Once upon a time, I saw Meat Loaf pass out in Station Square. I also saw The Pixies, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, and Guster, though they all managed to remain conscious. This was when the riverfront entertainment district had an outdoor music venue that, through the years, went by many names, including I.C. Light Amphitheatre, Chevrolet Amphitheatre, and, during my concert-going days around 2011, Trib Total Media Amphitheatre.
Since then, the location has undergone a major overhaul, transforming into Highmark Stadium, a sports arena where, since 2013, soccer fans have cheered on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. But music will soon return to the site on a more regular basis, with a standalone concert taking place on Sat., Aug. 3, the first since the pandemic put a hold on large events.
The concert, a country music showcase featuring Grammy Award nominee David Nail, marks the latest step to re-establish Highmark Stadium as an outdoor concert venue that, according to one description, “fills the gap, size-wise” between other area outdoor concert venues like Stage AE and Pittsburgh’s stadiums.
Jeff Garner, who has served as the Riverhounds’ president for two years, tells Pittsburgh City Paper he was not present for the stadium’s live music glory days, but he knows it attracted plenty of fans looking to see big name acts.
“I've heard all kinds of stories of like, ‘I saw Aerosmith here, I saw so and so here,’ whatever band they remember,” says Garner. “But it was such a well-known music venue at that time … And so, usually, when we start to talk about, hey, we'd like to do more concerts, they get very excited about the possibility of being able to come back down here.”
While the stadium has recently played host to local music events, including the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival and the Highmark Blues and Heritage Festival, Garner says they have a new vision that starts with providing affordable, accessible, all-ages entertainment.
“It's something though that is much more of a focus for us as we move forward, to bring other events besides just the Riverhounds into this venue,” Garner explains, adding that, for now, they are “looking for artists that can play to the whole family.”
On Sept. 22, the stadium will also host the Family Beats & Bounce Festival, an event featuring live local and regional cover bands and a kid-friendly “inflatable village” full of bounce houses, obstacle courses, games, and more.
Ideally, if all goes well, Garner says they foresee hosting four to six concerts in 2025 and eight to 10 concerts a year moving forward. While the upcoming concerts will have a more intimate feel, welcoming crowds numbering up to 5,000, Garner says they plan on fully utilizing the venue’s 10,000-person capacity for future music events.
He says they are also working on expanding the stadium’s capacity to 15,000 seats, which would translate to 20,000-25,000 guests for concerts,
The focus on music also allows Garner and his team to make use of the stadium during the 348 days when it’s not hosting a Riverhounds home game. The focus on music, however, does not mean that soccer will be neglected, as, according to Garner, Highmark Stadium will welcome women’s soccer matches beginning in May 2025. He predicts that, over the next 10 years, which will see the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup, local and national interest in soccer will continue to grow.
Even as the love for soccer has, according to Garner, “exploded” in the U.S., especially among a younger demographic, he observes that Highmark Stadium soccer crowds are often there for more than the matches.
“For the diehard soccer fans, there's a really great soccer product here,” says Garner. “But probably 80% of our crowd, I don't think they know the score when they leave the stadium. And they clap when they're supposed to clap and they yell and get excited when we score a goal. But they're not necessarily here just for the game. They're here for a fun night out with family or friends.”
Garner chalks this up to the many assets that Highmark Stadium provides, including low ticket prices, access to ample event parking, walkability from Downtown, on-site food and beverage options, and scenic views of the Monongahela River and city skyline.
“It's just a beautiful place to spend a summer or fall evening and have a few beverages with your friends and listen to some live music,” says Garner. He believes that Highmark Stadium could also take the hassle and high costs out of seeing notable touring musicians, as well as local acts, in Pittsburgh.
“Now you’re going to have an alternative for similar types of acts in a setting like this with much more accessibility, and [we’re] trying to make sure prices remain affordable,” says Garner. “We feel like we have a pretty good shot at doing something special here.”