Summer shows are here! The month of June has some big acts to kick off the concert season. Each of which feature a variety of cool venues. From Taylor Swift to Paramore to WYEP’s Music Festival—here’s some shows to start your summer!
Paramore (PPG, June 11)
Paramore came back into the rock world in a big way this year. They released one of the best rock albums of the year, opened for Taylor Swift, and are now on their nearly sold out arena tour. The band has been around for a while, but it still feels like they have so much more to do. Their latest album, “This is Why,” saw them keep the dancey rock vibe of 2017’s “After Laughter” while staying true to their earlier material that made them world-famous.
It feels like the band is having a moment. Hayley Williams sounds as good as ever. If you’ve seen a live performance or been to their show, you know she can get a crowd moving. Her voice is one of the most powerful in rock music today. It will be a rocking night at PPG. Tickets range from $38 – $159.
Taylor Swift (Acrisure Stadium, June 16 & 17)
Okay, it’s safe to say that everyone has been waiting for these shows since tickets went on sale last October and broke the internet. The Eras tour has been getting amazing reviews since kicking off in March. Yes, there are tickets available for a very steep price. Other cities have seen the prices come down (somewhat) the day or week of the show.
For those lucky enough to attend the show(s), it’ll be a night of Taylor euphoria, complete with hits throughout her albums, lots of costume changes, and an insane stage setup that enables Taylor to get close to many parts of the crowd. Get ready to sing every word with 60,000 people shaking it off.
Young the Giant, Milky Chance (Stage AE – Outdoors, June 18)
It’s a big night for indie rock fans. Young the Giant have established themselves as festival favorites in recent years, touring venues around the world. It’s hard to believe the popular indie rock band released their debut LP 13 years ago.
The multi-platinum band is coming off the success of their 5th LP which features the very popular single “The Walk Home.” It’s one of their best singles in recent memory, having reached number one on the Alt Nation countdown. Should be awesome to hear live.
The night also features Milky Chance and opening act Talk. Very solid lineup. Tickets are $50 day of show, $45.50 advance.
boygenius (Stage AE – Outdoors, June 20)
The trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus have taken the music world by storm since releasing their debut LP “The Record.” The band has been on the cover of every music magazine recently. Bridgers just finished opening for Taylor Swift, with a boygenius surprise appearance one night. Yeah, the band has the buzz.
Led by the fantastic single “Strong Enough”, the songs will go to another level when heard live. Fans will get to experience the band for an outdoor show at Stage AE. Claud will be the opening act. After seeing Phoebe solo, it’s safe to say that the crowd will be singing every word in unison. The harmonies, the guitars, the lyrics – it’s going to be an amazing night of music. Tickets are sold out but available by resale.
WYEP Summer Music Festival (Schenley Plaza, June 24)
The annual summer music festival takes place on Emerald Lawn in Schenley Plaza, near the University of Pittsburgh campus. The festival originated in 1998 and has brought in so many national acts along the way. This year’s lineup includes Devon Gilfillian, Illiterate Light, Allison Ponthier, The Ghost Club, Animal Scream, Aryana Kapree.
“The festival is financially supported by members of WYEP and sponsors who support the independent radio programming and community initiatives in Pittsburgh.” Come out and have a fun summer show with friends. It’s free!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.