March ’22 Concert Guide: The Eagles, Alice Cooper, Tyler the Creator, Tame Impala, and Animal Collective

Australian Kevin Parker’s musical project Tame Impala seen here performing at the Flow Festival in Helsinki, Finland in 2019. (photo: Raph_PH and Wikipedia)

March is coming in like a lion on the Pittsburgh concert scene. Tool rocks out PPG Paints Arena to get the party started. Another big act later in the month is The Eagles who will be in concert at the same venue.

Our fair city is a friendly place and we’ll be welcoming back a few favorite, frequent visitors with Alice Cooper, Lotus, and Jill Sobule.

There’s some top, rising talent heading to town as well in Tyler the Creator, Tame Impala, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Animal Collective, Hippo Campus, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. America and Loverboy will be providing more classic rock hits. On the local music side there will be many talented Pittsburgh bands performing on and around St. Patrick’s Day. Look for said bands in our St. Patrick’s Day Cool Picks.

This guide features (in chronological order) spotlighted picks, other shows of note, and big shows on the radar. Get out and see what pleases you, whether it’s one of our concerts or something entirely different.

Concerts in the Entertainment Central Spotlight:

Tuesday, March 1

In 2019 Tool released its first album in 13 years: Fear Inoculum. Some tracks top 10 minutes, but the prog-rock arrangements are captivating, so they feel more like a medley of two or three different tunes. The mysterious alt-metal quartet has always shied from the spotlight. The band members rarely appear in their music videos. In fact, most of their videos opt strictly for stop-motion animation. They were also one of the last streaming holdouts, but you can now find all their music on services such as Spotify. Vocalist Maynard James Keenan, who also fronts A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, often performs wearing Kabuki masks, wigs, or other guises. Tool formed in Los Angeles in 1990. The group’s first album was 1993’s Undertow. 10,000 Days, their previous album, was released in 2006. Tool comes to PPG Paints Arena. The Acid Helps opens. 7:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (C.M., R.H.)

Friday, March 4 & Saturday, March 5

Lotus has a history of playing shows on or around New Year’s Eve in Pittsburgh. For example, the jam band performed at Stage AE on December 27, 2019. We all know how 2020 went, so no Lotus show that year. They were supposed to play concerts on December 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021 at Mr. Smalls Theatre, but with Covid still very present in the nation they rescheduled the date for March. The band, originally from Indiana, is known for incorporating electronic elements into its music. On 2016’s Eat the Light, the group tried something new: vocals, with a different guest musician on every track. Concerts include elaborate lighting and occasionally themed shows. One 2009 concert saw David Bowie costumes. The band members play covers as well as originals during themed shows. 2021’s Citrus is Lotus’s latest album. 9 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (C.M., R.H.)

Monday, March 7

Tame Impala is the one-man band of Kevin Parker of Perth, Australia. He and four touring musicians will play the Petersen Events Center this month. The almost eight-minute-long, psychedelic whirlwind of “Let It Happen” from their third studio album, Currents, is an example of Tame Impala’s skill. Another interesting question is which is better: the slow headnod of “‘Cause I’m a Man” or its spiraling, 3D music video. Tame Impala is also sure to play cuts from 2010’s Innerspeaker and 2012’s critically acclaimed Lonerism. Get ready for quite a few Pink Floyd-esque light effects as well. Tame Impala is on their Slow Rush tour in support of their 2020 album release of the same name. Junglepussy opens. 8 p.m. 3719 Terrace St., Oakland. (C.M., R.H.)

Wednesday, March 9

‘Everybody’s working for the weekend,” is a lyric from one of Loverboy‘s top hits “Working for the Weekend.” The week of March 7 everyone will be working for Wednesday night—the night that Loverboy plays the Palace Theatre. The group is a Canadian rock band that started in Calgary, but now works out of Vancouver. Loverboy broke up for several years, 1988 to 1991, but has continued to tour over the decades. Another top hit for the band was “Turn Me Loose” from their eponymous 1980 album. 7:30 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (R.H.)

Friday, March 11

Did you know that all three members of America grew up in England? The trio met in high school in London in the ’60s, all three the sons of British mothers and American military fathers. They took on the moniker “America” as a rather on-the-nose way of signaling their preferred national identities while playing clubs across the pond. The group will long be remembered for the iconic “A Horse with No Name,” and other songs like “Ventura Highway” and “You Can Do Magic.” Those  hits represents only a tiny fraction of the group’s musical library, which spans over 30 albums and five decades. The band’s last studio album was 2015’s Lost & Found.  7:30 p.m. Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (E.C., R.H.)

Pittsburgh has gotten to watch the rise of a great indie-rock band, Hippo Campus. The group gave a landmark performance at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival in 2017 and later that year played Mr. Smalls. On this trip they will be in concert at the Roxian Theatre. 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 the members’ relative youth. The Animal Collective parallels are sure to persist, for like their noise-rock forebears, all the members used to perform under the eccentric stage names: Turntan, Stitches, Espo, and Beans. Their latest album release is LP3 which dropped in February. Jelani Aryeh opens. 7 p.m. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks (C.M., R.H.)

Saturday, March 12

Tyler, the Creator will perform at the Petersen Events Center. He is a member, if not the leader of, the hip hop collective Odd Future. He designs the group’s artwork and has created much of their merchandise. His solo albums, such as 2019’s Igor, oft receive critical acclaim even if his lyrics are sometimes criticized. He performed “911” on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Most recently he was a headlining act for last year’s Lollapalooza. Tyler, the Creator’s 2021 album, Call Me if You Get Lost, debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard 200. Also on the bill are Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, and Teezo Touchdown. 7 p.m. 3719 Terrace St., Oakland. (C.M., R.H.)

Wednesday, March 16

St. Paul and the Broken Bones closed the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival with a roar heard ’round the Point in 2017. St. Paul (née Paul Janeway) sings with a Sam Cooke-esque range and depth of soul. The Broken Bones, resplendent with horns, further lift his voice. The band is based in Birmingham, Alabama, and has released four albums, most recently this year’s Alien Coast.. Sharp songwriting matches the moving instrumentation. “Crumbling Light Posts, Pt. 1,” “Pt. 2,” and “Pt. 3,” from 2016’s Sea of Noise, allude to a Winston Churchill quote. St. Paul and the Broken Bones have toured around the world and have played the mother of all opening gigs: playing before the Rolling Stones. They will perform at Stage AE. Special guest is Three Sacred Souls. Doors open 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (C.M., R.H.)

Friday, March 18

Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and the elusive Deakin are Animal Collective. From the chaos of their debut album (2000’s Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished) to the ache and fun of 2004’s Sung Tongs and 2005’s Feels, these four men from Baltimore have always created music that most bands don’t even think to attempt. When Merriweather Post Pavilion dropped in 2009, the press and the public reacted identically: “Wait, Animal Collective just released one of the greatest albums of all time?!” Yes, they did, propelled by the surprisingly accessible single, “My Girls.” Animal Collective just released their latest album, Time Skiffs, in February. L’Rain opens. 8 p.m. Mr. Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (C.M.,R.H.)

There’s a new, young blues-rock guitar hero on the rise nationally—Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. At the age of 23 he has already received two Grammy Award nominations. The latest for his sophomore 2021 album 662. The album debuted at the no. 1 spot on Billboard’s Blues Chart last year and has remained on it ever since. Rolling Stone said, “Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.” And the icing on the cake is that Ingram grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a region known for blues music. He has played and recorded with many of the greats including Buddy Guy and Keb Mo and was heavily influenced by Muddy Waters. Country music singer-songwriter Maggie Rose opens. 7:30 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. (R.H.)

Sunday, March 20

Alice Cooper rose to fame in the early 1970s with the hits “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “School’s Out,” and “I’m Eighteen.” When Cooper first appeared on the rock radar, he shocked not only with horror imagery, but also with how hard and well he rocked, setting the stage for many rock/metal groups to follow. He blended horrific makeup and onstage props like guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, baby dolls, snakes, and dueling swords with high-quality rock and metal music. Rolling Stone called Cooper the world’s “most beloved heavy metal entertainer.” His dad was a preacher for The Church of Jesus Christ (the Bickertonites) which was headquartered in Monongahela, PA, and now in Greensburg. Cooper was raised in Detroit and then Arizona. He is a very accomplished amateur golfer. In 2018, Cooper performed as King Herod in NBC’s live performance of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. His concert is sure to be a music and theatrical event. Cooper’s most recent album is 2021’s Detroit Stories. Buckcherry opens. 7:30 p.m. Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District. (R.H.)

Alice Cooper and his band in concert during Halloween Night of Horror at Wembley Arena, London, England, 2012. photo: Kreepin Deth

Monday, March 21

Singer-songwriter Jill Sobule is returning to Pittsburgh’s Club Cafe almost 20 years after recording her live DVD, Live in Pittsburgh, at the same venue. And also two years after recording her concert film F*ck7thGrade with City Theatre at Hazelwood Green (see our story and interview with Sobule). She will have plenty of new material to add to the set list since that 2003 recording—she’s released eight albums since then, including 2018’s Nostalgia Kills and five EPs. Her biggest commercial hit came from 1995’s self-titled album, featuring the singles “I Kissed A Girl” and “Supermodel,” which were featured on the Clueless movie soundtrack. Since then, Sobule’s sound has evolved into a narrative, folk-influenced style, which has won her a dedicated following. However, she can still rock hard when she chooses to. 8 p.m. 56-58 S. 12th St., South Side. (R.H.)

Jill Sobule.

Saturday, March 26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJbBcc3_8Zs

The Eagles are a quintessential American rock band. Their talent and versatility allowed them to excel at both ballads and rockers. And The Eagles’ vocal harmonies are some of the best in the business. Five number-one singles, six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, and six number-one albums demonstrate their popularity as one of the best-selling bands of the 1970s. The Eagles were founded in Los Angeles, California in 1971 by Glenn Frey (guitars, vocals), Don Henley (drums, vocals), Bernie Leadon (guitars, vocals), and Randy Meisner (bass guitar, vocals). Leadon left the group in ’75, Meisner in ’77, and Frey passed away in 2016. However, The Eagles have managed to fly on. Timothy B. Schmit has been the band’s longtime bass guitar player and shined singing lead vocals on the hit “I Can’t Tell You Why.” Another longtime member is Joe Walsh, whose guitar playing prowess powered many of the songs on The Eagles’ blockbuster album Hotel California and subsequent ones as well. Vince Gill has joined as a touring musician. He has had a successful solo career and was once a member of Pure Prairie League. Also joining the band on tour is Deacon Frey (Glenn’s son) and Will Henley (Don’s son). Sounds like it will be a great, albeit different, Eagles experience. Some of the Eagles’ most popular songs include “One of These Nights,” “Hotel California,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Take It Easy,” “The Last Resort,” and “Life in the Fast Lane.” On this tour The Eagles will be playing all of songs from their Hotel California album plus a greatest hits set. 8 p.m. PPG Paints Arena, 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (R.H.)

Other Shows of Note

Tuesday, March 1
Sun Volt (Mr. Smalls)

Thursday, March 3
Devon Allman Project & Samantha Fish (Jergel’s)

Friday, March 4
Ferdinand the Bull (Greer Cabaret Theater)

Saturday, March 5
Bill Toms & Hard Rain (Club Cafe)
Jim Donovan & Sun King Warriors (Rivers Casino)

Saturday, March 12
Bastard Bearded Irishmen (Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall)

Wednesday, March 16
Jukebox the Ghost (Mr. Smalls)

Monday, March 21 & Tuesday, March 22
Ali Stroker (Greer Cabaret Theater)

Thursday, March 24
Firehouse (Jergel’s)
Martina McBride (Palace Theatre)

Friday, March 25 & Saturday, March 26
Wynton Marsalis (MCG Jazz)
The Clarks & Bill Deasy (The Lamp Theatre)

Sunday, March 26
Peter Noone & Hermans Hermits
+ The Buckinghams (Palace Theatre)

Tuesday, March 29
Mitski (Stage AE)

Thursday, March 31
Dan Bubien & The Delta Struts (Greer Cabaret Theater)

Big Shows on the Radar

Friday, April 1
Ace Frehley (Jergel’s)

Saturday, April 2
Justin Bieber (PPG Paints Arena)
Toby Mac & Crowder (Petersen Events Center)

Sunday, April 3
Buddy Guy (Palace Theatre)

Monday, April 11
Gov’t Mule (Roxian Theatre)

Thursday, April 14
Jack White (Petersen Events Center)

Saturday, April 16
Al Stewart (Palace Theatre)
Wynonna Judd (Roxian Theatre)

Saturday, April 23
Gladys Knight (Rivers Casino)

Sunday, April 24
Mastedon (Stage AE)

Monday, April 25
Suzanne Vega (The Oaks Theater)

Thursday, April 28
Jefferson Starship (Palace Theatre)
Steel Panther (Stage AE)

Friday, April 29
Cat Power (Mr. Smalls)

Saturday, April 30
Girl Talk (Stage AE)
Steve Hackett (Palace Theatre)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.

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