The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis return sharper, freer on ‘Deface the Currency’ ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
It’s been 10 years since the Messthetics first formed, with the rhythm section of influential post-hardcore band Fugazi (bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty) joined by versatile guitarist Anthony Pirog to create several albums fusing punk and jazz. Saxophonist/composer James Brandon Lewis, who had previously worked with Pirog, had...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Ruth E. ToothlessVideo
Pittsburgh screamo band Ruth E. Toothless will celebrate the release of a split EP with a May 1 show at Hippo House, an underground basement venue, on the North Side. “More Like a Warm Morgue,” a split release with The Hague from Portland, Oregon, has been streaming since December but...
Corrosion of Conformity’s Pepper Keenan talks about new double album ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
Corrosion of Conformity singer/guitarist Pepper Keenan said it felt like it had been a while since the heavy metal veterans played Pittsburgh. A slot last year opening for the Alice Cooper/Judas Priest tour that hit “sheds” all summer/fall — including an Oct. 1 show at the Pavilion at Star Lake...
The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli on new track, songwriting, local food specialties and moreVideo
The Afghan Whigs are celebrating a milestone anniversary this year, marking 40 years since the band started back in 1986 in Cincinnati. Over the course of those 40 years, the alternative rock band has played several now-defunct clubs in Pittsburgh such as Club Laga and Graffiti. Frontman Greg Dulli even...
NFL Draft HQ 2026: Who the Steelers might pick, position breakdowns, mock drafts and more
Pittsburgh will be the center of the football universe when the NFL Draft takes place on the city’s North Shore this week. The first round is set for Thursday, with rounds 2-3 on Friday and rounds 4-7 on Saturday. The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off at 8 p.m. Thursday and...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Forest CountiesVideo
Forest Counties is releasing a new live album, yet it’s comprised of only two tracks. Each track is made up of a full set recorded in different open tunings, with one recorded at the SLB Radio holiday party in the Children’s Museum in December and the other at Government Center...
New Constellations’ leap of faith pays off with new album and tour, including Pittsburgh showVideo
Around a year and a half ago, vocalist Harlee Case stood up on the couch at a New Constellations band practice and made a declaration about their jobs. “I was like, we need to quit Jan. 1. I’ll figure it out money-wise. I know in my heart that we’re not...
Hempfield grad Luke Zajdel plays PPG Paints Arena as Walker Montgomery’s drummer, calls it a ‘bucket list’ momentVideo
It had been a long time since Luke Zajdel felt as nervous as he did before performing on March 6. But this just wasn’t any concert for the 2018 Hempfield Area High school graduate. This was a hometown show — at PPG Paints Arena, no less, where he’d seen his...
Bob Dylan returning to Pittsburgh for summer showVideo
Folk legend Bob Dylan is returning to Pittsburgh for an outdoor show this summer. Dylan, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, will perform on July 12 at Stage AE on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. He’ll be joined by Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-A-Whirl Band...
New live release from Pittsburgh jazz great Ahmad Jamal set for Record Store Day
A newly discovered live album from the late Pittsburgh-born jazz pianist/composer Ahmad Jamal will come out Saturday for Record Store Day. The album, “At the Jazz Showcase: Live in Chicago,” is a two-LP set showcasing a 1976 recording from the Jazz Showcase in Chicago. The Resonance Records release features Jamal...
Breakout star Sombr bringing You Are the Reason tour to PittsburghVideo
Rising pop singer Sombr will headline an arena tour this fall, including a stop in Pittsburgh. Fresh off his Coachella debut, Sombr announced his fall You Are the Reason tour, which visits PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Nov. 12. He’ll be joined by Hannah Jadagu and Dove Cameron. Sombr,...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Daniel AttaliVideo
Singer-songwriter Daniel Attali, a Pittsburgh native, just released his album, “7 Hours,” which has been described as a coming-of-age journey. ”This album is the story of my life starting toward the end of my senior year of high school until I broke up with my partner during the first month...
Guitar legend Uli Jon Roth to mark Scorpions milestones at Jergel’s showVideo
Guitarist Uli Jon Roth’s new three-hour Pictures of Destiny show is split into two parts. The first is more of a symphonic rock experience with a string quartet, including premieres from his “Requiem for an Angel” composition, while the second act is more of a straight-forward rock show, diving into...
Country blues guitarist Todd Albright strips it down to the roots on new album ‘Blues for Dexter Linwood’Video
For country blues guitarist Todd Albright, there was no studio trickery involved on his upcoming album, “Blues for Dexter Linwood.” Albright and first-time producer Charlie Parr aimed to capture the authenticity of the guitar and vocals. “We used one single microphone, and it was recorded in mono. There was no...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: John ShannonVideo
Guitarist John Shannon is rooted in Pittsburgh, but his music is taking him all around the world. Shannon’s debut jazz album, “A Day in Tarifa,” was recorded in Paris for the France-based label Jazzbook Records. But Shannon, a co-owner of Pittsburgh jazz club Con Alma, pays tribute to his roots...
Bret Michaels says it’s a ‘dream come true’ to perform as part of NFL Draft festivities in Pittsburgh
Bret Michaels has sung the national anthem at a Pittsburgh Steelers game back in 2000 at Three Rivers Stadium. He’s led the Terrible Towel twirl. And he’s played a set at halftime (Oct. 26 last year during “Sunday Night Football” between the Steelers and Green Bay Packers.) That’s not to...
The Maine drummer Pat Kirch on hitting 10 albums with ‘Joy Next Door’ with Pittsburgh showVideo
Drummer Pat Kirch said The Maine used a mood board of sorts when they were working on their upcoming album. “We wanted the intro song to almost be like the trailer for a movie, and then we wanted the second song to feel like the opening credits,” Kirch said Monday....
Ukrainian folk band Yagody helps to keep country’s culture aliveVideo
The Ukrainian folk band Yagody is making its third tour of the United States, including its first stop in Pittsburgh later this month. Yagody — which translates to “berries” — will perform April 9 at City Winery Pittsburgh in the Strip District. The band’s mission is to preserve, as well...
Pittsburgh local music releases for April 2026
New EPs, albums and singles are on the way in April from a wide-ranging group of Pittsburgh area musicians. Here’s a quick look at those new local releases scheduled for the Pittsburgh region in April: Flash Thunder Pittsburgh noisecore trio Flash Thunder will celebrate its third EP, “Resonant...
Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes on his variety of bands: ‘It keeps me fresh and inspired’Video
A quick peek at Warren Haynes’ 2026 calendar would show a wide range of shows: There were solo shows in February, concerts with the Warren Haynes Band in March and an upcoming symphonic experience in April. But there’s also more than two dozen Gov’t Mule shows on tap this spring...
Benson Boone’s Wanted Man tour will launch in PittsburghVideo
Benson Boone will make his Pittsburgh debut this summer. The “Beautiful Things” singer will launch his Wanted Man tour on July 7 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Benson is known for his high-energy shows with front and backflips — he backflipped off of a grand piano during his performance...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: God’s Green ApplesVideo
Veteran Mon Valley rockers God’s Green Apples, blending punk and Americana, are back with a new single, “Can’t Stop.” But the song, released March 25, isn’t actually that new. “‘Can’t Stop’ was written in the early ’90s. I think it’s funny that the song was written so many years ago...
Top April concerts for Pittsburgh: Bush, Bailey Zimmerman and more
The Pittsburgh concert calendar is filling up, with at least a dozen sold-out concerts in April. The intriguing shows include a rising country star, alternative rock veterans and the aforementioned sellouts from a wide swath of musical genres. Here’s a look at the top concerts coming to the Pittsburgh region...
UnityTX frontman Jay Webster on metal/hip-hop band’s new album, painful Pittsburgh memory, Code Orange and moreVideo
UnityTX’s first concert in Pittsburgh still stands out to frontman Jay Webster — busting your head open and possibly suffering a concussion are hard to forget after all. At a 2022 show at Spirit Hall opening for Loathe — and on the tour’s first night, no less — Webster’s iron...
Nelly, 2Chainz, Steve Aoki concerts added as part of draft weekend
Performances from a pair of hip-hop stars and a big-name DJ have been added as part of Pittsburgh’s weekend hosting the NFL Draft. The concerts will take place at a pair of venues: The Plaza at North Shore, a new entertainment space at the corner of Mazeroski Way and General...
