Well, this was just a great show and I had not planned on going, but won two tickets through Ghost Hounds, the opening band’s marketing team the day before the show. After signing a release form, I hopped in the car with a friend and headed out. This was my first time going to a concert at PGHPaints Arena in downtown Pittsburgh and regrettably I was not media credentialed, so no professional camera allowed, only my phone and a point and shoot.
Bob Seger
Parking was organized and security was rather tight, everyone was checked and went through metal detectors in long queues on the way in. When we got to the venue we found out the show was sold out…so we were glad to be at this show as it was just one, almost end of the tour–stop on Bob Seger’s very last tour (Roll Me Away) but do we really believe he will retire? Not sure about that! Per Variety: “By the end of his North American tour, Seger will have played in front of more than a million fans.”
The Ghost Hounds
Ghost Hounds, the opening band, performed a hard driving, rock and roll set with a touch of country-rock and some blues thrown in for good measure. A local Pittsburgh band with a huge following, they have a great marketing team, the ones who ran the contest and contacted me about the free tickets I had won. They were also giving away a guitar during their set through their text number. With a new album coming out and lots of marketing and advertising, it is impossible to live here and not know about them. They are sharing some dates with ZZTop next week. Their brand new album “Roses are Black” will drop on November 5th. Upcoming tour info is HERE. Loved their set and plan on seeing them somewhere local again!
Bob Seger concert
Bob Seger and his large Silver Bullet Band took the stage and ran through all the hits from his huge body of work–songs I had even forgotten about but knew all the words to. The audience was engaged and sang along to every single one. Special moments included a dedication to all the music makers who have left this planet already while he and the band sang a poignant cover of “Forever Young” by Bob Dylan. Yes, I had tears in my eyes as the musicians’ images flashed over the wide-screen. Some of the greats included Aretha Franklin, Tom Petty, Prince, Dr. John, Gregg Allman, Glenn Frey and many more.
Bob Seger
Right after this song, he introduced everyone on stage. His band is simply one of the most skilled and super–tight! As Bob introduced them all, he also noted if they had won awards–you could tell he was proud of assembling some of the best players and singers in the business. After several encores, the crowd knew, in Bob’s words that “Rock and Roll never forgets!” His last dates on this tour are HERE.
Anita grew up in a rock and roll radio station that her father owned and has a musical family. Spent a few years singing back up. Now sings in the shower! She is a USAF veteran and was elected to local office and worked as staff on three presidential campaigns as a Social Media and Virtual Outreach expert. Plays a variety of musical instruments including ukulele and she loves drum circles. Her favorite music genres are all of them--Alternative to Zydeco. Promotes bands and independent artists through ANITA STEWART PROMOTIONS. She also brought SOFAR SOUNDS to Tampa. When she is not writing, she is knitting, painting, attending concerts and live music jams and exploring nature with her camera. She has recently retired but no rocking chair for her! She has been reporting for Rock at Night since 2014.
