine Tribe, as their most loyal fans are known, bring a blanket, grab a funnel cake, and let the good vibes flow through. 2013’s Dark As Night was their debut. Their third album was HOKA, which won Record of the Year at the Native American Music Awards. Off stage, the group supports a number of environmental and indigenous causes. 7:30 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage, Point State Park. (CM)

Monday, June 10

Coheed and Cambria, whose music is a mix of progressive, punk, and metal, are in concert at Stage AE. Rising out of Nyack, New York, Coheed and Cambria’s releases are mainly concept albums based on a sci-fi storyline called The Amory Wars, written by the band’s lead vocalist, Claudio Sanchez. They have been transcribed into comic books and a novel. Their latest album released last October, Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures, continues the Amory Wars theme. Sanchez’s vocals are sung at a higher register, similar to Rush’s Geddy Lee. Co-headlining is Mastodon, a progressive sludge metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. The band’s 2004 release, Leviathan, was based on the novel Moby-Dick and named album of the year by several music publications. Its latest recordings are Emperor of Sand (an LP) and Cold Dark Place (an EP), both released in 2017. Also performing is Every Time I Die. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (RH)

Wednesday, June 12

Ariana Grande started out as a child actor on Broadway and then was featured on a few Nickelodeon shows. Her voice possesses four-octave range, which gives it the dynamics to float higher, much like Mariah Carey’s. Grande’s music career was on fire right from the start when her first release, Yours Truly, debuted at no. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart in 2013. She won New Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. Her second album, 2014’s My Everything, reached no. 1 as well. “Thank U, Next,” which later appeared on the 2019 album of the same name, was a smash when it was released November 2018. It namechecks past romantic partners, including ex-fiancé and comic Pete Davidson and late Pittsburgh native Mac Miller. She recently released “Monopoly” with singer Victoria Monét. Grande brings the party to PPG Paints Arena. Normani and Social House open. 8 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (RH, CM)

Thursday, June 13

Renowned reggae royalty the Wailers, the legendary backing band for Bob Marley, have stayed true to their Jamaican musical roots and are led by longtime member Aston “Family Man” Barrett. A few of the new members have familial ties to the original lineup. Lead singer Josh Barrett is a distant cousin of the Family Man himself. After Marley’s death in 1981, his band continued to tour and release music, sometimes with other artists and sometimes just as a group. They play an average of 200 shows per year and are no strangers to the ’Burgh. Marley’s last concert was at the Stanley Theater (now the Benedum). The Wailers have played at numerous area venues since then. Now they visit the newly opened Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks, where they are sure to perform classic cuts, such as “No Woman, No Cry” and “Buffalo Soldier.” Let the positive vibrations lighten your mood and move your feet. 7 p.m. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. (RH, CM)

Sunday, June 16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWujm0vVTU

Singer and saxophonist Karl Denson is the type of artist who always has his hands in several projects and several genres. He came to prominence playing sax for Lenny Kravitz (stealing the show with his solo in “Let Love Rule”). For a few years after, he split his time between the jazz-funk ensemble The Greyboy Allstars and his own jazz solo albums. His CV also includes time as a touring member of the Rolling Stones. Now Denson is back with an outfit called Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, which offers a galaxy of funk, jazz, and jam band-ish rock. This year’s Gnomes & Badgers is their latest album. 2014’s New Ammo features originals and covers, including the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” The group will close the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. So long as the weather holds, concertgoers will likely leave with pep in their step. 7:30 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage, Point State Park. (EC, CM)

Thursday, June 20 to Sunday, June 23

The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will be occurring in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District and features top-name entertainers and bands, including Patti LaBelle, War, Stanley Clarke, Tamara Tunie, Roger Humphries, Black Women Rock!, Sean Jones, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvYODVTHC2I

Patti LaBelle had a mega hit with her group Labelle in 1974 when they released the dance song “Lady Marmalade.” The song even had some French lyrics worthy of the French Quarter. Labelle was the first African-American vocal group to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. Patti LaBelle scored another big hit in 1986 with the duet “On My Own,” which she sang with Michael McDonald. She is also a successful author, chef, TV host,  and food products entrepreneur.

“Spill the Wine,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” “The Cisco Kid,”and “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” were all big hits for the soul-rock fusion jam band War. The band’s zenith was in the early ’70s when its album, The World Is a Ghetto, was the best selling LP of 1973. The group went through various lineup changes, leaving Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan as the last remaining original member.

Stanley Clarke, noted electric and acoustic bass player, has over his career won four Grammy Awards. He was also in the vanguard of the jazz fusion genre. The Philadelphia-born Clarke was in the jazz fusion group Return to Forever and has also done extensive work in creating music for TV and film. Clarke has performed with many top jazz musicians and even some rock and rollers, including Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones and Stewart Copeland of The Police.

Tamara Tunie, star of stage, screen, and TV, is also a talented singer. Tunie is a McKeesport native best known for her role as Medical Examiner Dr. Melinda Warner on the hit NBC series “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” In addition to theater, Tunie studied classical voice at CMU. Tunie, a Tony and Drama Desk Award winner, has performed Legends from the ‘Burgh on tour and in New York City to large crowds and critics’ raves. She recently appeared in theatrical productions in Pittsburgh at The Public and City Theatre.

Roger Humphries is an accomplished solo artist in his own right and is also the leader of RH Factor. He has left a lasting legacy as a percussionist and as an educator. He’s taught at the University of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and elsewhere.

See the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival website for dates and times. (RH)

Friday, June 21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UnpmJ5Zi00

Yes will be performing as part of The Royal Affair at Stage AE with other Brit rockers: Asia, John Lodge of The Moody Blues, and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. Yes started out in 1968 performing original songs and reworked covers. Their first two albums were mostly uneventful, and they were even on the verge of being dropped by their record label. Then the band made a dramatic turn into experimental (progressive) rock. A few personnel moves were made, and guitarist Steve Howe joined the main founding members Jon Anderson and Chris Squire. Their fortunes also turned as their next album, The Yes Album, released in ’71, was a breakthrough success. The album reached no. 4 in the UK and no. 40 on the U.S. charts. “Starship Trooper” and “Yours Is No Disgrace” were top songs from the release. The band is known as one of the progressive rock pioneers. The members’ innovative vocal harmonies, guitars, rhythm section, and keyboards left a mark on the music industry despite breakups and reunions. There are currently two Yes outfits: Yes and Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman. Yes is led by longtime band members Howe and Alan White (drums, percussion). The group’s last studio album was 2014’s Heaven & Earth. Yes was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017. (RH)

Asia started as a progressive rock band in London, England in 1981. The supergroup’s original lineup included lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton of King Crimson, guitarist Steve Howe of Yes, keyboardist Geoff Downes of Yes, and drummer Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Their debut album, Asia, was released in 1982 and reached No. 1 on the album charts in many countries. The group disbanded in 1986 and reformed with an altered lineup in 1989, which still includes Downes and Palmer. (RH)

Also performing at The Royal Affair is John Lodge, bass guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of the noted English rock group the Moody Blues. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted them in 2018 and they are still performing. The group is best known for their hit songs “Nights in White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” and “Your Wildest Dreams.” Lodge will be performing many Moody Blues’ tunes as part of the concert. (RH)

Carl Palmer was a member of the pioneering progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Spawned in the 1970s, ELP is best remembered today for an eerily mellow number, “Lucky Man.” But the boys could also do thunder and lightning—especially Palmer—and he has kept doing it with various acts, including the band Asia. Palmer, noted as one of the best rock drummers of all time, is touring with his group ELP Legacy. Guest vocalist is Arthur Brown. Doors open 5:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (MV)

Saturday, June 22

Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Alison Krauss, Dawes, and Old Crow Medicine Show. (KeyBank Pavilion)

Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” and we’re very lucky because he’s stopping in the ‘Burgh to entertain us. He’ll be headlining the Outlaw Music Festival as it swings by KeyBank Pavilion with its strong lineup of top musicians and groups. Nelson is a singer/songwriter/author/activist/businessman and more. He’s had a storied career that includes a Kennedy Center Honor. In 1993, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. One of the founders of Farm Aid, which started in 1985 to help struggling farmers, Nelson was inducted into the National Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2011. Nelson’s been known to “inhale” and claimed to have smoked marijuana on the roof of the White House. His 2012 book, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road, is a memoir that became a New York Times Top Ten Best Seller.

First and foremost for Nelson is the music. In 1973, turned off by the conservative nature of the Nashville country music scene, he was a founding member of a branch of the industry in Austin, Texas called outlaw country. Other members included Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings, who joined Nelson to form the outlaw country supergroup The Highwaymen. When Nelson plays, he is joined by musical associates he calls The Family. Nelson’s latest album, Ride Me Back Home, will be released on June 21. The title track is an advocacy song for horses. Amazingly, it is his 69th studio album. With this Outlaw Music Festival event, he’s sure to play many old and new favorites, including “Always on My Mind.” (RH)

The Avett Brothers, since they partnered with producer du jour Rick Rubin on 2009’s I and Love and You, have been unstoppable on their path to mega-success. Their triumph can be traced by their ascension through Pittsburgh venues: in about ten years, they’ve gone from a small place at the Three Rivers Arts Festival to filling up Stage AE. The Avett Brothers even created the theme song for the popular PBS series “A Chef’s Life.” Their latest album is 2016’s True Sadness. A new album is in the works for this year. (EC, RH)

She’s got the voice, she’s got the violin, and she’s back.  Alison Krauss  is one of the leading performers of bluegrass/country music, with a staggering 27 Grammy Awards. And though it may seem as if she’s been around forever, Krauss is only 47 and still very much in her prime. The Decatur, Illinois, native started early, learning the violin in childhood, then releasing an indie album as an early-teen prodigy in 1985. Not long after, she joined the band Union Station and has stayed with them for the duration. Krauss has also done solo work and collaborated with artists ranging from Robert Plant to Yo-Yo Ma. Career highlights? Too numerous to recount—though her rendition of the folk hymn “Down to the River to Pray” for the 2000 Coen Brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, was a vocal masterpiece; the song remains a favorite among her fans. Krauss’s latest album is 2017’s solo release Windy City. (MV)

Old Crow Medicine Show, a Nashville-based Americana string band, is also on the bill at the Outlaw Music Festival. In addition to their original songs, they also perform pre-World War II blues and folk songs. They were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2013. Their 2014 LP, Remedy, won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. Crow’s most recent LP is 2018’s Volunteer, which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Bluegrass charts and No. 14 on the Top Country charts. (RH)

Dawes drew a large crowd for their 2017 concert at the Three Rivers Arts Festival (see our review). An earlier, more post-punk incarnation of the Los Angeles quartet was called “Simon Dawes.” The moniker came from the middle names of members Blake Mills and Taylor Goldsmith. (When Mills left, the group dropped the “Simon.”) The band went in a folk rock direction and in 2009 recorded and released its debut album, North Hills. In 2014, members and brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith played on Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes. The album was based on uncovered lyrics handwritten by Bob Dylan in 1967 during the recording of material that eventually was released in 1975 as The Basement Tapes. Mills returned to produce Dawes’s 2016 album, We’re All Gonna Die. Dawes’ latest album is Passwords, released in 2018. (EC, CM) 3 p.m. 665 Rt. 18, Burgettstown.

The Marshall Tucker Band began performing in Spartanburg, South Carolina in the early ’70s. Excelling mainly in southern rock, the band also blends in some gospel, R&B, jazz, and country music. MTB’s sound is unique and catchy and has withstood the test of time. You may still hear “Heard It in a Love Song” and “Can’t You See” on the radio or in a blues bar on open mic night, but live, you’ll hear it straight from the band, which is always the best way. Their latest release is 2015’s, Live in the U.K. 1976. This is a great opportunity to hear an early and important band in southern rock history. 8 p.m. The Meadows, 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington. (RH)

Other Suggested Shows

Saturday, June 1

It’s insects and a feline at Mr. Smalls Theatre to jumpstart June. Pittsburgh funkateers Starship Mantis and tenor saxophonist Feralcat (née Roger Rafael Romero) are celebrating a double album release party: Black Hole Radio AM/FM and Feralcat, respectively. Here’s the former act performing “Roger Jones” and the latter performing “Jaguar.” Funkadelic once said, “Free your mind, and your ass will follow.” Starship Mantis have a similar mantra: “Your brain is in your butt.” 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

Sunday, June 2

Singer-songwriter David Crosby, the veteran performer of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash fame, promises to draw on music from throughout his long career, from both solo albums and collaborative works. He is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, & Nash. At 77, Crosby hasn’t lost his urge to create new music. His latest and seventh solo effort, Here If You Listen, was released last October. David Crosby & Friends’ Sky Trails Tour visits the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall. 7:30 p.m. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. (RH)

Machine Gun Kelly (MGK, née Richard Colson Baker), a rapper from Cleveland, has touched multiple facets of pop culture. MGK recorded “Bad Things,” which samples Fastball’s “Out of My Head,” with Camila Cabello in 2016. He was to open for Linkin Park on the band’s One More Light Tour, but the tour was canceled following the 2017 death of singer Chester Bennington. His acting credits include his portrayal of drummer Tommy Lee in The Dirt, a Netflix biopic of Mötley Crüe. He released “Hollywood Whore” as the first single off his upcoming Hotel Diablo album. Now he headlines Stage AE. Doors open 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (CM)

Tuesday, June 4

Toots and the Maytals are a cornerstone group of the reggae music genre, led by Toots Hibbert. They even helped coin the name for their new genre with their 1968 song “Do the Reggay.” Founded in Jamaica in the early 1960s, Toots and the Maytals are especially well-known for a top charting album and song called Funky Kingston. Roxian Theatre. 8 p.m. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. (RH)

Friday, June 7

The Babys are a classic British rock band remembered for songs such as 1977’s “Isn’t It Time.” On lead vocals is John Waite and on backing vocals are the Babettes. The Babys broke up in 1981, but they reformed with co-founders Tony Brock on drums and Wally Stocker on lead guitar plus new members. Their latest album is 2014’s I’ll Have Some of That! They will perform at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. The Woo Hoo Band opens. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (CM)

Saturday, June 8

NOTE: Marty Stuart has unfortunately cancelled his concert due to a personal family matter. Country music recording artist Esther Rose has graciously stepped in to perform in Stuart’s absence. The Pittsburgh based country music group The Beagle Brothers will open. The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival.  7:30 p.m. The Beagle Brothers open the show at 6 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage, Point State Park. (CM)

Lester Flatt discovered Marty Stuart, who later performed with Johnny Cash. Stuart co-wrote and duetted on “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’” with Travis Tritt. He’s like a bridge to everything great in country music, including himself. Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will perform at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. His latest album is 2017’s Way Out West, which was produced by Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fame. 7:30 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage, Point State Park. (CM)

Richard Marx will bring his roster of hits to The Meadows this month, including “Satisfied” and “Don’t Mean Nothing.” The music video for “Don’t Mean Nothing” starred his first wife, Cynthia Rhodes. Marx has been married since 2015 to former model and MTV host Daisy Fuentes. Last year, he appeared as himself in an episode of the ABC TV show “The Bachelorette.” The Meadows, 8 p.m. 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington. (RH)

Guitarist Danny Gochnour‘s regular gig is as the blazing lead guitar player for Joe Grushecky as a member of The Houserockers, but Gochnour will be headlining his own concert at Club Cafe. Last year, Gochnour released his first solo album, The Despair of Summer. It is a very fine debut LP release. In addition to high quality original songs there is an incredible adaptation of The Eagles’, “I Can’t Tell You Why.” He will be performing songs from that LP plus possibly some new tunes that will be included in an upcoming release. 7 p.m. 56 – 58 S. 12th St., South Side. (RH)

Brittney Chantele describes herself on her Twitter page as a singer-songwriter/visual artist/dancer/activist/ and as an organizer of Earth Guardians PA. I haven’t seen her work in the other areas, but I have seen her perform, and Chantele is very talented. Chantele played the hot track “Fade and the Balance” off her latest release, A Fire on Venus, at the TRAF media preview event. She will be performing at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. 4 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage at Point State Park. (RH)

When Tinsley Ellis was a teenager, he saw B.B. King live. King broke a string on Lucille, his guitar, and handed it to Ellis, who still owns it to this day. Ellis has long been an accomplished bluesman himself with cuts like “The Other Side.” In 2017, he headlined the first night of the inaugural Blues and Roots Festival in Pittsburgh. His latest album is 2018’s Winning Hand. He plays Moondog’s. 8 p.m. 378 Freeport Rd., Blawnox. (CM)

Thursday, June 13

If you missed Lucius’s free show at Hartwood Acres last year, here’s your second chance. They are playing another one at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. This rock band is from Brooklyn and has somewhat more of a pop sound. Latest album is Nudes, an acoustic collection of old songs, new songs, and a Lead Belly cover featuring Roger Waters from Pink Floyd: “Goodnight, Irene.” 7:30 p.m. Dollar Bank Main Stage, Point State Park. (EC, CM)

Friday, June 14

98 Degrees is a boy band whose members all hail from Ohio. They are remembered for such hits as “The Hardest Thing,” and their appearance on Mariah Carey’s number one song, “Thank God I Found You,” which also features the R&B singer Joe. The members split in 2002, but reunited in 2012. Their last album was a Christmas album, 2017’s Let It Snow, but don’t expect any holiday standards for their June concert at the Meadows. 8 p.m. 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington. (CM)

For a kickoff to Father’s Day weekend, how about a father-son rock and roll show? That will be happening at South Park when Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers play the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series with Milly opening. Joe Grushecky’s son, Johnny Grushecky, plays guitar and sings as one of The Houserockers. Johnny also has his own rock band, Milly, which he formed with Seth Milberger in 2014. Joe Grushecky’s latest album is 2018’s More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows, and Milly’s is Place in My Mind, also released that year. 7:30 p.m. South Park Amphitheater, 3700 Farmshow Dr., South Park. (RH)

Saturday, June 15

“Can We Still Be Friends,” “Hello It’s Me,” and “I Saw the Light” were three monster hits in the ’70s for the accomplished pop rocker Todd Rundgren. A musical composer, performer, and producer who plays many different instruments, Rundgren is a free spirit whose creativity is limitless and songs melodically beautiful. He’s produced top albums for many individuals and groups, including Hall & Oates, Cheap Trick, Patti Smith, and The Psychedelic Furs. Rundgren is touring in support of his latest release, 2017’s White Knight. It is the prolific Rundgren’s 25th solo album. 7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (RH)

Byron Nash is a highly accomplished lead guitar player who is also equally adept at playing acoustic guitar. He honed his craft while performing in the bands Sporadic and Forumla412 and now has his own band, Byron Nash & PlanB. The group includes principal collaborator and fellow guitarist, Evan Thorsen. Nash describes their sound as “rock-meets-funk and soul music.” In 2016, Nash & PlanB released their debut EP, The Late Bloomer. Catch Nash at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival performing acoustically with new solo material he has created over the last several years. 4 p.m. Acoustic Stage at Gateway Center, Downtown. (RH)

Average White Band is composed of very talented musicians and maybe should be called Above Average White Band or even Great White Band. Its success rises out of a funky beat, great vocals, and quite nice horn parts. The band formed in Dundee, Scotland in 1972 and shot to fame on songs like the million-selling “Pick Up the Pieces,” “School Boy Crush,” “Cut the Cake,” and “A Love of Your Own.” Founding members Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre faithfully play the music with help from newer band members. AWB’s music is so well-loved and respected that other artists, including The Beastie Boys, Ice Cube, and Arrested Development, have utilized parts of AWB’s music. AWB is the 15th most sampled group ever. The group is appearing at The Meadows. 8 p.m. 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington. (RH)

Australian alt-pop trio Chase Atlantic will perform at the Rex Theater just prior to the release of its sophomore album, Phases, due out June 28. Fans can check out the first single, “HER.” The band released its eponymous debut album in 2017, and in 2018, the group opened for Canadian electro-pop singer-songwriter Lights, including a stop at Mr. Smalls. Lauren Sanderson and more open. 8 p.m. 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. (CM)

Tuesday, June 18

Norah Jones’s debut album, 2002’s jazz-folk-pop Come Away with Me, went diamond in three years with sales of over 10,000,000 units. It also won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2003. Her cover of Jesse Harris’s “Don’t Know Why,” which is on that album, was inescapable. Jones has released six albums since, most recently this year’s Begin Again. She is the daughter of the legendary Indian sitar player and composer Ravi Shankar. Jones performs at Heinz Hall. 8 p.m. Sold out. 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District. (CM)

Wednesday, June 19

It’s a double-shot of country at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall: Kristian Bush and Rita Wilson. Bush is one-half of the country duo Sugarland, but he released a solo studio album in 2015, Southern Gravity. 2017’s “Sing Along” is a new-ish, non-album single. Wilson is an accomplished actress/producer/singer, appearing in such films as My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and Gloria Bell. She’s released three solo albums, most recently this year’s Halfway to Home.  “Throw Me a Party” is from that album. Wilson’s hubby is Tom Hanks, who was in Pittsburgh last year starring as Mr. Rogers in the upcoming film, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. 8 p.m. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. (CM) Note: The venue has been changed to the Hard Rock Cafe at Station Square.

Thursday, June 20

Americana, blues, country, roots: Keb’ Mo’ excels in all of them. Born Kevin Moore, he released his first album under Keb’ Mo’ in 1994. Artists from B.B. King to the Zac Brown Band have recorded his songs. He co-wrote the Dixie Chicks’ “I Hope,” and he portrayed Robert Johnson in “Can’t You Hear the Wind Howl?,” a 1997 docu-drama about the late blues legend. His concert at the Palace Theatre comes on the heels of the June 14 release of his new album, Oklahoma, with the leadoff track, “I Remember You.” Jontavious Willis opens. 8 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (CM)

Friday, June 21

Robyn Hitchcock has made his mark as a singer-songwriter with his own look and style. Elements of that style include lyrics that convey surreal imagery, eerie/spacey guitar work, and a jaunty/cynical mood that says this is serious, but I’m having fun with it. Hitchcock combines the elements in various ways—“Raymond and the Wires” doesn’t sound a lot like “I Want To Tell You about What I Want”—yet both are from the same album, 2017’s self-titled LP, which also includes a track called “Virginia Woolf.” Hitchcock broke onto the scene in the 1970s in his native England as leader of The Soft Boys. He’s been performing and recording solo and/or with various other configurations of musicians since 1981. 7 p.m. Club Cafe. 56 -58 S. 12th St., South Side. (MV)

Saturday, June 22

Herman’s Hermits was the most British-sounding group of the British Invasion. (“Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” sounds like it was recorded by John Cleese in a Liverpool pub while trying to imitate Wallace of Wallace and Gromit.) They’re still touring, even if lead singer Peter Noone is the only remaining member of the original lineup that recorded classic hits like “I’m into Something Good” and “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am.” And lo, Herman’s Hermits re-occupy our fair land for a concert at the Palace Theatre. Special guest is The Latshaw Pops Orchestra, who will Celebrate the ’60s. 7 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (EC, MV)

The formula for the June 2019 WDVE Rocker looks like another successful one. The tasty recipe is equal amounts of highly volatile rock and roll ingredients—The Clarks, Gathering Field, The Hawkeyes, The Affordable Floors, and Gene The Werewolf. Things will start cooking soon after the doors open at 5 p.m. Outdoor show. Stage AE, 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (RH)

Sunday, June 23

New Kids on the Block is a boy band (now a man band) that rose out of the rough streets of Boston and was built around a young rapper named Donnie Wahlberg. The rest of the group was filled in with talented friends, and for a short while, his brother Mark was in the band. The group disbanded in 1994 and reunited in 2007. Top songs include “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” and “Step by Step.” Brothers Donnie and Mark have a growing quick-serve restaurant chain with their chef/brother Paul called Wahlburgers, which has a location in Pittsburgh at the Block Northway. The burgers are in the North Hills, and the concert is at PPG Paints Arena. The Mixtape Tour 2019 also features Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, and Naughty by Nature. 7:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (RH)

Thursday, June 27

Fitz and The Tantrums first big success came about nine years ago. The band broke out in 2010 when the album Pickin’ Up the Pieces reached number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. The album generated several hits, including “MoneyGrabber,” “Don’t Gotta Work It Out,” and “Breakin’ the Chains of Love.” Fitz and the Tantrums followed up with 2013’s More Than Just a Dream. Its “Out of My League” also climbed the charts. Fitz and the Tantrums have grown into a more highly polished dance-pop sound and have lost some of their raw musical power, but they are still a very interesting band to hear live. Their 2016 release, Fitz and The Tantrums, contained the hit single “HandClap.” In March, they released a new song, “123456,” which is from a forthcoming new studio album. Fitz and The Tantrums co-headline with Young the Giant, an alternative rock band from Irvine, California. The group is best known for its hits “My Body”, “Cough Syrup,” and “Apartment.” Giant’s latest release is 2018’s Mirror Master. Special guest is Coin. Doors open at 6 p.m. Stage AE, 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (RH)

Friday, June 28

Eight-piece country-rock outfit The Zac Brown Band is a very versatile band. 2015’s Jekyll + Hyde, the band’s fourth major-label album, featured a diversity of musical styles. This diversity was demonstrated by collaborations with both Sara Bareilles and Soundgarden’s late leader, Chris Cornell. The Zac Brown Band song “Heavy Is the Head,” featuring Cornell, was primarily released to rock radio stations and not country. The move was a good one, as the song sat atop the Billboard chart for Mainstream Rock songs for a period that year, a rare cross-genre feat. Brown and his band are touring in support of their latest release, 2017’s Welcome Home. KeyBank Pavilion. Drake White opens. 7 p.m. 665 Route 18, Burgettstown. (EC, RH)

On the Radar

Monday, July 1
Albert Lee (Club Cafe)

Tuesday, July 2
Peter Frampton (Benedum Center)
Reel Big Fish and the Aquabats (Roxian Theater)

Saturday, July 6
blink-182 and Lil Wayne (KeyBank Pavilion)
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (South Park)

Sunday, July 7
Sublime with Rome (Stage AE)
Weird Al Yankovic (Benedum Center)
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (North Park)

Tuesday, July 9
Hop Along (The Rex Theater)

Wednesday, July 10
The Fabulous Thunderbirds (Jergel’s)
Shinedown (KeyBank Pavilion)
Southern Avenue Band (Club Cafe)

Friday, July 12
KC and The Sunshine Band (Rivers Casino)

Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13
Deutschtown Music Festival

Saturday July 13
Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers (Roxian Theatre)

Sunday, July 14
Stephen Marley (Hartwood Acres)
Maggie Rogers (Stage AE)

Tuesday, July 16
The Psychedelic Furs and James (Roxian Theatre)

Thursday, July 18
Belle & Sebastian (Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland)

Friday, July 19
Alice Cooper & Halestorm (KeyBank Pavilion)
Sad Summer Festival featuring The Maine (Stage AE)

Saturday, July 20
Wiz Khalifa (KeyBank Pavilion)
Third Eye Blind and Jimmy Eat World (Stage AE)

Sunday, July 21
Hootie & the Blowfish (KeyBank Pavilion)
Kurt Vile (Hartwood Acres Park Amphitheater)
The Struts (Stage AE)

Tuesday, July 23
Screaming Females and Dark Thoughts (Spirit)
Between The Buried and Me (The Rex Theater)

Friday, July 26
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (South Park)
Breaking Benjamin (KeyBank Pavilion)

Saturday, July 27
Dierks Bentley (KeyBank Pavilion)

Sunday, July 28
John Mayer (PPG Paints Arena)
Snail Mail (The Rex Theater)
Rose Royce (Hartwood Acres)

Monday, July 29
Khalid (PPG Paints Arena)

Tuesday, July 30
Lake Street Dive (Stage AE)

Wednesday, July 31
Queen and Adam Lambert (PPG Paints Arena)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.
Chris Maggio is a freelance writer and editor based in Pittsburgh.

Share on Social Media