TUESDAY
Mariah Carey (PPG Paints Arena): We get a lot of touring holiday concerts, but this is a huge one, from the pop diva whose hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is the biggest -selling Christmas single of all time. She’s on her Merry Christmas One And All! Tour on which she’s playing a 17-song set of mostly holiday music along with a sprinkling of other hits. 7:30 p.m. $37; ticketmaster.com.
THURSDAY
Kenny G Christmas (Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall): The much-loved and much-derided pop-jazz saxophonist is a seasonal staple, having delivered the best-selling holiday album of the Nielsen SoundScan era in 1994. The easy-listening “Miracles: The Holiday Album” has sold more than 7 million copies. He hits Munhall the day before dropping 19th album “Innocence,” a collection of lullabies that includes “Rock-a-Bye Baby,” “Over the Rainbow” and “A Mother’s Lullaby.” "Our annual holiday shows have come to mean so much to me and my band. We truly look forward to playing these classic melodies and sharing the joy of the season with you all,” he said in statement. 8 p.m. $64.75; librarymusichall.com.
FRIDAY
Travis Scott (PPG Paints Arena): This will be the third Pittsburgh appearance for the Houston rap star and the first since the 2021 Astroworld tragedy. Scott, known for working his crowds into a frenzy, will put the focus on his challenging, bounce-back album “Utopia,” which topped the charts in July. With Teezo Touchdown. 8 p.m. $74.50; ticketmaster.com.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
We Want the Funk Festival (August Wilson Center): If you want the funk, it will be provided by R&B star Jeffrey Osborne on Friday night (with a Sly Jock-Kiki Brown after-party) and UK legends the Average White Band with Loose Ends on Saturday. 8 p.m. $70; awaac.org.
SATURDAY
Bastard Bearded Irishmen Christmas Show (Thunderbird Music Hall): Pittsburgh’s wild Celtic punks rev up for a holiday show in Lawrenceville. For a preview, check out “A Very Bastard Christmas,” the live album from last year that includes raucous versions of “Must Be Santa,” “Christmas in Killarney,” “Fairytale of New York,” “Santa Baby” and other favorites. 8 p.m. $17; thunderbirdmusichall.com.
SUNDAY
Joan Osborne (City Winery Pittsburgh): The singer-songwriter best known for providing us with an image of God riding the bus visits the Strip on a tour supporting her 2020 album “Trouble and Strife” and “Radio Waves,” a live anthology with covers of Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers. 8 p.m. $62; citywinery.com/pittsburgh.
The Mountain Goats (Thunderbird Music Hall): Here are some bands that debuted in 1994 and how many albums they made: Oasis (7), Wilco (13), Weezer (15) and Spoon (10). The Mountain Goats, the indie-folk project of John Darnielle, has made a whopping 22, the latest being “Jenny from Thebes,” a soft-rock opera that revisits a character first introduced on 2002’s “All Hail West Texas.” 8 p.m. Sold out.
Steel Panther (Roxian):It’s the rare band that will give you a night of hair metal … and laughs. The LA rockers will do just that at the Roxian, supporting sixth album “On the Prowl,” which is just filled with titles that can’t be printed here. With Moon Fever. 8 p.m. $27.50; ticketmaster.com.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Tuesday
Sugar Nova/Luke Miller of Lotus/Future Joy/Banjiboi at Club Cafe
Wednesday
Dave Koz and Friends at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
Robert Jon & the Wreck at Jergel’s
Over the Rhine at City Winery Pittsburgh
Thursday
Barbara Blue at Jergel’s
Friday
Illiterate Light/Tiny Wars at Club Cafe
Keller Williams at Thunderbird Music Hall
Kingdom Come at the Lamp Theatre
Black Joe Lewis/GA-20 at City Winery Pittsburgh
Justin Fabus/The Borstal Boys/Mary Ours at Jergel’s
Saturday
Sungazer/Sirintip at Club Cafe
Sunday
Alana Springsteen/Mallory Bozovich at Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh
Keep Flying at Crafthouse
Fit for an Autopsy/Exodus/Darkest Hour/Undeath at Preserving Underground
WEEKEND SHOW LIST
Baja Bar & Grill, Fox Chapel: Barracuda at 8 p.m. Saturday (free); bajabargrill.com.
The Bridge Music Bar, East Liberty: Denzel The Artist Takes the R&B Open Floor Experiment at 8 p.m. Thursday ($25); Astrofunk at 8 p.m. Friday ($15); Certain Fate at 5 p.m. Saturday (free); Hill Music Company at 8 p.m. Sunday ($15); thebridgemusicbar.com.
City Winery, Strip: GA-20 and Black Joe Lewis at 8 p.m. Friday ($35); Motown Christmas at 8 p.m. Saturday ($30); Joan Osborne at 8 p.m. Sunday ($62); pittsburgh.citywinery.com.
Con Alma, Downtown: Theron Brown at 6 p.m. Thursday; Alton Merrell Group at 6 p.m. Friday; Tubby Daniels at 10 p.m. Friday; Ippolito/Fritcher Quartet at 6 p.m. Saturday; Manu Gajanan ft. John Swana at 10 p.m. Saturday; NOLA Brunch with The Colbys at noon Sunday; Corinne Mammama’s Christmas Jazz Show at 5 p.m. Sunday; $10; conalmapgh.com.
Club Cafe, South Side: MeNo Mind/Crombie/Raised By Giants at 8 p.m. Thursday ($10); Illiterate Light/Tiny Wars at 8 p.m. Friday ($15); Sungazer/Sirintip at 8 p.m. Saturday ($25); Smokin' Betties Burlesque Presents: The 4th Annual Have Yourself A Very Bettie Christmas at 8 p.m. Sunday ($15); clubcafelive.com.
Crafthouse Stage & Grill, Whitehall: Ruff House at 8 p.m. Friday ($8); Franchise Band at 8 p.m. Saturday ($8); Keep Flying/Unwanted Downfall/Soulios/Heading North at 7 p.m. Sunday ($15/$18); crafthousepgh.com.
Jergels, Marshall: Barbara Blue at 8 p.m. Thursday ($10/$13); Justin Fabus at 9 p.m. Friday ($10/$15); Appetite For Destruction – Guns ‘n Roses Tribute at 9 p.m. Saturday ($20/$23); Lez Zeppelin at 7 p.m. ($25/$30); jergels.com.
Kingfly Spirits, Strip: Abby Gross Funktet at 7 p.m. Thursday ($10); kingflyspirits.com.
Mr. Roboto Project, Bloomfield: Maura Weaver/Larval State/Tilt Contrls/Fosh at 8 p.m. Friday ($10); dltsgdom.com.
Mr. Smalls, Millvale: Wild Blue Yonder/The Sun Champs/Bagavond at 8 p.m. Friday in the Funhouse ($12/$15); Mixtape Madness with Foamer/Hotdog Water/Corduroy/Lez Paul/OrangeG/Petsitter/The Redlines/Something Under a Microscope at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Funhouse ($10/$12); mrsmalls.com.
Moondog’s, Blawnox: A Night of Led Zeppelin with Freaks of a Feather/Miss Freddye’s Blues Band at 8 p.m. Friday ($10); theCAUSE at 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday ($10/$12); moondogs.us.
The Oaks Theater, Oakmont: Chris Jamison Christmas at 7 p.m. Thursday ($20); The new Pure Gold at 7 p.m. Friday ($25); Pittsburgh Doo-Wop Big Band at 7:30 p.m. Saturday ($15); theoakstheater.com.
Preserving Underground, New Kensington: Fit For An Autopsy/Exodus at 7 p.m. Sunday ($30); eventbrite.com.
Rivers Casino, North Shore: Walkin’ Rosie at 9 p.m. Friday (free); Velveeta at 8 p.m. Saturday (free); riverscasino.com.
Roxian, McKees Rocks: Steel Panther at 8 p.m. Sunday ($28); ticketmaster.com.
Spirit, Lawrenceville: The Zells/Tosser/Natural Rat at 7 p.m. Thursday ($7); Thunderpuss at 9 p.m. Friday ($45); spiritpgh.com.
Thunderbird Music Hall, Lawrenceville: Keller Williams at 8 p.m. Friday ($30); Bastard Bearded Irishmen Christmas Show/F--- Yeah Dinosaurs!/Weird Paul Rock Band at 8 p.m. Saturday ($17); The Mountain Goats/Stephen Steinbrink at 8 p.m. Sunday (sold out); thunderbirdmusichall.com.
First Published: December 4, 2023, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: December 5, 2023, 6:54 p.m.
