I am not going to complain.
I just hope this can be sustained.
Forgive the bad poetry, but I've been agog at all the good news, concert-wise, Western Pennsylvania has been blessed with this year: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the Mellon Arena, Coldplay at the Post-Gazette Pavilion, a stellar lineup for the Blues Festival at Hartwood Acres -- notably Los Lobos and Robert Cray -- and some very good club shows at places like Mr. Smalls, Brillobox and the Thunderbird Cafe.
Then came icing: The announcement that Jon Rinaldo of Joker Productions was going to bring Neko Case, John Legend and Gov't Mule to the long-neglected Riverplex Amphitheater at Sandcastle in Homestead. This after Brian Drusky of Drusky Entertainment had promised to resurrect the amphitheater at Station Square. While Rinaldo was first out of the gate with concert announcements, Drusky answered with a tribute show for Pittsburgh's slain police officers featuring a galaxy of local acts, a Clarks CD release concert and a double bill of Asia and Yes.
There's also the Three Rivers Arts Festival's musical lineup, which features the Black Keys, the Wailers and Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
It's a fantastic schedule by any measure. There's nothing to complain about.
But there's this little voice in the back of my head that's whispering otherwise. Saying things like "this is too much," especially with the stagnant economy; that there will be shows that bomb, and bomb badly.
These things are true in the best of times. For consumers, there have always been decisions to make about what shows to attend.
It's not like there's a big show every night of the week. The savvy fan can pick and choose, and with a little ingenuity, take in all the must-see shows of the year and still have a little bit of cash left over.
I hope that's the case. The Pittsburgh region could certainly use the boost a strong concert season would provide. Especially because the last few years have seen some bands pass the region by in favor of Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.
Some have cast Live Nation promoter Michael Belkin as the villain in this scenario, saying the Cleveland resident favors his hometown over Pittsburgh. But here's the thing that shoots that conspiracy theory down: Belkin is a businessman, and if there's a dollar to be made, he's going to book a concert in Pittsburgh. There's no spite because the Steelers are superior to the Browns in every way.
OK, perhaps Belkin might favor his hometown when it comes to the best dates. But you would, too, if you lived in Cleveland.
I do know this: The emergence of Rinaldo and Drusky as major promoters in the area has to make the suits at Live Nation take notice. They are the heirs to Pat DiCesare, Rich Engler and Ed Traversari, the promoters who used to embody concerts in Pittsburgh. For years, you could go to shows and see these guys hanging out, talking to fans, making sure everything ran smoothly. They added a personal touch.
But they were forced out when the national outfits took over, and truthfully, that's been what's wrong with the local concert scene since then: It's too corporate, too impersonal, too much like a business instead of a rock 'n' roll show.
That's why I hope Rinaldo and Drusky sell out every show at their new venues. We need some new characters.
