Trump announces George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Kiss for Kennedy Center Honors; says he’ll host the awards show
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday named country music star George Strait, “Rocky” actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, the rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford among the first batch of Kennedy Center Honors nominees under his leadership as the center’s chairman and said he’ll host the awards...
How to watch Taylor Swift’s 1st appearance on the Kelces’ ‘New Heights’ podcast
NEW YORK — Taylor Swift’s latest era is almost upon us. The superstar isn’t just releasing new music — she’s appearing Wednesday on “New Heights” for the first time. Part of the rollout for Tuesday’s announcement of “The Life of a Showgirl” involved the popular, typically football-focused podcast hosted by...
Swifties react to middle of night album announcement ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
Swifties were met with a late-night surprise on a seemingly random Monday night — a cryptic countdown appeared on Taylor Swift’s website. The countdown, which appeared in front of a sparkly orange background on the site, ended at 12:12 a.m. Tuesday morning, which is Aug. 12. With all of the...
Taylor Swift announces 12th studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
NEW YORK — Look what you made her do — Taylor Swift has announced her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Swift announced the album on her website shortly after a countdown timer expired at 12:12 a.m. Tuesday. No release date was announced, but her site said vinyl...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Ashes Awaken
Ashes Awaken may be the new studio project of Michael Stover, owner of Pittsburgh-based MTS Management Group, but the first single “A Better Way” has existed for a while. “The original version was written when I was about 20 years old, so it’s been around for many years. It was...
Modest Mouse and The Flaming Lips make an oddly perfect pair at Stage AE
Some weird combinations just make sense once you experience them. Like peanut butter and pickles. Or like indie rock bands Modest Mouse and The Flaming Lips. The two tried-and-true acts, along with opener Friko, proved to be a thrilling bill at Stage AE on Pittsburgh’s North Shore on Saturday night,...
All-American Rejects rock Sheetz in Robinson with pop-up concert
The rock band All-American Rejects took over the Sheetz in Robinson on Friday for a packed pop-up concert. Joined by local Pittsburgh band Eyewash, which opened the show, the Rejects played an entire set outside of the gas station and convenience store along Steubenville Pike. Just roughly four hours before...
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts deliver classic hits in Pittsburgh show; Winger features Pittsburgh native on guitarVideo
Joan Jett must have felt right at home Friday night on the Iron City Stage. The newish concert venue, nestled between the Allegheny River and Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s Creighton facility, with railroad tracks running behind that, apparently sparked some childhood memories for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. “I...
13-year-old Josie Sal to play Horseshoe Amphitheatre in Russellton
It takes a whole lot of personality and talent to sing on Nashville’s Broadway at any age, but Venetia, Pa., native Josie Sal is doing it at just 13. Sal will be coming back to her home region soon, performing Friday at the Horseshoe Amphitheatre in Russellton, opening for country...
Pittsburgh’s André Costello drops new album, set to mark milestone event at Mr. Smalls’ SanctuaryVideo
Pittsburgh musician André Costello can pinpoint the weekend six years ago when he first started working on his new album, “Rocky Mountain Low” — because it coincides with a new addition to his family. “The weekend that I went to Youngstown to record this the first time, my wife on...
Fox Chapel grads opening for Smash Mouth at Hartwood AcresVideo
Cal Tucker and Michael Monahan of IMY2 (an abbreviation for “I miss you, too”) won’t have to miss their hometown when they return for an Aug. 17 Hartwood Acres show. The trio of musicians — third member Annalise Mahanes is from Richmond, Va. — will open for Smash Mouth at...
Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and former manager, dies at 48
Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and talent manager, has died of cancer, his family said Thursday. He was 48. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years,” a representative for the Blackstock family shared in a statement to The Associated Press. “He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 8-10
All corners of the city will be full of excitement in the next few days, so this August weekend is the best time to venture out and explore. Here are a few events to get you started. Barrel and Flow This acclaimed festival celebrating Black brewers and artists is back...
Wilco delivers an electrifying double set at Heinz Hall
In some ways, Downtown Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall is the perfect venue for indie rock band Wilco. With 30 years of experimentation, evolution and inspiration under their belt, the band could be the modern popular equivalent of classical music, in many ways. Fronted by singer and guitarist Jeff Tweedy, the sextet...
Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies at 88
Eddie Palmieri, the avant-garde musician who was one of the most innovative artists of rumba and Latin jazz, has died. He was 88. Fania Records announced Palmieri’s death Wednesday evening. Palmieri’s daughter Gabriela told The New York Times that her father died earlier that day at his home in New...
Emmylou Harris and Brad Paisley are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Country superstar Brad Paisley and Americana powerhouse Emmylou Harris will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the organization announced Wednesday. The new class also includes Steve Bogard and Tony Martin in the contemporary songwriter category, Jim Lauderdale in the contemporary songwriter/artist category and Don Cook in the...
Code Orange’s Reba Meyers on going solo with ‘Clouded World EP,’ tour: ‘It’s very rewarding’Video
In some ways, Code Orange guitarist/vocalist Reba Meyers admits that her first solo tour is a bit premature. “I was just like, I have to do this, I don’t know why. I thought about it for two seconds,” she said. “Sometimes I think, oh, maybe I should have waited, but...
Ozzy Osbourne died of a heart attack, report says, citing death certificateVideo
LONDON — Ozzy Osbourne died of a heart attack and had coronary artery disease in addition to suffering from Parkinson’s disease for years, his death certificate said. The singer had suffered from coronary artery disease as well as Parkinson’s, according to the certificate filed at a register office in London...
A former Rolling Stone says the Met has his stolen guitar. The museum disputes it
LONDON (AP) — It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s messy. A guitar once played by two members of the Rolling Stones is at the center of a dispute between the band’s former guitarist Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 1959 Gibson Les Paul was donated to...
Styx’s Lawrence Gowan on upholding band’s legacy while moving forward with new musicVideo
Plenty of classic rock bands seem content to rest on their laurels, coasting by on past hits and rarely, if ever, releasing new music. That doesn’t appear to be the case for Styx. The classic rockers — known for 1970s hits like “Lady,” “Come Sail Away” and, of course, “Renegade”...
Rolling Rock Town Fair debuted at Westmoreland Fairgrounds 25 years ago todayVideo
If you grew up in Western Pennsylvania during the rise of alternative and grunge rock in the ’90s and early 2000s, there’s a good chance you recall hearing radio commercials for the annual Rolling Rock Town Fair. For a handful of years, some of the biggest names in modern rock...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Josie SalVideo
Young country singer Josie Sal calls her appearance singing with Jelly Roll two years ago at the Pavilion at Star Lake a “crazy story.” “I brought a sign that said ‘Since Lainey (Wilson) is in Alabama can I sing SAVE ME with you?’ Next thing I know security brought me...
South Side’s Club Cafe returns and hits all the right notes
When the doors to South Side music venue Club Cafe opened to the public for the first time in seven months — promptly at 7 p.m. — on Thursday night, the line of those waiting stretched to the corner of the block. That’s not too surprising, since the reopening night...
Justin Timberlake announces Lyme disease diagnosis
In an Instagram post Thursday, singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake revealed his diagnosis of Lyme disease — shedding light on what he’s been going through the last two years. “I wanted to write something from the heart,” Timberlake, 44, wrote. “This has been the most fun, emotional, gratifying, physically demanding and, at...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 1-3
After a week of sweating from the heat outside, take this weekend to sweat from concerts, monster truck rallies and dance parties instead. Here are a few ways to turn up the heat on your weekend. Lawrenceville Art Crawl Encompassing more than a dozen blocks along Butler Street in Lawrenceville,...
