Concert Guide May ’25: AC/DC, Pearl Jam, George Strait and Chris Stapleton, Post Malone and Jelly Roll, George Clinton, and Herb Alpert

This May is a month with several music legends performing in our fair city. AC/DC was one of the top rock bands of the late 1970’s and early ’80s. Pearl Jam rode their talents and the grunge rock wave to stardom in the 1990’s. George Clinton with his Parliament-Funkadelic collective were early pioneers of the music we call funk. Barry Manilow in the 1970’s was creating hit after hit and remains a beloved entertainer. Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass were blowing hot and heavy in the 1960’s. Two country music legends are teaming up for a big show at Acrisure Stadium, George Strait and Chris Stapleton. And Jefferson Starship keeps alive the Haight-Ashbury sound along with their more modern prog rock songs.

Other legends and legends in the making with tour stops here this month include: Post Malone and Jelly Roll, Pure Prairie League, Shakey Graves, Lucius, and Pierce the Veil. And there will be plenty of home grown musical talent at the Millvale Music Festival.

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

Thursday, May 1

“Amie, what you wanna do?” It’s one of the sweetest refrains in country rock, and if you wanna hear the latest incarnation of the group that broke to national fame with “Amie” (above) back in the ‘70s, you can catch Pure Prairie League at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. PPL’s lineup has changed over the years, of course, and the music has evolved somewhat, too. But when it comes to that easy-rollin’ Pure Prairie sound—with bluegrass inflections, from the band’s origins in Waverly, Ohio, midway between Chillicothe and the Kentucky line—the sound is still there. Country music star Vince Gill was a member of the band in 1979. Pure Prairie League took their name from a fictional 19th-century temperance union in the 1939 Errol Flynn cowboy movie Dodge City. Pure Prairie League is celebrating their 50th Anniversary. Their latest LP is 2024’s Back on Track. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (E.C., R.H.)

Saturday, May 3

1965 was the year rock turned seriously psychedelic. Among other things, three new groups emerged from the San Francisco area’s folk-rock scene sounding more like musicians from another planet: the Grateful Dead, Country Joe and the Fish (remember them?)—and Jefferson Airplane. Airplane’s co-founder, Paul Kantner, started his successor band, Jefferson Starship, to play the music of Jefferson Airplane and more. Kantner died in 2016 at the age of 74, but the music goes on. David Freiberg (acoustic guitar and vocals) has played with the band intermittently since 1972 and is a rich source of wisdom and history for the other members. Starship’s female vocalist, Cathy Richardson, has a big voice that wakes the echoes. It’s impossible to replace Grace Slick, who is a painter now, but Richardson does a mighty fine job in her own right. Expect to hear Woodstock-era numbers like “Volunteers” and “White Rabbit” in a show that should be a trip. So trip on out to Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. The group is celebrating their 50th anniversary on their Runaway Again World Tour. Special guest is Mark Ferrari. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (M.V., R.H.)

Thursday, May 8

The rock intro that kicks off AC/DC’s song “Back in Black” is an iconic one. It’s not the most technical intro, but the melody and rhythm of the hard rock riffs and heavy drumming are soon joined by the distinctive, growling vocals of Brian Johnson to make it a song to be reckoned with. It let’s you know this is kick ass rock and roll. Back in Black was the first album with Johnson as lead vocalist. He replaced Bon Scott as lead vocalist after Scott’s untimely death in 1980. Back in Black is reported to be the second best selling album of all time. Co-founder and lead guitarist Angus Young is the only band member remaining from the beginning of the group. Angus’ nephew, Steve Young, replaced Angus’s brother Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar and backing vocals after Malcolm left the band due to a serious illness. Other top rock songs in the AC/DC cannon are “Highway to Hell,” “Have a Drink on Me,” “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution,” “Thunderstruck,” and “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).” The latter song has cannon fire in it. AC/DC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Their most recent LP is 2020’s Power Up. Special guest is The Pretty Reckless. 7 p.m. Acrisure Stadium, 100 Art Rooney Ave., North Shore. (R.H.)

You may recognize a young Alejandro Rose-Garcia from “Friday Night Lights” and the Spy Kids franchise. He later pivoted to music and adopted the name Shakey Graves. Rising out of his hometown of Austin, Texas, and playing a mix of folk, country, blues, and rock and roll, he first started playing music festivals. During his early one-man-band days he used a modified suitcase as a kick drum and tambourine stand. His performance of “Roll the Bones,” the eponymous track from his 2011 debut studio album, is a marvel. Graves would go on to release three more albums, with the latest being 2023’s Movie of the Week. This year he’s traveling the land on his And the War Came 10th Anniversary Tour—which is somewhat extended in time, since the album of that title was released in 2014, 11 years ago. But who cares about picky-picky details when it’s Shakeytown here in our town at the Roxian Theatre. Special guest is Ruby Waters. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m., and this is an all-ages show. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. (C.M., M.V.)

Monday, May 12

We humans keep pushing the bounds of what is possible. A sub-2-hour marathon now seems within reach. Last year, a female athlete deadlifted over 700 pounds. And in the category of musicians of yesteryear continuing to tour, we have Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass. Alpert recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He’s so old that as a young trumpeter starting out in music, he played in a U.S. Army band during the Korean War. After military service, the multitalented Alpert returned to his hometown of Los Angeles and worked as a songwriter and vocalist. Then in the 1960s he shot to fame as a musician-slash-bandleader. (And by the way, there’s nothing exclusively Tijuana-ish about the Tijuana Brass. Alpert chose the name to be on theme with his first hit single, “The Lonely Bull,” the title of which was inspired by a bullfight he’d seen in Tijuana.) Over the years Alpert has recorded dozens of albums, both with and without the Brass. His honors range from a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to a National Medal of Arts award. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass visit Pittsburgh for a concert at the Byham Theater. The show is sold out, so try your secondary ticket sources. 7:30 p.m. 101 6th St., Cultural District. (M.V.)

Tuesday, May 13

The band Lucius is no stranger to Pittsburgh. They have played many concerts here since forming in 2007, including a mainstage show at the 2019 Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. And despite the band’s masculine-sounding name, these Brooklyn-based indie artists are famously fronted by two women, the cofounders and co-lead vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. Just out this month is Lucius’s self-titled fifth album, available in metallic eco-vinyl as well as in a CD or MP3. Highlights of the band’s career so far range from music that’s been used in movies and TV dramas, to guest spots on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert”  and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Catch Lucius in our town at Mr. Smalls Theatre on their Gold Rush Tour. Special guest is Victoria Canal. 7:30 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (M.V.)

Friday, May 16 and Sunday, May 18

Pearl Jam, one of the quintessential bands of the 1990’s grunge rock movement rolls into PPG Paints Arena this month for a two night stand. Led by spirited front-man/lead vocalist Eddie Vedder, the band achieved initial rock success with the albums Ten, Vs., and Vitalogy. Songs like “Alive,” Jeremy,” and “Even Flow” are several of the songs that solidified them as one of the best rock bands. Dark Matter is the group’s most recent release, dropping in 2024. The LP reached no. 1 on Billboard‘s US Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart and was nominated in three rock music Grammy Award categories. Pearl Jam’s last Pittsburgh show was in 2013 at the then named Consol Energy Center. The group also opened for the Rolling Stones at PNC Park in September 2005. In 2017 Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pearl Jam, founded in Seattle in 1990, has a charitable foundation in which they are both donors and advocates for important issues like the environment, homelessness, and indigenous causes. 7:30 p.m. both nights. Sold out. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (R.H.)

Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17

The free Millvale Music Festival returns for an annual showcase of myriad local musicians, who will play indoor venues, like Mr. Smalls, and outdoor venues around Millvale. Acts include Liz Berlin, NASH.V.ILL, Royal Honey, The Legendary Hucklebucks, Cathleen Ireland, Bloomfield Pest Control, Dumplings, Fuck Yeah, Dinosaurs!, and Chip & the Charge Ups. Many visual artists, comedians, and spoken word artists/poets will also participate in the festival and have their works on display/perform. Check the festival’s website for a full line-up and list of venues. (R.H.)

Tuesday, May 20

George Clinton has been on a musical journey of exploration for many years. He started out in a doo-wop group called The Parliaments, modeled after Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, while working in a hair salon. Then he became a writer, arranger, and producer for Motown Records before working for other Detroit musical companies. As the leader of Parliament-Funkadelic, he was one of the top innovators of funk music, along with James Brown and Sly Stone. Combining music like that of Brown, Stone, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and others with different sounds and lyrical arrangements and a big dose of funky bass and drums, Clinton came up with an outline for his sound. This led to massive success for him in the ’70s with “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)” and “Flash Light,” among others.

It would also be remiss if Clinton’s creativity with shows, lyrics, titles, and costumes was not mentioned. He even had a spaceship that he called his Mothership, which descended to the stage at concerts. Parliament-Funkadelic also had an album called The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein, which later spawned the Clinton-produced female funk group, The Brides of Funkenstein. His concerts are fun events. Clinton has been primarily a solo artist since the ’80s but periodically collaborates with others. His latest release, 2015’s P-Funk Live at Metropolis, is remarkably his sixth live album. Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic are 1997 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2022 Clinton was on three episodes of Fox Network’s “The Masked Singer” in a gopher costume. 7 p.m. Roxian Theatre,  425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. (R.H.)

Friday, May 23

 Barry Manilow has contributed several tunes to the great American songbook including “Mandy,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).” In 1978—the zenith of his popularity— five of his albums were on the Billboard bestseller charts at the same time, an amazing feat. Manilow and his music still remain popular. His latest album is Night Songs II, released in 2020. This appearance is billed as Manilow’s Last Pittsburgh Concert. 7 p.m. PPG Paints Arena, 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (R.H.)

Sunday, May 25

Do genres even matter any more? Once upon a time life was simpler, and it was easy to tell, say, “grand opera” from “music hall.” But then ragtime segued into jazz, and jazz split into more subgenres than you could shake a saxophone at, and here we are today with the music of Pierce the Veil. Their sounds have been described as anywhere from post-hardcore to emo-screamo to mexicore—because Vic Fuentes, cofounder and frontman of the San Diego-based band, comes from a Mexican-American musical family and likes to infuse some of that influence into what he does. Then again, the band’s fifth and latest studio album, 2023’s The Jaws of Life, is sometimes called nü-metal. So let’s just say the guys are “popular.” Popular enough to play the big venues, like Madison Square Garden. Pierce the Veil is currently on its I Can’t Hear You World Tour—during which, after a stop at MSG, they are ready to rock us Pittsburghers at The Pavilion at Star Lake. Guest artists are Sleeping With Sirens and Daisy Grenade. A portion of ticket proceeds go to the Living the Dream Foundation, for music fans with life-threatening illnesses. 7 p.m. 665 Rt. 18, Burgettstown.

Thursday, May 29

Post Malone and Jelly Roll teamed up on the song “Losers” and now their touring together under the banner of the Big Ass Stadium Tour. Malone, born Austin Richard Post, blends rock with cloud rap for a heady sound, such as on “Wow.” Other popular songs include his collaboration with rapper Swae Lee for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: “Sunflower.” Another collaboration includes a remix of Lorde’s song “Homemade Dynamite” with SZA and Khalid.  2018’s Beerbongs & Bentleys broke the record for most songs simultaneously in the top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100 with nine total. Malone has received 18 Grammy nominations and is one of the top selling artists of recent vintage. His 2022 album Twelve Carat Toothache featured two top ten songs: “I Like You (A Happier Song)” (featuring Doja Cat) and “One Right Now” (with The Weekend). His latest LP, F-1 Trillion was released in 2024. (C.M., R.H.)

“I only talk to God when I need a favor / I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer”: The lines are a clever paraphrase of the philosophy of 12-step groups. The point is that the Higher Power responds best to a steady relationship, but will—if asked sincerely—answer a crisis call. That’s what the singer known as Jelly Roll is hoping for in “Need a Favor,” the lead single on 2023’s Whitsitt Chapel. Jelly Roll (born Jason DeFord) comes from a real-life background that has included jail time, lots of substance abuse, and personal tragedies. And maybe what resonates with people is that he offers no simple answers. His songs convey no pride in being a hard-knocks survivor or a recovery ninja; no assurance that his soul has been saved. As Jelly Roll sings it, life is complicated and he’s a struggling soul, often teetering between a leap forward and a backslide. (Try “Save Me.”)  If that sounds like a humbler view, and one more in line with many people’s reality—well, there you go. Jelly Roll’s most recent album is last year’s Beautifully Broken. Also on the bill is Sierra Ferrell and Chandler Walters. 6:30 p.m. PNC Park, 115 Federal St., North Shore. (M.V.) 

Saturday, May 31

Two top country artists on the same bill is a real deal, so act now before this special offer expires. George Strait teams up with Chris Stapleton to visit Pittsburgh for a concert at Acrisure Stadium. George Strait is a member of the 100 million club, having sold more than that many records worldwide. He’s a country-music innovator, recognized for steering the music back toward its roots, but in new ways. He’s got street cred—or whatever the country version of street cred is—from his youthful years of living and working on the family ranch in Texas. Strait’s awards and accolades are so numerous that if he doesn’t already have a warehouse manager to look after all the trophies and plaques, he might need one soon. And he’s currently touring in support of his 31st (!) studio album, last year’s Cowboys and Dreamers. 

Chris Stapleton scored a sweep of major awards with his first solo album, 2015’s Traveller: Album of the Year from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association, the Grammy for Best Country Album, and the Billboard award for Top Country Album. Nor was that a one-shot success, as he’s won many more honors consistently for his work as a performer, composer, and producer. Stapleton has co-written with leading artists such as Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Sheryl Crow, and (wouldn’t you know) George Strait. His fifth and latest studio album is Higher (2023). The concert in Pittsburgh also features special guest Parker McCollum. 5:45 p.m. 100 Art Rooney Ave., North Shore. (R.H., M.V.)

Other Shows of Interest

Sunday, May 4
Micky Dolenz (City Winery)
Bruce Hornsby (Byham Theater)

Friday, May 9
Bindley Hardware (Rivers Casino)

Saturday, May 10
Shemekia Copeland (Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall)
Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers (Bottlerocket)

Tuesday, May 13
Smallpools (Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall)
Bill Deasy (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)
Dave Throckmorton Quartet (Greer Cabaret Theater Lounge)

Saturday, May17
Toronzo Cannon (Moondog’s Pub)
Kelsey & Company (Pittsburgh Winery)

Tuesday, May 20
Primus (Petersen Events Center)

Friday, May 23
Sun King Warriors (Pittsburgh Winery)
Ruff Creek (Hollywood Casino at the Meadows)

Saturday, May 24
The Jaggerz (The Oaks Theater)
Black Ridge (Funhouse at Mr. Smalls)

Thursday, May 29
Blood Sweat & Tears (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

Friday, May 30
The Beach Boys (Timber Rock Amphitheater)
Southern Avenue (Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall)

Saturday, May 31
Bill Toms (City Winery)

Big Shows on the Horizon

June 3
Vampire Weekend (Stage AE)

June 4
Yo-Yo Ma (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

June 6
Jon Pardi (Petersen Events Center)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival)

June 8
Suzanne Vega (Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival)

June 13
Thomas Rhett (The Pavilion at Star Lake)
Jack’s Mannequin (Stage AE)

June 14
Halsey (The Pavilion at Star Lake)
Alabama (Pittsburgh Brewing Company)
Less Than Jake (Stage AE)

June 16
Big Country (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

June 20
Megan Moroney (Stage AE)
Allman Betts Band (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)

June 24
Phish (Petersen Events Center)

June 26
Avril Lavigne (The Pavilion at Star Lake)

June 29
Frankie Avalon (Palace Theatre)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.

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