Nicki Minaj Brings ‘Anaconda’ to First Niagara; Palace Hosts Oldies Show with Grass Roots, Turtles and More (Sat., 8/8/15)

1) While Nicki Minaj is touring with partner and musical collaborator Meek Mill this summer in support of her third album, The Pinkprint, the duo could be spending time in the tour bus comparing notes on their Twitter troubles. Minaj is fresh from a Twitter spat (albeit a very polite one) with Taylor Swift over Minaj being snubbed by the VMAs, while Mill has been causing a stir by accusing the rapper Drake of not writing his own lyrics. Although Minaj’s social media spats and flamboyant fashion style have been making headlines, her music has been making quite an impact as well. The single “Anaconda,” from The Pinkprint, is her most successful yet, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and attracting a record-breaking 19.6 million views on Vevo (later broken by Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood”). The Pinkprint Tour began in Sweden in March and includes more than 50 dates worldwide. Local fans will be pleased to know the First Niagara Pavilion ticket prices are among the cheapest on the tour—less than half of what fans are paying in Brooklyn, New York. With Meek Mill and Rae Sremmurd. 7 p.m. 665 Route 18, Burgettstown. (HM)

2) Love your moldy, oldie, golden gassers? Then you need to make it to The Palace Theatre for the Happy Together Tour 2015. Who’s going to be performing you ask? Some of the top groups from the 1960s and early 70s. On the bill are The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie, The Grass Roots, Mark Lindsay (original lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders), The Association, The Cowsills, and The Buckinghams. All of the groups are first class, but I have a special affinity for The Grass Roots‘ sound. Songs like “Let’s Live for Today” with its changing tempo, “sha-la-la-la-la-la” vocals, sitar-like guitar, and melodic harmonies make it a quintessential late 60s pop-rock hit. The song rose to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in 1967. Other hits include “Midnight Confessions”  and “Sooner or Later.” 8 p.m. 21 West Otterman St., Greensburg.

3) Our battlin’ Bucs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers again today in a 7:05 p.m. game. It’s also a pre-game Saturday Block Party, featuring live entertainment, food and beer options, games and more. Stop by the Leinenkugel Bar and meet former Pirates pitcher Elroy Face. And as an added bonus, rock band O.A.R. will perform a post-game concert. PNC Park, 115 Federal St., North Shore.

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