April Concert Guide 2025: Dylan, Disturbed, Ballerini, St. Vincent, Trivium, Killswitch Engage, and Billy Price

There’s not a lot of mega acts playing Pittsburgh this month, but there are a lot of metal acts. Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Trivium and Bullet for My Valentine are all in action. At the other end of the musical spectrum, Ani DiFranco and Lyle Lovett will have slightly mellower affairs. In addition to Disturbed another big act is country singer Kelsea Ballerini, also in concert at PPG Paints Arena. Bringing more April energy is singer-guitarist St. Vincent and Wu-Tang Clan’s Masta Killa. Legendary musician Bob Dylan stops at the Benedum on his Never Ending Tour. Country singer Chase Rice performs at Stage AE.

The flip side to not a lot of big concerts is we can shine the spotlight on several talented local acts. Billy Price plays Hollywood Casino at the Meadows and Rivers Casino hosts Jim Donovan & Sun King Warriors.

The Concert Guide features (in chronological order) Spotlight Picks, Other Shows of Interest, and Big Shows on the Horizon. Get out and see what pleases you, whether it’s one of our concert picks or something entirely different. Mike Vargo (M.V.) also contributed to this guide.

Spotlight Picks

Friday, April 4

Killswitch Engage plays Stage AE this month. Killswitch Engage is a metalcore band formed by members of Overcast and Aftershock in Westerfield, Massachusetts, in 1999. After original vocalist Jesse Leach departed in 2002, Howard Jones (not the English musician) joined. The group released The End of Heartache in 2004. The eponymous song scored a Grammy nomination. Jones left, and Leach returned in 2012. The band is scene as an early pioneer in the metalcore genre. Killswitch Engage’s latest release is This Consequence, released in February. Also on the bill are Kublai Khan TX, Fit For A King, Frozen Soul. Doors open 5:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

Saturday, April 5

Disturbed, a heavy metal band rising out of Chicago, Illinois in the mid-nineties, has eight studio albums, six of which opened at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. The latest release from the group is 2022’s Divisive. Lead vocalist David Draiman has said that the group has been heavily influenced by classic metal bands like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, and Pantera. Disturbed even has a mascot called The Guy, that over the years has morphed into more of a Marvel Comics-looking character. The band has been nominated for a Grammy Award three times in the categories of Best Hard Rock Performance, Best Metal Performance, and Best Rock Performance. And in 2006 they were nominated for a Billboard Music Award for Rock Artist of the Year. Disturbed plays PPG Paints Arena on their The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour. Special guests are Daughtry and Nothing More. 6:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (R.H.)

Yes, he played linebacker for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels (though he didn’t get drafted into the NFL). And yes, he almost made it to Sole Survivor on CBS-TV’s “Survivor: Nicaragua,” losing out in the final vote. But shed no tears for Chase Rice. He’s now a bona fide country music star, who doesn’t really hate cowboys—just having some fun with a little irony—and he’s fixin’ to entertain you on his Go Down Singin’ Tour. The tour title echoes the album of that name, his seventh, released last year. Rice’s stylistic range is interesting. He is quite capable of doing upbeat high-energy tunes, sung in a sorta-country-rap vein. But often he’s most engaging when he settles into an easygoing, let’s-enjoy-the-ride mood, as he did on “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” The song was recorded with his good friends Florida Georgia Line. Rice also has performed with Kenny Chesney, Jelly Roll, and others. Pittsburgh fans are invited to a come-right-on-in evening with Chase Rice and his guest Pony Bradshaw at Stage AE. Doors open 6 p.m., music at 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (M.V.)

Pittsburgh soul and blues legend Billy Price knew from an early age that he wanted to be a singer. Growing up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Price (then known by his formal name, William Pollak) sang in grade school and had the most popular bands in junior and senior high. And of course the band was doing all soul songs. He also had a band while attending Penn State University. After graduating he was in the Rhythm Kings, even playing the famous Fox Cafe in Shadyside. He was noticed by the late, renowned blues rock guitarist, Roy Buchanan, who drafted him to be the lead singer of his band. Post Buchanan, Price formed the highly talented Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band. And after closing the chapter on the Keystone Rhythm Band after many years, he went on to have a richly rewarding solo career which included being nominated for and winning numerous national blues awards including the prestigious Blues Music Award. He even recorded an album with the late great soul singer Otis Clay. Now Price is ready to reach a new zenith in his career with his first ever album of all original songs, Person of Interest. See our story on the making of the album. He will be performing these and many of his classic tunes at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows. 8 p.m. 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington. (R.H.)

Saturday, April 12

Kelsea Ballerini’s father, Ed, once worked as a sales manager for a country music station in their hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Kelsea continues her dad’s work in a similar vein, she has sold a multitude of her country singles and albums over her almost ten-year career. Ballerini has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Her first two albums accounted for seven charted songs on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. She had five No. 1 singles on the latter. Her latest LP, Patterns, was released last year and it reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200, and debuting atop the country chart. That was the first time she had a no. 1 album on that chart. She is also now a coach on the NBC talent show, “The Voice” and was recently nominated for an ACM Award for Entertainer of the Year. Ballerini has moved up on this tour from Stage AE to PPG Paints Arena. Special guests are Sasha Alex Sloan and Marynn Taylor. 7 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (R.H.)

Sunday, April 13 

Singer-songwriter St. Vincent, born Annie Erin Clark in Tulsa, Oklahoma, returns to Stage AE. She is a former member of the indie ensemble The Polyphonic Spree and she released her debut solo album, Marry Me, in 2007. Her music has an evocative pop sound, as heard on singles such as 2011’s “Cruel” and 2014’s “Digital Witness.” St. Vincent collaborated with Talking Heads’ frontman David Byrne in 2012 on the album Love This Giant. Her music production credits include work with rock band Sleater-Kinney. Both St. Vincent and Carrie Brownstein, of Sleater-Kinney and the television series “Portlandia,” co-wrote the screenplay for The Nowhere Inn. The movie also stars them both, and was released in 2021. St. Vincent is known for her guitar playing prowess and her latest album is 2024’s All Born Screaming. The LP, her seventh, was nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning three this February. She also performed with several others the opening number of this year’s Grammys the song, “I Love LA.” Special guest is Wallice. Doors open at  6 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

 

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Ani DiFranco was one of the very first indie artists, having started her own record label—Righteous Babe—in ’89 when she was only 18. The label has allowed the Buffalo, N.Y., native to enjoy more creative freedom and forge a successful career, which she started at the tender age of nine playing Beatles songs at bars. She’s also busked with her guitar teacher. Amazingly, at 14, she began writing her own songs and launched a solo career playing coffee houses. DiFranco has also been a positive force for feminism and other social issues. Unprecedented Sh!t is DiFranco’s latest studio album and was recently released. Special guest is Wryn. Sold out. 7:30 p.m. Roxian Theatre, 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. (R.H.)

Sometimes, discerning Pittsburgh music fans want to skip the big-ticket stadium concerts and go hear an artist who might not be on track to headline a Super Bowl halftime show, but is really good. That’s why a venue like Mr. Smalls Theatre exists. And that’s where to hear Masta Killa, a.k.a. Jamel Irief. The Brooklyn-born rapper actually started out as an eye-popping street dancer. Then in the early 1990s he was inducted into—and mentored in the arts of rap by—the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. From there, Masta Killa developed his own style: slower and more intimately distinct than rappers who are out to break the x-words-per-minute barrier, yet packing plenty of punch. Since 2004 he has cut four solo studio albums aside from his Wu-Tang work. A fifth release, Balance, is due to drop and he’s now on his Balance Tour. Join Masta Killa at Mr. Smalls Theatre with a lineup of guests drawn from his vast network of fellow artists and admirers. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (M.V.)

Monday, April 21

It’s been a long, long time since Pete Seeger introduced an up-and-comer named Bob Dylan to the crowd at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. The next year, Dylan was booed when he showed up with an electric guitar. Decades later, he was chastised globally for not showing up at all to accept the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature. But in between and ever since, he’s done quite a bit of showing up. The Dylan curriculum vitae to date includes 40 studio albums plus bunches of bootleg albums, other recordings, and collaborations, in genres and styles from folk to talking blues, rock, country, Christian, covers of Frank Sinatra ballads … and a genre that one might simply call “Dylan.” (A classic recent example is “False Prophet,” above, from 2020’s Rough and Rowdy Ways.) And though his lyrics have been analyzed extensively for deep meanings, Dylan is above all a musician, who loves to play and sing live. Ripping it up with bandmates seems to keep him “Forever Young.”

Now he’s on tour again, still re-inventing and experimenting—because just when you think you’ve seen it all from Dylan, you haven’t—and his Pittsburgh concert is booked into Benedum Center. The show is officially sold out, so visit your secondary sources. 237 7th St., Cultural District. (M.V.)

Wednesday, April 23

Lyle Lovett crafts colorful songs, which tell compelling tales by fusing together many different musical genres, including country, swing, and jazz. He also has won four Grammy Awards: three in country categories and one in pop. Lovett attended Texas A&M University, where he met and befriended Robert Earl Keen, another accomplished Texas musician. Lovett released his self-titled debut album in 1986. His latest is 2022’s 12th of June. That is also Lovett’s 12th studio album. In addition to his prolific musical career, Lovett is also an award-winning horseman. He competes in reigning competitions with his noted Quarter Horse, Smart and Shiny. Lovett will be performing at the Palace Theatre with his acoustic group. 7:30 p.m.  400 E. Otterman St., Greensburg. (R.H.)

Friday, April 25

Jim Donovan & Sun King Warriors are one of Pittsburgh’s top rock/jam bands. They are very active on the local music scene, playing brewery shows, Allegheny Summer Concert Series, Rivers Casino, festivals and even last year’s Pittsburgh Earth Day festivities at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. The Sun King Warriors have been working on a new album for the last two years and released Like a Light last October. Jim Donovan was one of the members of Rusted Root, a very successful jam rock band in the 1990’s. 9 p.m. Rivers Casino, 777 Casino Dr., Chateau.  (R.H.)

Tuesday, April 29

Confused by the many subgenres of heavy metal? You need to study up, and perhaps Trivium can help to school you. The band took its name from the Latin word that commonly refers to the three building blocks of classical education—grammar, logic, and rhetoric. But the boys from Orlando, Florida gave the term a new meaning, calling their music a blend of metalcore, melodic death metal, and thrash metal. Which frankly sounds like more fun! Formed in 1999, and fronted by vocalist-guitarist-songwriter Matt Heafy, Trivium has kept evolving and expanding its repertoire through 10 studio albums. Their current North American tour has them appearing in Pittsburgh with kindred artistic spirits Bullet for My Valentine out of Bridgend, Wales. The bands are calling this The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour, as it marks the 20th anniversary of pivotal 2005 albums for both: BFMV’s debut release The Poison and Trivium’s Ascendancy. Expect the Welshmen to reprise some Poisonous hits like “Tears Don’t Fall.” Catch both groups—along with guests August Burns Red and Bleed From Within—in an outdoor metalfest at Stage AE. Doors open 5:30 p.m., music at 6:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (M.V.) 

Other Shows of Interest

Wednesday April 3 and Thursday, April 4
Al Stewart and Livingston Taylor (City Winery)

Thursday, April 3
JoJo (Stage AE)

Friday, April 4
Blackridge (Moondog’s Pub)

Saturday, April 5
The Robert Cray Band (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)
Joshua Redman Quartet (MCG Jazz)
The Clarks (Ace’s)
Millvale Revival Concert (Mr. Smalls Funhouse)
Bindley Hardware (Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall)

Sunday, April 6
The Righteous Brothers (Palace Theatre)
Bill Toms (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

Wednesday, April 9
Al Dimeola (The Oaks Theater)

Thursday, April 10
Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)
flipturn (Stage AE)

Saturday, April 12
Beach Bunny (Roxian Theatre)
Crack the Sky (Pittsburgh Winery)

Sunday, April 13
Stanley Clarke (City Winery)
Chris Cain (Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall)

Tuesday, April 15
Rick Wakeman (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)
Alejandro Escovedo (City Winery)
Don Aliquo Jr. and Sr. Quintet (Greer Cabaret Theater Lounge)

Thursday, April 17
Steve Forbert (City Winery)
The Slackers (Mr. Smalls Theatre)

Friday, April 18
Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers (Rivers Casino)

Saturday, April 19
A Flock of Seagulls (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)
Jazz Funk Soul (MCG Jazz)
Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller (Pittsburgh Winery)

Tuesday, April 22
Meshuggha and Canibal Corpse (Stage AE)
L.A. Guns (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

Friday, April 25
Wild Rivers (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
Punkapalooza (Moondog’s Pub)

Saturday, April 26
Everclear (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)
Iron & Wine (Roxian Theatre)
Lady Beast (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
John Waite (City Winery)
Sean Jones (New Hazlett Theater)

Sunday, April 27
Pittsburgh Oldies All Stars (Palace Theatre)

Tuesday, April 29
Michigan Rattlers (Crafthouse Stage & Grill)
Erik Lawrence (Greer Cabaret Theater Lounge)

Wednesday, April 30
Bob Mould Band (Mr. Smalls Theatre)

Big Shows on the Horizon

May 1
Pure Prairie League (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

May 3
Jefferson Starship (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

May 8
AC/DC (Acrisure Stadium)

May 12
Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass (Byham Theater)

May 16 and May 18
Pearl Jam (PPG Paints Arena)

May 20
Parliament Funkadelic (Roxian Theatre)

May 23
Barry Manilow (PPG Paints Arena)

May 31
George Strait and Chris Stapleton (Acrisure Stadium)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.

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