February 2025 Concert Guide: Kelsea Ballerini, Boyz II Men, Fr. John Misty, and Grand Funk Railroad

With Valentine’s Day, February can be a very romantic month. One of the more romantic concerts this month is Boyz II Men at Rivers Casino Event Center. Another good show for romance could be Kelsea Ballerini, albeit at a little less intimate venue, PPG Paints Arena. And if you, and you’re significant other are lovers of hard rock, then the George Thorogood & The Destroyers show at Rivers could also cause some sparks. A different kind of love, love of cowbell as a rock instrument turns you on, then Grand Funk Railroad at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall is the ticket. We’re not sure if Father John Misty can marry anyone, but his music can lift the spirits. Other spotlight picks include Billy F. Gibbons, Lettuce & GZA, Alan Walker, and Parmalee. All promise to be good concerts as well.

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

Sunday, February 2

Pittsburgh has gotten to watch the rise of a great indie-rock band, Hippo Campus. Their music combines Animal Collective-esque harmonies with Vampire Weekend’s world-music rhythms. What’s even more impressive is how fully formed the group sounds despite their being relatively young. The Animal Collective parallels are sure to persist, for like their noise-rock forebears, all the members used to perform under eccentric stage names: Turntan, Stitches, Espo, and Beans. DeCarlo Jackson and Samuel Calvo are the newest band members. Jackson plays trumpet, acoustic guitar, and percussion. Calvo plays keys. Hippo Campus’ latest studio album is 2024’s Flood. Stage AE. Special guest is Petey. Doors open 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

Tuesday, February 4

Billy F. Gibbons is best known as the talented, bearded guitar slinger adding to the raw power of ZZ Top’s rock sound. He still plays with the band, who toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd recently on the joint Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour. Initially a percussionist, his dad sent young Gibbons to study under the noted musician, Tito Puente. Then when studying at the Warner Brother’s Art School in Hollywood, he had his first taste of success playing in bands including Moving Sidewalk which then had a hit with “99th Floor.” Gibbons latest studio LP is 2021’s Hardware. With Mike Flanigin and Chris Layton. 8 p.m. Sold out. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille, 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (R.H.)

Wednesday, February 5

Lettuce, a funk band from Boston active since 1992, were one of the older acts at Thrival Music Festival 2016 at Carrie Furnace. But the group’s songs, mostly tight instrumentals, won over the kids—the hipsterish crowd was soon grooving like a sea of veteran funkateers. The band toured to places as far as Tokyo before releasing its first studio album, 2002’s Outta Here. Its 2017 LP Witches Stew was recorded live at the Catskill Chill Music Festival in Lakewood, Pennsylvania in 2016. It pays homage to Miles Davis’s 1970 jazz-fusion masterpiece, Bitches Brew, and it even covers some songs from that record. No surprise that the musicians from Lettuce would tackle such a project: all are accomplished musicians with many having studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Their latest album, Unify, was released in 2022.

There’s a reason GZA (née Gary Grice) also goes by The Genius. He has had a life-long interest in science, especially quantum physics. His second solo album, 1995’s Liquid Swords, is often lauded by fans and critics alike as the paragon of lyrical prowess. Its reputation has only grown; over 20 years after its release, it went platinum. Plus, what topic won’t GZA rap about? He also champions science education for New York City high school students. With Columbia University Professor Christopher Emdin and the website Rap Genius, he helped to pilot Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S. (Bringing Attention to Transforming, Teaching, and Learning Science), an initiative which teaches science through hip hop. GZA is a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, arguably the greatest hip hop group of all time. GZA hasn’t released an album since 2008, but he has been keeping busy with several projects including providing a voice role in Netflix’s “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts” as Bad Billions. He even created a song for the series. A fun song/video of his is “Breaker Breaker” which has GZA driving around a tractor trailer with numerous speakers on the inside and outside. Stage AE. Doors open at 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

Friday, February 7

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.” 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.)

Thursday, February 13

Norwegian DJ and record producer, Alan Walker, scored big hits with the songs “Faded,” “Sing Me to Sleep,” “All Falls Down,” and “Alone.” They all reached multi-platinum status and no.1 chart positions on the Norwegian VG-lista national recording chart. Walker’s electro/house sound gets the concert crowds up and moving. Walker’s fifth album, Walkerworld 2.0, which was released in January, has so far reached no. 17 on the Norwegian VG-lista album chart. Walker wears a partial face covering to maintain a sense of anonymity, unity, and that we are all equal. TELYkast opens. 7 p.m. Stage AE, 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (R.H.)

Sunday, February 16

Boyz II Men are originally from Philadelphia, and best known for beautiful vocal harmonies in their love ballads. They hit the charts with “I’ll Make Love to You” and “End of the Road” in the early 1990s. “End of the Road” set a new record for weeks topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with 13 weeks at number 1. 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 over the ensuing decades, with a total of 15 studio albums. The group has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and even found time to make a TV commercial or two. One for Geico shows that even unpleasant medication side effects can sound better when sung by silky smooth Boyz II Men. Founding baritone/tenor Nathan Morris heads the current lineup, with longtime fellow artists Shawn Stockman and Wanyá Morris. Hear Boyz II Men in the Event Center at Rivers Casino. 7 p.m. 777 Casino Dr., North Shore. (R.H., M.V.)

Wednesday, February 19

Father John Misty is a multi-dimensional musician who will be performing at Stage AE. Audiences can enjoy a sound that is a little psychedelic, a little rock, and a little folk. His subjects vary, and his songs include such titles as “I’m Writing a Novel” and “Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All.” Until 2012, he worked his craft under his birth name, Joshua (J.) Tillman, including a stint as the drummer for folk-rock band Fleet Foxes. As J. Tillman, he released eight (!) albums between 2003 and 2010. His latest LP, released last November, is Mahashmashana. When writing songs, Misty starts out writing long unstructured passages, almost like an epic poem. Then he distills down what he has into a few songs. Misty is from Rockville, Maryland. Destroyer opens. Doors at 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

Friday, February 21

Parmalee is a town in northeastern North Carolina. Two country music playing brothers, Matt Thomas (lead vocals, guitar) and Scott Thomas (drums) who hail from there make up the band Parmalee along with their cousin, Barry Knox (bass) and non-relative, Josh McSwain (guitar). With seven studio  albums under their belt, they have garnered four no. 1 singles on the Billboard Country Airplay charts. They are touring in support of their upcoming April 4 release, Fell in Love with a Cowgirl. 7 p.m. Roxian Theatre, 425 Chartiers ave., McKees Rocks. (R.H.)

Saturday, February 22

In 1973 George Thorogood joined up with high school friend, drummer Jeff Simon to form the band, The Delaware Destroyers. The group’s sound is a mix of Chicago blues and rock and roll. Hit songs such as “Bad to the Bone, ” “I Drink Alone,” and covers “Who Do You Love,” “Move It on Over, and “House Rent Blues/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” ruled the FM radio airways of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Thorogood’s vocals sport a distinctive rock growl. The band celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. 7 p.m. Rivers Casino Events Center, 777 Casino Dr., Manchester. (R.H.)

,Thursday, February 27

If you occasionally like a little cowbell in your rock music, few do it better that 1970s superstar rock band Grand Funk Railroad. Cowbell is used to great effect on the group’s song, “We’re An American Band.” Songs like: “The Loco-Motion,” I’m Your Captain,” and “Some Kind of Wonderful” kept the band at the top of the charts for a period in the ’70s. Grand Funk had six platinum and seven gold-certified albums between 1969 and when they first disbanded in 1976. The band has been a little bit like an accordion, moving between several disbandment’s and reunions. In 1998 Mark Farner, Grand Funk’s original singer and lead guitarist left the band for good. Original members Don Brewer (drums and vocals) and Mel Sachcher (bass) have kept the Funk going. It’s been a little while since they last released and album. 1983’s What’s Funk?, is the last album recorded. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) they aren’t in the Rock and Roll of Fame. With all the people they’re letting in, Grand Funk Railroad should be in too. 8 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, 510 E. 10th St., Munhall. (R.H.)

Other Shows of Interest

February 4
Dwayne Dolphin Fotet (Greer Cabaret Lounge)

Wednesday, February 5
Matt Pond PA (Pittsburgh Winery)

Friday, February 7
Tina Daniels Band (Moondog’s Pub)

Saturday, February 8
Ruff Creek (Hollywood Casino at The Meadows)
Bill Henry Band (Pittsburgh Winery)
Chet Vincent, Mark Dignam, The Redlines (Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall)

Tuesday, February 11
Over the Rhine (City Winery)

Friday, February 14
Billy Price Band (Moondog’s Pub)

Saturday February 15
Rayland Baxter (City Winery)

Tuesday, February 18
Max Leake (Greer Cabaret Lounge)

Wednesday, February 19
Sons of Cream (City Winery)

Friday, February 21
Frank Vieira (Rivers Casino)

Friday, February 28
Tommy Castro and the Painkillers (Moondog’s Pub)

Big Shows on the Horizon

March 1
Ashley Cooke

March 7
Kraftwerk (Stage AE)

March 19
Daniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

March 28
Tyler the Creator (PPG Paints Arena)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.

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