Ten Can't-Miss Summer Concerts Around Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA - Given all the classic rock acts that will descend upon Pittsburgh in the next few months, you can be forgiven if you think it’s 1979 or 1999 rather than 2019 this summer.

Nostalgia acts often take to the road at the height of the summer season. But this year there appears to be more of them headed for KeyBank Pavilion and PPG Paints Arena than there are cicadas swarming around town at the moment.

That doesn’t mean the shows won’t be spectcaular. If you’re a fan of current hits, however, the number of people performing them here this summer will be in relatively short supply.

Here’s your Patch guide to the best of the summer concerts:

The Who, May 30, PPG Paints Arena

Legendary rockers The Who are trying something different this time: they’re tour has symphonic accompaniment. The band, featuring founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, will be appearing in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2016. Expect to hear their half-century arsenal of hits.

Arianna Grande, June 12, PPG Paints Arena.

Ariana Grande, the ex-girlfriend of the late Pittsburgh rap star Mac Miller, is returning to the city where she and Miller used to be spotted casually hanging out in Squirrel Hill pizza joints.Known for hits such as "Bang Bang," "Problem," "Side to Side," and "Break Free," Grande last played Pittsburgh in 2015 at the Petersen Events Center.

The Outlaw Music Festival, June 22, KeyBank Pavilion

After a successful stop here last year, The Outlaw Music Festival starring country music legend Willie Nelson is returning to Pittsburgh. The festival also will feature The Avett Brothers, Alison Krauss, Old Crow Medicine Show and Dawes.

• New Kids on the Block, June 23, PPG Paints Arena

Pittsburgh will turn into a time capsule for an evening as NKOTB take fans back to the 1980s along with four other acts from that bygone era. Also appearing will be '80s stalwarts Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty By Nature. NKOTB's most recent single, "80s Baby" features all four of their tour partners.

Alice Cooper and Halestorm, July 19, KeyBank Pavilion

Rock legend Alice Cooper is teaming up with Halestorm for a co-headlining tour that also includes the opening act Motionless in White.
Cooper is introducing some new songs on the tour and has a new stage show he calls "Ol' Black Eyes is Back." Halestorm is touring in support of the "Vicious" album released last year, which garnered the band a Grammy nomination for best rock performance for "Uncomfortable." The band is fronted by singer Lizzy Hale.

Hootie and the Blowfish, July 26, KeyBank Pavilion

You'll have a chance to revisit some of the most popular music of the 1990s at this show, as Hootie and the Blowfish have reunited after an extended hiatus.Barenaked Ladies, another band that reached the zenith of its popularity in the '90s, will be the opening act.
Hootie and company are getting back together a quarter of a century after they debuted with "Cracked Rear View" album. Rucker has gone on to have a successful solo career as a country act.

Queen with Adam Lambert, July 31, PPG Paints Arena

Following the blockbuster success of the biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen is on the road for a summer tour that will include a stop in Pittsburgh.
Queen co-founders Brian May and Roger Taylor will tour with former "American Idol" performer Adam Lambert, who has performed with the band in place of late lead singer Freddie Mercury since 2009. The band's lineup will also feature keyboardist Spike Edney, bassist Neil Fairclough and percussionist Tyler Warren.

• Jeff Lynne's ELO, Aug. 1, PPG Paints Arena

Jeff Lynne and his legendary Electric Light Orchestra will come to Pittsburgh in 2019 for the first time in 38 years. The band will conclude its North American tour with this show.
Known for hits such as "Evil Woman," "Telephone Line," "Turn to Stone," "Livin' Thing," and "Mr. Blue Sky," ELO was a mainstay of 1970s and early 1980s radio. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
ELO last played Pittsburgh in October 1981 at the old Civic Arena.

Heart, Aug. 1, KeyBank Pavilion
Is there anyone under 60 performing in Pittsburgh on Aug. 1? Apparently not. Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, who have been entertaining fans since “Dreamboat Annie” was released in 1976 will bring their Love Alive tour here. Expect to hear the usual standards such as “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Crazy On You,” “Heartless” and more.

• Train and the Goo Goo Dolls, Aug. 7, KeyBank Pavilion

Expect a long night of nostalgia with these two acts. Debuting in 1993, the Grammy Award winning Train is best known for the 2001 hit "Drops of Jupiter." Dating back to 1986, the Goo Goo Dolls are known for the hit single "Iris" featured in the film "City of Angels."

Photos: Getty Images.