Kenny Chesney fans dock boats along Allegheny River as concert approaches
Country music star Kenny Chesney is a boater. His song “Guys Named Captain” begins: “Guys named Captain are always characters … Livin’ by the water, somewhere in the Americas South or Central or some Virgin Island.”
Or Pittsburgh?
Beginning three weeks ago, boaters have been anchored along the Allegheny River on Pittsburgh’s North Shore — some two and three deep — waiting for Chesney’s concert at 5 p.m. Saturday at Heinz Field.
And they don’t just park the boats to save a spot — they pretty much live on them leading up to the big event. The vessels have many of the comforts of home: comfortable beds, bathrooms, kitchens and big-screen televisions.
Many of the “captains” become friends.
“Kenny is a big boater,” said Joe Quealy, 53, of Latrobe on Wednesday afternoon. “There have been times he’s come down here. He even sang on one of the boats. I don’t think he will this year because of covid.”
Quealy said he brought his Four Winns boat from the Strip District dock on May 20. He stays for a few days and then a friend or two comes down with their boat to save the space, and they alternate so that no one person stays for three weeks. He will be there until the concert since he took off Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from work.
Quealy said Chesney owns a yacht and that song “Guys Named Captain” refers to the boaters who sit along the dock, about 200 of whom will be lined up on the water by the time he takes the stage.
There have been concerns at past Chesney concerts about the mountains of garbage left behind by concertgoers, but that’s not a problem with the boating community, said Drew Hill, 32, of Plum. He said they don’t leave a mess for the city to clean up.
“We are respectful,” said Hill, who has been anchored along the Allegheny River for almost a week. He is a traveling cardiovascular intensive care nurse, so he scheduled his next assignment for July.
A few of the boats had to move closer to PNC Park for two days to allow room for the American Countess steamboat, part of the American Queen Steamboat Co., which was in Pittsburgh from Monday until Tuesday evening.
Hill, who keeps his boat at the Sharpsburg Islands Marina, said they arrive days before the concert because of the festive atmosphere.
“It’s a Pittsburgh holiday when Kenny Chesney comes to town,” Hill said. “Country music fans love to be part of this atmosphere.”
During the week, they listen to all genres of music, and bands often come by and perform. Most of the boats are equipped for his 35-foot Carver Flybridge, which he calls a small apartment on the water. It has can sleep six and has a kitchen and bathroom, including a shower. He has a generator, and the refrigerator runs on a battery.
He named it “Can’t Be Shore.”
While he can cook in his kitchen, he prefers to grill out on the deck. He said each boater takes a turn making breakfast, lunch or dinner for the other boaters. They also frequent some of the North Shore restaurants.
“We all look out for one another,” he said. “Some will go into the concert, and others will just enjoy being here with everyone. There is nothing else like this experience of having a party on the water with other boaters.”
The area where the boats are is public, so they can be there free of charge. Most will stay until Sunday.
“We’ve missed it the past two years because of covid, so by Friday there will be more than 100 boats down here,” Hill said.
Justin Turk, 37, of North Huntingdon has had tickets for two years. He was in a spot near Heinz Field late Friday through Sunday and moved closer to PNC Park to make room for the American Countess.
“That big boat hadn’t even turned around and I was back in my original spot,” said Turk, who is self-employed.
He traveled from the Greene Cove Yacht Club in Greene County, where he keeps the boat. He said the Chesney concert is one of the bigger boating events in the city, adding that it’s a big party but it’s under control.
Turk owns a 40-foot Silverton Convertible. He didn’t know Hill until he docked his boat by him. Now, they’re friends.
“We have tailgated for the concert before, but boating is different,” Turk said. “Pittsburgh is a beautiful city, and you can’t see on land what you can see from your boat. The sunset reflecting on the water is breathtaking. There is a special connection among boaters — you can’t get this atmosphere anywhere else.”
Chesney’s tour was postponed for the past two years because of the pandemic. The “Hear and Now” tour kicked off April 23 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Tickets are still available, starting at $35.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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