Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces plans for virtual First Night
Ring in 2021 at the place where you’ve spent most of 2020. At home. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on Monday announced its First Night celebration as: “Highmark First Night Pittsburgh 2021 at Home.” The annual New Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31 can be viewed on KDKA-TV. The station’s “Pittsburgh...
PSO’s online Front Row series includes sensory friendly holiday concert
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will take its online audience to Heinz Hall, The Andy Warhol Museum and Fallingwater for the next episode of its fall digital series, “Front Row: The PSO Virtual Experience.” “Originators and Disrupters (Part 1)” will premieres at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with guest concertmaster and leader Alexi...
‘All Screwed Up’ aims to untangle the legacy of DJ Screw
NEW YORK — When DJ Screw started trending in August, it wasn’t because of newly discovered music or a coordinated effort by his devoted fans. The chatter surrounded a TikTok video that quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons: a teen attempting to explain a “new” music trend called...
Thomas Solich is the piano man at the Pittsburgh Opera’s saleVideo
Thomas Solich learned to play the piano by reading Braille, a system of raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people who are blind or who have low vision. He can’t see the more than 100 stunning instruments in the room as they sit idle, waiting for...
‘A Taffeta Christmas’ bringing holiday cheer to The Lamplighter in Delmont
Four singing sisters take a break from their national tour to return to their hometown of Muncie, Ind., for the holidays. While there, they visit a local television show to perform some ‘50s favorites and holiday classics. That’s the premise of “A Taffeta Christmas,” which the Orchard Performing Arts Company...
Rolling with it, Keith Richards is chilling in the garden
NEW YORK — Keith Richards is so old-school that when he does his interviews — he’ll do so from a landline. The Rolling Stones icon isn’t a fan of technology. Years ago he admitted to not owning an iPod when the device was most popular. He’s one of the few...
Country singer Lee Brice tests positive for covid, will miss CMA Awards
Country singer Lee Brice tested positive for covid-19 and will not perform as scheduled at the CMA Awards on Wednesday. A representative for Brice told The Associated Press on Sunday that he is “in good spirits and not experiencing any symptoms.” Brice was tested ahead of the awards show, which...
3WS airs early preview of Christmas music
Looking for a diversion while waiting on election results? Turn on the radio in Pittsburgh and tune the dial to 94.5 FM and you’ll — or should we say “yule”? — be transported to the holidays. 3WS is giving listeners an advance taste of the Christmas season with some merry...
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh puppet karaoke jam to spotlight homemade videosVideo
What do you get when you combine puppets and karaoke? The BOOM Jam Puppet Slam, of course. The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh invites kids of all ages to tune in to the Nov. 14 celebration of puppets and the ways in which they can inspire us to tell stories and...
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine’s kidnapper is sentenced to 24 years
NEW YORK — A man convicted in the kidnapping of rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine was sentenced to 24 years in prison Wednesday by a judge who cited his leadership role in a gang active nationwide. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer announced the sentence for Anthony Ellison, 33, who has been...
Drake bests Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder to set Billboard record
Earning his 21st No. 1 hit on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, Drake has bested a record previously held by icons Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later,” featuring rapper Lil Durk, reached the No. 1 spot on the chart this week. Wonder and Franklin, who died in...
Carnegie Mellon University’s Exploded Ensemble hosts virtual, interactive concert
Audience participation from afar is highly suggested for this performance. Carnegie Mellon University’s Exploded Ensemble will play a live concert at 7 p.m. Sunday on Twitch.tv, a livestreaming platform for gamers that has become a virtual vehicle for other interactive events. According to its website, Exploded Ensemble is the university’s...
Hampton teen inspired by Taylor Swift wins WYEP’s singer-songwriter competitionVideo
Lindsay Liebro hasn’t had years of vocal training or lessons on a musical instrument. The 16-year-old Hampton High School junior says she developed her vocal style by singing in the choir and performing in school musicals. And she is self-taught on the guitar, which she says “came so naturally.” But...
SiriusXM launches 14 of its holiday music channelsVideo
SiriusXM announced today that 14 of its 17 holiday music channels are available now on the app. The lineup will include 17 ad-free channels including a new channel, Jolly Christmas. The holiday music channels include traditional songs, classic Christmas carols, holiday pop, country Christmas, contemporary, soul, Hanukkah and Christmas favorites....
The late Whitney Houston makes history with 3rd diamond albumVideo
The late Whitney Houston has earned her third diamond-certified album, becoming the first Black artist to achieve the feat. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Legacy Recordings announced Wednesday that Houston’s 1987 sophomore album, “Whitney,” has reached diamond status, which is equivalent to selling 10 million albums. Her...
Westmoreland-based Derek Woods Band earns Hollywood music award nominationVideo
The first award nomination for a Westmoreland County-based band is a bright spot in a challenging year. “Unforgiving Tree,” a song and video by the Derek Woods Band, is nominated in the Americana/Folk/Acoustic category of the Hollywood Music in Media Awards to be announced Jan. 27. “We’re in a network...
Chorus of artists tell Trump to stop using their music
From the beloved opening lines of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to the rousing, children’s-choir conclusion of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies have been filled with classic songs whose authors and their heirs loudly reject him and his politics. It’s become a...
Lost interviews hold new Bob Dylan insights
For nearly half a century, they were blowin’ in the wind: lost interviews that contained surprising new insights about celebrated singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Transcripts of the 1971 interviews with the late American blues artist Tony Glover — and letters the two friends exchanged — have surfaced at a Boston auction...
The Weeknd and Roddy Ricch lead AMA nominations with 8 each
The Weeknd and Roddy Ricch are the leading nominees for this year’s American Music Awards with eight apiece. Both will compete for artist of the year against Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Taylor Swift, it was announced Monday. Megan Thee Stallion is the next leading nominee with five, including for...
Proposed bill would provide relief for theaters, music venues
John Pergal is in a difficult situation. Pergal owns the Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall in Lawrenceville, and is part of the ownership group for the Roxian Theater in McKees Rocks. Both buildings are usually filled with the sounds of music and the sight of dancing crowds enjoying their favorite...
SPUDS and ATS to perform at ‘Old School Cool’ in Pittsburgh’s Strip District Terminal
When the “Special People Under Doctors Supervision” band played in the 1980s, the first set started at 10:17 p.m. Fans could listen to live music from the SPUDS at Moondog’s Pub in Blawnox, the former Bloomfield Bridge Tavern in Bloomfield and the former Electric Banana music venue in Oakland. “We...
Carrie Underwood adds to CMT Music Awards haul
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Carrie Underwood already had the most CMT Music Awards of any artist, but she’ll need to make more room on her shelf. The superstar picked up two more trophies for video of the year and female video of the year in a remotely shot awards show. Underwood...
CMT Music Awards to feature trio of hosts, outdoor stagesVideo
A trio of new hosts will lead fans through a new look at this year’s CMT Music Awards, which replaced the live arena audience with performances in scenic outdoor locations around Nashville, Tenn. Country singers Kane Brown and Ashley McBryde join “Modern Family” actor Sarah Hyland as co-hosts during Wednesday...
Photo altered to Ice Cube, 50 Cent in ‘Trump 2020’ hats
An altered photo of rappers Ice Cube and 50 Cent in hats that appear to show support for President Donald Trump circulated widely on social media Tuesday, fueled in part by a tweet by Eric Trump. “Two great, courageous Americans,” Trump’s son tweeted. He removed the tweet with a photo...
Guitars played, partly designed by Eddie Van Halen go to auction
Two guitars owned, played and partly designed by the late Eddie Van Halen will be going up for auction. A 2004 EVH Charvel Art Series electric guitar and a customized electric guitar Van Halen built at his home studio with his guitar tech Matt Bruck and given to a friend...
