Music Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Discover the Burgh

19 Venues to Check Out Great Concerts in Pittsburgh

January 14, 2025August 9, 2022

There was a time in the not-so-distant past that if you brought up the Pittsburgh music scene, odds are good the response you'd get from others was “it is terrible, [city] is better”.

For a while, we thought that too.

But in recent years, the popularity of live music in Pittsburgh has really exploded both for bands that make stops into the city and for our music venues outright. So in this one, we thought we'd round up some of the best Pittsburgh concert venues, what you can expect when visiting, and more!

We've also decided to arrange this one by capacity (from smallest to largest, roughly), just for fun. As with everything on this site, this list only features venues we've personally visited. As we take in more shows in the area, we'll update this guide accordingly!

Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead – What is the Venue Like?

November 23, 2024November 4, 2021

We were fortunate enough to see not one, but two shows at Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead in the span of roughly one week, and by sheer chance, we bought tickets for the same exact seats for both (I bought tickets for one, Angie for the other).

This ended up being a pleasant surprise because we quickly learned two things- the balcony seats at Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead are wonderful, and this smaller theater is a true gem for seeing live music!

So in this one, we thought we'd share a bit more about what you can expect from a performance.

Acrisure Stadium Concerts – Is The Venue Worth It for a Show?

November 23, 2024October 6, 2021

There are conventional tours at amphitheaters like Star Lake. Then there are larger stadium tours, like concerts at PNC Park. And then there are the biggest, most outrageous stadium tours for the world's most famous performers.

In Pittsburgh, only one venue is large enough for an event of this size, and Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field) concerts have historically attracted acts like Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Beyonce, U2, and perhaps the most legendary of them all, The Rolling Stones- who we finally got to see at the stadium in 2021.

So in this one, we thought we'd share a bit about what the show was like, thoughts on the seating and sound at the stadium, and other venue-specific points you may want to keep in mind!

Note: Photos in this one were taken at various focal lengths with our phone. True-to-view shots as seen from our seats will be noted in the captions.

Thunderbird Cafe is a Hidden Gem for Music in Lawrenceville

November 23, 2024September 28, 2021

One of the things we love about Pittsburgh's music scene is that there are venues for just about every style of performance. Mega shows at Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park, dedicated pavilions like Star Lake, and intimate music venues like Mr. Small's Theater, and more.

But only a few venues can be described as unassuming hidden gems, and for Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall in Lawrenceville, it really hits both of those terms perfectly!

PNC Park Concerts – Is The Venue Worth It for a Show?

November 23, 2024August 20, 2021

We always have a bit of apprehension when it comes to stadium concerts in Pittsburgh, and the Hella Mega Tour featuring Weezer, Fall Out Boy, and Green Day at PNC Park in 2021 was no different.

The reason for this is not specific to PNC Park outright (a stadium we absolutely love particularly for its views of the city), but rather that most sports stadiums are simply not the best for concerts from a viewing perspective. The stages are generally set up in the outfield and are rather far away from the bulk of the seats which inherently makes for less-than-stellar views outside of the pit.

As it turns out, we ended up really liking our experience at PNC Park and would gladly return for a future show as the vibe, sound, and views of the city more than made up for the views of the stage outright.

So in this one, we wanted to share a few things to keep in mind before buying tickets to PNC Park concerts!

The Roxian Theatre is a Stunning Music Venue in McKees Rocks

November 23, 2024July 19, 2019

We always love hearing about theaters that have been restored to their former glory, and the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks is just that.

This theater space originally opened in 1929, and over the course of time closed and sat empty. In recent years the theater underwent renovations before opening its doors for performances in early 2019.

As soon as we heard about this, we naturally had to buy tickets and ended up getting in to check out a performance by the Aquabats and Reel Big Fish shortly after the theater opened for business.

The Pittsburgh Jazz Festival Offers a Weekend of Stellar Music Downtown

November 23, 2024June 10, 2019

The Pittsburgh Jazz Festival is a stellar event that occurs in downtown Pittsburgh each June with three stages, three days of music, and extra performances going on nearby at the August Wilson Center!

If you like live jazz, or even simply live music, this free event is an absolute must.

Celebrating Christmas With a Holiday Pops Concert by the PSO

November 23, 2024December 18, 2018

During the holiday season there are so many events and concerts that vie for your attention, but The Pittsburgh Symphony's Holiday Pops concert is one that should definitely be on your list to attend.

This family-friendly concert has something for everyone with special guest performers and a fantastic variety of holiday music.

Stage AE Concerts – What is the Venue Like for a Show?

June 10, 2025June 28, 2018

If you were to poll the music crowd in Pittsburgh about their least favorite venue in the city, odds are good you're going to hear a pretty uniform response that it is Star Lake based on their notorious parking issues alone.

But if you ask us, we're probably going to say Stage AE is ours.

They don't have the same parking issues, but we found no shortage of things to dislike about this venue after a recent show.

As with our other concert reviews, this one is not about the Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys concert (they were awesome), but is instead all about what Stage AE concerts are like.

MCG Jazz – A Hidden Gem for Live Music in the North Side

November 23, 2024December 6, 2017

MCG Jazz is a hidden gem at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild on the North Side, hosting live jazz concerts each year in a season that runs from fall through spring. These concerts bring in some of the best names in jazz today, from vocalists to instrumentalists, and from Broadway stars to Grammy Award winners.

Despite living a few blocks from this one for several years, we never knew it existed until a coworker told us about it. Naturally, we bought tickets right away.