WYEP recently asked Pittsburgh area artists to share with us their upcoming plans for the second half of 2025 and beyond. Below are some of the highlights we received from those plans. (Musicians: while the submission window for the second half of 2025 has closed, we’re going to be soliciting info for the first half of 2026 towards the end of this year.)
July Recordings
The Oakland rock band The Zells have a new single ("Dog's Night"/"You Are Not the Moon") coming out on July 1 on the local label Crafted Sounds. The band will hold a release show at Gooski's on July 5 with the self-described "most delicious band" Dumplings also on the bill. The indie-folk collective Ferdinand the Bull will have a new single out on July 18. The band's Nick Snyder shares that they plan another summer single release (due on Aug. 22) leading up to an EP coming on Sept. 19. The five-piece rock band 3 Leagues to Rome plans a new single possibly in July or beginning of August, and rockers Tommy Magik and The Wonderfulls have a single ("Absolute Legend") due July 4.
July Live
Spacey fuzz rock band M.E.L.T. will be at Spirit on July 12, along with psych-rockers Tony from Bowling and Mellow Honey. DiLisio tells us that he's at the Thunderbird on July 12, doing a release show for his latest album, “Make It Go Away.” Alt-rock band Dream the Heavy reports they'll be performing at the Northside Music Festival on July 18th. Raised By Giants will also be at the Festival on that date, while Rocket Loves Blue will perform as part of the event on July 19. Zack Leya's band Thick Magician will also play the Festival on July 19, and they’ll also be supporting the five-piece indie rock band New Kink on July 4 at Farmjammalamma in Brookville. The psychedelic prog trio Fermented Beats has an EP release show on July 5 at the Original Pittsburgh Winery, with The Conspiracy Theory also on the bill. The bluegrass group The Wolf Tones will perform at the Whiskey Rebellion Festival on July 12 in Washington, Pa. And The Zells will be playing at Government Center on July 21 along with Philly's Mopar Stars.
August Recordings
Fresh off the WYEP Summer Music Festival, Colatura will be releasing an EP (“If I'm Being Honest”) on Aug. 1, with a release show in the hopper for either Aug. 8 or 9 at a venue to be determined. The indie trio Essential Machine just released the single "Waiting" in June, and they'll be releasing a full record with vinyl on Aug. 15 (with other singles between these releases as well). Ferdinand the Bull has a single slated for Aug. 22. The multimedia pop band Sherry CD-ROM has their second album one the way, not only via streaming but also sold as a cassette tape and a Game Boy Advance cartridge. It'll be out near the end of August (or possibly early September). Wild Blue Yonder will release a new single ("Giant Trees") on Aug. 15. Singer/songwriter Jade Eye plans an EP release for (or around) Aug. 29.
August Live
Calliope's Schenley Summer Series features bluegrass from The Grass Gals on Aug. 14 under the tent at Schenley Plaza. M.E.L.T. has a gig booked on Aug. 16 at the Grandview Park Bandstand on Mt. Washington as part of the City of Pittsburgh Summer Concert Series. One week later, on Aug. 23, Wild Blue Yonder will also play the Grandview Park Bandstand as part of the same series. Bill Toms and Hard Rain take the stage at the Crafthouse in Bethel Park on Aug. 23. And Shrimp Hat brings their self-described "funky crustacean rock" to Big Sewickley Creek Brewery in Sewickley on Aug. 2.
September Recordings
Singer-songwriter Cody Piper will be releasing an album (as well as singles leading up to it) likely in September. Ferdinand the Bull will have a new EP out on Sept. 19. Rapper Walkman also plans a new album to drop in September, titled “mid30s.” A music video for the single "Dicey" will also be out then. The grungy power pop band Pummeled is planning four singles during the second half of the year, along with a video for each song. Alternative rock band Trace Remains has a three-song EP on the way, with each song also getting a single release. Dates for the EP and the singles are still TBD.
September Live
Calliope's Schenley Summer Series continues on Sept. 4 with bluegrass from The John and Wendy Mackin Band at Schenley Plaza in Oakland. The outlaw Americana band Rocket Loves Blue will perform as part of the WYEP Neighborhood Concert Series at Settlers Cabin Park on Sept. 6. Singer-songwriter Greg Odenthal will perform at Rusty Gold Brewing in Canonsburg on Sept. 13. Garage rockers Glass Caps will perform at the Mr. Roboto Project on Sept. 14 along with Ejector Crab and Sheebie. Bill Toms and Hard Rain along with the Billy Price Band will perform at Cadence Clubhouse on Sept. 19. MSJR brings their blend of reggae, rock and jazz fusion to The Wicked Googly in Ligonier on Sept. 26. Rockers Dream the Heavy will perform at the Bellevue Music Festival on Sept. 27.
October Recordings
Instrumental guitarist Fuzznaut has an album called Resistant Spirit due out on Oct. 17, with a release show the following day at the Mr. Roboto Project. Pummeled is planning a novelty cover of a song by actor Crispin Glover for a Halloween release. Singer-songwriter Maleena is working on an EP to drop sometime in October.
October Live
Dream the Heavy will be at Haven in Oakland on Oct. 10. MSJR will be at Four Seasons Brewing in Latrobe on Oct. 25. Endless Mike and the City Lights is an eight-piece offshoot of the Johnstown punk band Endless Mike and the Beagle Club, and they tell us they will play their first (and possibly only show) on Oct. 18. They plan on recording the performance to release it as their first (and possibly only) album. The venue is not yet determined.
Later…
Singer-songwriter Talie will have an EP out in December. The pop duo Midnight Culture is planning an album titled Neon Rain in December, collecting singles they've released each month in 2025.