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Fall Arts Preview: Kanye West, Chris Brown lead list of concerts

The most notable concerts in Pittsburgh this fall feature two of hip-hop’s biggest stars, a troubled R&B singer and a rock band that escaped the shadow of one of the most influential groups of the past 20 years.

Jay-Z and Kanye West (Nov. 27), Chris Brown (Oct. 29) and the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl’s post-Nirvana project (Friday) are the superstars coming this fall. All will perform at the Consol Energy Center, Uptown.

But there are plenty of other attractions headed to the region.

America’s sweetheart, Jackie Evancho of Richland, will perform at the Benedum Center, Downtown, on Oct. 16, as a guest of Pittsburgh Opera. Another emerging star from the area, rapper Mac Martin, gets a headlining show at Stage AE, North Shore, on Dec. 9.

Among the acts playing here for the first time in awhile are Jackson Browne at Heinz Hall, Downtown, (Sept. 29), Bush at Stage AE, (Oct. 10), the Arctic Monkeys, Stage AE (Oct. 11) and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings at the Byham Theater, Downtown (Oct. 19).

One of the most anticipated shows of the season will be Oct. 16 when the Jayhawks, reunited for the first time in a decade, perform at Mr. Small’s Theatre in Millvale. Other promising shows include British soul singer Bobby Long at Club Cafe on Nov. 4, and Ra Ra Riot at the Carnegie Lecture Hall in Oakland (Nov. 21).

Prog rock fans might want to seek out Jon Anderson and Rick Wakemen, erstwhile members of Yes, Oct. 22 at the Carnegie Library Music Hall in Munhall. There’s also Dream Theater at the Trib Total Media Amphitheatre, Station Square, on Oct. 4 for the last outdoor concert of the year.

Certain acts seem to return every year to the area. Among them are Kelley Richey at Moondog’s in Blawnox (Sept. 24), Jorma Kaukonen at Mr. Small’s (Oct. 5), Enter the Haggis at the Rex Theater, South Side (Oct. 20) and Sonny Landreth at Diesel, South Side (Oct. 29).

The fall season lacks headlining country acts, who mostly tour during the summer. But fans can hear Jamey Johnson at Stage AE tonight and Chris Knight at the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville on Oct. 15.

One of the oddest appearances will be Saturday at the Mt. Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival. Great White, best known for being the band that played the show in Rhode Island in 2003 where 100 fans died in a fire, is the festival’s headlining musical act.

And on a non-musical note, popular ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings all his characters to Consol Energy Center for a show on the afternoon of Dec. 31