PNC Park will host its first stadium show of the year when British rockers Def Leppard invade the North Shore again, while two near-capacity crowds at Star Lake will make it another busy month of shows in the Pittsburgh area.
Top shows
July 12: Chris Stapleton, Marcus King, Nikki Lane at the Pavilion at Star Lake
Country singer Chris Stapleton is bringing his All-American Road Show tour to Pittsburgh.
Besides tracks from his latest album, “Higher,” Stapleton is likely to bust out his cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “I Should Have Known It.”
“Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is an influence on every country act that has existed since they were a band,” Stapleton told CBS News. “There were no skips, you know. It’s kind of my barometer for: This is the goal.”
Read more: All-star country lineup including Dolly Parton and Chris Stapleton honors Tom Petty in new album
July 27: Def Leppard, Journey, Steve Miller Band at PNC Park
After two years of touring with Motley Crue — including a 2022 stop at PNC Park — Def Leppard is back on the road for a summer stadium tour with new touring partners.
The chart-topping British hard rock band will be joined by fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Journey and the Steve Miller Band.
“(In 2022) we started off in the states, went off to Europe, did South America, came back to the states and then Japan and Australia. And we just felt as though we’d been everywhere,” drummer Rick Allen told a San Francisco radio station. “We would always wanna tour with those guys, but we just felt as though it was time for each of us to move on.”
Read more: Rick Allen explains why Def Leppard isn’t playing any shows with Motley Crue in 2024
July 29: Hozier, Allison Russell at the Pavilion at Star Lake
Irish singer-songwriter Hozier rocketed to fame with “Take Me to Church” back in 2013, and he’s still going strong with songs like “Too Sweet.”
Hozier, who headlined last year’s WonderWorks Festival at Hartwood Acres and sold out this month’s concert at the Pavilion at Star Lake, said he isn’t that concerned with where his songs wind up in the charts.
“Most of the songs that I always admired and hoped to capture the quality of in my work were not charting hits,” he told The New York Times. “From the age of 12 onwards, what was in the charts never really kind of appealed to me and never really resonated with me. There’s artists who we consider classic artists, who are legacy artists, who may never have had a Top 5 or Top 10.”
Read more: Hozier was never a one-hit wonder. But now he has a second smash
Sold-out shows
July 22: Viviz at Kelly Strayhorn Theater
The Korean girl group, formed by three former members of GFriend, are on their V.hind: Love and Tears world tour.
July 28: The Crane Wives, Yasmin Williams at Mr. Smalls Theatre
The folk rock band from Michigan, who sold out Pittsburgh’s Club Cafe last October, have their fifth studio album, “Beyond Beyond Beyond,” coming out in September.
July 31: Lisa Loeb at City Winery Pittsburgh
Best known for her hit song “Stay (I Missed You),” singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb has expanded her career to include children’s music, including the Grammy-winning “Feel What U Feel,” which was named Best Children’s Album in 2018.
Other notable shows
July 2: Red Hot Chili Peppers, DOMi, JD Beck at the Pavilion at Star Lake
July 8: Norah Jones at Heinz Hall
July 8: The Used, Story of the Year, Amira Elfeky at Stage AE
July 9: Third Eye Blind, Yellowcard, Arizona at the Pavilion at Star Lake
July 11: Train, Yacht Rock Revue at Stage AE
July 13: Bret Michaels, Chris Janson, Don Felder, Dee Snider, Lou Gramm at the Pavilion at Star Lake
July 18: O.A.R., Fitz and the Tantrums, DJ Logic at Stage AE
July 19: Ludacris at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows
July 19: Jamey Johnson, Drake White at Stage AE
July 20: Mammoth WVH at Roxian Theatre
July 20: The Flaming Lips at Stage AE
July 21: Paula Cole at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater
July 21: Billy Bragg at the Palace Theatre
July 23: Mayday Parade, The Maine, The Wonder Years, We the Kings, Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, Hot Milk, Daisy Grenade, Diva Bleach at Stage AE
July 24: Taking Back Sunday, Citizen at Stage AE
July 28: Halestorm, Hollywood Undead, Fit For A King at Stage AE
July 29: Sleater-Kinney, Die Spitz at Mr. Smalls Theatre
July 29: Faye Webster, Julie at Stage AE
July 30: Lamb of God, Mastodon, Kerry King, Malevolence at Stage AE
July 31: Styx, Foreigner, John Waite at the Pavilion at Star Lake
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.