Starlite Lounge in Blawnox to be back on Food Network’s ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’
For the second time, the Starlite Lounge in Blawnox will be on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” “It’s pretty cool,” said Starlite owner Ron Esser. “We really appreciate this. The show is popular. So many people I know watch it.” Esser, whose nickname is “Moondog,” also owns Moondog’s...
Pittsburgh-area music venues, theaters hamstrung by issues with Small Business Administration website
Local music venues are facing another shutdown. The Small Business Administration website where venues submit an application for money is not working. The glitch is holding up federal relief money for venues and causing frustration. The Save Our Stages Act was passed as part of a covid-19 relief bill in...
Westmoreland Symphony season finale stars piano virtuoso Maxim LandoVideo
There’s a special energy on stage when piano virtuoso Maxim Lando sits in with the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra. “He’s a talented young musician and a great complement to our orchestra,” said WSO Executive Director Endy Reindl. “He’s a delight and a fun person to be around, just a ball of...
Things to do in Western Pa.: April 14. 2021
Some high school musicals have adapted to the pandemic by going virtual. The iconic Pittsburgh cookie table is now a drive-thru. But don’t despair, live entertainment and activities also are on the horizon. The details are here, in this week’s Big List. Acting careers • Breaking in: Prime Stage Theatre’s...
Watch: Mick Jagger, Dave Grohl unite on ‘Eazy Sleazy,’ a pandemic anthemVideo
Mick Jagger and Dave Grohl got “sleazy” on a new song released Tuesday. The Rolling Stones frontman and Nirvana / Foo Fighters member collaborated for the song “Eazy Sleazy,” which was released on Jagger’s YouTube channel. “I wanted to share this song that I wrote about eventually coming out of...
Pittsburgh Opera offers free livestream of ‘Charlie Parker’s Yardbird’
Pittsburgh Opera will provide a taste of what in-person audiences are seeing with a free livestream of its current production, “Charlie Parker’s Yardbird.” The performance will stream at 7:30 p.m. Friday on the opera’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. “Yardbird” played to small, socially distanced live audiences on April 10...
Rapper-actor DMX dead at 50
NEW YORK — DMX, the raspy-voiced hip-hop artist behind the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)” who had one of rap’s most distinctive voices — literally and metaphorically — has died, according to a statement Friday from his family. He was 50. The Grammy-nominated performer died...
Rage Against The Machine postpone tour, Pittsburgh show to 2022
Fans of Rage Against The Machine will have to wait longer for the band’s reunion tour. On Thursday, the band announced that its once-postponed tour with Run The Jewels would be moved again, this time to 2022. “The Rage Against The Machine & Run the Jewels ‘Public Service Announcement’ Tour...
Pittsburgh native Angela Autumn heads to Nashville, will release new album in JuneVideo
“I woke up today, I was different. Something changed,” Angela Autumn sings on “Old Time Lovers,” the opening song of her forthcoming album, “Frontiers Woman.” Things, indeed, have changed for the 25-year-old Western Pennsylvania native, who grew up Angela Mignanelli in Zelienople before finding her songwriting voice and relocating to...
Gabby Barrett wins ACM award for new female artist of the year
Gabby Barrett has won her first Academy of Country Music award. The Munhall native was surprised with some “mighty fine news” from country star and this year’s ACM Awards host Keith Urban. In a video posted Thursday by the ACM Awards Twitter account, Urban reveals that Barrett was named the...
The Weeknd is top nominee for May’s iHeartRadio Music Awards
The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch are among the top nominees for next month’s iHeartRadio Music Awards. The Weeknd’s eight nominations include male artist of the year, competing with Ricch, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber and Post Malone, and song of the year for “Blinding Lights.” Ricch and Megan...
Things to do in Western Pa.: April 7, 2021
Get ready for the return of Sweet Baby James to the Steel City, with renowned music man James Taylor rescheduling his postponed PPG Paints Arena date for Aug. 3. Local favorites The Clarks have a June 5 concert at the Starlight Drive-In in Butler. In the meantime, there’s plenty of...
Eric Church set for Pittsburgh show on ‘The Gather Again Tour’
Eric Church is giving fans a reason to gather starting this fall. The country star on Tuesday announced “The Gather Again Tour,” a 55-show tour kicking off in September. The trek of arena shows runs from Sept. 17 in Lexington, Ky., to May 20, 2022, in New York’s Madison Square...
Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds preparing to release new rap EPVideo
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds is keeping busy this offseason, teasing a release of a second batch of music. Edmunds shared a post on Instagram late Monday with an image of what appears to be an album cover titled “My Element EP.” View this post on Instagram A post shared...
Pittsburgh homeless initiative’s annual bluegrass concert goes virtual
Four area bands will hit the virtual stage during the annual bluegrass festival to benefit St. Joseph House of Hospitality, a homeless outreach program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The long-running concert usually takes place in Synod Hall in Oakland. Because of the pandemic, this year’s program...
Pittsburgh punk rockers Anti-Flag launch Patreon accountVideo
With most live music venues shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, bands have had to get creative to survive. Shows at drive-in movie theaters, concerts on livestreams and expanded merchandise lines have helped some musicians. Pittsburgh-based Anti-Flag launched its “No Borders. No Nation” Patreon account with different membership tiers...
Apollo native Dan Swank gets gig with favorite band All Time Low
How many music lovers dream of getting onstage with a favorite band? How many actually get a chance to do it? Apollo native Dan Swank is one of the lucky ones. In 2020, he became a member of his all-time favorite band, All Time Low. Working with the band as...
Rapper DMX on life support after heart attack, lawyer says
DMX’s longtime New York-based lawyer, Murray Richman, said the rapper was on life support Saturday evening at White Plains Hospital. “He had a heart attack. He’s quite ill,” Richman said. Richman said he could not confirm reports that DMX, 50, overdosed on drugs and was not sure what caused the...
Mschf stops shipping Lil Nas X’s ‘Satan Shoes’ after Nike gets a restraining order
Looks like Lil Nas X’s “Satan Shoes” collaboration has taken a step too far. The Hollywood Reporter said this week that fulfillment of orders of the controversial sneaker has stopped after a U.S. District Court in New York approved Nike’s request for a temporary restraining order against Mschf, the Brooklyn-based...
The Clarks to play Rivers Casino in May
The Clarks are playing their first indoor show since early 2020. The band announced Friday that they are playing a show May 15 in the Event Center at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. Limited tickets are on sale now to remain “safe and distanced,” according to a social media post from The...
Stick man: Black Keys drummer to fill in for Indians regular
CLEVELAND — The Indians will use a pinch-drummer for their home opener. With long-time drummer and ballpark fixture John Adams recovering from heart surgery and unable to attend his first opener in Cleveland in 48 years, Black Keys drummer and life-long Indians fan Patrick Carney will fill in and pound...
Murrysville native accepted into International Opera Academy in Italy
Saint Vincent College junior Justin Massetto of Murrysville was accepted to the prestigious International Opera Academy in Bologna, Italy, becoming the second member of his family to gain entry. Massetto is a music performance major, with minors in sacred music, mathematics and computer science, and a graduate of Franklin Regional...
Things to do in Western Pa.: March 31, 2021
Have you ever wanted to hear “Old McDonald” played by an orchestra? Learn more about Bigfoot or acupuncture? Dance to some funk in the privacy of your own home? Now is your chance, with these upcoming events. The details are here, in this week’s Big List. Art • Online art...
Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s livestream concerts get another round
“Always leave them wanting more” is an old saw of the entertainment business. Westmoreland Cultural Trust did that with The VIP Experience, its recent weekly livestream concert series. The free concerts were so popular that the Trust has renewed the series for a second run. The first series aired Jan....
Ariana Grande joins ‘The Voice,’ gets millions of social media likes in an hour
Ariana Grande is joining “The Voice” for its next season. The pop star will be a coach for the NBC show’s 21st season. surprise !!! i am beyond thrilled, honored, excited to be joining @kellyclarkson @johnlegend @blakeshelton next season ~ season 21 of @nbcthevoice ! ? @nickjonas we will miss...