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!
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!
Fat Cat closed in March 2024. At this time we do not know if bluegrass will return on Wednesdays.
When you think of Pittsburgh's music scene, your first thought is likely not about the North Side. If you do consider this side of the city, it is likely about the concert venue Stage AE or even one of the stadiums when big named musicians come to town.
But the North Side has far more than just these if you're looking to take in a live performance. In Deutschtown, for example, the music scene thrives on Wednesdays thanks to the Pittsburgh Banjo Club's free practice at the Elks Lodge and bluegrass night at Fat Cat.
If you time your visit appropriately to hit both, it ends up being a lovely night out with great beer, an array of musical styles, and an overall experience you just can't get anywhere else in the city.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
The North Side Music Festival takes place each July in Pittsburgh's North Side and features hundreds of bands, dozens of stages throughout the region (most in Deutschtown, giving the event the former name the Deutschtown Music Fesitval), food trucks, art and other vendors, and so much more.
In fact, there is so much to see in this three-day event you really plan to spend the entire day down at the festival to get the most out of it!
Pittsburgh's outdoor amphitheater, The Pavilion at Star Lake (formerly S&T Bank Music Park, KeyBank Pavilion, First Niagara, and Star Lake before that), is the preferred venue for many of the world's best bands and musicians as they make their touring stop in Pittsburgh.
But this pavilion, located about 45 minutes west of downtown Pittsburgh, has had some notoriety about it throughout the years as accessing the arena is quite difficult with its one and only road in and out. But since many of our favorite bands play there, we've sucked it up several times over the years to see performances with vastly different experiences.
As with everything, this review is not about the performance, but rather is about the arena itself. So, what did we think of Star Lake and what can you do to have the best experience when visiting? Read on!