This weekend in Pittsburgh there will be a big noise at Acrisure Stadium, the honk of Pittonkatonk and ‘Clouds’ in the Cultural District.
AC/DC (Thursday)
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, on its first North American tour since 2016, returns to Pittsburgh for the first time since 2009 and for the first time in a stadium.
The Power Up Tour finds the band at Acrisure with longtime members Angus Young and Brian Johnson joined by Angus’ nephew Stevie (guitar), Matt Laug (drums) and Jane’s Addiction’s Chris Chaney (bass). Expect a 21-song set of hits and a few songs “Power Up.”
The Pretty Reckless opens at 7 p.m. Tickets are $91; ticketmaster.com
Greek Food Festival (Thursday-Saturday)
It’s the second and final weekend to enjoy the moussaka, kebabs, spanakopita and more at the 63rd festival at the St. Nicholas Cathedral Community Center in Oakland (across from Carnegie Museum). Along with the full range of Greek cuisine, there will be live bouzouki music and dancing, an outdoor patio grill and cathedral tours.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is free; stnickspgh.org.
‘King James’ (Thursday-Sunday)
It’s the end of the fourth quarter for this City Theatre play written by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Monteze Freeland that delves into the first 12 years of the career of LeBron James. It is described as “a buddy comedy that tracks the unlikely friendship of two super fans and examines the bonds that sports can create.”
It runs at the South Side theater through this weekend: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 1 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $49; citytheatre.culturaldistrict.org.
Trevor Wallace: The Alpha Beta Male (Friday)
The stand-up comedian, writer and actor who built his following on social media brings his tour to the Byham Theater, Downtown. Wallace, who has appeared on Comedy Central, MTV and Barstool Sports, released his first special, “Pterodactyl,” on Prime Video.
The show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $26.50; trustarts.org.
Joseph (Friday)
The Portland, Ore., folk/pop trio of three sisters, named for their hometown of Joseph and best known for the rousing single “White Flag,” is down to two with the departure of Allison Closner. That leaves Natalie and Meegan, who made their duo debut with pretty single “Starting Over at the End.”
They can be found at Mr. Smalls Theatre with Slark Moan at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $35/$40; mrsmalls.com.
PBT’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (Friday-Sunday)
The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre is at the Benedum Center, Downtown, with the Pittsburgh premiere of this production by Septime Webre, choreographer and artistic director of Hong Kong Ballet.
According to a PBT press release, “This version of The Wizard of Oz stays true to the beloved classic movie and book and includes all of L. Frank Baum’s signature characters, and brings the Emerald City to dazzling life with incredible flying sequences, extravagant costumes, beautiful sets, special effects, dynamic choreography and original music from Matthew Pierce played live by the PBT Orchestra.”
The cast features Tommie Lin Kesten and Grace Rookstool as Dorothy; Corey Bourbonniere and Emry Amoky as the Scarecrow; Colin McCaslin and Josiah Kauffman as the Tin Man; Matthew Griffin and Rylan Doty as the Lion; Madeline Gradle and Madison Russo as the Wicked Witch; and Lucius Kirst and David O’Matz as the Wizard of Oz.
There are 85 roles for PBT artists and student dancers; 44 flying cues; 617 costume pieces designed by Liz Vandal; 100 costume changes; 96 pairs of dyed shoes; and 42 puppets designed by Nicholas Mahon, including Toto.
Times are 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday.Tickets start at $28; pbt.org.
Pittonkatonk (Friday-Saturday)
For year 12, the festival of brassy and funky bands expands to two days, back again at the Vietnam Veterans Pavillion in Schenley Park.
It will feature more than dozen national and regional acts, including the Lemon Bucket Orkestra (“guerrilla-folk-punk" band from Toronto), Undertow Brass Band (Providence, R.I.), Detroit Party Marching Band, OKAN (Canadian Afro-Cuban jazz) and TAKAAT (the rhythm section to Mdou Moctar).
Also playing on Saturday are Timbeleza, Eagleburger Band, 1Hood Media, Big Blitz, May Day Marching Band and The Krunk Movement.
The Friday lineup features Kaleta and Super Yamba Band (NYC Afrobeat), Ames Harding and the Mirage and Rambunctious.
There will also be ethnic food vendors, music workshops and hands-on activities.
The festival runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday. It is free, but donations are appreciated; pittonkatonk.org.
PSO’s ‘Clouds in my Coffee’ (Friday-Sunday)
Ted Sperling conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall in the hit-filled program “Clouds in My Coffee: Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon.” Of course, there will be singers. The PSO hosts Morgan James (of Broadway and Postmodern Jukebox), Bryonha Marie (“Prince of Broadway,” “The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess”), Micaela Diamond (“The Cher Show,” NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live”) and The Hamlisch-Page Student Choir.
Start times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $25. There are Mother’s Day upgrades with wine and treats available; pittsburghsymphony.org.
Shemekia Copeland (Saturday)
The blueswoman from Harlem — dubbed “the greatest blues singer of her generation” by The Washington Post — visits the Thunderbird Music Hall in Lawrenceville touring on the Grammy-nominated 2024 album “Blame It On Eve.”
"My last three records have dealt with breaking news,” she said in a statement. “This record is for people like me who want a break from the news.”
It begins at at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $30; thunderbirdmusichall.com.
Contemporary Craft (Saturday)
As part of Remake Learning Days 2025, the Lawrenceville gallery is hosting a free Community Day with family-friendly activities and artist demos, including wire botanicals with Kattie Jones, Lego printing with regional artist-in-residence Amy Copeland and a Loom Club weaving activity.
There will also be light snacks and a scavenger hunt of the current exhibition, “Keiko Fukazawa Retrospective: The Space in Between,” and a showcase of work by the TACT (Teen Apprentice in Craft and Technology) and Zack Twenty-Five participants.
The activities will be spread across both buildings of the Contemporary Craft campus at 5645 and 5688 Butler St. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; contemporarycraft.org.
Friendship Flower & Folk Festival (Saturday)
The community gathers just before Mother’s Day for this festival with flowers and hanging baskets, a bake sale and acoustic folk and jazz at the Baum Grove parklet in Friendship.
It’s at the corner of Roup, Harriet, and South Fairmont streets from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; friendship-pgh.org/f4
Napalm Death/Melvins (Saturday)
The godfathers of grindcore meet the legends of sludge-metal at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale for a night of “unrelenting speed, chaos, and sonic devastation.” The two headliners hooked up for the first time in 2016 and are renewing the friendship on this ‘25 tour.
The undercard is Titan to Tachyons and Dark Sky Burial at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35; mrsmalls.com.
First Published: May 8, 2025, 8:00 a.m.
Updated: May 8, 2025, 11:24 p.m.
