Music Venues

Several important rock clubs in the Pittsburgh area supported bands who played original music helping them to build fan bases and go on to national and international success. The Staircase Lounge, The Decade, the Fat City Lounge, Morry's Speakeasy, The Electric Banana, the Grafitti Showcase, Nicks' Fat City, and Club Laga played host to Pittsburgh's Rock musicians during the 1960s through 2000.  Pittsburgh was ringed by a circuit of small town and suburban rock clubs like the Evergreen, Someplace Else, and Stage One.

Pittsburgh’s Hill District, called the cross roads of the world, was home to dozens of influential jazz clubs, dance halls, and after hours clubs that were the training ground of the many talented musicians who made their mark on jazz history. On the Hill jazz thrived at the Leader House, the Pythian Temple, the Savoy Ballroom, The Roosevelt Theatre, Crawford Grill I, Crawford Grill II, the Musicians Club, The Hurricane Club, and the Bambola Social Club. The big dances bands played the Stanley Theater, the Enright, and Danceland.Danceland Downtown and East End clubs that played host to Pittsburgh and national jazz musicians included Mercurs, Sonny Dayes Stage Door, Walt Harper's, The Encore, and the Balcony. The Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild carries on Pittsburgh’s jazz tradition today.

In the era of the lounge singers Pittsburghers frequented the Holiday House, the Twin Coaches, and Lenny Litman’s Copa to have a meal and see top pop singers, movie stars, dancers and comedians.

Doo Wop groups during the 1950s and early 1960s performed at teen dances and sock hops held at Danceland, The new Savoy Ballroom, The White Elephant, the Bethal Park Roller Rink, and school gymnasiums throughout the Pittsburgh area. The dances were hosted and promoted by DJs Porky Chedwick, Bill Elliot, Terry Lee, Mad Mike, and others.

The Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland became the first home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in February  of1896. The PSO has had two other homes since: the Syria Mosque and Heinz Hall. Large ensemble concerts can be heard at the Byham Theatre. the Soldiers and Sailor Memorial Hall and Benedum Center in Pittsburgh along with the  Palace Theater in Greensburg.  Classical small ensemble and solo performers appear at the Kresge Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University, The Frick Fines Arts Center at the University of Pittsburgh and the Chatum University Chapel.

See our page listing the theaters, concert halls, and clubs where you can hear rock, pop, hip hop, jazz, and classical music in the Pittsburgh area along with concert calendar links.

Live Concert Recordings from Pittsburgh