Mike Palm stories, Page 9
Not gonna lie: Pop singer JoJo on new music, memoir and more ahead of Pittsburgh show
As pop singer JoJo revels in a new era at only age 34, she is truly enjoying her Too Much To Say tour, which hits Pittsburgh early next month. “I’ve loved it. I’ve really loved it,” she said last week in a Zoom call. “It’s wonderful to be celebrating 20...
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Mégane
The indie rock band Mégane — “drawing inspiration from ’70s pop melodies, ’80s post-punk soundscapes and ’90s aesthetics,” according to guitarist Justin Crookston — will release their debut EP “St. Clair” on March 21. The band, which started in Greensburg, will play a show to celebrate the EP release the...
Metal star Poppy on taking risks, Grammy interview and ‘Improbably Poppy’ ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
As Poppy’s star continues to rise in the world of heavy metal, the genre-blurring singer isn’t abandoning her past as a subversive performance artist. Far from it, actually. After gaining cult status with Andy Warhol-esque YouTube videos like “Poppy Eats Cotton Candy” in 2014, the 30-year-old has released a half...
Interview: Folk rockers Palmyra opening Restless tour in PittsburghVideo
It’s looking like a significant couple of weeks for the folk rock trio Palmyra as it gears up to head out on its first headline tour. The jam-packed days for the queer band from Virginia start Wednesday with five shows at the South by Southwest musical festival. Their Restless tour...
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Chip & the Charge Ups
Pittsburgh hard rockers Chip & the Charge Ups will be back for the third iteration of Beasts of the ‘Burgh, a showcase spotlighting four local bands. “Most local and national concerts feature one great headlining band and one or more bands of lesser caliber as openers,” Chip Dominick said. “In...
Tracii Guns on L.A. Guns’ new ‘Leopard Skin’ album: ‘It’s definitely not a metal record’Video
Asked to take a 10,000-foot view of L.A. Guns’ 40-plus-year career, guitarist/founder Tracii Guns offered a succinct description: “What a cluster(expletive),” he said with a laugh. Founded in 1983, the sleaze rock band has seen dozens of members (including Axl Rose), dueling lineups at times and a lifetime of drama....
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Aliquid Novi
For Adam Levine, his new project, Aliquid Novi, allows him to channel vulnerability into stories told through songs, reinforcing positive feelings and providing an outlet for negative ones. His new album “HEAT” comes out on March 20, with a release party that night at the Funhouse at Mr. Smalls in...
Interview: Solas’ Seamus Egan on ending the Celtic band’s hiatus, timely covers ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
After an eight-year break, the Celtic ensemble Solas is marking its 30th anniversary with a tour, but it took a little bit of time to get back into shape, according to multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan. “This run for us is about five weeks which, having not been touring for so long,...
Kraftwerk, Donnie Iris, Tyler, the Creator among top March concerts in Pittsburgh
A Pittsburgh icon, electronic music pioneers and an enigmatic rapper are among the top concerts coming to the region in March: Top concerts March 1 and 15: Donnie Iris and the Cruisers at the Palace Theatre Pittsburgh rock luminary Donnie Iris will hit the stage at the Palace Theatre in...
Sabrina Carpenter bringing Short N’ Sweet tour to Pittsburgh for 2 nightsVideo
Fresh off a pair of wins at the Grammys, pop singer Sabrina Carpenter will be giving Pittsburgh two chances to see her. The “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” singer announced a pair of shows, Oct. 23 and 24, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, kicking off the new leg of...
Interview: Singer-songwriter Ron Pope talks about his ‘American Man, American Music’ album ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
Singer-songwriter Ron Pope will be back in Pittsburgh on Saturday, and it should be a more pleasant time than his most recent, albeit unintentional, stay. Pope joined several artists on Feb. 16 in Morgantown, W.Va., to record an episode of “Mountain Stage” for NPR radio stations, but weather conditions axed...
Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, touring in support of ‘lowdown blues’ album, heading to PittsburghVideo
Tommy Castro and the Painkillers might be more of a contemporary blues band with their original songs, but Castro really wanted to make an album that channeled his influences like Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. “I love all that old funky stuff, and we kind of...
Pantera opening tour with show at Pavilion at Star LakeVideo
Heavy metal veterans Pantera will open their U.S. summer tour with a date in the Pittsburgh area. Touted as “the heaviest tour of the summer,” Pantera will be joined by Swedish metal stalwarts Amon Amarth for a July 15 show at the Pavilion at Star Lake, with another opener still...
Pittsburgh area local band spotlight: Six Gun Sally
In mid-March, the Southern rock band Six Gun Sally will release their new album, “Stand Up” — featuring a mix of originals and covers like Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Second Hand News.” “It’s Six Gun Sally to the ‘T’ —a mix of classic rock, Southern...
Review: Country rocker Stephen Wilson Jr. shows why his star is on the rise in sold-out Pittsburgh concertVideo
As Stephen Wilson Jr. prepared to end his concert Saturday night, the self-described “Death Cab For Country”-style singer-songwriter shared an optimistic outlook. “I truly believe our better days are in front of us. I believe our best days are in front of them, prior to contrary belief,” Wilson said. “I...
Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival in Pittsburgh includes lengthy stringed instrumentVideo
The Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival returns to Pittsburgh this weekend. Microtonal music, according to festival organizers, “expands the possibilities of sound by using tuning systems beyond, or in addition to, the standard 12-note equal temperament common in Western classical and popular music.” One of the event’s highlights is Ellen Fullman’s...
Interview: Soul singer Joss Stone on touring while pregnant as Less is More tour heads to PittsburghVideo
English soul singer Joss Stone is on the rebound from an illness that forced her to postpone the opening night of her new tour in Nashville, and she was kicking herself for how it started. “I sounded like bloody Marge Simpson. It was awful. I couldn’t bloody believe it, and...
Tate McRae bringing Miss Possessive tour to Pittsburgh this fallVideo
Canadian pop singer Tate McRae extended her global Miss Possessive tour, with a new date just added to Pittsburgh. McRae will play PPG Paints Arena on Oct. 15 with Alessi Rose opening the show. The “Greedy” and “She’s All I Wanna Be” singer on Friday will release her third studio...
Phish’s summer tour includes Pittsburgh dateVideo
Improvisational masters Phish are coming to Pittsburgh on their summer tour. The Vermont quartet, nominated this year for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will play June 24 at Petersen Events Center in Oakland. Phish’s summer tour, which opens with three nights in Manchester, New Hampshire, also includes multi-night...
Monster Jam will make Acrisure Stadium debut in May
Fresh on the heels of a weekend of shows at PPG Paints Arena, Monster Jam announced Tuesday it will be back in Pittsburgh, but in a much larger venue. The monster trucks — weighing in at 12,000 pounds — will be flying through the air and performing stunts in their...
Interview: Killswitch Engage drummer Justin Foley on new album ‘This Consequence’ ahead of Pittsburgh showVideo
With veteran heavy metal group Killswitch Engage about to release its ninth album, drummer Justin Foley took a moment to reflect on his favorite ninth albums. Looking past possibilities like “The White Album” by the Beatles, “Sticky Fingers” by the Rolling Stones and “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd,...
Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Tony From BowlingVideo
Two weeks after dropping their debut album, “Appear,” psych rockers Tony From Bowling will hold a tape release show on Feb. 22 at BrilloBox in Bloomfield. ”We recorded it ourselves with the help of Giovanni Orsini, mixed by Warren Pryde, and mastered by Ryan Killen,” guitarist Rob Potesta said. “Michi...
Joann Fabrics and Crafts closing most Western Pa. stores
Fabric and crafts retailer Joann will close at least 30 stores in Pennsylvania, including most in the region. The embattled retailer, which declared bankruptcy in March 2024 and then again in January, said it would be closing around 500 stores nationwide. “This was a very difficult decision to make, given...
Interview: Kofi Baker continues legacy of his father, drummer Ginger Baker, with Sons of CreamVideo
Maintaining the legacy of the late Cream drummer Ginger Baker remains vitally important for his son, Kofi Baker. “It’s pretty much everything at the moment for me. I was doing the Cream stuff before my dad died, but just like on the side here and doing other stuff,” Kofi Baker...
George Strait, Chris Stapleton tour coming to Pittsburgh’s Acrisure StadiumVideo
The King of Country is coming to Pittsburgh. Country music icon George Strait will be joined by Chris Stapleton and Parker McCollum for a May 31 show at Acrisure Stadium. Known for songs like “The Chair,” “Amarillo By Morning” and “All My Exes Live in Texas,” Strait joined the Country...
