Selecta is back with another great list of upcoming concerts for May and June 2026. Mark your calendars and grab your tickets for these early-summer shows.
Pittsburgh Concert Calendar May/June 2026
Tamara Tunie
MCG Jazz Concert Hall, May 23
Tunie is widely known for the acting chops displayed throughout 21 seasons on the long-running series Law & Order: SVU. But this evening at the picturesque MCG Jazz Concert Hall will showcase the musical side of Tamara’s artistry. After all, that’s where it all started for the Pittsburgh native — studying musical theater at CMU before venturing out into superstardom. Tunie graces the stage with pianist-extraordinaire Christian Sands, accompanied by a trio consisting of Mike Tomaro on the sax, Ian Ashby on bass as well as Jason Washington Jr. on the drum kit. Expect a night chock-full of selections from the catalogue of the legendary Lena Horne (who, incidentally, spent a number of years residing here in the Burgh) — which in turn will also revisit Tunie’s early-’80s Broadway debut in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music.
Corinne Bailey Rae
Roxian Theatre, June 3
We were first introduced to the inimitable voice of Ms. Bailey Rae via her ode to individuality, Put Your Records On, released two decades ago. Since then, she has been through personal trials and tribulations aplenty — but has persevered with sheer grace. (Perhaps she has lived by the uplifting lyrical content that permeates the vast majority of her tunes?) She possesses the rare vocal ability to transform one’s inner being to a happy place. A tone that drowns out any other stimuli in the room with the belting of a single line … goosebump inducing, if you will.
Tank and the Bangas
Thunderbird Music Hall, June 17
NPR’s Tiny Desk series has aided in spawning and rejuvenating the careers of many artists throughout its nearly 20-year run. Tank and the Bangas not only went from being relatively unknown to winning the competitive Tiny Desk contest in 2017, but also took home the Best New Artist prize at the 2020 Grammy Awards. Tarriona “Tank” Ball marries her spoken-word poetry abilities with just the right amount of harmonic injections displayed throughout. The collective tackles political and societal issues on Black Folk and There Goes The Neighborhood with equal parts witty banter (to draw the listener in) coupled with a message. Tank and the Bangas are masters of what I call this sort of “sonic-weaving.”
Christopher Cross
Carnegie Of Homestead Music Hall, June 27
The term “Yacht Rock” gets thrown around as an all-encompassing genre of music — often oversimplified to refer to smooth tunes designed to satisfy those that shun the heavier side of rock. That said, Christopher Cross may be deemed the progenitor of the true “Yacht Rock” sound (along with co-conspirators Steely Dan). The respective titles of his biggest hits, Sailing and Ride Like the Wind, give off a very thematic vibe.
I tend to employ the more apropos term “Blue-Eyed Soul” when referring to such a sound — essentially, white dudes (and women) who crossed over to Black crowds and sounds, based on the overall groove. Nothing calculated (a la the marketing schemes that followed), just inherent “from the heart” music that found a larger following. Christopher continues to display that groove well into his senior years, still putting on a heck of a show halfway through his 70s — as if this were still the 1970s.
Lionel Richie with Earth, Wind & Fire
PPG Paints Arena, June 30
I could write a thesis on how much The Commodores and Earth, Wind & Fire have inspired my journey as a DJ; the latter is my favorite group of all time. The late Maurice White’s booming tenor, in symphony with the voice of Philip Bailey, was the perfect pairing. Bailey took the solo baton for their shows after Maurice’s passing a decade ago, handling the songs with the greatest of ease. Expect the mega-hits (September, Boogie Wonderland, Shining Star) with some not-so-expected selections sprinkled throughout.
The evening’s headliner, Lionel Richie, co-founded The Commodores as students at Tuskegee University back in the late ’60s. He branched out on his own when the group took a break in the early ’80s — and immediately had us all Dancing On The Ceiling, All Night Long. Lionel has that kind of charm that draws one in via his speaking voice alone; then the beat drops and we are transfixed. The fact that we are being blessed with this combo meal of powerhouse discographies under one roof, on the same night, is a musical bliss story that couldn’t have been written any better.
Story by James Scoglietti (SELECTA)
Photo From Lionel Richie
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