It's hard to imagine it now, with 20 inches of snow on the ground, but there will be a summer in 2010, and there will be a summer concert season.

The destination of that long drive on Routes 22/30 to Burgettstown will now be the First Niagara Pavilion, the new name for the amphitheater, as the Post-Gazette did not renew its contract for the naming rights.

The first order of business there is Baierl Chevrolet.com Country Megaticket, announced Monday at the Heinz History Center. The package consists of seven concerts:

Friday, May 14: Sugarland, Jake Owen, Danny Gokey.

Saturday, May 29: Country Throwdown Tour, with Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, Eli Young Band and more.

Saturday, June 12: Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker.

Thursday, July 8: Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Love & Theft.

Friday, July 30: Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan.

Sunday, Aug. 22: Toby Keith.

Friday, Sept. 17: Rascal Flatts, Kellie Pickler.

Megatickets will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at www.megaticket.com for a limited time, but single tickets are not available yet. There are three different packages: Lawn ($150; includes parking); Gold ($475; reserved seat and parking); Platinum ($625; lower pavilion seat, VIP parking). Those prices do not include service and handling fees.

Thus far, the only other shows that have been announced for the Pavilion are the Vans Warped Tour on July 7 with Andrew W.K., All-American Rejects, Sum 41, Riverboat Gamblers and about 70 other bands; and the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour with Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God and more on Aug. 7.

Last summer, in the midst of a tough economy, Live Nation produced 21 shows at the Burgettstown amphitheater. Live Nation Pittsburgh president Michael Belkin, who braved the roads Monday morning driving in from his home base of Cleveland, predicts that this year's schedule will be "slightly busier" than last year's.

"It's only February, and I have six or seven more shows in the works. With the right ticket at the right price, we have an active concert industry."

As the schedule indicates, the rock/pop industry is a lot slower on the trigger than the Nashville machine. Michael Gentile, who manages the First Niagara Pavilion, said staff is working on dates for Maroon 5, Smashing Pumpkins/Jane's Addiction, Iron Maiden and the Jonas Brothers, among others.

We can expect the usual suspects -- the likes of Jimmy Buffett, Poison and Lynyrd Skynyrd -- to check in at some point. Dave Matthews won't be there, as he's headlining PNC Park on July 10 with Best New Artist Grammy winners the Zac Brown Band. Booked at the Pirates stadium for Skyblast shows are Steve Miller (July 24), George Thorogood (Aug. 7) and Luke Bryan (Sept. 4), plus O.A.R. (Sept. 25).

The industry is also awaiting word from Ozzy Osbourne on whether Ozzfest will be a touring festival once again, but as Mr. Belkin said Monday, "Who will play it?" The metal scene is already tied up with Rockstar Energy, the Slayer/Megadeth American Carnage tour and a smaller packaged headlined by Disturbed.

The promoter said it remains to be seen what impact the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster will have on fans, but he said to keep an eye out for promotions like "No Fee Wednesdays," when Live Nation drops the ticket fees.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.