Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and songwriter of The Band, dies at 80Video
Robbie Robertson, The Band’s lead guitarist and songwriter who in such classics as “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” mined and helped reshape American music, has died at 80. Robertson died surrounded by family, a statement from his manager said. From their...
Singer and songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, subject of ‘Searching for Sugar Man’ documentary, dies at 81
DETROIT — Sixto Rodriguez, who lived in obscurity as his music career flamed out early in the U.S. only to find success in South Africa and a stardom he was unaware of, died Tuesday in Detroit. He was 81. Rodriguez’s legacy would take off back home after the singer and...
Taylor Swift fan duped on $1,400 ‘Eras’ tour tickets by StubHub seller: reports
Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” is causing quite a stir among fans, according to multiple media sources. But one particular fan is blowing the whistle after spending $1,400 on tour seats sold by StubHub, only to be told that the tickets didn’t exist, according to reports from NBC Los Angeles. The...
Mourners in Ireland pay their respects to singer Sinead O’Connor at funeral procession
LONDON — Throngs of fans lined the streets of Sinead O’Connor’s former hometown in Ireland to bid farewell to the gifted singer as her funeral procession passed by Tuesday following a private memorial service. A vintage VW camper van with rooftop speakers blasting Bob Marley’s song “Natural Mystic” led a...
Guitarist Clay Melton: ‘At our heart, we’re a rock ‘n’ roll band’Video
Guitarist Clay Melton is promising an eclectic set and a high-energy show when his band plays hits Pittsburgh later this week. “We’re a blend of a lot of roots styles, a lot of Texas blues, but really at our heart, we’re a rock ‘n’ roll band,” Melton said Monday afternoon...
Con Alma in Shadyside ends regular hours, to open for special music events
There will still be jazz music playing at Con Alma in Shadyside, just not on a regular basis. “We are unfortunately not going to be open regular hours,” said Aimee Marshall, one of the owners. “We will be open for special music events.” She didn’t want to elaborate more on...
Review: Neil Young caught in his 1970s prime with yet another ‘lost’ album, ‘Chrome Dreams’
“Chrome Dreams,” Neil Young (Reprise Records) Neil Young is captured in his mid-1970s prime with “Chrome Dreams,” yet another “lost” — or “unreleased” — album officially seeing the light of day as Young originally envisioned nearly half a century ago. Young, 77, has been delving into his vast archive in...
Queen Latifah, Chuck D and more rap legends on ‘Rapper’s Delight’ and early hip-hop influencesVideo
LOS ANGELES — Remember the first rap song you heard? Some of your favorite rappers and DJs certainly do. While hip-hop celebrates 50 years of life, The Associated Press asked some of the genre’s most popular artists to recall their first memory of hearing rap and how the moment resonated...
Review: Pink’s Summer Carnival tour reaches new heights at PNC Park
Pink may have made one of the grandest entrances in Pittsburgh concert history Saturday night at PNC Park. And then she raised the bar — literally — with how she closed out her latest show on the Summer Carnival Tour. The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter bungeed down headfirst from behind a...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 4-6
It’s the first weekend of August. In addition to the Pink concert on Saturday at PNC Park on the North Shore, here are some fun ways to spend it. Art crawl The Lawrenceville Art Crawl is from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday. This festival along Butler Street has indoor and...
Pink at PNC Park: What to know before you goVideo
What will Pink bring to her Saturday concert at PNC Park? If it’s anything like other stops on her Summer Carnival Tour, the crowd can expect acrobatics, gymnastics, dancing, dazzling costumes, motorized flamingos, confetti, fireworks and smoke cannons. And that’s in addition to her music — a high-energy mix of...
Keith Urban, Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
LOS ANGELES — Country superstar Keith Urban and Kix Brooks of powerhouse country duo Brooks & Dunn will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame this year. The organization announced its newest inductees on Thursday. They also include Casey Beathard and David Lee Murphy, in the contemporary songwriter...
Cindystock brings 2 days of music and charity to North Hills
A special two day event will commemorate 20 years of Cindystock, the annual outdoor music festival at the Wexford home of founders Cindy and Ted Yates. At 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18, Cindystock favorite and veteran singer songwriter Dan Navarro will play a set of songs featured on numerous album covers...
Lawsuit by former dancers accuses Lizzo of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment
LOS ANGELES — Lizzo has been sued by three former dancers who accuse the Grammy winner of sexual harassment and allege the singer and her production company created a hostile work environment. The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court claims Lizzo pressured the dancers to engage...
Taylor Swift gives $55M in big bonuses to Eras tour staffVideo
Pop star Taylor Swift recently shelled out more than $55 million in bonuses to her crew members on the heels of her sold-out Eras Tour, according to People magazine. From caterers to dancers, sound technicians to production staff, Swift gifted her tour employees hefty checks — including $100,000 “end of...
Danny Elfman is rocking out again at 70, and the Oscar-nominated composer credits covid, Trump
SAN DIEGO — Danny Elfman had at least two compelling reasons to return to the rock concert stage and to resume writing and recording rock songs after a three-decade hiatus. But neither had anything to do with his former band, Oingo Boingo, his Oscar-winning work as a film composer, or...
Kanye West’s X account reinstated after antisemitism suspension
X, formerly Twitter, has reinstated Kanye West’s account after he was suspended eight months for a series of antisemitic posts. West, whose legal name is now Ye, had not sent any new posts as of Sunday afternoon. The “All of the Lights” artist, 46, assured X executives he would not...
Q&A: Janelle Monae talks about freedom, how new album defines her and getting ready to tour again
LOS ANGELES — If you believe Janelle Monae’s hyper-sexual expression is a front, think again. These days, Monae is unapologetically living her truth in a bold manner while trying to avoid negativity. The star, once known for sporting custom-made suits, has shed that attire (at least for now) to nearly...
Whitney Houston’s estate announces 2nd annual Legacy of Love Gala with BeBe Winans, Kim Burrell
LOS ANGELES — This year Whitney Houston would have turned 60, and a special celebration to raise money for a good cause is being planned for her birthday. Houston’s estate, Sony and Primary Wave Music will host the 2nd annual Whitney Houston Legacy of Love on Aug. 9, which will...
Morgan Wallen among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in August
Pittsburgh is seeing the last of its stadium shows this summer, with four nights of concerts at PNC Park. Here’s a look at the most notable shows coming to the area in August: August’s top shows Aug. 5: Pink, Brandi Carlile, Grouplove at PNC Park Grammy-winning singer Pink brings her...
Westmoreland County community festivals feature local musicians
The Westmoreland County region’s musical and culinary talent will be on display at several upcoming community festivals — all free and open to the public. All of the festivals will include food and vendor areas along with special events and entertainment for children. • Delmont Daze, noon to 7 p.m....
10 people died at the Astroworld music festival two years ago. What happens now?
Nearly two years after 10 people were crushed to death during the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival, no charges have been filed — even though some people, including event workers, expressed safety concerns. Pinpointing “who exactly caused those deaths is not an easy question to answer,” said Sandra Guerra Thompson, a...
Review: Pantera celebration tour pays fitting tribute to band’s legacy, 2 late members
Pantera launched its summer headlining tour Friday night at the Pavilion at Star Lake, offering an unrelenting and powerful tribute to the band’s legacy. To be sure, this was no reunion. How could it be without the band’s co-founders, brothers Dimebag Darrell (guitar) and Vinnie Paul Abbott (drums)? Dimebag was...
105.9 The X midday host Abby Krizner has connected her life to music in multiple ways
WXDX program director and midday host Abby Krizner doesn’t seem to remember a time in her life when music wasn’t an integral part of it, whether she was playing instruments or playing records. That’s probably not too surprising to those familiar with Krizner’s on-air work hosting and curating alternative rock...
Sinéad O’Connor, gifted and provocative Irish singer, dies at 56
LONDON — Sinéad O’Connor, the gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s and was known as much for her private struggles and provocative actions as for her fierce and expressive music, has died at 56. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our...
