Sure, you can book a date for your band and add three others to bill.
But add an enticing name and an eye-catching logo and it becomes something else: an event.
So it appears, but there’s more to Beasts of the Burgh III than that, says organizer Chip Dominick.
“We treat this show as a four-headliner type of show,” he says. “It's not one headliner and three lesser-than bands. It’s all top-notch artists given equal amounts of time and playing only their best material. I curate this to provide fans with both a familiar experience while also finding the diamonds in the rough.”
Dominick, who is working on a law degree at Duquesne University, will front Chip & The Charge Ups, which he formed in 2018 after a decade-long run with his hard-rock band Chip Dimonick. The Charge Ups, which features his daughter Maleena (also a solo artist) on bass and vocals and drummer Nolan Allen, adds a playful pop-punk element.
They are joined at Mr. Smalls Theatre on Saturday by Never Say Die, Griffen Handshake and XDB: Xander Demos Band.
“All Beasts of the 'Burghs have been, and will be, hard rock-centric,” Dominick says, “but this year we decided to stretch things and reach to all corners of the Pittsburgh hard rock scene. Griffen Handshake leans more traditional punk and alternative, Never Say Die brings kind of the early-2000s emo and nu-metal sensibilities to the table, and XDB is heavily rooted in hair metal. So, it's a really cool combination that will appeal to all hard-rock fans.”
Never Say Die, fronted by Cassie Kulesa and Alex Ribeau, started out covering bands like Paramore, A Day to Remember, Dance Gavin Dance and Killswitch Engage. They’ve since moved on to play originals.
Dominick says that despite it being a new band, “the few shows they've played have been insane. They are so good and already know how to pump up a crowd like an arena artist.”
As for Demos, he calls him “arguably the best guitarist to ever come out of Pittsburgh.”
“Through the way we have branded the show and the bands involved, we have successfully been able to create a vibe that is like no other for a hometown show,” Dominick says. “The crowds at the first two Beasts were more hyped up than any Pittsburgh crowd I have seen of similar size.”
The show is at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $12; $15 at the door; mrsmalls.com.
First Published: March 19, 2025, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: March 20, 2025, 1:39 p.m.
