Mike Palm stories, Page 14
Singer Merce Lemon shares new video, talks about balance, new album, Pittsburgh as a home baseVideo
If all goes right, Pittsburgh musician Merce Lemon may be making a splash nationally when her new album, “Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild,” drops in September. Lemon made a different kind of splash recently when she dropped her phone into the Allegheny River near Aspinwall, where she was working...
Doobie Brothers’ Pat Simmons talks about band’s longevity, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame validationVideo
When guitarist Pat Simmons stops to ponder his 50-plus years with The Doobie Brothers, it can get a little surreal to him. The band celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020 (with a tour pushed back to 2021-22 because of the covid pandemic), and Simmons still isn’t quite sure how to...
James McMurtry on scaled-down touring, Americana and more ahead of free Pittsburgh showVideo
The music industry has been turned on its head since James McMurtry released his first album, “Too Long in the Wasteland,” back in 1989. “The business model at that time was you would tour to support record sales in the hopes that you would sell enough records to live off...
Review: Slipknot brings Here Comes the Pain 25th anniversary tour to PittsburghVideo
When bands launch album anniversary tours, they generally play that album and sprinkle in the rest of their hits throughout the set or save them for the encore. Not so for Slipknot, who brought their Here Comes the Pain 25th anniversary tour to the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown...
With arms wide open: Pittsburgh welcomes Creed on Summer of ’99 tourVideo
Creed, one of the biggest bands in modern rock, is no stranger to struggles. Despite selling millions and millions of records, the post-grunge band could never seem to win over music critics. Singer Scott Stapp faced mental health issues and battled alcoholism and addiction. The band broke up in 2004,...
Interview: Former Ultravox frontman Midge Ure brings Band in a Box tour to Pittsburgh
Midge Ure has been playing music professionally for more than 50 years, so hitting the studio or going on the road for a North American tour at age 70 is as natural as “blinking or breathing.” “At the time, whichever one you’re doing seems to be the best one to...
Review: Lamb of God, Mastodon celebrate 20th anniversaries of their landmark metal albums in PittsburghVideo
An army of black shirt-clad heavy metal fans gathered for the 20th anniversaries of a pair of groundbreaking albums, soaking up the nostalgia. And by the end of the night Tuesday at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, they were quite literally soaked. The Ashes of Leviathan tour brought together Lamb of...
Review: Sleater-Kinney shakes off vocal woes in Pittsburgh stop of Little Rope tourVideo
With Sleater-Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein starting to lose her voice Monday night, the band made a few alterations so the show could go off without a hitch, as the seminal punk band visited Mr. Smalls Theater in Millvale on their Little Rope tour. A pair of songs where Brownstein does...
Creed, Imagine Dragons, Bruce Springsteen highlight August’s top Pittsburgh concerts
For the first time in eight years, Bruce Springsteen will be in Pittsburgh for a pair of shows — pushed back almost a year because of illness — while the Pavilion at Star Lake will host another busy month of concerts. Here’s a look at the top shows coming to...
Interview: Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker discusses ‘Little Rope’ and more before Pittsburgh concertVideo
In the course of 30 years touring the world with Sleater-Kinney, singer/guitarist Corin Tucker has learned that things don’t always go smoothly. Take, for instance, Thursday night, when the band’s bus lost power and air conditioning on the drive from Nashville to Michigan, requiring a late-night vehicle exchange. “They really...
Interview: Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan discusses the power of ‘Renegade’ and more ahead of Pittsburgh concertVideo
In the 25 years since Lawrence Gowan took over on keyboards for Styx in 1999, the progressive rock band has played 20 shows in and around Pittsburgh. And that total doesn’t even include the various appearances for the national anthem at Steelers games or a quick set at the 2011...
Chevelle drummer Sam Loeffler discusses new album, label and more ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
The new Chevelle album has been in the works for the past two years, with drummer Sam Loeffler saying it’s in the home stretch. ”We kind of did expect to have it done (already). It’s like pulling teeth,” he said in a recent phone call from the band’s Chicago studio....
Interview: Pittsburgh-born Craig Burletic does double duty as bassist for Tyler Childers, El Dorodo
Although Craig Burletic moved away from Pittsburgh when he was 5 years old, he still holds strong memories of his time in the city. Growing up in Observatory Hill, Burletic remembered walking with his grandmother from his home on Perrysville Avenue to the pool at Riverview Park. He vividly recalled...
Stephen Pearcy concert review: Former Ratt singer celebrates 40th anniversary of ‘Out of the Cellar’ album in Pittsburgh showVideo
Stephen Pearcy, the former lead singer of Ratt, is touring to mark the 40th anniversary of the glam metal band’s landmark album, “Out of the Cellar.” With hits like “Round and Round,” “Back for More” and “Wanted Man,” the band’s debut studio album went triple platinum and later launched the...
Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders talks about 20th anniversary of ‘Leviathan’ ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
Doing a tour tied to the anniversary of any old album would not really appeal to Troy Sanders, the bassist/singer for the heavy metal band Mastodon. But the band’s upcoming tour, marking 20 years since “Leviathan,” their seminal concept album based loosely around “Moby-Dick,” was released is a different story....
Ingrid Andress offers explanation for panned national anthem performance at MLB Home Run Derby
Country singer Ingrid Andress’ performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” on Monday night at MLB’s Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, has been been universally roasted. With painful pauses, the Grammy-nominated singer’s a cappella version has been called “the Star-Strangled Banner” and worse on social media. By Monday afternoon, Andress released...
Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara on Pittsburgh return, new album ‘152’ and moreVideo
When Taking Back Sunday played here last August, a tornado just a few miles from the Four Chord Music Festival wreaked havoc with their plans. “The festival got shut down, delayed, everybody seek shelter, that kind of thing,” singer Adam Lazzara said in a recent Zoom call. “So rather than...
Redd Kross bassist Steven McDonald on double album, documentary, memoir ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
As far as Steven McDonald could remember, Redd Kross has never played a headline show in Pittsburgh. The bassist for the longtime power pop/punk band recalled driving through the city sometime in the 1980s, but their only shows here were in support of other bands (1997 with The Presidents of...
Train’s Pat Monahan on the band’s career, new single, live album and San FranciscoVideo
Pat Monahan, lead singer for Grammy-winning pop rock band Train, spent his formative years in northwestern Pennsylvania, moving from Erie to California when he was 19. “Do I miss the lake effect snow?” Monahan said with a laugh in a recent call. “I can’t say that I do.” Although he’s...
Red Hot Chili Peppers concert review: Veteran rockers bring their California love to sold-out Pittsburgh showVideo
The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ love of California cannot be underestimated — with some Internet estimates putting a reference to the Golden State in about 20% of their songs. That was on full display Tuesday night in a sold-out show at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, where the...
Tyler Childers concert review: Kentucky native delivers his brand of country music to sold-out Star Lake show
Tyler Childers considers himself a country artist, plain and simple — not Americana or alt country. Just country. The Kentucky native’s style of music doesn’t really fit into the mold of modern/commercial country, leading to not a lot of radio airplay. (When Childers’ “In Your Love” cracked the Billboard Country...
Def Leppard, Hozier, Chris Stapleton highlight July’s top Pittsburgh concerts
PNC Park will host its first stadium show of the year when British rockers Def Leppard invade the North Shore again, while two near-capacity crowds at Star Lake will make it another busy month of shows in the Pittsburgh area. Top shows July 12: Chris Stapleton, Marcus King, Nikki Lane...
Eyes Set to Kill celebrates 15 years of ‘Reach’ in New Kensington showVideo
The surprisingly light crowd for Eyes Set to Kill’s first Pittsburgh area appearance in six years didn’t diminish the performance put on by the melodic metalcore band. Currently celebrating 15 years of their debut album “Reach” — although it was technically released on Feb. 19, 2008 — Eyes Set To...
WDVE’s Randy Baumann releasing ‘Wanderin Fool’ album; The Damnwells write ode to Pittsburgh
WDVE morning host Randy Baumann is releasing his first album in more than 20 years this week, and he said it worked out better than he could have hoped. “Wanderin Fool,” which features an all-star cast of Pittsburgh musicians, will be available on all streaming platforms Thursday. “I’ve done so...
Laufey concert review: Icelandic jazz-pop star thrills in 2nd night with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Icelandic jazz-pop singer Laufey might only be 25 years old, but her songs of love, hope, betrayal and heartache evoke an era much older that, without feeling dated. In a show lasting about an hour and 45 minutes Tuesday, Laufey (pronounced lay-vay) teamed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for a...
