Identity X Review

Saturday's show was a pure rock experience. The line up featured all local bands, except 7th Cycle which is a band from Logan, Ohio.

Identity X was amazing live, and I would strongly recommend seeing them any chance you get. Lead singer David Toole also performed the national anthem at Saturday's Penguins game before heading over to the show. The band's album "Perception is Reality" is available on iTunes and a link on their website. Any rock fan should definitely check it out. They also make Journey songs sound a million times better!

Other bands included Color Me Blind, Patron Saint, The Cascade Atlantic, Model Class Citizens, and SIKES. All of the bands performed very well and their sounds were amazing. Patron Saint, The Cascade Atlantic, and Model Class Citizens top my list; but I would recommend all of these bands to any rock fan. The Cascade Atlantic seemed to interact with the crowd the best, but there was also a bit of a bigger crowd by the time they played.

Altar bar is a pretty good venue, but the all ages set up is a bit awkward. A dividing wall was set up to keep people under 21 away from the bar and those that were 21+ could not take their alcohol into the all ages section. The set-up made it hard for groups of friends of mixed ages to watch the show together. It would be a great venue for 21+ shows though.

Identity X Live at Altar Bar in the Strip District

This Saturday, October 9th Identity X will headline a show at Altar Bar. The doors open at 5:00pm and the show starts at 6:00pm. Tickets are still on sale for the show. Visit Altar Bar's website for more details and ticket info. This show will be drummer Chris Sheader's last show with the band. Guitarist DNapps will be missing due to health problems, but will return to the band after he is healed.

I discovered this band when I went to see Rent at the beginning of the year. Lead singer David Toole played the role of Roger in the musical, and his voice is amazing. After I discovered Identity X, I tried to go to shows but always had something else going on. This Saturday I will FINALLY get to see them live!

Check out some of their music here:

This Addiction by Identity X

Overcome by Identity X

The Depth Perception by Identity X

"Here I Go Again On My Own"

Well, it's been a crazy summer, and so far a crazy semester, but here I am again. Summer was spent mostly working, but I did make it to a show here and there:

July- Goo Goo Dolls with Switchfoot and the Spill Canvas: Darien Lake, NY

I took a trip up to New York after work one night, spent the next morning and afternoon in the monsoon that was downtown Buffalo, went to the show at about 7pm, and drove back home (about 5 hrs) to wake up for a doctors appointment at 9:30 in the morning. Needless to say, I was exhausted (I got about 4hrs of sleep) but the trip was amazing. I forgot how much I loved Switchfoot until I saw them live, and the Goo Goo Dolls are one of my favorite bands so naturally I loved them! I strongly recommend seeing both bands live, they interact with the crowd really well and sound amazing.

August- Backstreet Boys: Amphitheater at Station Square, Pittsburgh

My friends and I made a trek to Station Square for a little blast from the past. I missed BSB the first time around when I was between 8 and 12, so I was actually really excited this time around. I am not ashamed to say that I still remembered most of the songs and was singing along the entire time! If you're looking for a hilarious, fun show, this is for you. They took a long time getting out on stage, but it was a fun time.

September- Nickelback, Three Days Grace, Buckcherry: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh

This is the second time I've seen Nickelback and they put on one hell of a show! Last summer they played Post-Gazette Pavilion, now First Niagara Pavilion, and I felt like they did a lot more at this show. The main reason I went to this show was to see Three Days Grace. They rely on their music more than lights and effects and are able to really tear it up! If you want an amazing rock show, GO SEE THEM!! Buckcherry was good, but the lead singer's voice is not so great live.

Kings of Leon...not! This was the show I looked forward to the most this year, and it was cancelled.

Not a big concert season this year, but it was full of awesome shows! See any shows this summer? Feel free to share...
This year it's just me and my writing, no class to have things posted for, just updates and experiences. Enjoy!!

Music's Move From CDs to Digital Forms

An ever changing industry

The music industry is one that changes constantly. A band can be tearing up the charts one week and then drop off the face of the Earth the next week. The same goes for the mediums used to listen to or play music. These days, if you buy any iPod or MP3 player, it’s out of date in as little as one year, maybe even months. The iPod and all of Apple’s products are perfect examples of how quickly today’s music business moves.

The digital age embraced

According to second quarter numbers for the iPhone and iPod, people are welcoming the digital age with open arms. Alexandra Osorio’s article “Apple Earnings Go Kaboom…90 percent Quarterly Gains” for digitalmusicnews.com says that the iPhone sold 8.75 million units (double last year) and the iPod sold 9.75 million units. The number of iPods sold is slowly decreasing, but that is because the popular iTouch and iPhone are slowly taking the iPod’s place.

Further proof that the digital movement is being embraced comes from two Point Park University students who say they prefer the switch. Tamara Rivera says, “it’s a good thing because it saves a lot of space than it would to have CDs laying around. You can have 300 songs without having to carry 50 CDs around all the time.” Cory Bosket adds saying, “you can pick any song you want, any time you want and it’s a lot easier to find the ones you want to listen to.” Other things the students like about the digital age are: the cost is cheaper, it’s easy to share or transfer files to different devices, and it’s easier to use digital versions for projects.

When will CDs become obsolete?

In 2006, Judas Priest front man Rob Halford said, “it’s inevitable that CDs will become obsolete; you have to face the fact.” Later on in his interview with MetalTemple.com writers, Halford said, “I think there’ll always be a market for some kind of physical collection. It’s just moving south fast.”

It is only a matter of time before CDs become obsolete, but it will take a while. In the past; it has happened to 8-tracks, vinyl records, and cassettes, so it is bound to happen to CDs with digital downloads on the rise. People can only guess at when the full transition will take place because even those in the industry are unsure of the progress. It might be in five, ten, or twenty years, but a music world without CDs is definitely on the horizon.

Protest The Hero plays Mr Smalls in Pittsburgh

Protest The Hero is coming to Mr Smalls this coming Sunday, May 2nd with guests: Architects, Oh No! The Afterlife, and Dethlehem. Protest The Hero is a Hard Rock/Metal band that is touring for the newest album Gallop Meets The Earth, which was released in 2009. The bands Oh No! The Afterlife and Dethlehem are both regional bands. Oh No! is from Slippery Rock and Dethlehem is from Pittsburgh, so to any Metal fans out there, head out and support your local bands! The doors open at 6:00pm and the show starts at 7:00pm. Tickets are $12 and are available through Ticketweb. For more information on Mr. Smalls, visit the website here.

Miss May I plays Pittsburgh's The Smiling Moose

This Thursday, Apirl 29, Miss May I will be playing live at The Smiling Moose in the South Side. Miss May I is a Metal/Hardcore/Thrash band from Ohio and released their album Apologies Are For The Weak last year. Miss May will be playing with guests Abandon All Ships. The show starts at 6:30pm and the doors open at 6:00pm. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster. For more information on the venue and the show, visit The Smiling Moose's website.

We The Kings comes to Altar Bar in Pittsburgh's Strip District

Next Thursday, April 29th, We The Kings will be playing live at Altar Bar. The band is currently on tour for their latest album Smile Kid which was released in December 2009. In 2007, We The Kings burst onto the scene with their single "Check Yes Juliet" off of their self titled album. "Check Yes Juliet" was catchy and very infectious and the band sticks with that style on their new album. We The Kings will be returning to Pittsburgh later this summer for Warped Tour at First Niagara Pavilion.

We The Kings is touring with The Maine along with special guests Cartel, Artist vs Poet, and Stereo Skyline. The show is at Altar Bar at 7:00pm. Tickets are $18 in advance and are available at Ticketmaster. Tickets are $20 at the door and all ages are welcome. Berore the show, check out one of We The Kings new singles "Heaven Can Wait"

Brand New's Show at Club Zoo is Sold Out!

Brand New is an alternative band from Long Island, New York. The band is scheduled to play at Club Zoo this Sunday, April 25, at 7:30pm. Unfortunately, the show is sold out. Both Ticketmaster and StubHub are out of tickets, but StubHub is still accepting tickets from anyone that wants to re-sell. Brand New's latest album Daisy was released in September 2009 and the band is currently touring for the album. The band's next two tour dates are sold out, but check the band's MySpace for any updates on tour information. The band is also working on creating a new official website which the page says is "coming soon." I would definitely recommend giving this band a listen and watch for any near by shows!

Greg Joseph of The Clarks visits Point Park University

This Wednesday, April 21st, Greg Joseph of The Clarks will be visiting Point Park University's "A Look Inside the Music Business" presentation. Greg will be speaking as well as giving a solo performance. The road and tour manager of The Clarks, John Williams, will also be speaking during the event. The event is for Point Park students only, but The Clarks will be playing a show in Pittsburgh in June. The summer show is at the Amphitheater at Station Square and the doors open at 6:00pm. The band will be joined by guests The Spring Standards and Good Brother Earl. To keep updated on The Clarks, visit their website here.

Christina Aguilera releases new single Not Myself Tonight

Christina Aguilera's new album Bionic will be released on June 8th later this year. The first single off of the album, "Not Myself Tonight" was released on April 13th and the video for the song is in the process of being produced. There are no tour dates scheduled yet since the release of the album release date is so far off, but Aguilera is scheduled to launch the album on the Today show's summer concert series. "Not Myself Tonight" is currently available on iTunes and Amazon as well as on Christina Aguilera's website. Pittsburgh will have to wait and see if Aguilera decides to pay the city a visit. Until then, check out "Not Myself Tonight" below.

Weekend Shows at Club Cafe

Here is a look at this weekend's shows at Club Cafe located in Pittsburgh's South Side:

Friday 4/16

• Heather Kropf with guest Brooke Annibale, Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:00pm
• Headliners- Pittsburgh's Next Pop Star, Doors open at 10:00pm and show starts at 10:30pm

Saturday 4/17

• Almost Astronauts with guest Mike Cali, Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:00pm
• Chet Vincent and the Big Bend with guest Big Hurry, Doors open at 10:00pm and show starts at 10:30pm

Sunday 4/18

• Willy Porter with guest Luke Brindley, Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:00pm **This show was rescheduled from Nov 13, 2009. Anyone with tickets from that date can use them on Sunday!

Tickets for all shows are available on TicketWeb. Ticket prices for the Friday and Saturday shows range from $6 to $8 and Sunday's show is $18.

**Photo Credit: soulharmonic band on Flickr

Blue October comes to Mr. Smalls in Pittsburgh

Blue October will be performing live at Mr. Smalls this Thursday, April 15th, at 8:00pm. The band is currently touring for its newest album Approaching Normal which was released in March 2009. The Pick Up the Phone Tour is in full swing after many of the shows had to be canceled last summer due to various circumstances including wildfires. The band is joined by guests Stars of Track and Field and Hurricane Bells on the tour. Since this information came to me a little late, here are some other dates that are close by:

Saturday 4/17 Cleveland OH

Sunday 4/18 Columbus OH

Tickets are available through Blue October's website, Mr. Smalls' website, and TicketWeb. Get your fix of the band by listening to one of their new tracks "Should Be Loved" here:

Gaga Update

By now any Pittsburgh Lady Gaga fan knows that regular priced tickets are sold out! Tickets went on sale to the general public this morning at 10:00am and have been on special pre-sales since Tuesday April 6th. Anyone else that has been checking both ticketmaster and Gaga's site religiously since the date was announced will feel the frustration other fans are feeling.

Pittsburgh was skipped on Lady Gaga's first round of touring in 2009, and anyone who was not able to get tickets surely feels skipped again. Although, if you're willing to spend a little extra, StubHub has tickets begining at $150 and going as high as $2033. Options to see the show are to either save a ton of money between now and September 5th or check out one of her shows in a neighboring city. Visit Lady Gaga's website to find the closest show! Good luck!!

Summer Concert Timeline

For anyone who is starting to plan what concerts to see this summer, here is a small guide. Make sure to check ticket and/or band websites for times since they may change between now and the concerts.

**Slide orange arrow that says 2010 to see any shows that are cut off

New Goo!!

The Goo Goo Dolls have finally announced their 9th album!!! The release date has not been set, but a new website and a new tour have finally been built around the album. The band has been able to stand the test of time and continues to crank out new and good material.

The Goo Goo Dolls announced the recording of their new project a few years ago, and I have been following the progress obsessively since the announcement. The new album Something For The Rest of Us will be released later this year and the band begins their tour tomorrow in North Carolina. The band will stop in PA three times in April, but Pittsburgh isn't on the list just yet. The Goo Goo Dolls are amazing live, I have seen them twice, and usually hit the 'Burgh sometime in July. Hopefully, the Pittsburgh date will be announced soon and will not be skipped on the new tour. I have to admit that if Pittsburgh gets glossed over, there will be one very unhappy fan running around!

For more info on the band and their tour, visit their website here. Check out The Goo Goo Dolls performing a new song at a concert before the final NCAA basketball game:

Gorilla Productions Present: Battle of the Bands

Another Battle rages on at Altar Bar this weekend! This Sunday, April 11, another Battle of the Bands begins at 4:00pm. This Battle is not part of a series, and I was not able to find much information on what the winner receives or anything on Gorilla Productions, the sponsor of the event. This could be due to my impatience with the internet at the moment, but info was hard to find and Altar Bar's lack of links/info on their website didn't help much.

This battle features 12 bands that all call the Pittsburgh area home. Some of the bands performing include: Fire and Sex, The Guest List, Color Me Blind, The R4 Project, and A Whisper Rising along with seven others that I couldn't find information for even after a few searches. Out of the bands listed, I would give Color Me Blind and The R4 Project a listen. I was actually able to listen to their songs the entire way through, unlike the others.

Fire and Sex had a fairly monotone sound to them and they didn't have much of a stage presence in the clips they had on their site. The Guest List's music was good, but the singer had a very nasal sound to his voice that was difficult to listen to. A Whisper Rising only had two songs posted so a fair review can't be given at this time.

For more info on the event, visit Altar Bar's website. Hopefully, any searches on the other bands will be more productive than mine were!! Good luck and make sure to support your local bands!

**Photo Credit: Shane Henderson on Flickr

Weekend Shows at The Smiling Moose

Via Audio will be at The Smiling Moose tomorrow, Friday April 2, along with: The Spring Standards, Tecumseh EQs, and Small Cities. Tecumseh EQs is a local band and is classified as Experimental/Post Punk/Psychedelic and was formed by Pete Williams and Jeremy Justice. Small Cities is also a band that hails from Pittsburgh and is classified as Southern Rock/Soul/Americana. The show officially belongs to Via Audio and The Spring Standards who both have new albums out and are currently on tour promoting them (Animalore for Via Audio and Would Things Be Different for The Spring Standards). The doors open at 6:00pm and the show starts at 7:00pm. Come out early and support the local bands!!

Other events at the Moose this weekend:

Sat 4/3 6:30pm Cali AC, The I Drive, New American Classic, Yours Truly *All Pittsburgh bands! $10

9:00pm Super Secret Dance Party

Sun 4/4 9:00pm Upstage Nation 80s Nite

**Photo Credit: Ellenm1 on Flickr

Beethoven's Last Night

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is coming to the Benedum Center this Sunday, April 4th. TSO is currently on tour for Beethoven's Last Night which was first released in 2004. The story follows Beethoven on his last night on Earth and is based on actual events with the creative twist of events that might have happened. During the second half of the show, they will be performing pieces from their newest album Night Castle which was released in October 2009.

TSO is probably most known for their Christmas albums/works and debuted with the single "Christmas Eve" in 1996. TSO is a high energy rock version of classical music which makes it much more enjoyable. I usually prefer vocal pieces over purely instrumental pieces, but with TSO, it is the complete opposite. I like their instrumental pieces much much more than their pieces that include vocalists. I recommend going to see the show if you have a chance because the music is amazing! I haven't seen them live, but just listening to their music blows me away.

The show is April 4th and 7:30pm and tickets start at $53.50. For tickets, visit the Benedum's website. For more info on TSO, visit their website here.

Video Project: Pittsburgh Concert Spots

Finding out where people like to go to see a concert in Pittsburgh! Take the quiz below to give your opinion!

Metal Show at Diesel

This Wednesday, March 31st, Diesel Club Lounge is hosting The Dillinger Escape Plan's current tour which includes three other bands. The show includes: The Dillinger Escape Plan, Darkest Hour, IWRESTLEDABEARONCE, and Animals As Leaders.

The Dillinger Escape Plan is a New Jersey based metal band touring for their new album Option Paralysis. The rest of the tour includes the Coachella music festival in California and another trip to Pittsburgh on the main stage at the Vans Warped Tour. For the metal fans out there, I would recommend checking this band out either on their MySpace or live at Diesel. The tracks that I listened to were pretty good.

The doors open at 6:30pm and tickets are $18 in advance. For ticket and venue info, visit Diesel's website. The websites that Diesel goes through are ticketfly and elkoconcerts, but Diesel's website does not have direct links to the sites. All ages are welcome at this event!

**Photo Credit: dugdogmaster on Flickr

Play On...

Carrie Underwood's Play On Tour comes to Pittsburgh's Petersen Event Center next Thursday, April 1st. The tour opened with a sold out show in Reading, PA on March 11 and continues to be successful as it moves through the country.

Underwood was the winner of season four of American Idol, the only season I've ever watched, and was 22 at the time. I have been a huge fan of Underwood since she won Idol, and think she is a very talented singer. Her single "Cowboy Casanova" off of the Play On album has gone platinum becoming her fifth single to do so. Underwood co-wrote the single along with a number of songs off of the album. She is nominated for six Academy of Country Music Awards including Entertainer of the Year, Top Female Vocalist of the Year, and Vocal Event of the Year. Underwood is up against Taylor Swift for Entertainer, Female Vocalist, and Song of the Year. Since this is the Country Awards, it's a toss up for which girl I prefer to win. I hope it turns out well for both of them, even though I prefer Carrie Underwood to Taylor Swift.

For more info on Carrie Underwood, visit her website here. Tickets are available now on Ticketmaster.

Here's Carrie singing one of her first singles "Some Hearts" live:

Screening Update!

I just heard from the Butler brothers that the Saturday screening of "Confusions of an Unmarried Couple" is FREE!! If you have the chance, go Saturday to meet the guys and of course to avoid the ticket price. The theater is also BYOB, so feel free to bring your favorite brew along!

The Butlers have another film that won Best of Fest last year called "The Notorious Newman Brothers." The film is directed by Ryan Noel and stars the Butlers. For more information on this film, check out SubProd's website.

Confusions of an Unmarried Couple

Confusions of an Unmarried Couple is an Indie film produced by Substance Productions (SubProd), a production company based in Toronto. The film is a comedy that follows characters Dan and Lisa trying to figure things out after a bad breakup. The Hollywood theater in Dormont is holding screenings of the film from Saturday, March 27 to Tuesday, March 30. The film's creators Jason and Brett Butler will be in town for the Saturday screening along with Naomi Johnson (Lisa).

For me, the film got off to a little bit of a slow start. The real comedy and storyline kicks in once the characters start interacting. A warning to anyone easily offended by language: you might want to skip the screening. Though it's a little strong at most points, the language used is what added to the humor of the film. The soundtrack was very good and was all original work (songs and score) written by Ryan Noel who is part of the SubProd crew. I searched for any other music Noel has done, but failed to find any so it doesn't look like he's pursuing a music career at the moment. Between the good music and humor of the film, I would definitely recommend checking it out!

See Confusions of an Unmarried Couple at the Hollywood Theater and meet the Butler Brothers this Saturday at 4:30pm. It will also be showing Monday 3/29 at 7:00pm and Tuesday 3/30 at 9:30pm. The Butlers and Naomi Johnson will only be at the Saturday screening. The cost for all shows is $6. Check out some of SubProd's other projects on their website including their web series Larry and Burt's Gut Rot.

**Photo Credit: subprod.com

Hey Soul Sister...

Train was formed in 1994 in San Francisco, California. In fifteen years, Train has gone multi-platinum and has produced a number of hits such as "Drops of Jupiter," "Meet Virginia," and "Calling All Angels." Train released their fifth album Save Me San Francisco in October of 2009 and is currently touring for the album. The album features the hit "Hey Soul Sister" which is currently at number six on Billboard's Hot 100.

Train stops in Pittsburgh this Thursday, March 25, at the Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland. For information on Train, visit their website. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster as well as on the tour page of Train's website.

Listen to one of Train's hits "Get To Me" here:

A Fight For Fame

This Saturday, March 20, Pittsburgh bands will compete for a chance to win a trip to Vegas to perform at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. There is a pre-show from 6:00pm to 9:00pm with Morning and Mirrors and special guests, and the competition starts at 9:00pm. The show will be at Altar Bar on Penn Ave. in the Strip District. There is a $12 cover charge and all ages are welcome. The line up for the competition includes:

• Long Time Divided- Hard Rock
• Wizard Bomb- Rock
• Kill the Skylight- Alternative
• Call to Attraction- Pop/Rock/Alternative
• Xstrophy- Metal
• Check Your Satus- Pop/Punk

Again, the winners get a trip to perform in Vegas, free studio time, and other prizes. Come out and support your local bands! For more information, visit Altar Bar's website or Sardonyx Productions' website.

**Photo Credit: sardonyxproductions.com

Monster Ball

Lady Gaga has announced another North American leg of her enormous Monster Ball Tour beginning on June 28th in Montreal. This is the second headlining tour Gaga has had in the 2009 season. The Fame Ball Tour started in March of 2009 and The Monster Ball Tour has been running since November of 2009. The Monster Ball Tour is currently scheduled to end on September 19th, 2010 in Raleigh, NC.

Gaga exploded onto the scene with her first single "Just Dance" in April of 2008 and has pumped out hit after hit. Her current hit "Telephone" reached number one on Billboard's Pop Chart becoming her 6th consecutive number one single. She is the only artist in history to have six consecutive number one singles. Gaga was up for six Grammys this year and won two of them including Best Dance Recording ("Poker Face") and Best Electronic/Dance Album (The Fame). Over her short career, Lady Gaga has been nominated for 115 awards world wide and has won 54 of them.

The Monster Ball rolls into Pittsburgh on September 5th at the Consol Energy Center (opening later this year). Sale dates for the Pittsburgh show have not been announced yet, but keep your eyes open as select tickets will go on sale on March 19th. For more information on the tour and ticket sales, visit Lady Gaga's website.

**Photo Credit: Hause Of Mr. Peter on Flickr

Jay-Z Tour Comes to Pittsburgh

Jay-Z's BP3 tour comes to Mellon Arena this Tuesday, March 16th, at 7:30pm. The album Blueprint 3 was released in September 2009 and gave Jay-Z his first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 list. "Empire State of Mind," featuring Alicia Keys, marked Jay-Z's first single to top the chart. The album also produced the smash hit "Run This Town" which won a Grammy for both Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Rap Song.

For Jay-Z news, visit his website here. For tickets, visit Tickmaster or any other ticket retailer.

Listen to another one of Jay-Z's Grammy winning BP3 singles here:

Weekend Shows at Altar Bar

Here's a look at this weekend's shows at Altar Bar located in Pittsburgh's Strip District:

• Friday 3/12 Sounds of Seattle Tour: Ten-Pearl Jam tribute band, BadMotorfinger-Soundgarden & Hungerstrike tribute band, and others. Show starts at 10:00pm.
• Saturday 3/13 28 North CD Release Party- 28 North is a band based in Pittsburgh and has been recording, performing, and writing their music for five years. Show starts at 9:00pm tickets ant tickets are $5 advanced and $7 at the door.
• Sunday 3/14 Battle of the Bands. Show starts at 4:00pm

For information on Altar Bar and all of their shows, visit the website here.

Copeland Says Farewell

The rock/alternative band Copeland is currently on their farewell tour and will roll into Pittsburgh on March 11, 2010. The band formed in 2000 and released their first album Beneath the Medicine Tree in 2003. The band's latest/last album You Are My Sunshine was released in October of 2008. Copeland announced their farewell tour in December of 2009 and the last show listed on their site is set for May 16th in Shanghi, China.

I know this information is a little late, but the show still has tickets available. The band will be performing at Mr. Small's at 7:00pm. Visit Mr. Small's website for show and ticket information and visit Copeland's website for information on the band and their remaining tour dates.

**Photo Credit: cafedostoievski.com

Crazy Love

Michael Buble will be at the Peterson Events Center next Wednesday, March 17th on his Crazy Love Tour. Ticketmaster seems to be fresh out of tickets, but other sites seem to have a number of tickets up for grabs. The tickets on the sites have been pretty high in price, so for any big spenders, here are a couple of sites that I found:

• StubHub
• TicketsInventory

For anyone not able to make the Pittsburgh show, the Crazy Love Tour will be in Cleveland on March 23 and in Cincinnati on March 24. The tour will return to the East coast in June when it rolls into Columbus on June 30. For more information Buble and his tour, visit his website here.

**Photo Credit: michaelbuble.com

A Break from the 'Burgh: LA #3

As the center of the music world, it's only natural for LA to have a Grammy museum, and it is only natural for that museum to have a tribute to Michael Jackson. In February of 2009, the Grammy Museum set up an exhibit called Michael Jackson: HIStyle. The exhibit featured many of Jackson's flashy clothes, and after his death in October of 2009, the exhibit was turned into a tribute. The current exhibit Michael Jackson: A Musical Legacy still features clothes that Jackson performed in along with other special pieces. Visitors can dance on a lighted dance floor that mimics his exact moves from his "Billie Jean" video. The exhibit also includes a number of video screen showing footage of Jackson's performances as well as memories from those who knew him.

The exhibit will run from now until this summer. For more information on the Jackson exhibit, click here. For more information on the Grammy Museum and how to visit, click here.

A Break from the 'Burgh: LA #2

Bon Jovi is currently touring and will roll into LA on Thursday, March 4th at the Staples Center. Bon Jovi is making their way through the west coast until mid-March when they will start looping through the east coast. For everyone back in the 'Burgh, you might have to travel a good bit to see the band. The Pennsylvania dates listed on the band's tour page are Philadelphia and Hershey. Other cities that are a pretty lengthy drive, but still manageable for diehard fans, are DC and East Rutherford, New Jersey. It comes as a huge surprise that Bon Jovi is not stopping in Pittsburgh this time around since it is always included in the band's major tours. Oh well, maybe some last minute stops will be added!

For more information on Bon Jovi, visit their website. And, to get your Bon Jovi fix, check out one of their classic hits "You Give Love a Bad Name."

A Break from the 'Burgh: Los Angeles

My final stop on spring break is Los Angeles where I will be spending an entire week. Amid the sun and palm trees lies a HUGE music scene. The first interesting event that caught my eye was iPod night at the Liquid Kitty. Every Wednesday night, you can bring your iPod in and play DJ for 20 minutes. If the crowd thinks you've done a good job, you get a free drink. Liquid Kitty has different daily events every week, like iPod Wednesdays, along with concerts on the weekends.

Liquid Kitty has no cover charge on any night and is located on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. For more information on the club and a list of events, visit Liquid Kitty's website.

**Photo Credit: Omar Omar on Flickr

A Break from the 'Burgh: Las Vegas

Since I am on Spring Break until March 6th, I'm going to take a little break from the Pittsburgh music scene and offer information on the places I'm traveling. First stop Las Vegas for the weekend!

Las Vegas is absolutely PACKED with different things to do and different artists are always passing through Sin City. The major feature for this weekend seems to be Garth Brooks. His shows are listed multiple times on one Vegas page I found. Garth will be in Vegas February 25th, 26th and 27th. Garth is performing a series of concerts one weekend a month from now until August. For more info on Garth, visit his website.

Mariah Carey is also performing this weekend in Las Vegas. She performs on Friday 27th at the Colosseum. For more info on Mariah visit her website.

There are countless other music events going on this weekend, but it would take up WAY too much space to list even a quarter of them! For info on the Vegas music scene, visit these websites:

• Yahoo Upcoming Events, Las Vegas
• Jazz Las Vegas

**Photo Credit: Atlantys Travel

Weekend Shows at Rex

Here's an early look at this weekend's shows at Rex Theater. Rex is located on East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's Southside.

• Friday 2/26: Larry Keel & Natural Bridge with Greensky Bluegrass. Doors open at 7:00pm and the show starts at 8:30pm. Tickets are $15
• Saturday 2/27: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave with Boogie Hustlers. Doors open at 6:00pm and the show starts at 9:00pm. Tickets are $15

For tickets and information about the venue, visit Rex's website.

To learn more about the bands, visit their websites:

Larry Keel and Natural Bridge- Mountain music

Greensky Bluegrass- Bluegrass

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave- Jazz, Funk Rock

Boogie Hustlers- Jazz, Funk, Soul and similar genres

**Photo Credit: Mattron on Flickr

Rusted Root

Rusted Root was formed in Pittsburgh in the early '90s by singer/guitarist Michael Glabicki. They self released their first album Cruel Sun in 1992 and joined Mercury Records in 1994 producing their album When I Woke. They continued releasing albums on a fairly regular basis until 2003. Their album Stereo Rodeo is their first album in almost seven years and was released in May of 2009.

Since the release of Stereo Rodeo, the band has toured throughout 2009 and is continuing into the summer of 2010. Rusted Root will be coming to Pittsburgh on March 12 on the Gateway Clipper Majestic. Tickets are on sale now and are $25 for general admission. To get tickets go to Rusted Root's website, Facebook page, or MySpace page.

Check out one of Rusted Root's hits, "Send Me On My Way"

"New" 100.7 Review

Pittsburgh's 100.7 is classified as an adult contemporary station, but is now mixing in Top 40 songs since it merged with B94. Star 100.7 prides it self on playing a variety of music from the 80s, 90s, and the present. The music played on the station is more soft rock and pop kinds of music now with a sprinkle of the faster tempo music that was on B94. The Top 40 music seems to be finding its place along with the DJs that made the move.

Bubba, who moved to 100.7 when K-Rock moved onto 93.7, is back on the morning show with co-hosts JR and Shelly. The three still work well together and I have always been a fan of Bubba, so I'm glad he decided to make the transition. Melanie Taylor, who was on B94's morning show with Buckhead and Bubba, is now flying solo middays on 100.7. I was not a fan of Melanie when she was with the boys on B94, but I found I enjoy listening to her much more now that she has her own show.

If you haven't already given it a try, listen to 100.7 here. It takes a little getting used to the slightly slower pace, but it's still worth the listen.

If you don't like the station, listen to Pittsburgh's 96.1 here.

Weekend Shows at Diesel

Here's a look at this weekend's shows at Diesel located on East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's Southside:

• Saturday 2/20: Fountain Infinity with Vin Mariani, Undermine the Common, and Soul Pilot. Doors open at 5:00 pm

• Sunday 2/21: St. Vincent with Wildbirds and Peacedrums. Doors open at 6:00 pm

For information on prices, tickets, etc. visit Diesel's website here

**Photo Credit: RMUphotos on flickr

Lyrics Quiz

How well do you know these lyrics?

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Radio Poll

I know I'm beating the B94 issue to death, but I promise it will end soon. Take this poll and let me know your opinion on the Pittsburgh radio scene.

RIP B94

Yesterday, February 14 marked the end of B94's broadcasting. The station seemed to be having fun with the combination of songs played all weekend. In one 20 minute drive I heard Crazy Train, an old Lenny Kravitz song, an old Dave Matthews Band song, a country song, and The Pittsburgh Polka. I enjoyed listening to the random combinations, but as the night wore on, the songs were looped and B94 faded away at 5:30 this morning. I have yet to listen to 100.7 since the merger, but I'll give it a week and then decide if I want to stick with it or not. Give the "new" 100.7 a chance and listen here.

Owl City and a weekend away

This weekend I ventured back to my home town of Indiana PA, and unfortunately missed the Owl City concert at IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania). In another unfortunate event, this show was toward the end of Owl City's U.S. portion of the tour and is on its way to Europe on February 17th. Owl City will be back in the States on March 30th starting with a show in Boise Idaho. The huge hit "Fireflies" launched Owl City into the music world and its other music is very good as well. To hold yourselves over until they return, check out Owl City's music and other information here.

**Photo Credit: carlosjtj on flickr

Weekend Shows at Club Cafe

Even though the majority of Pittsburgh is buried, there are still a number of shows still planned for the rest of the week. Here's a look at the shows being held at Club Cafe this weekend:

• Thursday 2/11 Joe Firstman 7:00pm
• Friday 2/12 Garrison Starr/Natalia Zukerman 7:00pm
• Friday 2/12 The Incline 10:30pm
• Saturday 2/13 Pete Bush and the Hoi Polloi 10:30pm

For information on Club Cafe and other upcoming shows click here.

**Photo Credit: local.myspace.com

Bye-bye B94

Even though my generation is drifting away from the radio, many people I know are sad to see B94 go...again. B94 left us once before in 2004 and returned in 2007 saying they were back for good, unfortunately the station is leaving us seemingly for good. The station is merging with 100.7 and a few of the DJs will be moving over also. Bubba will be joining JR and Shelley in the mornings and Melanie Taylor will be on the air mid-day.

B94 first went on the air in April of 1981 and the first song played was Billy Joel's "You May be Right." The station went off the air in 2004 and was replaced by a Rock station. B94 made it's triumphant return in 2007 with Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back." The station leaves us once again being replaced by a sports station titled The Fan. The change takes place at 5:30am on February 15th. The last full day to listen will be February 14th.

Who knows, maybe The Fan will have the same fate as the last station and B94 will return to us once again. Will you try out 100.7 or switch to 96.1 or another station?

Identity X

Pittsburgh band Identity X has a number of upcoming shows in different spots around the 'Burgh. The shows are small acoustic performances at different Hot Topic locations and one full set show at Altar Bar.

The band formed in 2003 and it's music is classified as Rock/Alternative/Metal. I happened upon this band after going to see Rent last weekend, weird right? Well, lead singer David Toole is currently cast as Roger, one of the male leads in Rent. The program said he was in a band, he had a good voice, I checked it out, and decided the band was pretty awesome. Check out one of their shows, or visit their myspace to check out some of their music!

Identity X Music

Shows:

2/11 7:00pm Hot Topic at Robinson Mall

2/18 7:00pm Hot Topic at Century Three Mall

2/23 7:00pm Hot Topic at Ross Park Mall

3/3 7:00pm Hot Topic at Pittsburgh Mills Mall

3/6 5:00pm Altar Bar

**Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Grammy Results: Beyonce and Taylor Swift set records

I am pleased to announce that Taylor Swift did not sweep the Grammys!! While Swift received her well deserved Country categories, the only mainstream category she won was album of the year. She set a record being the youngest to win album of the year beating Alanis Morissette who was 21 when she won the award in 1996. Taylor Swift won 4 out of the 8 awards she was nominated for. Beyonce also set a record by winning 6 awards, the most won by a female artist. Beyonce won 6 out of the 10 awards she was nominated for. I am also pleased to announce that Kings of Leon, who I was hoping would beat out Swift for record of the year, succeeded in winning 3 awards. Jason Mraz, another favorite and contender with Swift, won both awards he was nominated for.

Did your favorites win the awards they deserved? Find out on the complete list of winners.

Grammy Awards

The 52nd Grammy Awards take place tonight at 8:00 pm on CBS. The show will feature a 3D tribute for Michael Jackson. 3D glasses can be picked up at Target stores across the country. I'm anxiously waiting for the results of this years awards since Taylor Swift is nominated for 8 Grammys. It's no surprise that Taylor is up for so many awards after her massive success, however, I'm rooting against her in most categories. She is in categories with artists such as: Green Day, U2, Kings of Leon, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga to name a few. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Taylor Swift fan, but the bands that she is running with far out-run her talent as performers. Do you think Taylor can sweep the Grammys as she has the other music awards this past year?

Check out all of the Grammy Nominees here

**Photo Credit: Peoplestylewatch.com

Rent rolls into the 'Burgh

The hit musical Rent rolls into Pittsburgh for one last time from January 28 through February 7, 2010. Rent began in 1996 and ran for 12 years before leaving Broadway in September of 2008. Sadly, I was never able to experience the show in its Broadway theater, but luckily, the show remained on tour. However, Rent is leaving us once again. The tour featuring original cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal is coming to an end on February 7, 2010 after a week long stint in Sacramento, California. For anyone that's interested in musicals and having an absolutely amazing time, this is the event for you!

Info about the show, cast, etc: www.siteforrent.com

Tickets for the Pittsburgh tour: www.pgharts.org

**Photo credit: ccrjapan.com

Joy Ike at Point Park University

This Thursday, January 28, Joy Ike and Cameron Blake will be performing at Point Park University. Cameron will be opening the show at 7:00pm in the Lawrence Hall Lobby. Admission is free to Point Park students and is $1 for non-Point Park attendants.

Joy is a Pittsburgh native and plans to put a new album out later this year.

Check out Joy and Cameron's music here:

Joy Ike: http://www.myspace.com/joyike

Cameron Blake: http://cameronblakemusic.com/Home.php

*Photo credit: Joy Ike Live in Concert facebook event page

World Music Night at Point Park University

I'm a little late on putting this up, but anyone looking for something to do near Point Park should check out World Music Night in the Lawrence Hall Ballroom at 6pm tonight. For any non-Point Park people, this is on the third floor of Lawrence Hall at 201 Wood Street in downtown Pittsburgh. Bands performing include Chicago's A Lull, Bill Burke, and The Union. The event is free and there will be free food as well.

Check out some of the bands here:
A Lull: http://www.myspace.com/alullmusic
Bill Burke: http://www.myspace.com/billburke8stringguitarist

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! I will be updating you on different shows and other music related events that pass through Pittsburgh. I will also be updating on music news from other parts of the country/industry as well. Feel free to share any links or news you may find from other sites!