Bob Dylan in Concert at Stage AE; Day Two Pittsburgh Music Fest at PBC (Sun., 7/12/26)

July 10, 2026/Mike Vargo

1) How long has Bob Dylan been around? He was born before the attack on Pearl Harbor. His debut album dropped five years before the first Super Bowl. Through the rest of that century into this one, Dylan has been eclectic. He was covered by Jimi Hendrix and collaborated with Allen Ginsberg (seen in the background above). His admirers have ranged from William E. King (author of the first PhD dissertation on Dylan) to John Paul II (the pope when Dylan was doing Christian music) to Kazuo Ishiguro, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature the year after Dylan did. He has composed and/or played and sung in genres including folk, rock, talking blues, the Great American Songbook … and a genre that can only be called “Dylan.” Dylan has been prolific—40 studio albums and counting, plus numerous bootleg albums, collaborations, films, and more. Millions of people can quote their favorite lines from Dylan lyrics; perhaps you’ve been cornered by one of them.

But here’s the thing. Aside from all the attention to his poetic language, Dylan is first and foremost a musician. He loves to perform live with other musicians. In concert, you can’t expect him to play a song the way it was recorded, as he’s constantly tinkering with the beats and sounds. He is currently on a tour of smaller, more intimate venues, playing setlists that are mostly reworked versions of his classics. Bob Dylan visits Pittsburgh for a show at Stage AE. Guest artists are Jimmie Vaughan and The Tilt-A-Whirl Band and Brittney Spencer. Doors at 5 p.m., music 6:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (M.V.)

2) Pittsburgh Brewing Company is presenting one of the biggest concerts of top local bands in recent memory. The inaugural Pittsburgh Music Festival, which replaces the Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival, will happen July 11 – 12 on the Iron City Stages at the brewery in Creighton. Sunday’s superstar lineup features: Billy Price, Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers, Kenny Blake and The New Hip with special guests Megan Paullet and Xavier Allen, The Nied’s Hotel Band with special guests Jimmy Krenn, Joe Wodarek and Mike Filosemi, Guitar Zack, and Leonard T. Zanotti (LTZ) with special guest Nicole Belli. There will also be an acoustic stage for some softer sounds. The festival benefits Band Together and Autism Pittsburgh. Food, and of course, beverages will be available for sale. 150 Ferry St., Creighton. (R.H.)