March Concert Guide: Reba, Howard Jones, The Chieftains, Mandy Moore, and Bear Hands

ALL CONCERTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED!

This concert scene this month sees two big one namers—Celine (Dion) and Reba (McEntire). Both Dion and McEntire perform separate concerts at PPG Paints Arena. Another source of high grade female twang is Ashley McByrde who will be at Mr. Smalls. 1980’s pop rock sensation Howard Jones calms things down a little with his Acoustic Trio Tour at Jergel’s. Other top notch acts visiting the ‘Burgh this month include Sturgill Simpson, Bear Hands, Keller Williams, Nathaniel Rateliff, Guster, Mandy Moore, The Outlaws, Omarion, and Bow Wow. Musical associates of David Bowie have banded together and will be performing his music at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall.

March also brings a cornucopia of traditional and contemporary Irish bands and performers. First and foremost is the legendary group, The Chieftains, on what could be their farewell tour. Another notable Irish group is The Celtic Tenors. They are in concert for two nights at Zelienople’s Strand Theater. Other bands providing holiday mood music are The Ploughman’s Lunch, Bastard Bearded Irishman, Mark Dignam, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers (Rescheduled), and The River City Brass Band. Local bands who may or may not be playing Irish tunes this month are The Clarks and The Silencers.

The Entertainment Central Concert Guide is made up of three sections: EC Spotlighted Concerts, Other Suggested Concerts, and On the Radar. Each section lists concerts in chronological order. Christopher Maggio (CM) and Mike Vargo (MV) made substantial contributions to the Guide.

EC Spotlighted Concerts

Wednesday, March 4

Alternative-country musician Sturgill Simpson headlines the Petersen Events Center. He served for three years in the Navy and worked for Union Pacific Railroad in Salt Lake City before moving to Nashville to pursue music full time. His debut album, High Top Mountain, was released in 2013. This was followed by Metamodern Sounds in Country Music in 2014. 2016’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth won the 2017 Grammy for Best Country Album, and it was also nominated for Album of the Year. 2019’s Sound & Fury is his most recent LP. Its release coincided with Sturgill Simpson Presents Sound and Fury, an anime film on Netflix. This isn’t Simpson’s sole foray into movies. He plays a character named Kid Rock in the upcoming thriller The Hunt, and he played a zombie and created the title song for 2019’s The Dead Don’t Die. Tyler Childers opens. 7:30 p.m. 3719 Terrace St., Oakland. (CM)

Thursday, May 5

Ashley McBryde’s major-label debut album was Girl Going Nowhere, which in no way describes the artist herself. The 2018 release received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album and helped McBryde to be named New Artist of the Year at last year’s Country Music Association Awards. The Waldron, Arkansas native is far from an inexperienced newbie, however. She’s 36 and has a couple of self-released albums behind her, along with plenty of honky-tonk playing in Nashville and elsewhere. McBryde is now hailed as a pacesetter in the latest wave of creative female artists shaping country music’s future. With songs like “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega” and “One Night Standards,” she has built an extremely enthusiastic fan base. McBryde’s next album, Never Will, is due out in April. Catch her before then at Mr. Smalls Theatre. 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (MV) 

Friday, March 6

When Brooklyn, New York City’s Bear Hands headlined Cattivo in 2014, guitarist Ted Feldman said, “Pittsburgh’s my favorite ’burgh, especially the ones with an ‘h.’” The show was filled with such good humor, and its high energy got patrons moving from the bar toward the stage. Feldman has since left the band, which is now a trio. Despite his departure, Bear Hands have continued to amass a following. These days, they play larger venues, such as Stage AE, which they headline in support of their latest album, 2019’s Fake Tunes. Their debut album was 2010’s Burning Bush Supper Club. They followed this with 2014’s Distraction, which contains the fun single “Giants.” It charted in the top 10 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. They have also opened for Twenty One Pilots. IRONTOM opens. Doors open 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (CM)

Monday, March 9

Are The Chieftains retiring? There’s been no such announcement. But the group’s current U.S. tour is called The Irish Goodbye Tour (maybe a sly joke, maybe not)—and though founder/leader Paddy Moloney may seem ageless, he’s 81—so devotees of Irish music should get tickets now for The Chieftains at Heinz Hall. Starting with a remarkable series of concerts and albums in the 1960s, The Chieftains have been a major force in propagating traditional Irish tunes and instruments worldwide. Just about every notable Irish musician or vocalist has performed with the band at some point: Van Morrison (for the beautiful Irish Heartbeat album), Sinéad O’Connor, Shane MacGowan, and many more. The Chieftains also have expanded their repertoire over the years, bringing classic Irish folk influence to music that ranges from Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” (with Ziggy Marley singing) to American country ballads like “Long Black Veil” (with Mick Jagger). And all the while they’ve been playing the true golden oldies of Ireland, such as “Brian Boru’s March,” named after the Irish king of early medieval times. Catch The Chieftains here with a surprise roster of local guests. 7:30 p.m. 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District. (MV)

Thursday, March 12

“Things Can Only Get Better” Howard Jones sang in his snyth-pop, British new wave song in 1985. The positive, infectious hit featured a catchy base groove and vocals, great keyboard and horn runs, and backing vocals from the all-female group Afrodiziak. The song even crossed over and was a success on the R&B charts. Jones had success with other songs, with 15 Top 40 hit singles worldwide between 1983 and 1992. Those hits included “No One is to Blame,” “Like to Get to Know You Well,” and “Everlasting Love.” His 1984 album Human’s Lib entered the U.K. charts at No. 1 and stayed on the charts for 57 consecutive weeks. Not content to just revel in the glow of past hits, Jones’ works with music equipment-makers to help develop new models of keyboards and synthesizers. He also has a CD and DVD of his multimedia show Engage. “A highly interactive live experience designed to immerse audiences in an audio/visual feast. It embraces EDM, contemporary classical, cinematic and pop music influences, and fuses it with ballet, modern dance and philosophy,” is how the show is described on Jones’ site. His new LP release is Transform. He’s in concert at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille on his Acoustic Trio Tour with Nick Beggs and Robin Boult. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (RH)

Friday, March 13 Due to Celine Dion having a cold, this concert is rescheduled for November 18. ******

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDxoj-tDDIU

Touring artists who are really big deals go to big venues, and that’s why Celine Dion is performing in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena. Celine—who prefers to be called by her first name (it means “heavenly”)—is one of the most revered pop singers of our time, and almost surely the most parodied. Her flamboyant personal style and her inclination to self-dramatize and self-promote have been spoofed endlessly. But there’s a lot about Celine that is worth dramatizing and promoting. Born the youngest of 14 children to a French-Canadian family in a town outside Montreal, she began singing in childhood. Celine rose to stardom in her early teens after being discovered by manager René Angélil, whom she later married. Initially she sang only in French, as when she performed “Une Colombe” (“A Dove”) for Pope John Paul II’s visit to Montreal in 1984. After learning to sing fluently in English, Celine became a true global hit on the basis of a powerful combination: a thrilling mezzo-soprano voice, widely praised technical virtuosity, and the ability to invest a song with passion. Celine Dion has won five Grammys and many other awards worldwide. Her Courage Tour plays here at 7:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (MV) 

Monday, March 16  Postponed*****

 

Missouri-born Nathaniel Rateliff has released a number of records under various ensembles: his first, 2007’s Desire and Dissolving Men, was as Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel. He’s released two as Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats: 2015’s eponymous album and 2018’s Tearing at the Seams. With this year’s And It’s Still Alright, he’s poignantly back to just Nathaniel Rateliff. Poignantly because a big part of those two Night Sweats’ albums, the producer of them, in fact, Richard Swift, died after a years-long struggle with alcohol addiction in 2018. Swift produced albums for numerous other acts and also toured with the Black Keys. And It’s Still Alright is a tribute to him. Rateliff sings with a vulnerable Southern drawl. He began his career playing music throughout Denver in the early aughts. He’s also played Willie Nelson’s Farm Aid, and he will headline the Byham Theater this March. Sam Evian and Hannah Cohen open. 8 p.m. 101 6th St., Cultural District. (CM)

Thursday, March 19   Postponed*****

“One-man jam band.” The phrase may appear oxymoronic. That is, until see Keller Williams live, playing songs like “Freeker by the Speaker.” The Virginia native, active since 1991, often loops guitar, bass, and percussion while playing solo, creating the effect of a full band. Williams isn’t beneath asking for a little help from his friends. He’s recorded, performed, and toured with bluegrass group the String Cheese Incident, and he’s played in a number of additional ensembles. 2019’s Speed is by Keller and the Keels (the Keels are Jenny and Larry, who are wife and husband, bassist and guitarist, respectively). Williams’s other recent projects include 2017’s Raw and 2018’s Sans. He and the HillBenders brought PettyGrass, bluegrass interpretations of Tom Petty songs, to Pittsburgh last year. Now he and Love Canon, a Charlottesville Americana group, bring Grateful Grass to the Byham Theater. They will perform bluegrass interpretations of Grateful Dead songs. 7:30 p.m. 101 6th St., Cultural District. (CM)

Friday, March 20   Canceled*****

Mandy Moore has returned to music. Silver Landings, released this March, is her first album since 2009’s Amanda Leigh. What’s she been doing since then? She’s arguably most known as Rebecca Pearson on NBC’s “This Is Us” (a show partly set in Pittsburgh). Moore’s TV and film credits are numerous, including 2002’s A Walk to Remember and the voice of Princess Rapunzel in 2010’s Tangled. 1999’s So Real was her debut album. I Wanna Be with You followed in 2000; the eponymous single is her highest charting song to date, peaking at number 24. Other musical work includes her infectious duet with Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee: “Birds and Bees.” (It appears on his 2007 release, Ripe.) She’s also married to Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith. Mandy Moore, who started performing as a child in Orlando, headlines the Benedum Center. 8 p.m. 237 7th St., Cultural District. (CM)

 

Rescheduled for May 22*****

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH8hWgpHK5M

The Millennium Tour, which will stop at the Petersen Events Center, features Omarion and Bow Wow. Omarion got his start in the R&B boy band B2K from Los Angeles. The band broke up in 2004, and Omarion released 2005’s O, his solo debut LP and a number one album. It was nominated for the Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 48th Grammy Awards in 2006. 2014’s “Post to Be” saw his highest charting single yet. B2K reformed for 2019’s Millennium Tour, which began in Pittsburgh. Now it’s just Omarion plus myriad others, including Bow Wow. His first single was “Bounce with Me” as Lil’ Bow Wow at 13. Now all grown up, Bow Wow’s latest release is 2019’s Greenlight 6, a mixtape. Other acts scheduled to appear include Pretty Ricky, Ying Yang Twins, Soulja Boy, Lloyd, Sammie, and Ashanti, who is known for her solo material and collaborations with Ja Rule. 8 p.m. 3719 Terrace St., Oakland. (CM)

Sunday, March 22

Postponed*****

David Bowie died over four years ago shortly after his 69th birthday and the release of 2016’s Blackstar—a stunning epitaph. Fans, friends, and musicians alike continue to celebrate his music. A Bowie Celebration: Bowie Alumni Play Diamond Dogs & Ziggy Stardust features instrumentalists who performed with him. The vocalists include Living Colour’s Corey Glover; Joe Sumner, the son of the Police’s Sting as well as the bassist for Fiction Plane; and Canadian singer Sass Jordan, who appeared on The Bodyguard soundtrack. 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars introduced the world to Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona. It is a landmark glam-rock album. 1974’s Diamond Dogs features “Rebel Rebel” and songs inspired by George Orwell’s 1984. After Diamond Dogs’ release, Bowie retired Ziggy Stardust and ventured into new sounds. The celebration commences at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall. 8 p.m. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. (CM)

Wednesday, March 25  Postponed*****

Guster may be from Boston, but Pittsburgh holds a special place in its heart. When a Philadelphia show got snowed out in January 2016, the band decided to play in front of a dumpster on Sampsonia Way in Pittsburgh’s North Side during its day off. The group performed at the 2016 Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival a few months later. In between these appearances, Mayor Bill Peduto got into a Twitter “feud” with Guster, one which culminated in the mayor joining the members on stage for an impromptu song about, among other things, “snow storms” and “dumpsters.” If that isn’t enough to interest you in their acoustic show at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, then know they have been active since 1991, scoring hits which you may know by ear if not by name. (“Satellite,” from 2006’s Ganging Up on the Sun, is one.) 2019’s Look Alive is their latest studio LP. 8 p.m. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. (CM)

Thursday, March 26     Postponed Until Summer*****

Reba McEntire is what you’d call an all-around country music star. Whatever the country equivalent of street cred is, she has it, having grown up on a ranch in Chockie, Oklahoma. Her dad was a champion steer roper and her first recorded song, “The Ballad of John McEntire,” was an homage to his rodeo exploits. Reba has won more country music awards than you can shake a lasso at. She is of course a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work in film and TV—and, on Broadway in 2001, she was praised for her performance as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. She even has her own clothing line, sold at Dillard’s department stores. Recently McEntire branched into gospel music, winning the 2018 Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album with Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope. (Here’s the dreamy “Amazing Grace” from that album.) If there is anything she cannot do, it’s staying away from her devoted fans. You can join them in Pittsburgh when Reba McEntire plays PPG Paints Arena. 8 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (MV)

Sunday, March 29  Postponed*****

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIaS_vYIQ_A&t=157s

Southern rock finds its way north with the The Outlaws. For over 40 years, the band has been thriving in the Southern rock genre along with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels, and The Allman Brothers. Founded in Tampa, Florida, in ’72, The Outlaws put forth a Southern rock opus with “Green Grass and High Tides” and scored a major hit with “There Goes Another Love Song.” Outlaw trademarks include beautiful vocal harmonies and intricate lead guitar play. Surviving the test of time, the inevitable evolution of popular music, and bandmates’ deaths, The Outlaws are definitely alive, kicking, and, it would seem, stronger than ever. And now that Lynyrd Skynyrd has embarked on a farewell tour, The Outlaws will be one of the groups to proudly carry forward the Southern rock banner. They come our way with special guests The Outcrops. 8 p.m. The Lamp Theatre, 222 Main St., Irwin. (RH)

Other Suggested Shows

Friday, March 6

Dweezil Zappa, son of the late Frank Zappa, will perform his father’s second solo album, 1969’s Hot Rats, live at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. Dweezil is an accomplished musician himself with his own discography. He even released his first single, “My Mother Is a Space Cadet,” produced by Eddie Van Halen, at 12. 2015’s Via Zammata’ is Dweezil’s latest album. He and his talented band are sure to do his father’s songs right. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (CM)

Friday March 6 and Saturday March 7

The Clarks continue to build on their foundation of playing solid working-class rock. The group gained a strong local following in the early ’90s gigging at clubs like Graffiti (remember Graffiti?), and has remained together and active long after nearly every other band on the scene during that era called it quits. After over 30 years, 11 albums, countless gigs and zero line-up changes, The Clarks have gone from being a regional favorite to a local institution. And the band members, who formed The Clarks at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, have never forgotten their home turf. Their most recent album  is 2018’s, Madly in Love at the End of The World, released on the Clarkhouse Entertainment label. Special guest is Southern rock, blues, and soul band East Coast Turnaround. 8 p.m. both nights. These two shows are very close to being sold out at publication time. The Lamp Theatre, 222 Main St., Irwin. (EC, RH)

Saturday, March 7

Members rotate and genres change, but Kevin Barnes remains of Montreal’s frontman. He formed the group in 1996 in Athens, Georgia. Of Montreal’s discography is vast and eclectic, but some standouts include 2004’s Satanic Panic in the Attic and 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? After a pivot into EDM-inspired music, of Montreal returns with a more familiar (but no less exciting) psychedelic pop sound on this year’s Ur Fun. The canine-centric video for “Polyaneurism” is particularly, well, fun. They will perform at Mr. Smalls Theatre. (Bizarre Celebrations after party to follow show.) Lily, Horn Horse, and Chariot Fade open. 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

Classic emo-rock band Dashboard Confessional will headline Stage AE to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Actually, the group, from Boca Raton, Florida, has been around a little longer, but its debut, The Swiss Army Romance, is 20. The original version of “Screaming Infidelities” appears on that album. 2018’s Crooked Shadows is its latest LP. The Get Up Kids open. Doors open 6:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (CM)

The River City Brass Band is a top notch orchestra whose mission is to showcase American music culture locally, nationally, and globally. They play various music programs throughout the year.  A very popular one is their Celtic Connections concerts. This year’s is Celtic Connections IV and promises to bridge “the pond” with songs from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland alongside American country music. On the program are a diverse group of songs including  “Highland Cathedral,” “Two Irish Jigs,” and “Country Roads.” Accompanying River City Brass will be Carnegie Mellon Pipes and Drums. The concerts will be held at various schools and at Greensburg’s Palace Theatre on the 7th and Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland on the 12th. 21 W. Otterman St. (RH)

Wednesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 12

The Strand Theater is the pride of Zelienople and among their programming this month is Irish singing group, The Celtic Tenors. The Tenors have been visiting The Strand since 2011. This year The Celtic tenors are on their Irish Songbook tour. “Danny Boy” “Finnegan’s Wake,” and “Whiskey in the Jar” are several classic Irish songs they are likely to be performing. 119 North Main St. (RH)

Caroline Rose sings with the sophistication and range of Bonnie Raitt or Loretta Lynn. Her guitar playing is top-notch too. She headlines Club Cafe on back-to-back nights. Her latest album is this year’s Superstar, out March 6. New single is “Feel the Way I Want.” Good Baby opens. 8 p.m. 56 – 58 S. 12th St., South Side. (CM)

Thursday, March 12

Chicago band Twin Peaks’ sound has been described as being somewhere between garage rock and garage punk. They draw inspiration from a diverse set of influencers including The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Strokes, and The Stooges. Twin Peaks has four studio albums out, with the latest being 2019’s, Lookout Low. Videos like “Butterfly” use Chicago places and scenes as a backdrop. Special guests are Rookie and James Swanberg. 8 p.m. Mr. Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (RH)

Friday, March 13

Every so often a musician comes along who makes life easy for writers, because the artist’s work can be described in a single word. Robert Cray is one of those musicians and the word is “beautiful.” To say a bit more: One could observe that Cray is not the most pyrotechnic blues guitarist around—but the music flows from his instrument as naturally and sweetly as water Mike,rippling in a stream. Cray isn’t the most spectacular singer, either. He doesn’t wail like a I banshee or rumble like a freight train—but a blues song is a song of the people, and this guy with the everyday, common man’s voice simply knows how to sing it like it is. That’s beautiful. Cray has won five Grammy Awards and induction to the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis. Cray is releasing a new album, That’s What I Heard, on February 28. He will be performing at The Palace Theatre with special guest Clinton Clegg, the soulful lead singer of Pittsburgh based group The Commonheart. 7:30 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (MV)

If you prefer a fun yet more dignified celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, then Club Cafe‘s ninth annual The Calm Before the Storm–A Night of Irish Traditional Music and Song with Mark Dignam & Friends might be the ticket for you. Mark Dignam was raised in Finglas, a North Side Dublin suburb, where he showed early aptitude as a singer. He moved to Dublin at 18 and began busking on Grafton Street. He is now Pittsburgh-based and performs with his band, The House of Song. The tradition continues. 7 p.m. 56–58 S. 12th St., South Side. (CM)

Saturday, March 14

The Silencers were mainstays at local venues such as the Decade Lounge in the early ’80s. (The Decade, which closed in 1995, sat at the corner of Atwood and Sennott, where Garage Door Saloon is now.) Their music video for the medley “Peter Gunn Theme/Remote Control/Illegal” premiered on MTV’s first day. The Silencers’ albums, 1980’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Enforcers and 1981’s Romanic, sound as great today as they did back then. See them, with original singer Frank Czuri, at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. Spinning Jenny, from Mingo Junction, Ohio, opens. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (CM)

Postponed*****

Think traditional Celtic music but with some extra beats per minute—that’s Bastard Bearded Irishmen. The local group is helping Pittsburgh usher in St. Patrick’s Day with its annual party at the Rex Theater. 2014’s Rise of the Bastard features 12 originals, like the throttling “Tomorrow,” as well as three traditionals, like “Three Drunken Maidens.” The band performed at the Thrival Music Festival in 2016. Its latest album is 2018’s Drinkin’ to the Dead. 500 Miles to Memphis and Brave the Sea open. 6 p.m. 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. (CM)

Sunday, March 15  Postponed*****

At a time when falsetto singers were not uncommon in pop music, Anthony Gourdine stood out nonetheless with his distinctive voice and phrasing. And today—when it’s not at all uncommon for musicians to keep rocking at an age when you’d expect them to be in rocking chairs—it’s a pleasant surprise, nonetheless, to find Little Anthony and The Imperials still doing their R&B. The New York City group broke onto the charts in 1958 with “Tears on My Pillow” and kept turning out hits through the ’60s. Since then, The Imperials have dissolved, re-formed, and drifted in and out of the media spotlight … but they’ve never lost the ability to light up an audience with numbers like “Hurt So Bad.” Little Anthony and the Imperials are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their current lineup includes original members Gourdine and Ernest Wright, and they’re booked at The Palace Theatre. Their guests are fellow vintage groups The Crystals and The Marcels. 3 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (MV)

Tuesday, March 17 Caneled*****

When Pittsburgh punk band Carsickness quit making music, frontman Karl Mullen, drummer Dennis Childers, multi instrumentalist Steve Sciulli, and bassist Hugh Watkins formed the Irish folk rock group Ploughman’s Lunch in 1993. Their discography includes their 1993 debut Whiskey From the Field, followed a year later by Sodom and Begorrah!. 1996’s Paddy’s Got a Brand New Bag saw the band signed to J-Bird Records. After much initial success Mullen, also a painter who sometimes uses tea in his art, left Pittsburgh. In 1999 Ploughman’s Lunch released a self-titled effort and in 2017 they regrouped to play one of the last shows at Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. They had so much fun they’re at it again. Pittsburgh notables including Mayor Peduto, Karla Boos, and Tony Norman will also give poetry readings. 7 p.m. Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall, 4053 Butler Ave., Lawrenceville. (RH)

Wednesday, March 18  Postponed*****

Against Me! is back after frontwoman Laura Jane Grace released her first solo album, 2018’s Bought to Rot. 2014’s Transgender Dysphoria Blues is a triumph and arguably the band’s best album since it formed in 1997 in Gainesville, Florida. It includes the song “True Trans Soul Rebel.” The group’s latest album is 2016’s Shape Shift with Me. Grace and company will perform at Mr. Smalls Theatre. Stef Chura and Essential Machine opens. 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

Thursday, March 19  Rescheduled to March 10, 2021*******

Read it slowly: Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Not Peppers. Pipers. It’s a Scottish bagpipe band that plays traditionals and rock classics, such as Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Seriously. 2019’s Fresh Air is the group’s latest album. Check it out at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (CM)

Monday, March 23  Postponed*****

Dillon Francis, an EDM artist from Los Angeles, headlined Music X Arts, now the Thrival Music Festival, at Highmark Stadium in September 2018. Now he and Yung Gravy will headline Stage AE. Francis’s latest release is 2019’s Magic Is Real. His compositions often fall under a subgenre of EDM, the relatively new “moombahton.” Yung Gravy is a rapper from Minnesota. He released an album with bbno$ titled Baby Gravy 2. If you like beeps, boops, and dancing, then this concert is for you. Doors open 6:30 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (CM)

Friday, March 27  Postponed to August 12*****

CAAMP is a rising folk rock band out of Columbus Ohio. The group was started by friends Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall who first met at a summer camp while they were both in middle school. CAAMP has three studio albums under their belt including 2019’s, By & By, which debuted at no. 1 on Billboard’s Top Heatseeksers chart. This fast rise is also evident in the sold out status of their show at Mr. Smalls Theatre. The Ballroom Thieves open. 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvalle. (RH)

Saturday, March 28 

Postponed*****

Pittsburgh rock royalty Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers have remained a constant on the Pittsburgh music scene as the city morphed from steel mills to high-tech foundry. Grushecky is a consummate singer/songwriter. Grushecky and The Houserockers in 2018 released a new, first-rate album, More Yesterdays than Tomorrows. There are many hot tracks on the release. 8 p.m. Meadows Racetrack and Casino, 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington. (RH)

Postponed*****

The inaugural Pittsburgh Women’s Festival: A Parallel Universe will be at Mr. Smalls Theatre and Funhouse. Reflecting an article by Pitchfork, which found seven out of 10 musicians who performed at festivals in 2018 were men, the festival promises to be no more than 30% male. There will be visual artists too. No lineup has been announced as of this writing, but check the festival’s Facebook event page. 1:30 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

Monday, March 30

Catch beabadoobee at Thunderbird Café and Music Hall before she tours with the 1975. Born Beatrice Kristi Laus, this Filipino-British singer-songwriter writes Stephen-Malkmus-inspired songs, such as … “I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus.” (Malkmus is the singer for Pavement.) She’s also released a number of EPs. 8 p.m. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. (CM)

On the Radar

Wednesday, April 1
The English Beat (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

Saturday, April 4
Guided By Voices (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
Donora, Lofi Delphi, and Another Cheetah (The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls)

Monday, April 6
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (Roxian Theatre)

Tuesday, April 7
Celtic Woman (Benedum Center)
Shovels and Rope (Mr. Small)

Thursday, April 9
Big Gigantic (Stage AE)

Friday, April 10
Kurt Vile and Cate Le Bon (Carnegie Hall in Oakland)

Saturday, April 11
Vanessa Carlton (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)
Waxahatchee (The Rex Theater)

Monday, April 13
Beach Slang (Thunderbird Café and Music Hall)

Tuesday, April 14
Sergio Mendes (Byham Theater)

Wednesday, April 15
Christopher Cross (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)
Red Elvises (Hard Rock Cafe)

Thursday, April 16
Dan Deacon (Mr. Smalls Theatre)

Friday, April 17
Here Come the Mummies (The Rex Theater)

Saturday, April 18
Nicole Mitchell (MCG Jazz)

Sunday, April 19
Los Lobos (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
A Flock of Seagulls (Jergel’s Rhythm Grille)

Wednesday, April 22
Margaret Glaspy (Mr. Smalls)
Tinashe (Spirit)

Thursday, April 23
Canned Heat (Crafthouse Stage & Grill)

Saturday, April 25
JD McPhearson (Mr. Smalls)

Sunday, April 26
Justin Hayward (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall)
Ben Gibbard (Carnegie Music Hall Oakland)

Thursday, April 30
Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker Band (UPMC Events Center)
The Mavericks (Byham Theater)

Rick Handler is the executive producer of Entertainment Central.

Share on Social Media