Concert Guide October 2026: Smokey Robinson, Wiz, Jonas Brothers, Little Big Town, Dan + Shay, and Styx

This month’s big concert news is the opening of Citizens Live at The Wylie, which provides a medium-sized venue for musical acts. Live Nation in opening the venue has booked several performers who are Pittsburgh natives or who have ties to Pittsburgh. Those acts include Wiz Khalifa, Smokey Robinson, Styx, Foster the People, and Role Model. Another group that has ties to Pittsburgh is Dan + Shay and they will be playing next door at PPG Paints Arena. Also at PPG with a name fit for the Halloween season are The Smashing Pumpkins. The Jonas Brothers play there too. Other notables performing at Citizens Live at The Wylie are Tedeschi Trucks Band, Little Big Town, Boyz II Men, and Chance the Rapper. Rounding out the month are the Michael Franti Trio at the Roxian and Taylor Dayne headlining the Women Who Rock benefit for UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

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, October 1

Role Model, nee Tucker Harrington Pillsbury, will be the first national act to play the brand spanking new Citizens Live at The Wylie concert venue. The Maine native studied film here in our fair city at Point Park University. Ski and skateboard accidents steered him to music which he took up and honed during his recoveries. He recorded several mixtapes, including a rap one, under the name Tucker. He changed his style to more of a singer and his name to Dillis before settling on Role Model. In another Pittsburgh connection, after Mac Miller heard Role Model’s extended play, Arizona in the Summer, in 2017, Miller invited him to come to Los Angeles and mentored him. Role Model has released three LPs: Rx (2022), Kansas Anymore (2024), and Chuck Timely & the Hourglass (August), the latter reaching no. 10 on the Billboard 200 Album chart. On the dating scene he was in a relationship with Dakota Johnson for a year until 2026. Role Model has been open about his being affected by depression and some lyrics mention the topic of mental health. Now catch him in a festive show to open Citizens Live at The Wylie. Special guest is Samia. 7:30 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (R.H.)

Friday, October 2

Wiz Khalifa’s rap songs have been nominated for 10 Grammys, including the hometown fave “Black and Yellow.” (Khalifa, born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School and an all-around Pittsburgh fan.) “See You Again,” which features singer Charlie Puth, appears on the Furious7 soundtrack. The song pays tribute to one of the film’s stars, Paul Walker, who died in a car accident before the movie was completed. Worldwide, “See You Again” sold more copies than any other song in 2015. It also was nominated for three Grammys and a Golden Globe. In 2016, Khalifa released a self-titled album; it debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. In 2021 he competed on the Fox TV show “The Masked Singer,” finishing in third place. He has also collaborated with artists like Snoop Dogg, Bruno Mars, and Ty Dolla $ign. Khalifa’s eighth and latest studio album, Khaotic, dropped in February of this year on Taylor Gang Records. Khalifa will sear his name into the new Citizens Live at The Wylie venue through his performance and his fans. BossMan Dlow gets the party rolling. 8 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (R.H.)

All you “Rebel Rockers” out there, make sure to catch Michael Franti Trio at the Roxian Theatre. This tour features stripped down acoustic versions of his songs and stories behind the songs. It’s called the Heartstings & Dynamite tour. Franti and band concoct a frothy musical mix using the ingredients of hip-hop, rock, funk, jazz, reggae, and folk to create a tasty smoothie for the ears. Franti and Spearhead have 13 studio albums to their credit including All Rebel Rockers and The Sound of Sunshine, both of which occupied high chart positions on the Billboard 200—nos. 39 and 17 respectively. In addition to being a very talented songwriter and musician, Franti is a dedicated humanitarian and environmentalist. He has toured the Middle East as an advocate for peace, is a strong supporter of South Africa’s Ubuntu Education Fund, and played three separate events to commemorate President Obama’s inauguration. He has said, “I make music for one reason … I care about people and I care about the planet.” He believes that music can help us all rise up and make a better world. Franti released his SoulRocker album in June of 2016 on the same day that he played the opening concert for the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Big Big Love is his latest studio LP, released in 2023. Special guests are the Wheeland Brothers. 8 p.m. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. (R.H.)

Saturday, October 3

Styx is the mythical river in Greek mythology that sets the boundary between Earth and Hades. It’s also the name of a legendary Chicago rock band whose major success was between the chronological boundaries of 1972 and 1984. During that period, the band had four consecutive multi-platinum albums and 16 top 40 singles on the U.S. charts. The hit parade included songs like “Lady” and “Come Sail Away.” And of course Steeler fans love Styx’s “Renegade,” often played at home games. Last year Styx released their 18th studio album, Circling from Above. This year Styx visits Pittsburgh’s Citizens Live at the Wylie, with guest artists The Outlaws. Tickets have been going fast so act promptly and appropriately. 8 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (E.C., M.V.)

Sunday, October 4

Indie pop rockers Foster the People keep the opening party going at Citizens Live at The Wylie. The “Foster” in Foster the People is Mark Foster (vocals, piano, keyboards, percussion, synthesizers, guitar, and programming). He was kicking around L.A. trying to land some music gigs while also working as a commercial jingle writer when he started the band in 2009. Joining him were Jacob “Cubbie” Fink (bass, backing vocals) and Mark Pontius (drums, percussion). They have both left the band and have been replaced by multi-instrumentalist Isom Innis and several touring musicians. The advertising experience seems to have given Foster insights into what markets want, as evidenced by the success of “Coming of Age” and “Pumped Up Kicks,” with its nice bass grooves, synth sounds, and melodic vocals. The group’s latest studio album is 2024’s Paradise State of Mind. 8 p.m. Goth Babe opens. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (RH, CM)

Tuesday, October 6

The Smashing Pumpkins are best known for their alt-rock sound, the vocals of frontman Billy Corgan, and songs like “1979” and “Bullet with Butterfly Wings.” They formed in Chicago in 1988 and have taken a hiatus and had varying lineups over the years. Despite playing hard-edged rock, they’re not much into performative violence; Corgan notes that the “Smashing” in the band’s name is an adjective, in the manner that a British person would say “You look smashing.” The Pumpkins are, however, into thinking differently. Their album Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts was literally released in three installments, from November of 2022 to May of 2023. Next they released 2024’s Aghori Mhori Mei, a much-discussed title which according to Google AI may refer to “extreme, unconventional spiritual practices” and more, which might also be said of the music on the album. Expect an esoteric experience when The Smashing Pumpkins visit PPG Paints Arena. 8 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (M.V.)

Friday, October 9

Dan Smeyers grew up in Wexford, Pennsylvania, and graduated from North Allegheny High School. He attended Carnegie Mellon before embarking on his professional musical career. Smeyers played in several  bands, one of which was even on the Vans Warped Tour, before meeting Shay Mooney, a native of Natural Dam, Arkansas, in Nashville. The two of them clicked and started writing country songs soon thereafter. After some early success they started performing together as Dan + Shay. Now they have seven albums and numerous awards including three Grammys and five ACM Awards. Young is Dan + Shay’s latest album released in August. Special guests for their Pittsburgh tour stop are Tyler Hubbard and Josh Ross. 7 p.m. PPG Paints Arena, 1001 Fifth Ave. Uptown. (R.H.)

Sunday, October 11

Unlike Chance the gardener, the character who accidentally becomes famous in the movie Being There, Chance the Rapper has deliberately and deservedly become famous. The artist born Chancellor J. Bennett burst big on the Chicago scene in 2012 with his self-released mixtape 10 Day. It was titled in honor of a 10-day suspension he’d received in high school, during which he had used the time to reflect and start the project. Things took off from there. Chance’s 2016 mixtape Coloring Book won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. The beats have continued through last year’s studio album Star Line, film roles and TV appearances, and more. Chance has been called a “versatile” rapper, in terms of both style and content. He raps but also sings. Themes of his tracks range from his Christian faith (wherein traces of gospel music may show up) to his affinity for marijuana, as in the contagiously comical single “Tree.” What will he do next? There may be clues when Chance the Rapper comes to Pittsburgh on his latest tour. Guest performer is La Reezy. Doors open at 7 p.m., music 8 p.m. at Citizens Live at the Wylie, 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (M.V.)

Friday, October 16

The many genres of modern music have spawned many styles of vocalizing, from rap to the death-metal growl and so forth. But for good old singing in harmony, the go-to group over the last few decades has been Boyz II Men. They hit the charts in the early 1990s with “I’ll Make Love to You” and “End of the Road,” which set a record of 13 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Boyz II Men then upped their chart-topping record to 14 and 16 weeks, respectively, with “I’ll Make Love to You” and “One Sweet Day” (with Mariah Carey). They’ve continued to tour and record, with a total of 15 studio albums, and even found time to make a TV commercial or two. One for Geico showed that even unpleasant medication side effects can sound better when sung by silky smooth Boyz II Men. Bass singer Michael McCary left in 2003, turning the quartet to a trio, but founding baritone/tenor Nathan Morris still heads the lineup with longtime fellow artists Shawn Stockman and Wanyá Morris. Hear Boyz II Men in the new Citizens Live at the Wylie concert venue. 7:30 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (R.H., M.V.)

Saturday, October 17

Maybe you don’t want to miss this year’s Women Who Rock mega-concert at Stage AE. The headliner is the legendary dance music maker Taylor Dayne who broke it big with the track “Tell it to My Heart” in 1987. Her first two albums were certified double platinum and has had seven top 10 singles. Dayne doesn’t have a recent LP, but can boast an impressive back catalog. Also on the bill are DJ Coachella, Malina Moye, and The Vindys. Better yet, this is a fundraiser, with the proceeds—as always—helping to address women’s health issues at UPMC Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (R.H.)

Tuesday, October 20

The Grammy Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band plays Citizens Live at The Wylie this month. Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks are both bandmates and a married couple. They formed the band in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2010 after both had already tasted career success. Trucks was a member of the Allman Brothers for a number of years, fronted his own band, and worked on projects with many musicians, including Eric Clapton. He’s known as one of the guitar greats and was ranked no. 16 on Rolling Stone‘s list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2011. Before becoming a headliner of her own, Susan Tedeschi opened for top acts like B.B. King, Bob Dylan, and even the Allman Brothers (that’s how they met in 1999). Known for her pleasant vocals, she is a respected guitarist in her own right. The Tedeschi Trucks Band has been nominated for two Grammy Awards and won one in 2012 for the album Revelator. Before flying the banner of Tedeschi Trucks Band, the two collaborated in their previous band, Soul Stew Revival. Their soulful, blues-rock 12-piece band is a big reason for their success. Their latest LP release Future Soul dropped in March, reaching the no. 1 spot on the Billboard U.S. Top Blues Albums Chart. 7 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (R.H.)

Friday, October 23

The coolest of the cool, Smokey Robinson, is in concert at Citizens Live at The Wylie. Smokey’s wife is from Pittsburgh and they are part-time residents of our fair city. Robinson is a legendary Motown performer and also a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. He met Motown Records founder Berry Gordy in 1957 and presented Gordy with a notebook containing 100 songs he had written. Robinson formed the Miracles and they became one of the first groups signed to Motown. They also became the first Motown act to sell one million records with the hit single “Shop Around.” Robinson and The Miracles would have many more top hits including “More Love,” “Tears of a Clown,” “Going to a Go-Go,” and “Tracks of My Tears” before he departed in 1972 for an executive position with Motown in Los Angeles. He missed performing and would return with a vengeance, creating hits like “Cruisin” and “Being With You.” If you haven’t gotten to see Smokey yet this is a great opportunity. He puts on a great show. 8 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (R. H.)

Sunday, October 25

The last time Little Big Town came to our town, the two guys and two gals of this country music quartet were touring in support of their holiday album, The Christmas Record. Now they’ve got a new release called It’s a Dying Art. The art in question is that of long-term relationships, and the singers themselves are pretty good at keeping that art alive. All four original members of the group have been together since they formed in Homewood, Alabama in 1998. Two of them, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook, are even married to each other. And the togetherness policy seems to work, as Little Big Town has won numerous Grammys and CMA Awards. The plaintive 2015 single “Girl Crush” was one of their many songs to chart on both country and popular radio. In a different vein, they’ve done raucous numbers like 2020’s  “Wine, Beer, Whiskey.” So whether you’re in the mood for eternal love or partying, you might want to catch them at Pittsburgh’s newest concert venue. Little Big Town visits Citizens Live at the Wylie with guest Ashley Ray. Doors at 6:30 p.m., music 7:30 p.m. 1201 Wylie Ave., Hill District. (M.V.) 

Monday, October 26 

The Jonas Brothers bring their pop rock and handsome faces to Pittsburgh once again. Brothers Kevin, Joe, and Nick got their start performing in their home state of New Jersey. After their second album in 2007, Disney came calling and they subsequently appeared in the Disney films Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. They went on to star in two TV series on the Disney Channel, “Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream” and “Jonas.” After splitting over creative differences in 2013, the pop rockers re-formed as a group in 2019, to the immense delight of their fan base. Their reunion single, “Sucker,” debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their back-together album, 2019’s Happiness Begins, shot to no. 1 on the US Billboard 200. Then in 2020, Amazon Prime Video released Happiness Continues: A Jonas Brothers Concert Film. Their most recent album, last year’s Greetings from Your Hometown, scored a critical and commercial hit. And the good times have just kept rolling, right on up through their current tour. The Jonas Brothers play PPG Paints Arena with guest artists Magnus Ferrell and Deleasa. 7:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Avenue, Uptown. (R.H., M.V.)

Other Shows of Interest

Thursday, October 1
Red Clay Strays (PPG Paints Arena)
Maggie Rose (Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall)
Eli Winter Trio (Warhol Sound Series)

Friday, October 2
Robin Trower (Palace Theatre)
Dustin Lynch (Timber Rock Amphitheater)

Saturday, October 3
Count Basie Orchestra with Nnenna Freelon (MCG Jazz)

Sunday, October 4
Stryper (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)
Tracy Bonham, Maia Sharp, and Liz Berlin (City Winery)

Tuesday, October 6
Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (Heinz Hall)
Interpol (Stage AE)

Wednesday, October 7
Dokken (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

Thursday, October 8
Here Come the Mummies (Jergel’s)

Saturday, October 10
Modest Mouse (Citizens Live at The Wylie)
Joe Grushecky (Steamworks Creative)

Monday, October 12
Skillet (Citizens Live at The Wylie)

Tuesday, October 13
Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)

Wednesday, October 14
Richard Shindell (City Winery)
Tab Benoit (Jergel’s)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (Roxian Theatre)

Thursday, October 15
Mickey Dolenz (Palace Theatre)

Friday, October 16
Sun King Warriors (Lamp Theatre)

Saturday, October 17
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Byham Theater)
8th Street Rox (The Meadows Hollywood Casino)

Sunday, October 18
The Jayhawks (Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall)

Monday, October 19
Chris Botti (City Winery)
B-PEP Jazz (Heinz History Center)

Monday, October 21
Scott Blasey (Jergel’s)

Thursday, October 22
Low Cut Connie (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
Candelbox (Roxian Theatre)

Friday, October 23
Rod Wave (PPG Paints Arena)
The Commonheart (Mr. Smalls Theatre)

Saturday, October 24
Ruff Creek (The Meadows Hollywood Casino)

Sunday, October 25
The Real Deal Blues w/Dan Bubien & The Delta Struts,
Pierce Dipner, and Bobby Thompson (Moondog’s Pub)

Monday, October 26
Daughtry Unplugged (Palace Theatre)

Thursday, October 29
Night of the Singing Dead (City Winery)

Friday, October 30
Lotus (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
Norm Nardini (Moondog’s Pub)
Dylan Gossett and Charles Wesley Godwin (Citizens Live at The Wylie)

Saturday, October 31
Dweezil Zappa (Roxian Theatre)

Big Shows on the Horizon

November 4
Judy Collins (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)

November 12
Jack White (Citizens Live at The Wylie)

November 15
Rush (PPG Paints Arena)

November 22
Triumph (Petersen Events Center)

November 29
Bret Michaels (Palace Theatre)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.

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