Vocal Confluence expands repertoire, performancesVideo
A cappella men’s group Vocal Confluence is prepping its pipes for an upcoming concert at Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh. “’Til I Hear You Sing: An Afternoon with Vocal Confluence,” will begin at 3 p.m. Aug. 25, featuring a “potpourri” of favorites including jazz standards, Broadway hits and...
Lollapalooza festival-goer dies for 2nd straight year
CHICAGO — Officials say a Lollapalooza festival-goer has died for the second year in a row. Melissa Stratton, a spokeswoman for Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, says the attendee was taken from the event in critical condition Saturday night and died at a hospital. She says the circumstances...
Bluegrass musicians will serenade state park audience
For more than a decade, Laurel Hill State Park has been home to the Laurel Hill Bluegrass Festival. “This is our 12th year,” park operations manager Michael Mumau says. Along with sponsor the Friends of Laurel Hill, Mumau helped start the popular festival, scheduled this year for 11 a.m.-7 p.m....
Derek Woods Band will play annual festival at Woodstock host’s farm
At 31, Derek Woods is far too young to have attended the original Woodstock. Next week, however, not only will the Hempfield resident have a chance to visit the original festival grounds in Bethel, N.Y., but his group, the Derek Woods Band, will play the annual Yasgur Road Reunion, held...
Poison’s Bret Michaels announces death of his father
Rocker Bret Michaels posted a message to his fans on Sunday that his father Wally Sychak had died. On his website, as well as his social media pages, the Poison frontman posted: “This morning my Dad passed away. He was a great guy and loved by all.” He described his...
Freed from Swedish jail, rapper A$AP Rocky lands in US
LOS ANGELES — Nearly a month after he was arrested in Sweden, rapper A$AP Rocky returned to the United States as the verdict in an assault case against him and two other Americans looms. Los Angeles television stations reported the artist was among a group of people shown emerging from...
Ed Sheeran sets all-time highest-grossing tour record
LOS ANGELES — Ed Sheeran’s Divide Tour is one for the record books. Pollstar confirms the 28-year-old British singer’s tour will set the all-time highest-grossing tour record with Friday’s show in Hannover, Germany. Pollstar forecasts the total gross to this point of $736.7 million will top the previous record of...
Goo Goo Dolls will ‘Slide’ in some new music on KeyBank stopVideo
The Goo Goo Dolls may have established a comfortable niche as a well-respected rock band with pop leanings reflected by the 12 million albums they’ve sold worldwide and much-loved hit singles like “Iris,” “Slide” and “Name.” But as far as founding member/lead vocalist John Rzeznick is concerned, they’re never too...
Deadheads celebrate Jerry Garcia’s birthday, plan to ‘Meet Up at the Movies’Video
Jerry Garcia would have turned 77 years old today. That number holds a special importance to legions of Grateful Dead fans, many of whom hold the band’s 1977 tour in extremely high regard. Garcia’s birthday is also the day for the annual Grateful Dead “Meet-Up at the Movies” event, where...
The Lumineers plan PPG Paints Arena debut concertVideo
In support of their upcoming album, “III,” being released on Sept. 13, The Lumineers are heading out on a headlining tour of North American arenas and amphitheatres. They will take the stage at PPG Paints Arena for a Feb. 25 performance. Mt. Joy will be adding musical support on multiple...
Bluesman Billy Price to host album-release party at Club CaféVideo
Blues singer and former Pittsburgh resident Billy Price will kick off a year-long tour in support of his new album with a release party Aug. 9 at Club Café. Price returned to Greaseland Studio in San José, Calif., with producer Kid Andersen, to create a follow-up to his previous album,...
Drum Corps International brings the noise in Pittsburgh-area showVideo
Drum Corps International will bring the noise, and the fancy footwork, and the fabulous music during its upcoming Pittsburgh appearance. DCI Pittsburgh is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 4, when the elite marching units will take the field at Elizabeth Forward’s Warrior Stadium, 1000 Weigles Hill Road, Elizabeth Township. Some...
WDVE’s Sean McDowell signs off: ‘Thank you’Video
Sean McDowell is off the air. The longtime, legendary WDVE disc jockey broadcast his final show Wednesday from the Marriott Pittsburgh City Center, across from PPG Paints Arena prior to the Queen and Adam Lambert concert. McDowell took to the airwaves at 3 p.m. and signed off for the last...
Organizers finally cancel troubled Woodstock 50 festival
NEW YORK — Woodstock 50 is officially canceled. Organizers announced Wednesday that the troubled festival that hit a series of setbacks in the last four months won’t take place next month. The three-day festival was originally scheduled for Aug. 16-18, but holdups included permit denials and the loss of a...
WDVE’s Sean McDowell set to host final show
The voice of a local legend leaves the airwaves at 7 p.m. Wednesday. WDVE disc jockey Sean McDowell will host his final show after more than 40 years in radio, 25 of them at WDVE, Pittsburgh’s preeminent classic rock station. He announced his retirement May 14 on the station’s morning...
Cardi B postpones Indianapolis concert due to threat
Rapper Cardi B postponed an Indianapolis concert following what police described as an unverified threat to the Grammy-winning artist. A post on her Twitter account offered an apology to fans about Tuesday’s planned show at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, saying: “My safety and your safety first.” Dear Indiana people I’m so...
Relive the best of the ’60s, ’70s classics at The Palace
When Gary Puckett and the Union Gap last played The Palace Theatre in Greensburg in 2011, they shared the stage with Turtle Creek’s Chuck Blasko and The Vogues. This time around, the catalog of ’60s and ’70s classic music hits will be considerably larger with the addition of The Turtles,...
Pittsburgh Symphony plays along with Harry PotterVideo
Andres Franco has vivid memories of working as an assistant to John Williams at the Fort Worth Symphony in Texas. Williams, besides being a great composer, is an expert conductor who was music director of the Boston Pops from 1980-93. He guest conducted widely, including many times with the Pittsburgh...
Tool announces title of long-awaited album, digital release date for back catalog
After waiting 13 years, fans of the rock group Tool are finally getting their light at the end of the tunnel. The band announced that its fifth record, titled Fear Inoculum, will be released on Aug. 30. FEAR INOCULUM, Aug 30th, 2019 Album Art, Lead Track, and Pre-Order info TBA....
Murrysville Concert in the Park marks Woodstock’s 50th anniversary
Bandleader Tim Woods of Greensburg was 7 years old when the original Woodstock festival spread its message of peace, love and music from Bethel, N.Y., across the nation’s consciousness as the tumultuous 1960s neared their end. While he didn’t get to attend, he was precisely the right age to be...
Lil Nas X sets new Billboard record for most weeks at No.1
NEW YORK — It’s one sweet day for Lil Nas X: The breakthrough rapper’s viral “Old Town Road” has broken the Billboard record set by Mariah Carey’s “One Sweet Day” for most weeks at No. 1. Lil Nas X accomplishes the feat this week as his country-trap song spends its...
Mac Miller tribute planned at Blue Slide Park on 1-year anniversary of his death
On the one-year anniversary of Mac Miller’s death, fans will gather at a place the late Pittsburgh rapper felt safe and at home — Blue Slide Park in Squirrel Hill’s Frick Park. Miller named his 2011 debut studio album “Blue Slide Park.” From noon to 9 p.m. on Sept. 7,...
Chance the Rapper bringing ‘The Big Day’ tour to Pittsburgh
Chance the Rapper has an Oct. 6 tour date at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The Grammy Award-winning rapper will be touring in support of his debut studio album, “The Big Day,” released July 26. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 2 at...
Aaron Neville promises ‘fantastic show’ as he makes Meadows stopVideo
Aaron Neville is a balladeer. It’s a fact that’s been well established since the world at large heard him croon his 1966 hit, “Tell It Like It Is.” It’s been a constant through his time in the Neville Brothers and his solo career that includes his pair of 1989 Grammy-winning...
Annual Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival heating up the summer
The Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival, scheduled for July 27-28 at the Syria Shrine Center in Cheswick, delivers again with a lineup of blistering blues talent. Those on the bill include national marquee acts Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, “Across the Universe” fame and Joplin-esque vocalist Dana Fuchs, Joe Grushecky...