Pittsburgh’s top summer concerts include 3 stadium events, sold-out Star Lake shows
Pittsburgh may have lost what was slated to be a huge music festival when Sudden Little Thrills abruptly announced its cancellation last week, but there are still plenty of big shows in the region. The summer concert season unofficially kicks off Wednesday with Noah Kahan’s sold-out show opening the Pavilion...
Review: Ann Wilson’s voice continues to propel Heart to performance heights
The key to healthy attendance for Heart’s Royal Flush Tour 2024 is the reunion of founding members Ann and Nancy Wilson following the sisters’ half-decade of estrangement. “We just decided that was ridiculous,” Ann announced between songs during the band’s concert Thursday at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena. “The time is...
Rev up your radios: WDVE’s Memorial Day 500 Countdown is back
Starting at 10 a.m. Friday, classic rock fans will enjoy — and argue about — a Pittsburgh radio tradition all Memorial Day weekend. The 102.5 WDVE Memorial Day 500 Countdown will take listeners on a journey through the top 500 classic rock songs of all time … as determined this...
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
NEW YORK — Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like “Drops of Jupiter” and “Meet Virginia,” has died. He was 58. Colin’s sister Carolyn Stephens confirmed her brother’s death to The Associated Press Wednesday. He died after slipping...
Nashville rejects sign for Morgan Wallen’s new bar, decrying his behavior
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville councilmembers have rejected plans for a glowing sign to be erected at Morgan Wallen’s new bar along the city’s neon-lit strip of honky tonks, citing his use of a racial slur that caused controversy in 2021 and recent criminal charges accusing the country star of throwing...
Lauryn Hill’s classic ‘Miseducation’ album tops Apple Music’s list of best albums of all time
LOS ANGELES — Let the debate begin. Who has the best music albums ever? Apple Music certainly has an idea. The music streaming giant announced on Wednesday their 10 greatest albums of all time with Lauryn Hill’s 1998 iconic “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” claiming the top spot. Hill’s debut...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of 2003 sexual assault in lawsuit
NEW YORK (AP) — A former model accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her at his New York City recording studio in 2003 in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the latest in a series of allegations against the embattled hip-hop mogul. The woman said she was a successful 22-year-old model...
Christian metal band P.O.D. drops the boom in Pittsburgh area concertVideo
The venue for P.O.D.’s show Tuesday night could not have been more fitting, as the veteran Christian metal band played New Kensington’s Preserving Underground, a former church converted into a concert hall. With stained glass windows behind and to the left of the stage, P.O.D.’s stop on their I Got...
Oscar-winning composer of ‘Finding Neverland’ music, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, dies at age 71
WARSAW, Poland — Polish composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, who won a 2005 Oscar for the musical score of “Finding Neverland,” died Tuesday. He was 71. Kaczmarek’s death was announced by Poland’s Music Foundation which had been informed of his passing by the composer’s wife. Kaczmarek had suffered from MSA, a...
Heart’s Ann Wilson on reuniting with sister, music business and Led Zeppelin ahead of Pittsburgh concertVideo
After several years of strained relationships, a physical altercation in the family and separate solo tours, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson are back together as Heart. ”Well, there’s no explaining why somebody wants to do music. It’s just, when you want to do it, you want to do it,” Ann...
Elvis Presley’s granddaughter fights company’s attempt to sell Graceland estate
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, is fighting plans to publicly auction his Graceland estate in Memphis after a company tried to sell the property based on claims that a loan using the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s former home as collateral was not repaid. A...
TribLive reporter pens book chronicling punk band Brainiac
In May 1997, an Ohio punk band called Brainiac, on the verge of exploding into popularity, saw their dreams deferred by the sudden death of frontman Tim Taylor. TribLive reporter Justin Vellucci wrote a comprehensive, engaging chronicle of the band in “Brainiac,” published by J-Card Press and available now through...
Sleep Token’s talent can’t be masked in sold-out Pittsburgh concert
While Sleep Token’s masks are a key part of their identity, their anonymity may be gone soon enough if they keep putting on strong performances as they did Sunday night in Pittsburgh. In a show that sold out the Petersen Events Center months ago, the British rockers continued on their...
Greta Van Fleet deliver classic, arena rock spectacle in Pittsburgh concert
Greta Van Fleet frontman Josh Kiszka fittingly sang a brief line from “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” — the theme song from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” — in the band’s concert Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena. For fans of classic rock, it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood as...
Meet the family behind Luke Bryan’s ‘Farm Tour’ concert in South HuntingdonVideo
When Joshua Cunningham found out his family’s South Huntingdon farm was in the running to host a concert by “American Idol” judge and country music star Luke Bryan, he asked Bryan’s producer about their honest chances. “He said, ‘I’ve been looking at it on Google Maps — you have a...
Former Kyuss singer John Garcia on his day job, reunion talk and the desertVideo
As far as John Garcia is concerned, living a “normal” life is just fine with him, with the biggest angst getting his 14-year-old son to make his bed. “You know, I hate to really admit it, but my life is boring, which is exactly the way I want it to...
Westmoreland bands earn 2024 nominations at independent Josie Music AwardsVideo
Three Westmoreland County bands have earned nominations for the 2024 Josie Awards, which recognizes independent musicians. Greensburg’s Derek Woods Band was nominated for “Social Impact Music Video of the Year,” for their song “Thank You For Being Here.” The song celebrates unity and diversity, and explores the importance of embracing...
Annual rich list says Paul McCartney is Britain’s 1st billionaire musician
LONDON — Paul McCartney is a billionaire Beatle. According to figures released Friday, the former member of the Fab Four is the first British musician to be worth 1 billion pounds ($1.27 billion). The annual Sunday Times Rich List calculated that the wealth of the 81-year-old musician and his wife,...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, May 17-19
TGIF! Music, food and fun can be found around town this weekend. Here’s what you can do to unwind before Monday. Millvale Music Festival With 330 music acts, 28 stages, all within 0.6 miles, the Millvale Music Festival is back this Friday and Saturday — and it’s got more than...
Rapper NF brings intensity and vulnerability to PPG Paints concert
NF, the stage name of Michigan-born rapper Nathan Feuerstein, may not be a household name, but to the cheering crowd Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, he was a huge presence. On tour to promote his latest album, 2023’s “Hope,” NF bared his soul with an intensity that can knock...
The Academy of Country Music Awards are here; Luke Combs leads the nominations
Reba McEntire is hosting Thursday’s Academy of Country Music Awards, promising a night of memorable performances, including a tribute to Toby Keith. When McEntire takes the stage at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas, it will be a record 17th time she’s emceed...
Soulful singer Michael McDonald looks back in his new memoir, ‘What a Fool Believes’
NEW YORK — Something stopped Michael McDonald from telling his story publicly — him. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with multiple Grammys just didn’t think he had one. McDonald, a member of both Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers who became a singular soul solo artist with such...
Sudden Little Thrills music festival canceled
The Sudden Little Thrills music festival, which was slated to take place Sept. 7 and 8 at Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Green, has been canceled. “We were excited to bring a new world-class music festival to Pittsburgh. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, the Sudden Little Thrills festival will not take...
Empire State Bastard guitarist Mike Vennart on the band’s origin, touring, Twitter and moreVideo
Guitarist Mike Vennart traces the beginnings of extreme metal band Empire State Bastard to about 12 years ago. “It was sort of a mythical sort of joke band — everybody goes through this stoned idiot phase of let’s pretend we’ve got a band but never actually do anything — and...
Childish Gambino drops surprise album, announces world tour with Pittsburgh stopVideo
A day after the surprise release of an album, hip-hop artist Childish Gambino announced a world tour that includes a show in Pittsburgh. Gambino, the stage name of actor Donald Glover, will bring The New World tour to PPG Paints Arena on Aug. 20. The new album “Atavista” is, according...