Mike Palm stories, Page 10
Interview: Singer-songwriter Ron Pope talks about his ‘American Man, American Music’ album ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
Singer-songwriter Ron Pope will be back in Pittsburgh on Saturday, and it should be a more pleasant time than his most recent, albeit unintentional, stay. Pope joined several artists on Feb. 16 in Morgantown, W.Va., to record an episode of “Mountain Stage” for NPR radio stations, but weather conditions axed...
Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, touring in support of ‘lowdown blues’ album, heading to PittsburghVideo
Tommy Castro and the Painkillers might be more of a contemporary blues band with their original songs, but Castro really wanted to make an album that channeled his influences like Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. “I love all that old funky stuff, and we kind of...
Pantera opening tour with show at Pavilion at Star LakeVideo
Heavy metal veterans Pantera will open their U.S. summer tour with a date in the Pittsburgh area. Touted as “the heaviest tour of the summer,” Pantera will be joined by Swedish metal stalwarts Amon Amarth for a July 15 show at the Pavilion at Star Lake, with another opener still...
Pittsburgh area local band spotlight: Six Gun Sally
In mid-March, the Southern rock band Six Gun Sally will release their new album, “Stand Up” — featuring a mix of originals and covers like Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Second Hand News.” “It’s Six Gun Sally to the ‘T’ —a mix of classic rock, Southern...
Review: Country rocker Stephen Wilson Jr. shows why his star is on the rise in sold-out Pittsburgh concertVideo
As Stephen Wilson Jr. prepared to end his concert Saturday night, the self-described “Death Cab For Country”-style singer-songwriter shared an optimistic outlook. “I truly believe our better days are in front of us. I believe our best days are in front of them, prior to contrary belief,” Wilson said. “I...
Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival in Pittsburgh includes lengthy stringed instrumentVideo
The Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival returns to Pittsburgh this weekend. Microtonal music, according to festival organizers, “expands the possibilities of sound by using tuning systems beyond, or in addition to, the standard 12-note equal temperament common in Western classical and popular music.” One of the event’s highlights is Ellen Fullman’s...
Interview: Soul singer Joss Stone on touring while pregnant as Less is More tour heads to PittsburghVideo
English soul singer Joss Stone is on the rebound from an illness that forced her to postpone the opening night of her new tour in Nashville, and she was kicking herself for how it started. “I sounded like bloody Marge Simpson. It was awful. I couldn’t bloody believe it, and...
Tate McRae bringing Miss Possessive tour to Pittsburgh this fallVideo
Canadian pop singer Tate McRae extended her global Miss Possessive tour, with a new date just added to Pittsburgh. McRae will play PPG Paints Arena on Oct. 15 with Alessi Rose opening the show. The “Greedy” and “She’s All I Wanna Be” singer on Friday will release her third studio...
Phish’s summer tour includes Pittsburgh dateVideo
Improvisational masters Phish are coming to Pittsburgh on their summer tour. The Vermont quartet, nominated this year for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will play June 24 at Petersen Events Center in Oakland. Phish’s summer tour, which opens with three nights in Manchester, New Hampshire, also includes multi-night...
Monster Jam will make Acrisure Stadium debut in May
Fresh on the heels of a weekend of shows at PPG Paints Arena, Monster Jam announced Tuesday it will be back in Pittsburgh, but in a much larger venue. The monster trucks — weighing in at 12,000 pounds — will be flying through the air and performing stunts in their...
Interview: Killswitch Engage drummer Justin Foley on new album ‘This Consequence’ ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
With veteran heavy metal group Killswitch Engage about to release its ninth album, drummer Justin Foley took a moment to reflect on his favorite ninth albums. Looking past possibilities like “The White Album” by the Beatles, “Sticky Fingers” by the Rolling Stones and “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd,...
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Tony From BowlingVideo
Two weeks after dropping their debut album, “Appear,” psych rockers Tony From Bowling will hold a tape release show on Feb. 22 at BrilloBox in Bloomfield. ”We recorded it ourselves with the help of Giovanni Orsini, mixed by Warren Pryde, and mastered by Ryan Killen,” guitarist Rob Potesta said. “Michi...
Joann Fabrics and Crafts closing most Western Pa. stores
Fabric and crafts retailer Joann will close at least 30 stores in Pennsylvania, including most in the region. The embattled retailer, which declared bankruptcy in March 2024 and then again in January, said it would be closing around 500 stores nationwide. “This was a very difficult decision to make, given...
Interview: Kofi Baker continues legacy of his father, drummer Ginger Baker, with Sons of CreamVideo
Maintaining the legacy of the late Cream drummer Ginger Baker remains vitally important for his son, Kofi Baker. “It’s pretty much everything at the moment for me. I was doing the Cream stuff before my dad died, but just like on the side here and doing other stuff,” Kofi Baker...
George Strait, Chris Stapleton tour coming to Pittsburgh’s Acrisure StadiumVideo
The King of Country is coming to Pittsburgh. Country music icon George Strait will be joined by Chris Stapleton and Parker McCollum for a May 31 show at Acrisure Stadium. Known for songs like “The Chair,” “Amarillo By Morning” and “All My Exes Live in Texas,” Strait joined the Country...
Butler County storage facility in spotlight after Elon Musk mention
A private storage facility in Butler County found itself in the spotlight after being indirectly mentioned by Elon Musk on Tuesday. The billionaire owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk is serving as an adviser to President Donald Trump, spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to...
Alabama, Jamey Johnson coming to Pittsburgh Brewing Co. in East DeerVideo
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. has another concert on tap later this year. Alabama, the Country Music Hall of Famers known for songs like “Mountain Music” and “Song of the South,” will headline the Iron City Stage at the company’s East Deer brewery on June 14, with country singer Jamey Johnson opening...
Doobie Brothers, Coral Reefer Band heading to Star Lake this summerVideo
The Doobie Brothers are coming back to the Pittsburgh area, this time in support of a new album. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will be releasing “Walk This Road,” the band’s first new album since 2021’s “Liberté,” on June 6, and they’ll be in the region not much...
Interview: Mdou Moctar bassist Mikey Coltun talks about acoustic ‘Tears of Injustice’ album ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
As Mdou Moctar prepared to launch their tour in support of an upcoming acoustic album, bassist Mikey Coltun was looking forward to the spontaneity of it. “We’ve never done it,” Coltun said last week. “We’ve played together acoustically many times and obviously recorded acoustically, but we’ve never done an acoustic...
Country rocker Hardy brings Jim Bob world tour to Star LakeVideo
Country rock star Hardy is bringing his Jim Bob world tour to the Pittsburgh area later this year. Hardy is touring on the heels of his 2024 album, “Quit!” and 2023’s breakout “the mockingbird & THE CROW,” with a stop on Sept. 5 at the Pavilion at Star Lake. He’ll...
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Hemlock for SocratesVideo
Hemlock for Socrates, a dark but danceable art rock band, will be hosting a Dark Valentine show on Feb. 13 at the Funhouse at Mr. Smalls in Millvale. “We’d been working with our friends, local dream pop group, Take Me With You, to remix one of their songs, and they...
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Radio 45Video
Radio 45, which has been compared to classic power pop bands like Cheap Trick and The Raspberries but with a modern twist, are using their newest single, “Good Dawg,” to help raise awareness for Animal Friends. “‘Good Dawg’ is about the everyday good-hearted person fighting to stay positive when life...
Review: Billy F. Gibbons and the BFGs unleash bluesy night of ZZ Top classics, coversVideo
A chance to see a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer up close and personal packed the house Tuesday night at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille in Warrendale. In a sold-out show, Billy F. Gibbons and the BFGs — the solo band of ZZ Top guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons — played an 85-minute...
Veteran TV musicians bringing ‘Late Night Stories’ to Pittsburgh for 1-night showVideo
The musicians of late-night television often get to witness notable figures share their stories, from off to the side. But in a unique show, some of those same musicians will take center stage for “Late Night Stories” on Feb. 15 at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild’s Jazz concert hall in a...
Review: Alternative rockers Local H go all out in Jergel’s concertVideo
As Local H prepared to play their final song of the night, a fan in the front row held up a pair of prosthetic legs in clear sight of frontman Scott Lucas. “Now we’re getting nuts,” he said. Truth be told, there weren’t many moments throughout Local H’s show Thursday...
