March Pittsburgh concerts

MUST-SEE SHOW:
3/2 Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Byham Theater
This showstopping Mexican instrumental guitar duo is worth whatever price the Byham is charging. Just go! The Alex Skolnick Trio will be opening, which is significant - Skolnick guests on "Atman," one of the best tracks on Rodrigo y Gabriela's new album, so chances are he'll come out to play on it during the show.

ALSO WORTH ATTENDING:
3/16 Jay-Z & Young Jeezy @ Mellon Arena
I got to see Jay-Z at last summer's All Points West music festival in New Jersey and his performance was so far above and beyond what you expect from a typical rap concert. He featured a talented live band, new arrangements of classic hits, and a number of surprises. Jay-Z is indeed the new Sinatra.

3/20 Portugal the Man @ Mr. Small's
Being from Wasilla, Alaska is enough to create a buzz this days, and moving to Portland, Oregon doesn't hurt either. The acclaimed, blogger-approved band Portugal the Man is touring behind its fifth studio album American Ghetto, to be released on March 2. The song "Dead Dog" is available as a free download from their website.

Others to keep in mind:
3/4 Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris & LMFAO @ Mellon Arena
3/5 Alkaline Trio & Cursive @ Club Zoo
3/5 Anti-Flag @ Mr. Small's
3/5 Harvey Milk @ Rex Theatre
3/7 Tally Hall & Jukebox the Ghost @ Mr, Small's
3/12 Megadeth @ Palace Theatre
3/12 John Hiatt @ Carnegie Music Hall (Oakland)
3/13 They Might Be Giants @ Andy Warhol Museum
3/13 Jo Dee Messina @ Carnegie Library Music Hall (Homestead)
3/13 Ekoostik Hookah @ Rex Theatre
3/14 One for the Team @ Garfield Artworks
3/19 Margot & the Nuclear So & So's @ Brillobox
3/25 Train & Butch Walker @ Carnegie Music Hall (Oakland)
3/30 David Gray @ Benedum Center
3/31 Henry Rollins @ New Hazlett Theatre
3/31 Bone Thugs N Harmony @ Mr. Small's

The Dave Matthews Band at PNC Park

Tickets went on sale today for the Dave Matthews Band's July 10 concert at PNC Park. This should be a great show, as Best New Artist Grammy winners the Zac Brown Band will provide support. The Dave Matthews Band have been on a roll since the release of Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King, so their summer tour should be worth seeing.

I've seen DMB at a number of area venues, from Three Rivers Stadium to the Post-Gazette Pavilion to Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center to Hersheypark Stadium. This will be DMB's first performance at the Pirates' park.

The cheap seats are $49.50 plus surcharges and the field level seats are $75. I hope you've been saving your pennies!

Musician tweet of the week: Taylor Swift

From Taylor Swift:

I just used a Sharpie as eye liner in the airplane bathroom.

Um, ok.

http://twitter.com/taylorswift13

Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, The xx, Yeasayer to play Lollapalooza, reports indicate

Two websites are reporting some of the bands that will play Lollapalooza 2010. The Daily Swarm and Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune claim that Lady Gaga, Green Day, Soundgarden, the Strokes, and the Arcade Fire will headline the festival, while Yeasayer, the xx, Hot Chip, Cut Copy, and the Dirty Projectors will play as well.

Check out the details here, via examiner.com.

This would be an amazing group of performers if confirmed. I didn't attend Lolla last year because the lineup was so weak, but I can't wait to get my ticket for this year!

Jay-Z agrees: We are the World remake was a terrible idea

When I heard there was going to be a remake of "We are the World," I was immediately horrified. I knew there was a less than zero chance of the remake matching the quality and emotional impact of the original.

Now, Jay-Z has become one of the first superstars to publicly agree. He told MTV News that the song was untouchable and shouldn't have been remade. He suggested those interested in helping Haiti write a new song.

"I appreciate the efforts and everything," he said, "but 'We Are The World' is untouchable like Thriller is untouchable. Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it's gonna be untouchable."

Well said.

I have no idea if the new version has been officially released yet; I've been trying to avoid it at all costs. The thought of Justin Bieber singing with Barbra Streisand with Miley Cyrus with Lil Wayne just makes my head spin. This has "clusterfuck" written all over it.

Musician tweet of the week: MC Hammer

How long has it been since MC Hammer was relevant? He tweeted this reminder today:

20 YEARS AGO On this date in 1990, M.C. Hammer released "Please Hammer don't hurt 'em"..featuring the hit single "U Can't Touch This."

That was the first rap CD I ever bought. I'm still partial to "On Your Face," a smooth R&B track that was never released as a single.

Hammer's been tweeting about "U Can't Touch This" every ten minutes. Throw the man a bone and go buy the track off iTunes. Consider it a donation to charity.

http://twitter.com/MCHammer

Loretta Lynn at Lilith Fair? I'm in

I'm really excited about the return of one of the best festivals of all-time, Lilith Fair. And I'm especially excited that Loretta Lynn will appear on some of the dates. I've been wanting to see her forever and this will be a great setting in which to do it.

The 2010 edition will feature a number of great female acts, including Sarah McLachlan, Tegan and Sara, Ke$ha, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Heart, Norah Jones, The Gossip, Sugarland, and Cat Power.

Exact tour dates have not yet been announced but the cities that will play host to Lilith Fair have been revealed. Unfortunately, they haven't yet found room for a show at the First Niagara Pavilion, the newly-renamed Post-Gazette Pavilion, but more dates are expected to be announced soon.

Musician tweet of the week: Stephen Colbert

So, he's not a musician but he's a Grammy winner. Comedian Stephen Colbert was one of the stars of the Grammys, joking, "Justin Timberlake may have brought the sexy back, but Susan Boyle sent it away again!"

This week he was busy with Grammy-related tweets after his win. To wit:

my emmy is giving me the cold shoulder since i brought home the grammy. she won't even bathe with me anymore!

tweet slang update! rotflwcmg means "rolling on the floor laughing while clutching my grammy"

when do I get the tiny records to play on my grammy?

http://twitter.com/StephenAtHome

February Pittsburgh concerts

MUST-SEE SHOW:
2/13 Ben Folds & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra @ Heinz Hall
I don't think we've ever featured a show at Heinz Hall on our list of featured concerts, but this one sounds fun. Tickets are quite expensive, but if you have the disposable funds, it would be worth it to hear Ben sing "Give me money back, you bitch!" with the orchestra behind him.

ALSO WORTH ATTENDING:
2/21 St. Vincent @ Diesel
The last time Annie Clark came to town, she delivered a memorable performance at the Andy Warhol Museum. The venue isn't as cool this time around, but she has some newer music to promote - she's touring behind Actor, her successful release from last summer.

Others to keep in mind:
2/4 Jeffree Star @ University of Pittsburgh
2/6 Anti-Flag @ Mr. Small's
2/12 Scary Kids Scaring Kids @ Diesel
2/16 Carbon Leaf @ Rex Theater
2/17 Green River Ordinance @ Club Cafe
2/17 Tortoise @ Mr. Small's
2/21 The Verve Pipe @ Club Cafe
2/25 Eric Clapton & Roger Daltry @ Mellon Arena
2/26 Sondre Lerche @ Club Cafe
2/26 New Found Glory, Saves the Day & Hellogoodbye @ Club Zoo
2/27 The Ataris @ Diesel
2/27 Martina McBride & Trace Adkins @ Petersen Events Center