August Pittsburgh concerts

CAN'T-MISS SHOW:
8/2 BON IVER @ Rex Theatre
Ironically I'm going to miss this one, as I'll be out of town... but everyone else should check it out. The band's beautiful, sparse ballads are likely to sound great inside the Rex. Bon Iver's debut For Emma, Forever Ago, is earning rave reviews, and I personally can't stop listening to "Skinny Love." Folks, go to this show and tell us how it was!

ALSO WORTH ATTENDING:
8/6 Natalie Portman's Shaved Head @ Garfield Artworks
Four kids from Seattle create cheeky electropop songs, choose a ridiculous band name, and earn significant buzz. Their debut album Glistening Pleasure is full of nonsensical gems like "Beard Lust" and "Me + Yr Daughter" that will have you shaking your ass.

8/8-9 New American Music Festival @ South Side Works
Seeing Dylan perform next to the Cheesecake Factory is worth the $49 price tag alone, but toss in Gnarls Barkley, the Raconteurs, the Black Keys, Spoon, and the Roots and you have yourselves a quality rock 'n roll festival, even in our modest city.

8/29 Ratatat @ Diesel
8/29 Xiu Xiu @ Garfield Artworks
Two great quirky indie acts come to town, which is rare enough, and they have to play on the same night? I still haven't decided which one I'll be attending, although the fact that Diesel is two blocks from my house will be a factor. Both bands make captivating music - Ratatat's rocking instrumentals are enchanting, and Xiu Xiu is beautifully bizarre.

Others to keep in mind:
8/2 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival with Disturbed, Slipknot & Mastodon @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
8/3 Tilly and the Wall @ Hartwood Acres
8/8 Tapes 'n Tapes @ Club Cafe
8/10 Deerhunter @ Garfield Artworks
8/10 Poison, Dokken, and Sebastian Bach @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
8/11 We Are Scientists & Oxford Collapse @ Diesel
8/16 Kill Hannah & innerpartysystem @ Mr. Small's Theatre
8/20 John Mayer & Paramore @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
8/21 Counting Crows & Maroon 5 @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
8/30 Rascal Flatts & Taylor Swift @ Post-Gazette Pavilion