Blackberry Smoke at Stage AE; South Park Has Peter Noone’s Herman’s Hermits; Big Storm Opens ‘To Battle’ (Fri., 8/1/25)

July 30, 2025/Rick Handler

1) Add some sweet southern-fried rock to your music itinerary this evening with Blackberry Smoke. The band formed in 2000 and gained popularity as a supporting act for Zac Brown Band’s 2011 tour. They’ve also opened for the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd, and for Eric Church and ZZ Top. Their rich vocal harmonies and quality guitar and drum play give them good crossover appeal. The group’s 2016 album Like an Arrow reached no. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Country and Americana/Folk charts, while also reaching no. 3 on the U.S. Rock chart. Their EP, Live from Capricorn Sound Studios, was released in 2020. 2024’s Be Right Here is Blackberry Smoke’s latest LP. Special guests are Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Shannon McNally. Doors open at 5 p.m. Stage AE, 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (R.H.)

Blackberry Smoke in a 2018 Concert. (Photo: Peterstormer and Wikipedia.)

2) As we’ve said before, crowds don’t lie. When people start bringing their lawn chairs in broad daylight to stake out spots for evening outdoor concerts, it’s because the music is free and the music is good. Such is the case with the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series, staged summer-long at two locations: Friday evenings, 7:30 p.m. at South Park Amphitheater, and Sunday evenings, 7:30 p.m. at Hartwood Acres Park Amphitheater. The lineup for the second half of this summer includes big-name acts in several genres. South Park has Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone (August 1), Over the Rhine (August 8), and Robert Jon & The Wreck (August 15). Highlights at Hartwood include, The Family Stone (July 20), Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets (August 3), KT Tunstall (August 10), Smash Mouth (August 17) and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (August 24) 3700 Farmshow Dr., South Park Twp., and 4070 Middle Rd., Allison Park. (R.H.)

3) To Battle, a fight play by José Pérez IV, opens tonight and is onstage through August 10 in the Studio Theater in the basement of the Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s campus. A mysterious adventurer comes to a small town and offers townspeople a vengeful quest. The production is being staged by Big Storm Theater Company and directed by stage veteran, Shannon Knapp. 7 p.m.