Pop culture in Pittsburgh: A look back at 2023

There was no shortage of news in 2023 throughout the region’s arts and entertainment scene. From Taylor Swift to Kennywood, here are the region’s biggest cultural stories of 2023.

‘Swiftburg’

Arguably the concert of the year and the 2023 version of Beetle­mania, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour sold out both nights at Acrisure Stadium in June — not to mention the swarms of fans who brought fold-up chairs to the lawn outside the stadium and listened from the Ohio River in their boats. The shows generated $46 million in revenue in Pittsburgh, according to VisitPittsburgh.

Canceled concerts

A little over a month before her Aug. 3 show at Acrisure Stadium, Beyonce canceled. Fans in Pittsburgh were, understandingly, disappointed and confused — “production logistics and scheduling issues” was the reason given, and no one would comment beyond that. A date for her Pittsburgh show was never rescheduled and refunds were issued.

For Madonna and Bruce Springsteen, health issues were what postponed their shows in Pittsburgh last summer. Madonna suffered a “serious bacterial infection,” and Springsteen had to undergo treatment for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease. Both have recovered, and Madonna will perform at PPG Paints Arena on Feb. 5, 2024, while Springsteen fans will have to wait a bit longer — he will play PPG Paints Arena on Aug. 15 and Aug. 18, 2024.

‘Barbenheimer’

What to wear to a movie in Pittsburgh might not have ever been as serious as it was this summer when “Barbie” premiered. Pink became everyone’s favorite color, even for those who made a day of it and watched “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” aka “Barbenheimer,” back to back. “Oppenheimer” brought to light a little-known local tie — J. Robert Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty, grew up in Aspinwall.

Filming resumes in Pittsburgh

The effects of the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes were felt in Pittsburgh, as a number of movies and television shows are filmed here, at least in part. According to the Pittsburgh Film Office’s Dawn Keezer, filming will resume as early as January for some projects.

Courtesy of Desmone Architects

A rendering shows the proposed The Pop District Entertainment Venue in Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

Pittsburgh Pop District

The Andy Warhol Museum is looking to expand its footprint on the North Shore with plans to turn a parking lot into a $45 million entertainment venue that will be part of its Pop District initiative. It will feature a concert venue that can hold up to 1,000 people and an event space. Work could begin as soon as this coming spring. Dan Law, The Warhol’s associate director, called the new event space “the cornerstone of The Warhol’s imagination of the eastern North Shore.”

Carnegie Museum bans diorama

On display since 1899 at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History — save for a brief hiatus in 2020 and ‘21 — the “Lion Attacking a Dromedary” diorama was dismantled and removed from public view because it was found to contain a real human skull and jaw in 2017. The museum’s board of trustees unanimously approved the museum’s first human remains policy on Aug. 30; the diorama was removed in October.

Frick Museum postpones Islamic art exhibit

In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, the Frick Pittsburgh attempted to quietly postpone an Islamic art exhibition called “Treasured Ornament” — but that decision didn’t stay under the radar. Museum director Elizabeth Barker received backlash for telling staff during a virtual meeting Oct. 16 that the Frick didn’t plan to proactively tell people about the postponement. Just days after the story published, the museum announced a new date for the exhibit. It will open in August 2024.

Courtesy Kennywood

Kennydoow Park celebrated 125 years in part with a new ride called Spinvasion.

Kennywood celebrates 125 years

For its quasquicentennial year, Kennywood unveiled the new Spinvasion ride, added the 1898 Coffee house, and updated the look of the Slingshot ride.