There’s nothing quite like a summer night at Stage AE. With the city skyline glowing in the background from the newly illuminated Iron City Beer clock, Pittsburgh was treated to a powerhouse lineup as Dead Poet Society, Asking Alexandria and Chevelle took over the North Shore.
Dead Poet Society opened the evening and wasted no time pulling the sold-out crowd in. Their set was fresh and full of insane energy. Bassist Dylan Brenner only stopped moving to tell the venue to make some noise. I don’t know how somebody can spin so much and not fall off the stage. I was getting motion sickness just watching him perform. That’s how you open a show for a veteran band like Chevelle.
When Asking Alexandria hit the stage, the energy shifted into overdrive. Pittsburgh crowds have a reputation for going hard and the floor erupted the second Danny Worsnop launched into “Things Could Be Different.” Circle pits opened and fans screamed every word. They slowed things down near the end of the set with “Someone, Somewhere”, but the energy of the crowd remained high as they ended their set with “The Final Episode”.
Chevelle closed the night with a reminder of why they’ve been a staple in the rock scene for so many years. Their crushing sound shook the walls of Stage AE, each riff reverberating through the city like a wave. I ran to my car after the first three to store my gear and I could still feel the sound in the parking garage. “Send the Pain Below” and “The Red” brought massive sing-alongs, uniting longtime fans in a shared moment of nostalgia, while newer tracks proved the band can evolve without losing their core sound that made them who they are. Pete Loeffler kept his stage banter brief, but Chevelle never needed words because the music carried the weight. Chevelle doesn’t need flashy theatrics to put on a good show. The newer tracks like “Rabbit Hole – Cowards, Pt. 1”, “Pale Horse” and “Jim Jones (Cowards, Pt. 2)” fit right into their sound, but also add a little extra crunch.
For many in the crowd, this show felt like redemption. The last time Chevelle played Stage AE, Pete was sick and could barely get through the set, with the audience stepping up to sing entire songs for him. That memory only added to the power of this performance. Pete was back at full strength, delivering every note with precision, while the faithful fans roared along louder than ever.
What made the night special was how well the lineup fit the vibe of Stage AE itself. Dead Poet Society brought a youthful new energy, Asking Alexandria unleashed pure chaos and Chevelle anchored it with the heavy, anthemic rock that Pittsburgh has always embraced. For a city with a deep love of loud, unapologetic music, this show felt right at home.