Halsey Plays Star Lake; Stage AE Hosts Less Than Jake, Price and Grushecky Perform Dylan Songs at Thunderbird (Sat., 6/14/25)

June 12, 2025/Rick Handler

1) The singer-songwriter Halsey already had an album, 2015’s Badlands, peak at no. 2 on the Billboard 200. However, her career exploded when she appeared on The Chainsmokers’ single “Closer.” The song stayed at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks in 2016. “Closer” was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. She followed this success with her sophomore album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. A concept album inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom follows Solis Angelus and Luna Aureum, lovers separated by socioeconomic class in a purgatory-like land. And hey, the singles, such as “Now or Never,” are catchy too. Her latest, and fifth, release is The Great Impersonator, which dropped last October. It reached no. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Halsey was born Ashley Frangipane. Her stage-name is an anagram of her first name, and it also references Halsey Street station, a stop on the New York City Subway. She will perform at the Pavilion at Star Lake on her For My Last Trick Tour. Sir Chloe and Flowerovlove opens. 7 p.m. 665 Rt. 18, Burgettstown. (C.M., R.H.)

2) If you want to relive ska punk’s glory days of the late ’90s, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Stage AE with Less Than Jake. Combining the distinctive beats of punk with the horns and saxophones of ska, Less Than Jake hit the mainstream in 2003 with the album Anthem. We can hope to hear their famed “She’s Gonna Break Soon” as well as old and new favorites. Less Than Jake’s latest LP release 2020’s Silver Linings. Also on the bill are The Suicide Machines, Fishbone, and Bite Me Bambi. The tour is called Summer Circus. Doors open at 6 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

3) Two of Pittsburgh’s best musical performers, Billy Price and Joe Grushecky, are teaming up for a Bob Dylan tribute show at Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall. Forever Young a Tribute to the songs of Bob Dylan features Price, Grushecky, WDVE’s Randy Bauman (keyboards) and backed by Jim Britton and Tom Valentine of the Billy Price Band and Joffo Simmons and Dan Gochnour of Joe Grushecky’s Houserockers. “I’ve been a lifelong fan of Bob Dylan’s music since his very first album,” says Price. “Last year, I was listening to an album of Dylan covers by Cat Power, and I thought about how I had always wanted to sing my own selections from Dylan’s vast catalog. So I decided to call my friend Joe and suggest that we put a show together.”

“Dylan has been an inspiration and part of my musical vocabulary since day one,” says Grushecky. “I am excited to perform some of my favorite ‘Bob’ songs with this tremendous band.” 8 p.m. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville.