This summer concert season in Western Pennsylvania promises to be one of the most anticipated in recent memory, not only because of the acts coming to the area, but because of the opening of the Consol Energy Center, Uptown.
The first concert -- yet to be announced -- undoubtedly will be one of the most-desired tickets in recent memory.
The music at other venues also will draw fans. At the First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown, highlights include Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers on July 24, Brooks & Dunn on July 30, the return of Ozzfest -- with Ozzy Osbourne performing -- on Aug. 18 and Rascal Flatts on Sept. 17.
The newly minted Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square will bring in some intriguing shows, including Busta Rhymes with Lil' Kim on May 28; B.B. King on July 13; the Flaming Lips on July 20; and Heart on Aug. 6.
The Mellon Arena, before it shutters its doors for good, will feature a double bill of James Taylor and Carole King on June 26. No word yet on what will be the final concert at the venue.
Free always is a nice thing: Three Rivers Arts Festival offers compelling performers, starting with Alejandro Escovedo on June 4 and ending with Patty Griffin on June 13. And the Allegheny Parks Summer Concert Series includes shows by Rosanne Cash on July 18, and Yo La Tengo on Aug. 1.
The season lineup:
Lil' Kim, Busta Rhymes: 7 p.m. May 28, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $35-$75. 412-261-9911
Of Montreal: 8 p.m. May 28, ChesArena, Cheswick. 724-275-7625
Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, Eli Young Band: 6 p.m. May 29, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Brokencyde, Jeffree Starr: 7 p.m. May 31, Diesel, South Side, 412-431-8800
Reverend Horton Heat, Cracker, Miss Derringer: 8 p.m. June 2, Altar Bar, Strip District. $25-$28. 412-263-2877
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Alejandro Escovedo: 7:30 p.m. June 4, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Guster: 7:30 p.m. June 5, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
The Avett Brothers: 8 p.m. June 6, Ches Arena, Cheswick. 724-275-7625
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Nathaniel Rateliff: 5 p.m. June 6, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
"The Music of 'Crazy Heart': The Songs of Bad Blake" with Professor Louie, Mike Falzarano, Buddy Cage, Graham Maby, Gary Burke: 7:30 p.m. June 6, Altar Bar, Strip District. 412-263-2877
Jordin Sparks, Kate Voegele: 7 p.m. June 8, Palace Theatre, Greensburg. $30.50-$40.50. 724-836-8000
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Tift Merritt: 7:30 p.m. June 8, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Los Amigos Invisibles: 7:30 p.m. June 9, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
Les Claypool: 8 p.m. June 9, Palace Theatre, Greensburg. $25. 724-836-8000
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Ingrid Michaelson, Matt Morris: 6:30 p.m. June 10, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Kris Kristofferson, Justin Townes Earle: 6:30 p.m. June 11, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
Chuck Blasko & The Vogues: 7:30 p.m. June 11, South Park Amphitheatre, South Park. Free. 412-835-4810
Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Justin Moore, Steel Magnolias, Josh Thompson: 7 p.m. June 12, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. $24.50-$55.75. 800-745-3000
Three Rivers Arts Festival featuring Patty Griffin: 5 p.m. June 13, Point Park, Downtown. Free. 412-471-6070
Dawes: 7:30 p.m. June 13, Hartwood Acres, Gibsonia, Free. 412-767-9200
Gordon Lightfoot: 8 p.m. June 16, Palace Theatre, Greensburg. $40-$50. 724-836-8000
Beach House: 7 p.m. June 16, Diesel, South Side, 412-431-8800
Mike Stern: 7:30 p.m. June 18, South Park Amphitheatre, South Park. Free. 412-835-4810
Dweezil Zappa Play Zappa: 8 p.m. June 18, Palace Theatre, Greensburg. $29-$64.50. 724-836-8000
Blitzen Trapper: 7 p.m. June 19, Diesel, South Side, 412-431-8800
Yes, Peter Frampton: 7 p.m. June 20, Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Washington. 724-225-9300
2nd Annual Hometown Music Festival with J.D. Eicher & The Goodnights, The Incline, Ben Hardt & His Symphony, Colonizing the Cosmos, Meeting of Important People, Gene the Werewolf, Glenn Pavone & The Cyclones: 3 to 9:45 p.m. June 20, Hartwood Acres, Gibsonia, Free. 412-767-9200
311, Pepper: 8 p.m. June 22, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $31-$35. 412-261-9911
All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, LMFAO, Third Eye Blind, Forever the Sickest Kids, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Cady Groves, Great Big Planes, Mercy Mercedes, Stereo Skyline, The Ready Set, Vita Chambers: Noon June 23,Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $32.50-$35. 412-261-9911
Styx, Foreigner: 7 p.m. June 24, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. $15-$65. 800-745-3000
Wreckless Eric/Amy Rigby: 8 p.m. June 25, ChesArena, Cheswick. 724-275-7625
Steve Hackett, Renaissance: 8 p.m. June 25, Palace Theatre, Greensburg. $30-$45. 724-836-8000
James Taylor, Carole King: 7 p.m. June 26, Mellon Arena, Uptown. 412-642-1800
Scorpions, Cinderella: 8 p.m. July 5, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $39.50-$75. 412-261-9911
Vans Warped Tour: Noon July 7, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. $30. 800-745-3000
Weird Al Yankovic: 7:30 p.m. July 7, Palace Theatre, Greensburg. $32-$48. 724-836-8000.
Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Love & Theft: 7 p.m. July 8, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Dave Matthews Band, Zac Brown Band: 7 p.m. July 10, PNC Park, North Side.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bret Michaels, .38 Special: 7 p.m. July 11, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. $25-$59.50. 800-745-3000
B.B. King, Lukas Nelson: 7 p.m. July 13, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $55-$95. 412-261-9911
Iron Maiden, Dream Theater: 7:30 p.m. July 14, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Roseanne Cash: 7:30 p.m. July 18, Hartwood Acres, Gibsonia, Free. 412-767-9200
Flaming Lips: 7:30 p.m. July 20, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $32.50-$35. 412-261-9911
16th Annual Blues Festival (lineup TBA): July 23-25, $25-$95. Hartwood Actres. Free. 412-767-9200
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: 7 p.m. July 24, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Level 42: 7 p.m. July 25, Altar Bar, Strip District. 412-263-2877
WYEP Summer Music Festival with Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea, Sara Harmer & Band, Joshua James, The Boogie Hustlers: 6 p.m. June 25, Schenley Plaza, Oakland. Free. 412-381-9131
Incendio: 7:30 p.m. July 30, South Park Amphitheatre, South Park. Free. 412-835-4810
Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan: 7 p.m. July 30, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
John Mayer, Train, The Avett Brothers, Owl City: 7 p.m. Aug. 1, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Yo La Tengo: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1, Hartwood Acres, Gibsonia, Free. 412-767-9200
Livingston Taylor: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6, South Park Amphitheatre, South Park. Free. 412-835-4810
Heart: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square, South Side, $39.50-$75. 412-261-9911
Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God: 7 p.m. Aug. 7, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. $30. 800-745-3000
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band: 7 p.m. Aug. 12, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Marcia Ball Band: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13, South Park Amphitheatre, South Park. Free. 412-835-4810
Asia: 7:30 p.m. April 15, Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead, Munhall. 724-769-5001
Toby Keith: 7 p.m. Aug. 22, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Joe Sample Trio: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22, Hartwood Acres, Gibsonia, Free. 412-767-9200
Lady Gaga, Semi Precious Weapons: 7 p.m. Sept. 5, Consol Energy Center, Uptown. $49.50-$175. 800-745-3000
11th Annual Allegheny County Music Festival with Rusted Root: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5, Hartwood Acres, Gibsonia, Free. 412-767-9200
Kings of Leon 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. $30.50-$50.50. 800-745-3000
Rush: 7 p.m. Sept. 16, Consol Energy Center, Uptown. 800-745-3000
Rascal Flatts, Kellie Pickler: 7 p.m. Sept. 17, First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown. 800-745-3000
Roger Waters: 7 p.m. Sept. 26, Consol Energy Center, Uptown. 800-745-3000
