Openers for Stones to perform at Hartwood's Maple House Music + Arts Festival
A local band that has opened for none other than the Rolling Stones is scheduled for the inaugural Maple House Music + Arts Festival on May 21 at Hartwood Acres Park, located in Hampton and Indiana townships.
The Pittsburgh-based Ghost Hounds performed as a special guest of history’s longest-tenured rock band.
“That’s as cool as it gets, to open for the Stones,” said Ghost Hounds guitarist Johnny Baab, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native. “It was a lot of fun, for sure. The Stones fans were kind to us. We had 45 minutes to make an impression on them.”
The Ghost Hounds did eight shows with the Rolling Stones, including the No Filter Tour on Oct. 4 at Heinz Field before a crowd of 50,000, after the original 2020 date had to be rescheduled because of the pandemic.
“There is nothing like interacting with the crowd in a live event,” said keyboard player Joe Munroe of Monaca. “There are lots of virtual platforms to perform on, but to be part of nights like when the Stones come out on stage, no online show can compare to that.”
That’s why the Ghost Hounds wanted to be part of the Maple House Music + Arts Festival.
There will be two stages, the Maple House Stage and Gibson Stage. The Ghost Hounds will perform at 7:45 p.m. on the former. Other artists include The Vics, Adia Victoria, Welshly Arms, Ripe, Elle King, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. On the Gibson stage will be Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Eric Gales, Joseph, Noah Kahan, Lake Street Dive and Black Pumas.
Music starts at 11:15 a.m.
Tickets are $59 for adults and $29 for children ages 3-10. VIP passes are available. The festival will showcase art, activities and food.
Proceeds from the one-day event will benefit Allegheny County parks.
The event will mark Baab’s first time performing at Hartwood Acres.
“I can’t wait,” he said.” I plan to spend the entire day there.”
Members of the Ghost Hounds describe themselves as a “ rockin’ blues band.”
They have a new album, “You Broke Me,” with nine songs, including, “Baby We’re Through” and “Smokestack Lightning.“
Baab and Munroe said the band has a cohesiveness that extends off stage.
“We hang out with each other,” Baab said. “We are like family.”
The leader of the lyric writing is billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, film producer — and guitarist — Thomas Tull of Edgeworth, who founded the Ghost Hounds with Baab.
Tre’ Nation is the lead vocalist. Bennett Miller is on bass and Blaise Lanzetta on drums.
Munroe said he loves the music the Ghost Hounds perform because it reminds him of tunes from his younger years.
“It is important to have your own identity as a band,” he said. “We love performing our own music.”
The name Ghost Hounds was inspired by the legend of 1930s Robert Johnson, who supposedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his ability to play guitar and sing, and he composed the often-covered “Hellhound On My Trail,” along with what eventually became the blues-rock standard “Crossroads.”
The Ghost Hounds unleashed their full-length debut, “Roses Are Black,” in 2019. Their single “Bad News” appeared in the film adaptation of “Sonic the Hedgehog.”
Receiving acclaim from Billboard, American Songwriter and more, the group sharpened its signature style on their second full-length offering, “A Little Calamity” on Maple House Records, led by singles “Between Me and The Devil” and “Good Old Days,” which they played while opening for the Stones.
The Rolling Stones aren’t the only well-known musicians to partner with the Ghost Hounds. The band has been an opening act for fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Bob Seger and ZZ Top.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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