Concert Reviews

THIRD EYE BLIND/YELLOWCARD PITTSBURGH REVIEW

Published

2 years ago

July 13, 2024

The summer sun in Pittsburgh may be hot but not as blazing hot as the performances from Yellowcard and Third Eye Blind on July 9 at The Pavillion at Star Lake. The Summer Gods Tour from headliner Third Eye Blind is a 90’s kids dream come to life. With support from Yellowcard and A R I Z O N I A, there’s no doubt that if you spent your time going to the original Hot Topic (not the pop culture fest it is today) or pursuing Warped Tour, you’re in for a real treat.

After opener A R I Z O N I A, the humidity was high and the stage was set for Yellowcard to make their return to music after originally disbanding in 2016. Yellowcard frontman, Ryan Key explains during their set that they never thought they’d be able to make music together again until a random opportunity came about in the last year. Now, the group is able to tour with Third Eye Blind and even has new music on the way.

Needless to say, Yellowcard’s setlist made any level of fan happy with a well-picked selection of top hits and lesser known favorites. Plus, the band ended their set with “Ocean Avenue,” a song that practically everyone at the venue knew even despite not being there for Yellowcard.

Even if you don’t know a single song by Yellowcard, their stage presence is so captivating and the addition of live violin promises an experience you won’t soon forget. The band does an excellent job of hyping up the crowd and prepping the stage for Third Eye Blind’s arrival.

When the sun had finally vanished and the house lights went down, excitement overtook the crowd in an instant as cheers erupted before a single light came on or note played out. Though when the lights did rise in the form of spotlights across the stage in a heavy fog fans were only more impressed with the scene laid before them. As frontman Stephen Jenkins took the stage with an acoustic guitar, the crowd knew they were in for a night of passion and heartfelt tunes.

There’s a lot to be said about Third Eye Blind. They’re a band who hit the charts in the 90’s and stuck with listeners long after. But, even just listening to their music you wouldn’t imagine the show you’re in for. An intricate light display sets the atmosphere for each song and the band seamlessly blends their live instrumentals. Even further though, Jenkins hold on the crowd keeps attention on the vocals even though all the fantastic flourishes. It’s clear to see his vocals have held up, even twenty years later.

Pop-punk and rock shows will always have a special energy that’s unmatched by any other genre. In those moments where Third Eye Blind plays “Never Let You Go” or Yellowcard plays “Ocean Avenue” everyone comes together as one with the band, remembering the moments the song has been a soundtrack to their life. Rather than being in the background, the crowd becomes a part of the show. That was the case for each moment of The Summer Gods Tour.

About Author

Kylie Thomas

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Concert Reviews

BRISTOW VIRGINIA TOOK A TRIP ON THE WILD SIDE… SHOUTED AT THE DEVIL. AND ENJOYED THE GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 7, 2026

Ron

MOTLEY CRUE CAME BACK INTO TOWN BRINGING WITH THEM TESLA AND EXTREME FOR THE RETURN OF CARNIVAL SINS TOUR.

Extreme opened up, and not only did they kick ass, but they also took some names, too. Gary sounded amazing on vocals, and of course, Nuno not only rocked the guitar; he gave all the ladies out there heart problems. We got to hear “More Than Words,” “Get the Funk Out,” and “Hole Hearted”.

Tesla was next, and the band always puts on an amazing show. It’s just a good ole rock and roll fun time. We got to hear “Modern Day Cowboy,” “Mama’s Fool,” and “Little Suzi.”

Motley Crue put up the circus tent, and fans were ready for the big top to drop. I was excited because this was the first time getting to see Crue with John 5 on guitar. The stage looked crazy and had things you could look at everywhere, from girls to cages and beyond. Nikki and Tommy looked amazing, and Neil looked healthier than in the past years; he sounded great, and you could see that he was having fun.

I have seen Motley Crue a few times now, but this time I was so close to the stage it was insane. Doing this press gig does come with some perks, and we get to see great bands and get tickets, but this was next level with how close to the stage my tickets were. It gave me such a great experience, not only just being that close and jamming out to songs that I grew up to, but also being with all the Crue fans and just seeing everyone getting excited and rocking out. They were all there for a good time and some kick-ass rock n’ roll.

Motley played a fantastic set too, with some bangers and killer songs from albums up to Generation Swine. Songs like “Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Looks that Kill,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Smoking in the Boys’ Room,” “Live Wire,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” and, of course “Dr. Feelgood” and “Kickstart My Heart.” The show was amazing, and the place was packed and having a great time. This is only the first leg of the tour, so if they come your way, go and see this tour and let yourself go and enjoy live music and rock ‘n’ roll.

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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Concert Reviews

THIS IS WHERE IT FALLS APART… STABBING WESTWARD CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF WITHER, BLISTER, BURN AND PEEL IN BALTIMORE

Published

1 month ago

July 25, 2026

Ron

It has been nine years since Stabbing Westward played in Baltimore, and I was thrilled to see them return to perform my favorite album. They brought along Acumen Nation and Priest as supporting acts. Both Acumen Nation and Priest put on an incredible show, and I loved how they energized the crowd. It’s fantastic to have a band like Acumen Nation, which has been around since 1988, alongside Priest, a newer band, and the fans truly enjoyed both sets.

Stabbing Westward is one of those bands that really resonated with me at a pivotal time in my life. This album was released during my junior year and fit my experiences perfectly. It’s one of those albums I would listen to from start to finish, and then I would just start it over again. I’m excited that the band is releasing a new version of this album, reflecting how they would have approached it if they had the freedom to mix it and create without outside interference.

What we got to hear was amazing. I loved the fresh sound to it but still keeping the core of what that album meant to them and to the fans. Coming out on stage with my 3 favorite songs on the album, “I Don’t Believe,” “What Do I Have To Do,” and “Falls Apart.” But hearing some of the other tracks on that album brought back so many memories of the past, like “Shame,” “So Wrong,” and even hearing the cure cover “Burn” and “Dawn” from the Escape From LA Soundtrack.

The concert was amazing. We were supposed to have an interview with Chris, but because of the Canadian fires, he was saving his voice for the show and meet ‘n greets, but we will have that interview soon for you.

About Author

Ron

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Concert Reviews

THE EX-FACES ROCKED THE REVERB STAGE

Published

1 month ago

July 22, 2026

Ron

I’ve been incredibly excited about the Ex-Faces show since it was first announced. I’m a huge Mushroomhead fan and love that the members of this group have come together to enjoy the music.

It was incredible to see J-Man, Waylon, Stitch, and Lil Dan together again. Adding Gravy and Mr. Murdernickel to the mix—especially since I never got to see him play live despite being a Mushroomhead fan near Cleveland since ’96—made it even better. I love that the guys genuinely looked like they were enjoying being on stage together, celebrating their time in this band and their experiences with Mushroomhead.

Hearing classic songs like “Bwomp,” “These Filthy Hands,” and “Sun Doesn’t Rise” was fantastic, but getting to experience deep cuts like “Eternal,” “1200,” and even the cover of “Crazy” was incredible. The Ex-Faces played 16 songs and could have kept going; the crowd definitely wouldn’t have minded.

I know this band and project are more than likely temporary, but I’m fully down for a few more tours and maybe even some more ex-members joining the trek. Even though I was sad that our stop didn’t have Pig Benis, I was super stoked that we had his OG brother Murdernickel. Go out and see this tour while you can, and let’s all get a little crazy and never let it go.