Mike Palm stories, Page 15
Interview: Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan discusses the power of ‘Renegade’ and more ahead of Pittsburgh concertVideo
In the 25 years since Lawrence Gowan took over on keyboards for Styx in 1999, the progressive rock band has played 20 shows in and around Pittsburgh. And that total doesn’t even include the various appearances for the national anthem at Steelers games or a quick set at the 2011...
Chevelle drummer Sam Loeffler discusses new album, label and more ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
The new Chevelle album has been in the works for the past two years, with drummer Sam Loeffler saying it’s in the home stretch. ”We kind of did expect to have it done (already). It’s like pulling teeth,” he said in a recent phone call from the band’s Chicago studio....
Interview: Pittsburgh-born Craig Burletic does double duty as bassist for Tyler Childers, El Dorodo
Although Craig Burletic moved away from Pittsburgh when he was 5 years old, he still holds strong memories of his time in the city. Growing up in Observatory Hill, Burletic remembered walking with his grandmother from his home on Perrysville Avenue to the pool at Riverview Park. He vividly recalled...
Stephen Pearcy concert review: Former Ratt singer celebrates 40th anniversary of ‘Out of the Cellar’ album in Pittsburgh showVideo
Stephen Pearcy, the former lead singer of Ratt, is touring to mark the 40th anniversary of the glam metal band’s landmark album, “Out of the Cellar.” With hits like “Round and Round,” “Back for More” and “Wanted Man,” the band’s debut studio album went triple platinum and later launched the...
Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders talks about 20th anniversary of ‘Leviathan’ ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
Doing a tour tied to the anniversary of any old album would not really appeal to Troy Sanders, the bassist/singer for the heavy metal band Mastodon. But the band’s upcoming tour, marking 20 years since “Leviathan,” their seminal concept album based loosely around “Moby-Dick,” was released is a different story....
Ingrid Andress offers explanation for panned national anthem performance at MLB Home Run Derby
Country singer Ingrid Andress’ performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” on Monday night at MLB’s Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, has been been universally roasted. With painful pauses, the Grammy-nominated singer’s a cappella version has been called “the Star-Strangled Banner” and worse on social media. By Monday afternoon, Andress released...
Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara on Pittsburgh return, new album ‘152’ and moreVideo
When Taking Back Sunday played here last August, a tornado just a few miles from the Four Chord Music Festival wreaked havoc with their plans. “The festival got shut down, delayed, everybody seek shelter, that kind of thing,” singer Adam Lazzara said in a recent Zoom call. “So rather than...
Redd Kross bassist Steven McDonald on double album, documentary, memoir ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
As far as Steven McDonald could remember, Redd Kross has never played a headline show in Pittsburgh. The bassist for the longtime power pop/punk band recalled driving through the city sometime in the 1980s, but their only shows here were in support of other bands (1997 with The Presidents of...
Train’s Pat Monahan on the band’s career, new single, live album and San FranciscoVideo
Pat Monahan, lead singer for Grammy-winning pop rock band Train, spent his formative years in northwestern Pennsylvania, moving from Erie to California when he was 19. “Do I miss the lake effect snow?” Monahan said with a laugh in a recent call. “I can’t say that I do.” Although he’s...
Red Hot Chili Peppers concert review: Veteran rockers bring their California love to sold-out Pittsburgh showVideo
The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ love of California cannot be underestimated — with some Internet estimates putting a reference to the Golden State in about 20% of their songs. That was on full display Tuesday night in a sold-out show at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, where the...
Tyler Childers concert review: Kentucky native delivers his brand of country music to sold-out Star Lake show
Tyler Childers considers himself a country artist, plain and simple — not Americana or alt country. Just country. The Kentucky native’s style of music doesn’t really fit into the mold of modern/commercial country, leading to not a lot of radio airplay. (When Childers’ “In Your Love” cracked the Billboard Country...
Def Leppard, Hozier, Chris Stapleton highlight July’s top Pittsburgh concerts
PNC Park will host its first stadium show of the year when British rockers Def Leppard invade the North Shore again, while two near-capacity crowds at Star Lake will make it another busy month of shows in the Pittsburgh area. Top shows July 12: Chris Stapleton, Marcus King, Nikki Lane...
Eyes Set to Kill celebrates 15 years of ‘Reach’ in New Kensington showVideo
The surprisingly light crowd for Eyes Set to Kill’s first Pittsburgh area appearance in six years didn’t diminish the performance put on by the melodic metalcore band. Currently celebrating 15 years of their debut album “Reach” — although it was technically released on Feb. 19, 2008 — Eyes Set To...
WDVE’s Randy Baumann releasing ‘Wanderin Fool’ album; The Damnwells write ode to Pittsburgh
WDVE morning host Randy Baumann is releasing his first album in more than 20 years this week, and he said it worked out better than he could have hoped. “Wanderin Fool,” which features an all-star cast of Pittsburgh musicians, will be available on all streaming platforms Thursday. “I’ve done so...
Laufey concert review: Icelandic jazz-pop star thrills in 2nd night with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Icelandic jazz-pop singer Laufey might only be 25 years old, but her songs of love, hope, betrayal and heartache evoke an era much older that, without feeling dated. In a show lasting about an hour and 45 minutes Tuesday, Laufey (pronounced lay-vay) teamed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for a...
Baroness bassist Nick Jost talks touring, danceable metal and more ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
As metal band Baroness gets closer to the end of its U.S. tour, bassist Nick Jost said one of the worst aspects of being on the road might be the actual roads. “You have no privacy and no sleep. We’re in a pretty bumpy vehicle on some pretty bumpy American...
The Get Up Kids’ Jim Suptic on Four Chord Music Fest, the ’emo’ genre and Thundergong!Video
The Get Up Kids will be playing their first show in three months with their appearance Sunday at the Four Chord Music Festival in Pittsburgh, but guitarist Jim Suptic wasn’t worried about any rust. “It’ll be fine,” he said with a laugh. “Some of these songs we’ve played literally tens...
Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram on not believing the hype, his blues education and more ahead of Pittsburgh concertVideo
At the tender age of 25, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has already been heralded as the future of blues music. That could lead to high expectations for the Mississippi native, who already has one Grammy win (best contemporary blues album for 2021’s “662”) and two other nominations. That goes along with...
Review: Lionel Richie revisits classic 1980s hits in Pittsburgh concertVideo
Lionel Richie, who’s sold more than 125 million albums worldwide along with earning four Grammys, an Oscar and a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, doesn’t have anything left to prove. Yet Richie, who already holds a job as a judge on “American Idol,” is traveling the...
Review: Robert Plant, Alison Krauss revisit Led Zeppelin classics, their hits in Pittsburgh showVideo
When Robert Plant and Alison Krauss strolled on stage Saturday night, they met in the middle and held hands briefly. For much of the rest of the night, their voices intertwined just as easily. The music luminaries — Plant is the former singer of Led Zeppelin and Krauss is a...
Grammy-winning Lucinda Williams talks about stroke recovery, looking back and more ahead of Pittsburgh concertVideo
Some days are more frustrating than others for Lucinda Williams as she continues her recovery from a 2020 stroke. Earlier this week, the three-time Grammy winner was sitting on her tour bus admiring the beautiful weather through the window, but she longed for more. “I just want to be able...
‘The biggest thing’: The Vindys singer Jackie Popovec on opening for Pat Benatar
The room right next to Jackie Popovec’s kitchen is supposed to be the dining room. But with guitars on the wall, other instruments and amps scattered about and freshly arrived merch nearby, the singer of The Vindys just laughs off the room’s transition. “Loading our stuff in and out of...
AJR’s Ryan and Jack Met discuss arena shows, getting vulnerable and much more ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
In the course of just six years, the indie pop band AJR has gone from playing the Club at Stage AE to headlining PPG Paints Arena on their Pittsburgh stops. And that’s always been the band’s ultimate ambition. “It’s been really incredible. It’s been really the goal of the band...
Wilderado’s Max Rainer on new album ‘Talker,’ music business, moreVideo
With indie folk band Wilderado about to launch a headlining summer tour this week, frontman Max Rainer managed to describe his life and the weather in Tulsa, Oklahoma, all at once. “Well, it’s literally the calm before the storm,” Rainer said Monday. “It’s storming outside; it’s about to. It’s all...
Caroline Jones interview: Zac Brown Band member discusses touring as new mom, solo career and more ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
Balancing life as a new mother and a member of the Zac Brown Band is going surprisingly well for Caroline Jones. Stadium shows on Kenny Chesney’s The Sun Goes Down tour, co-headlined with the Zac Brown Band, are usually scheduled over weekends. So that means Jones can bring her 6-month-old...
