Aug 1, 2019

Punk Rock finds new home in Pittsburgh.

With the resurgence of nostalgic pop-punk and punk rock picking up steam, it feels like more and more bands are planting their anarchy flag in Pittsburgh as their home away from home.

If you're an avid concert goer, you know the old joke: "There aren't any good shows 100 miles from where I live" which is what the last few years has felt like living near the city of Pittsburgh. Now don't get me wrong, I've went to my fair share of concerts in the last few years living near the steel city and I've even went as far as to make a video showing off my tickets in a two-part series on YouTube, but I've always felt that the bands I've wanted to see the most have always skipped town.

The closest commute outside of Pittsburgh is a state's hop away to either Cleveland, Columbus or West Virginia, or if you want to stay in the state, a six-hour drive to Philly on the other side of PA, all to of which, I've made that drive.

With the recent opening of such Pittsburgh-based venues like newly renovated The Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks, The Crafthouse Stage & Grill in Pittsburgh and even the parking lots of Sandcastle, the steel city has been greeting punk rock and pop-punk bands with open arms as of late showing them the true meaning of "you've got a friend in Pennsylvania."

McKees Rocks Roxian Theatre recently went under a $9 million renovation, reopening it's doors earlier in 2019 which have been bringing the heat, scheduling such punk rock and pop-punk bands as Sum 41, New Found Glory, Avril Lavigne, Bad Religion and even Motion City Soundtrack who recently announced a reunion tour as well as punk rock legends The Descendants who haven't toured Pittsburgh in nearly 20 years.

The Rex Theatre on Carson St. is hosting everyone all over the punk rock spectrum between now and the new year starting with The Pure Noise Tour featuring Stick To Your Guns following Black Flag, Neck Deep, Senses Fail and Tiny Moving Parts with The Smiling Moose also on Carson Street bringing The Dangerous Summer as well as being the host of the monthly Emo Karaoke Night.

An arguably, equally infamous concert venue known as the Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale is following the same suit in respected punk rock genres hosting The Bouncing Souls, Tiger Army, Bowling For Soup with Less Than Jake as well as the already SOLD OUT Mighty Mighty Bosstones show and the reunion tour of punk rock band The Distillers.

Even the more laid back establishments like the Crafthouse Bar & Grill have recently brought the likes of the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Alesana, Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup as well as have an upcoming October date for Strung Out with The Casualties.

To round off the summer are the outdoor venues of Stage AE, the Lots at Sandcastle and Highmark Stadium hosting Flogging Molly with Social Distortion, NOFX's Punk in Drublic Fest, Rancid with Pennywise and the 6th annual Four Chord Music Festival featuring The Offspring, Simple Plan, Anberlin and more, all respectively.

If you're a punk rocker, now is an amazing time to live in or around the steel city. Full concert schedule of all of the venues and bands I've listed are below. Ticket info available at venue's official website, also listed below.

TOUR DATES:

The Roxian Theatre

Aug 4th - Bad Religion

Sept. 15th- Descendants

Sept. 28th Streetlight Manifesto

Oct. 1st - Sum 41 with Of Mice & Men

Oct. 8th - Avril Lavigne

Nov 19th - New Found Glory w/ Hawthorne Heights

Jan. 4th - Motion City Soundtrack

Roxian Theatre Official Site

The Rex Theatre

Aug. 2nd - Pure Noise Tour w/ Stick To Your Guns