A stadium show, a bill with three music icons and a country concert at a Westmoreland County farm highlight the top shows coming in September to Western Pennsylvania.
Top concerts
Sept. 1: Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, The Linda Lindas at PNC Park
The veteran punk rockers Green Day are back at PNC Park after playing there in 2021 on the Hella Mega Tour. This time, it’s the Saviors tour, where they’ll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their “Dookie” album and the 20th anniversary of “American Idiot” by playing both of them in their entirety.
The punk rock opera-ish “American Idiot” helped to reinvent and reinvigorate the band, as well as their fans.
“They go, ‘American Idiot changed my life.’ And I said, ‘It changed my life too!’” he told Billboard. “It changed everything for me. … It really made me feel like I can spread my wings. It proved to me that, if you have the guts to do it, then you can make it happen. When you have a hunch that it’s time to make a big statement, musically, and it gets acknowledged, it’s the best feeling ever.”
Green Day will be joined by alt rock heavyweights The Smashing Pumpkins, fellow punk veterans Rancid and The Linda Lindas, a rising band with several members still in high school.
Read more: Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong on ‘American Idiot’ impact: ‘It changed everything for me’
Sept. 14: Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Southern Avenue at the Pavilion at Star Lake
The latest installment of Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival features a trio of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers with Nelson joined by Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp.
The trio toured together in 2009, with a stop at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa. This festival is packed with country and Americana music, and at least when it comes to Mellencamp, you’ll hear most of his hits.
“I toured with Dylan for a while and he didn’t play any (expletive) songs that anybody recognized,” Mellencamp told the Washington Post. “I thought, that’s too extreme. So it’s a fine line of what should be recognized and what should be kind of challenging for the audience. And I think the audience who likes music, they like the idea of being challenged a little bit.”
Read more: John Mellencamp would like you to behave. Or ‘don’t come to my show’
Sept. 28: Luke Bryan, Conner Smith, Tucker Wetmore, Peach Pickers with Rodney Clawson at Cunningham Family Farm
Country star Luke Bryan won’t be playing at Star Lake or Heinz Field like in recent visits to the Pittsburgh area.
This time, his sold-out concert will take place at a family farm in Westmoreland County, as part of his Farm Tour 2024 series. In its 15th year, Bryan’s farm tours raise scholarship money for farmers attending nearby colleges.
“My thing (now) is to just have fun writing songs, have fun doing the shows,” Bryan told Audacy. “I think for 10 years I’ve just overworked myself to where all my friends, whenever I see them, they’re like, ‘You’re overworking yourself’ and I’m like, ‘I know, I can’t tell people no.’”
Read more: Luke Bryan on having a bass allergy, Katy Perry leaving ‘Idol,’ new music and more
Sold-out shows
Sept. 6: Meghan Trainor, Chris Olsen at Petersen Events Center
Meghan Trainor, famous for “All About That Bass,” is embarking on her first major tour since 2016, hitting the road in support of her “Timeless” album which came out in June.
Sept. 23: The Warning, Holy Wars at Thunderbird Music Hall
The Warning, a Mexican heavy metal band consisting of three sisters, are touring their “Keep Me Fed” album.
Sept. 27: Soul Coughing at Mr. Smalls Theatre
Touring for the first time in 25 years, the reunited alt rock band last played together in 1999, with their second-to-last show at the old I.C. Light Amphitheatre in Station Square.
Other notable shows
Sept. 3: Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Ministry, Filter at the Pavilion at Star Lake
Sept. 3: Sarah Jarosz, Viv & Riley at Roxian Theatre
Sept. 6: Nicki Minaj at PPG Paints Arena
Sept. 6: The Oak Ridge Boys at the Palace Theatre
Sept. 7: James Taylor & His All-Star Band at the Pavilion at Star Lake
Sept. 7: Charles Esten at City Winery Pittsburgh
Sept. 10: Jeff Lynne’s ELO at PPG Paints Arena
Sept. 10: Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Lakeview at the Pavilion at Star Lake
Sept. 11: Nicotine Dolls, Wic Whitney at Mr. Smalls Theatre
Sept. 15: Sexyy Red, Hunxho, Loe Shimmy, BlakeIana at Petersen Events Center
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Sept. 17: Sum 41, The Interrupters, Joey Valence, Brae at UPMC Events Center
Sept. 17: Dashboard Confessional, Boys Like Girls, Taylor Acorn at Stage AE
Sept. 18: Megadeth, Mudvayne, All That Remains at Stage AE
Sept. 18: Pitbull, T-Pain at the Pavilion at Star Lake
Sept. 22: Bachman-Turner Overdrive at the Palace Theatre
Sept. 23: Seether, Skillet, Tim Montoya, Royale Lynn at Stage AE
Sept. 27: Barenaked Ladies, Toad the Wet Sprocket at Rivers Casino Events Center
Sept. 28: The Psychedelic Furs at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
Sept. 28: Mickey Guyton, Denitia at Thunderbird Music Hall
Sept. 29: $uicideboy$, Denzel Curry, Pouya, Haarper, Shakewell, Ekkstacy at PPG Paints Arena
Mike Palm is a TribLive digital producer who also writes music reviews and features. A Westmoreland County native, he joined the Trib in 2001, where he spent years on the sports copy desk, including serving as night sports editor. He has been with the multimedia staff since 2013. He can be reached at mpalm@triblive.com.