Live music at the Carnegie Carnegie is better than a sweater

Another holiday season is upon us. It’s a wonderful time of year to let our loved ones know how we feel about them. Have you started your holiday shopping? Are you looking for the perfect gift? Are you starting to panic with the clock ticking away as you read this? Are you second-guessing yourself and wondering if that reindeer sweater with the light-up nose is actually really lame?

If you could wrap up anything with a bow to watch your loved one’s face light up as they tore open the wrapping, what would be inside? Would you give them love? Would you give them joy? Would you give them excitement? (Or would you give them that stupid reindeer sweater?)

Famed Danish author Hans Christian Anderson once said, “Where words – and reindeer sweaters – fail, music speaks.” (Or at least he said something really close to that.)

So, if you are indeed looking for that perfect gift for your special someone, you can’t go wrong with music. And guess what – there’s some great live music coming up right after the holidays in your own backyard.

The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall right down the street in Carnegie houses two distinctive concert settings with some fantastic and exciting musicians to kick off 2022! Long renowned for its superb acoustics and historic character, the ACFL&MH Music Hall offers regional audiences a variety of artistic and cultural performances in an elegant setting. The downstairs Studio provides an intimate club-style setting, for a more informal concert experience. The “fourth wall” between performer and audience is often broken for questions and comments.

ACFL&MH is thrilled to bring the dynamic BGVs (aka BackGround Vocals) front and center with our Listen Locally Downstairs series in the Studio. Originally scheduled for the return of Listen Locally Downstairs in October, the evening with the BGVs was postponed because of a water main break in the town. The highly anticipated evening of Motown hits with the BGVs has been rescheduled 7 p.m. Jan. 13. Tickets are limited and selling quickly.

Katy, Carmen and Delana of the BGVs perform with astounding versatility, tight harmony and beautiful clarity. When you purchase tickets to the BGVs performance as a gift through Carnegie Carnegie.org, we’ll include an evening of smiles at no additional cost. While you’re at it, throw in some dancing shoes! (*Dancing shoes to be purchased separately from your favorite retailer.)

And at 8 p.m. Feb. 5, Pittsburgh’s favorite blues man takes the stage at Carnegie Carnegie Hall with The Billy Price Band. With influences such as Otis Clay and James Brown paired with his own distinctive style, Billy Price has been dubbed among the best in modern blues. If you have yet to visit the Music Hall at ACFL&MH, prepare to be wowed. Billy Price was when he attended the Jimmy Adler Band’s Listen Locally performance last spring.

Upon getting a glimpse of the Music Hall, Billy signed on right away for the opportunity to play in the acoustically superb Music Hall. We’re certain the audience will be wowed by Billy Price, 2016 Blues Music Award winner, and by our beautiful Music Hall. That’s two wows for the price of one!

Cultural consumption is a habit that must be nourished in order to thrive. The obstacles of the past year have disconnected many of us from engaging in exciting experiences that don’t involve a blue-lit screen.

Help reconnect your loved one with the emotion, excitement and joy of live music. Give the gift of a night out. Give the gift of getting up off the couch. Give the gift of experience. Give the gift of, well, music! Even better, buy yourself a ticket and plan to be part of the experience with the people on the receiving end of your gift – or just treat yourself!

For additional information or to purchase tickets, call 412-276-3456, ext. 6; email matthewsh@einetwork.net or visit Carnegie Carnegie.org.