June Pittsburgh concerts

MUST-SEE SHOW:
6/6 Avett Brothers @ Ches-A-Rena
It's Arts Fest month in Pittsburgh, so there are a lot of free shows at Point State Park. But most of the month's best concert options are indoors. The Avett Brothers put on an amazing show at the Arts Fest in 2008 - it ranked as my #6 concert out of 120 that year. Now they're back to promote their excellent album I And Love And You. Though the trek to Ches-A-Rena is an inconvenience, the Avett Brothers are worth it.

ALSO WORTH ATTENDING:
6/2 Ike Reilly Assassination @ Club Cafe
Speaking of Arts Fest veterans, Ike Reilly blew me away during his 2007 festival appearance. The review speaks for itself; he's very entertaining and his band is outstanding. Check him out.

6/12 Neon Indian @ Brillobox
Pitchfork named Psychic Chasms, Neon Indian's record of quirky faux-retro '80s "skeletal soul-pop," the #14 best album of 2009. Rarely do such Pitchfork-approved acts play in Pittsburgh; I'll be curious to see how big the crowd is.

6/25 Nicole Atkins @ Schenley Plaza
Nicole was my very first musician interview on this blog. Her music is as captivating as her personality. Though she hasn't exploded as I hoped she might, listeners of WYEP are well aware of her talents. Nicole's performance is part of WYEP's Summer Music Festival.

Others to keep in mind:
6/2 Reverend Horton Heat & Cracker @ Altar Bar
6/2 Daughtry & Lifehouse @ Petersen Events Center
6/4 Charlie Daniels Band @ Trib Total Media Amphitheatre At Station Square
6/4 Alejandro Escovedo @ Point State Park
6/5 Guster @ Point State Park
6/6 Dirty Dozen Brass Band @ Point State Park
6/8 Jordin Sparks @ Palace Theatre
6/8 Jason Isbell @ Point State Park
6/9 Les Claypool @ Palace Theatre
6/9 Los Amigos Invisibles @ Point State Park
6/10 Ingrid Michaelson @ Point State Park
6/11 Kris Kristofferson @ Point State Park
6/12 Brad Paisley & Darius Rucker @ First Niagara Pavilion
6/12 Fabolous & Ray J @ Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square
6/13 Patty Griffin @ Point State Park
6/16 Beach House @ Diesel
6/16 New York Dolls @ Altar Bar
6/18 Mates of State @ Mr. Small's
6/19 Beth Nielsen Chapman @ Rex Theater
6/19 Blitzen Trapper @ Diesel
6/19 The Clarks @ Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square
6/23 Bamboozle Road Show with Good Charlotte, Boys Like Girls, LMFAO, Simple Plan & Third Eye Blind @ Trib Total Media Amphitheatre at Station Square
6/23 Interpol @ Mr. Small's
6/24 Foreigner, Styx & Kansas @ First Niagara Pavilion
6/25 Bayside & Hawthorne Heights @ Mr. Small's
6/26 Martin Sexton @ Mr. Small's
6/26 James Taylor & Carole King @ Mellon Arena
6/28 Wang Chung @ Rex Theater
6/30 Brandi Carlile @ Heinz Hall