What a night in the city! On August 20th, pop artist LAUV made a stop at Stage AE for the tour supporting his new album, All 4 Nothing. Moments before LAUV walked on stage, the fog machines started and it wound up the crowd. It was crazy for me as it was not expected, and at one point, all I could see was smoke. Once it cleared up, I had my camera ready.
Opening with his newest single Kids Are Born Stars, the fans were already singing along. Moving all around the stage, LAUV knew how to stay engaged with his fans. For example, letting the crowd chant all the words to his most prized songs into the microphone. Halfway through the set, LAUV performed his song i’m so tired… , which features Troye Sivan. All the fans were jumping, dancing, and screaming out Troye’s part, making the night feel endless. Fans near the front came together and held up small signs to show their support. LAUV was so thankful for them, since it was something no one has done for him yet. It was so fun to watch everyone enjoy the night because they were all together seeing a person they really love. As summer comes to an end, many students in the area are moving back to college, making this show a perfect night out for some coming back into the city.
LAUV brought along two openers, Aidan Bissett and Hayley Kiyoko. Let me just say: they know how to open a show. Aiden Bisset began the show, and he got the crowd going immediately with fans singing and jumping along. Personally, I didn’t know him until this show, but I can now say he has a new supporter.
After a small break, before the main man of the night, Hayley performed a quick and lively set. Her fans were quickly able to get the people around them to dance. The whole time she was on stage, you could tell how happy Hayley was. She also talked about how excited she was to be back in Pittsburgh.
The whole night was one big dance party, and such an amazing time. LAUV is on tour until the end of September, and I highly recommend making a stop at one of his shows. Follow the link below to the full galley.
Review and Images by Madalyn Schaller (@madalyns.photos on instagram) If reposting please credit @livefromthepitt412
Singer Kehlani performed at the UPMC Event Center at Robert Morris University on August 16. For her first time in Pittsburgh, Kehlani was definitely in for a crazy night. She filled up the arena with hundreds of fans who were all ecstatic to see their favorite songs performed live.
Kehlani’s setup was beautiful. The back-drop and arrangement of the band on stage was very methodic, and she also wore a white and cream outfit that stunned the crowd. Her backup dancers were extremely talented and were having lots of fun during their performance. Both Kehlani and her crew had a stage presence that was alluring and artistic, yet fun and party-like.
During the show, many different things occurred within the crowd. Firstly, during one of Kehlani’s love songs, someone proposed to their partner! Later in her set after she discovered that this happened, Kehlani brought the couple onto the stage and sang to them. It was such a heartwarming and intimate thing to see, and it showed the audience how involved she is with her fans. A little later, a drunken fan rushed the stage at Kehlani, which was her first experience with this issue. Nobody was injured, so it became the running joke of the night.
Kehlani’s music really speaks to the lovebirds and hopeless-romantics out there. I highly recommend checking her albums out, and if you get the chance, go see her live!
On July 31, The Regrettes played at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater for the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series. Their set was so energetic that everyone left full of adrenaline! Since this was a free show, staff was preparing for a big turn out, which they definitely received.
The entire field of the park was full of devoted fans, families who hadn’t heard their music but were excited, and many yummy food trucks.
We covered The Regrettes recently when they were in Washington D.C., and they played an amazing show, but the venue was seated. This time, there was a full pit of people ready to jump around and go crazy. The setlist included both old and new music, and a cover of “Smile” by Lily Allen.
This concert was just days after the band played at Lollapalooza in Chicago, so they were definitely exhausted, but it didn’t show onstage. Singer Lydia Night got the entire field on their feet jumping around, while Drew Thomson (drums), Genessa Gariano (guitar), Brooke Dickson (bass), and Riley Donahue (guitar/keyboard) rocked out with a cohesiveness that you rarely find. When their energy mixed, it brought an outstanding show.
If you haven’t already, make sure you go see The Regrettes. Their music sends important messages, and brings out the confidence in each of their fans.
Words by Ella Donovan along with images from from Madalyn Schaller
On Saturday, July 30, The Ghost Club had their biggest show yet at Mr. Smalls Theater in Pittsburgh, PA. With a line of fans down the street, you could instantly feel the excitement and energy that the crowd was radiating. Many of these fans had not seen The Ghost Club live yet, and some even traveled from neighboring states to see the show!
This Pittsburgh based pop/rock band consists of Domenic Dunegan (vocals/guitar), Logan Casper (bass), Zack Leya (guitar), and Caleb Kopta (drummer). Dom has a killer vocal range- being able to the belt high notes that are in some of his songs is not easy. Logan had the crowd chanting his name all night with his bass solos, and Zack shredded with his guitar. His skills were extremely impressive! Caleb Kopta, who also has his own solo music, was having lots of fun on the drums, and people loved it.
Even with some distractions from the crowd during the show and a few technical difficulties, the boys all handled it very well and kept the show rolling. The interactions with fans during the set were all very wholesome, and Domenic did some crowd surfing! Keeping the connection with their crowd really made the show special and intimate.
The Ghost Club put on a fun and entertaining concert, leaving fans excited for the next one!
Kahone Concept opened the show for The Ghost Club at Mr. Smalls Theater. With a filled venue, singer Ben Kahone had the opportunity to spread his music to tons of people, and the crowd loved it. His setlist consisted of both upbeat and slower songs, which gave the audience a taste of his music style. It is a mix of pop and electronic music that will have you singing along instantly.
Ben just came out with a few new songs, the most recent being called “No but Kinda.” His music continues to get better, even though he already started with high quality sound. He played these songs during his set, and got a great crowd response. Many of the fans, including myself, were jumping and singing along all night.
Kahone Concept is also a Pittsburgh based musician, so be sure to see him live whenever you can! Not only is his music absolutely amazing and catchy, but he is a super nice guy, too.
Words by: Ella Donovan with Images from: Madalyn Schaller
Breakout TikTok sensation, Anees, played an intimate show for an enthusiastic crowd last Wednesday at Crafthouse. Pittsburgh was just one of eleven stops on his independent breakout tour, Summer Camp.
Photos by Hannah Wilson (@photobyhannahwilson on Instagram)
Carly Cosgrove has had a very busy year. Coming off of two different tours with Retirement Party and Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties, Carly Cosgrove finds themselves back on the road again. Before hitting the road, Carly Cosgrove released their debut LP “See You In Chemistry” back in March. This album is an absolute masterpiece and probably my favorite release of the year. After playing Fauxchella festival in Ohio, Carly Cosgrove found themselves in Pittsburgh with Biitchseat and local openers Saint Agatha and Shy Birds.
The night kicked off with a set from an incredible local Emo band Shy Birds. This set was awesome, their sound was super crisp and their new tunes are fantastic. Shy Birds released an album in 2020 called “Esther.” However, the band opted to play only new tracks for this set. On top of the incredible music, Shy Birds had a live painting during their set which was auctioned off at the end of the show.
The second set of the night was a intimate acoustic set by locals Saint Agatha. I was lucky enough to catch this band (under their previous name) at a house show a few years back. Their incredible vocal harmonies filled the room, and everyone seemed almost hypnotized by the wonderful set. “Sitting is encouraged,” was the first thing said when this set started. Everyone almost immediately sat down to enjoy some fantastic tunes. “Whatever you think the song is about, put gay in front of it and you are probably right.”
The third set of the night was Biitchseat from Cleveland Ohio. This was the only band I was unfamiliar with going into the night. After their set, it made sense why they are on tour in the first place. It was a busy weekend for this band, as they also played Fauxchella Festival in Ohio on Saturday. This set was a lot of fun, filled with great songs that the crowd all enjoyed. Biitchseat just released their second LP “Float” on Refresh Records in May, which you should definitely check out!
The final set of the night was Carly Cosgrove from Philadelphia PA. Carly Cosgrove was set to play in Pittsburgh a few months back, but unfortunately had to cancel due to COVID. However, the band made sure to make it back to Pittsburgh to play one of the best sets I have ever seen. The band played a bunch of new songs from their debut LP “See You In Chemistry.” This album is filled with fantastic songs front to back. If I could relive one moment over and over again for the rest of my life, it would be watching this band play “The Great Doheny.” Carly Cosgrove also made sure to sprinkle some older songs from their EP “Woah, Just Take It Easy Man” which is another fantastic release. It’s starting to seem like this band cannot write a bad song. If you haven’t gotten a chance to listen to their new record, you are missing out.
Photos and Words by: Tom Randall (www.instagram.com/trandallphoto)
I hopped on the T from First Avenue garage (#cheapparking) thinking it would be a 10 minute ride to Stage AE. Little did I know, PRT was not on my side today. A train had broken down, causing outbound trains to detour over inbound tracks and creating a huge mess of backwards trains and confused passengers underneath Pittsburgh’s streets.
Considering, and then quickly not considering, a walk to the north side, I sat on the T twiddling my thumbs while a hoard of people angrily exited the vehicle complaining about the wait. What seemed like seconds (it might have been 2 minutes, tops) after the last grumpy passenger left, we were on the move again and I made it to my destination: Stage AE for The Cult with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Zola Jesus. Only, I missed Zola Jesus… so we’ll have to save them for next time.
Entering Stage AE mid-show is always it’s own mystery experience, but today it was extra special. The crowd was roaring with life during BRMC’s set, with an extra bit of energy that I can only assume came from the fact that the sun was just coming out after an afternoon of storms. I’m sure these guys would have toughed out the rain regardless, but it was a nice touch.
I managed to find my way to the barricade towards the end of BRMC’s set after running into some friends, and surprisingly held my spot for quite some time. BRMC had an immense stage presence backed by a huge curtain with their logo – a great touch if you ask me! Listening to them for the first time, their music was very full and exciting, and they easily grasped and held my attention for the remainder of their set (with a few head bangs in there, too).
With approximately 30 minutes to kill during the changeover, an almost-dead phone, and a barricade spot to hang on with dear life to, I braced myself for a quick siesta and threw my camera back into my backpack. Before I could nod off, some people beside me struck up conversation and I met Michelle and her husband who drove to Pittsburgh from Ohio to catch The Cult as close to home as they could get. Michelle warned those around her that this was her first time seeing them live and she was prepared to scream her head off, but we reassured her that’s the point of concerts. 🙂
Shortly after, we started hearing sounds of techs testing guitars and checking mics, and within minutes The Cult entered the stage. The crowd roared as Ian Astbury raised his trusty tambourine for the downbeat of Rise – and the rest of the show was a blur. Lights everywhere, fans screaming, and huge energy on stage. As the sun finished setting behind us, I passed my barricade spot along to Michelle (who looked like she might cry) and made my way to the center of the crowd. For the record, I’m 5’2″, so perhaps this wasn’t my best idea. Standing on my toes and adjusting my tilted screen, I held my camera up as high as I could to grab some shots of the full stage before making my way to the opposite side from where I started.
I determined from there that I had had enough with the crowd, and moved to the back of the venue where I ran into another photographer with press credentials. After a quick introduction, I learned that my new friend Marc is a photographer and podcast host from DC who traveled here with his wife for the show. Guess I can’t complain about my ride on the T anymore! Marc and I connected on Instagram and then parted ways; he stayed to enjoy the show and I ducked out a little early to fight that pesky train back to First Avenue.
For this being my first experience with The Cult, I was very impressed. Their music brought just the right amount of reaction from the crowd where they were engaged and excited throughout, but I wasn’t afraid of having my camera knocked out of my hands or rained on with beer. And the lights! Wow – that light technician deserves a raise. A great time was had, and I would definitely recommend checking them out during the remainder of this tour or next time they are somewhere near you. If they’re in Pittsburgh, I might suggest skipping the T.
Megan is a Pittsburgh native who has been taking photos since she was old enough to hold a camera. She started college as a music business major with the intentions of working with local studios to find new/undiscovered musicians, but eventually graduated with a marketing degree instead. Desiring to pair her passion for music with her love of photography and marketing, Megan has found a passion for photographing local bands both on and off stage. If you catch her at a show make sure you say hello!
Sounds for SisTers was a concert to benefit SisTers PGH, a local non-profit organization. SisTers PGH is a Black and Trans led non-profit organization that serves QTBIPOC trans and non binary people within Southwestern PA. SisTers is an incredible organization, that is doing fantastic things within the community. There was also a raffle to win a framed print from artist Micah Bazant, with proceeds being donated to SisTers. To learn more about their organization, you can check out their website: www.sisterspgh.org
I was able to catch three different sets at Black Forge Coffee House in McKees Rocks, PA. The bands/performers I was lucky enough to see were: Hearken, solo artist Halloway Williams, and Sommelier. Each performance was fantastic, and money was raised for a great cause.
On June 28, 2022, indie rock band Mt. Joy played a melodic show at Stage AE, on the north shore of Pittsburgh. Performed on the venue’s indoor stage, members Matt Quinn (vocals/guitar), Sam Cooper (lead guitar), Sotiris Eliopoulos (drums/percussion), Jackie Miclau (piano/keyboard), and Michael Byrnes (bass) brought an ambience that was both full of energy yet mellow at the same time. The band played many songs off of their new album “Orange Blood” while mixing in older songs and covers. The chemistry radiating off of the members was clear throughout their set.
Opening for Mt. Joy was an artist named Madison Cunningham, whose musical performance was sophisticated and musically complex. Her vocals filled the room beautifully, and each of the band member’s sounds meshed well. Madison had a great stage presence and had the crowd dancing right away.
I would highly recommend seeing both Mt. Joy and Madison Cunningham. They put on a show that had the crowd singing along all night!
Words by: Ella Donovan and Photos by: Madalyn Schaller If reposting please credit @livefromthepitt412 / @madalyns.photos
Mr. Roboto Project was absolutely packed on Wednesday night, as the Edema Ruh Tour made a stop in Pittsburgh. The night was filled with four fantastic sets from Michael Cera Palin, Weatherday, Oolong, and local openers overtheweather. This tour is following up the release of the four-way split “Edema Ruh” with only Camp Trash missing out.
overtheweather started the night off properly. Their high energy set, loosened up the crowd for the touring bands. The crowd was very active as the band ripped through songs from their EP “Party Socks” that was released last year. OTW also played a few new unreleased tracks, which everyone should be excited to hear in the future!
The second set of the night was Oolong from Long Island, NY. This set absolutely rocked. Oolong ripped through a couple tracks off of their debut LP “About Your Imaginary Friends” and their new track “Bicycle Day” off the new split. This set, much like the rest of the night, was very exciting. Oolong brought the energy, and the crowd responded.
The third set of the night was solo act, Weatherday all the way from Sweden. This set was extremely fun. The crowd was enjoying every moment of this set, dancing and singing along. This was my first time listening to this artist, and they are EXTREMELY talented. This set is one I was very glad to catch, and would love to see them back in the city!
To close out the night, Michael Cera Palin played one of the best sets I have ever seen. MCP is a band I was starting to think I would never see, so this show was very exciting to be at. Everyone’s voice filled the room as they sang along with the band. The lead singer of MCP, Elliot, spoke about how they have wanted to play a show at Roboto since they heard about the space in high school. It was an awesome experience getting to watch this set in person.
