My Obsession with Live Music, Local Bands, and Great Songs

When I first visited Poetry Lounge in Millvale, Pittsburgh, PA shortly after it opened last year (Oct. 2023), I had no idea it would become an obsession. It helps that my husband became their sound man, and I involuntarily became his "apprentice." What do they say about proximity?

And so, this journey began. I had already traveled some roads into music, but this one was new, in that it put me behind the stage rather than on it, or in front of it. I quickly developed an appreciation for all the gear that musicians bring to a gig, because I was helping to set it all up. I marveled at the array of effects pedals that guitarists use, and the way that drummers set up their kit. It's a delicate dance on the stage at Poetry Lounge. It's just big enough for a 4-piece - guitar, bass, drums, and vocalist, but my husband, Stefan, who is a Wizard, makes it work with even larger groups. He dialed that place in with his talent and special skill set. He can tune it for any band or artist that performs there, regardless of genre, or what instruments they bring. The bands LOVE him, and the audience often praises the quality of the sound. How often do you hear that about a music venue in a bar? It was my privilege to be able to peek behind that curtain. What I witnessed, night after night, was magic.

It should not surprise you that I fell in love with this place. I followed the schedule and did my homework for every show, searching for the bands online and listening to their music so I would know what to expect. Thus, I started creating a playlist on Spotify, to keep track of all the artists that I had seen or would see. I discovered many, many unexpected gems in this way, and across ALL genres. That was part of the charm - Poetry Lounge books such a wide variety of artists - acoustic, electronic, punk, rock, metal, jazz, R&B, rap, folk, country - you name it. 

After a year's worth of shows and literally 100s of bands, this playlist is now MASSIVE. It occurred to me that I should share it with the world, or that I should have been sharing it all along in increments, which is what I have planned for next year. In the meantime, enjoy this exhaustive retrospective of "Songs from Bands Who Have Graced the Stage at Poetry Lounge in 2024 (and a few from 2023)."

Songs from Bands Who Have Graced the Stage at Poetry Lounge in 2024 (and a few from 2023)

Here's the entire massive playlist for the whole year, where I am only including one song from each band, but you can check out the monthly episodes below, which include more songs from each band for a more in-depth listen. 

Not all the bands are on Spotify, so I could not include absolutely everyone, but most of them are. I also had trouble disambiguating the names of some bands/artists that are very common. For example, there are at least a dozen bands named “Razorblade." I also can’t promise that I didn’t find the wrong band on Spotify, or didn’t misspell name. I’m including the complete list of bands/artists for each month, but please note the following:

*Indicates artists that performed that month, but I didn’t find them on Spotify.

**Band/artist names that I could not disambiguate on Spotify (too many artists with same name).

I am still compiling each playlist as I write this, so check back later for more active links. I should have all 12 episodes up by end of 2024. 

Episode 1 - January 2024 (and some from 2023) - "We're Just Getting Started"

2023: The Gothees, *Outer Limits, Mother of Earl, The Conspiracy Theory, Choice Words, *Bobby Hawkins w/ Memphis Mike & RJ Buck ‘Swingin’ Johnson, *The Reckoning (REM tribute), *David Green MusicScene, Pete Bush & Hoi Polloi, *Favorite Band, *Weird Mothers

January 2024: Howling Mob, Amoeba Knievel, Melt, Millvin & The Etnoids, *Dogs of March, *The Dwellingtons, The Tells, Morgan Erina, Sam Winterberger, Akrasia, *ATS

Episode 2 - February - "Freebruary"

Dream the Heavy, Paging Doctor Moon, Dayshift, **Razorblade, Constant Hell, Vicious Blade, Bolt Action, Bikini Islands, *Zurich Cloud Motors, Matt Calvetti Trio, The New Mingle, *Ouve, Thirteen Bends, Katie Simone, The Cheats, Latecomer, *Daryl Leroi Fleming, w/ Benny Benack II, Chris McGraw, Eli Weidman, Murder for Girls, Working Breed, Jessica Bella Band, Royal Honey, Johnny & the Razorblades, The Creedmoors, Airbrake.

Episode 3 - March - "In Like a Lion"

C. Scott, Glass Caps, Bikini Islands, Chameleon Treat, Middling (OH), Pickpocket (Columbus, OH), Kicked in the Head by a Horse, I Love You, I Love You (WV), *Z-Town Street Band, *Nino Albanese Trio, *The Markers, Casey Catone, Nick Guckert, Day Job (Birmingham, AL), Pyrithe, FOAMER, The Yeggs, Beach Boise, ID, Black Rose Burning (NY), Dichro, Those Legendary Hucklebucks, Whiskey Daredevils, Devilish Merry, Right On Warriors, Hollyhood, *Dogs of March, Brainwash Victim (Rochester, NY), Bolt Action (OH), *Grin Hound, *Gut Gash, Tear Dungeon (Austin, TX), *Disease of the Mind, *Grybus, The Montvales, Rocket Loves Blue, Noa Jordan, *ATS.

Episode 4 - April - "The Cruelest Month"

OrangeG, *Clever Medicine, Ziggy D, The Redlines, *Neverweres , *The Pumpfakes, Royal Honey, Social Destruction (Social D tribute, VT), Bikini Islands, *Martyna & The Sinners, Casey Catone, Big Time (Seattle, WA), The Burnrides, Right On Warriors, Riddle M, King Blue Heron, The Darling Suns, 1000z of Beez, Mark Dignam, Bingo Quixote, Keroscenery, Stone Cold Killer, The Regal Sweet, The Pooks, *The Skalarks Reggae, Benefits, Dumplings, *Kerosene Scream, *Cul de Sac Kids (Blisters of The World), *Robin Vote, The Yeggs, Crossed (Madrid, Spain), Vibora (Basque Country), Morning Dew, Leonardo Decapitated, The Bandit Queen of Sorrows, Noble Hobo, Alyssa Hankey. 

Episode 5 - May - "Enjoy Thy Youth"

Rattle bones, Akrasia, *Turmada Brewsha, *Nutmeg Party, Phat Man Dee, Nuvolascura (Los Angeles, CA), Kaiba, *Bala and the Uprising, Mirakler, Casey Catone, Nick Guckert, Ongface (Columbus, OH), County Conservation District, Paul Tabachneck, Fermented Beats, Tired Radio, Find Ethel, *Aiden, OrangeG, Adrian Adioetomo, Wired Tae The Moon, *citywitch, *Cactustache, Fuzznaut, Lhagic, Ron Car, King Mar, FRH Golden, *Atheenie, Krypto.Divine, Paris Stephan, J the Anomaly, Sunshine Spazz, Malicious Destruction of Property, Cemetery Girl (MI), *Bomb Threat, Dumplings, *Dead Battery, *The Scott Fry Experience, *ATS, Howling Mob.

Episode 6 - June - "Hello Summer!"

Sarah Halter, Neostem, *Merrick Strain, Buck Gooter, Hemlock for Socrates, Ships in the Night, Rising Seas, Misdeeds, Heinous Bienfang, *Two Wolf Moon, Scott Vensel, Crombie, *Daryl Leroi Fleming, Crombie, Nightmarathons, Distants, Glass Caps, Histrionic, dogmeat, Maria Keck, *Adelaide Step, *Julianna Warner, The Cheats, Rabbit Dog, *Special When Lit, The Coattails, **The High Tide, Aryana Kapree, Abstract Theory, *The Harry von Zells, Skeletonized, Benefits.

Episode 7 - July - "Freedom"

Menstrual Tramps, *Cultivator, Chuckleheads, *Eleven Trees, The Boss Stingrays, *Band of Others, Jeff in Leather, Joyfriend, Lilac/Web, Soup Dreams, Westinghouse Atom Smasher, Lem, Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand, Stephen Babcock, Noa Jordan, Paging Doctor Moon, Garage League, Subarctic Beach Party, Airbrake, Creedmoors, Brainwash Victim, Casino Six, Fidello, *Dominick Tony, Bottle Rat, Deth Cat is Her Name, The Pooks, Lylyth, Killing Pixies, *Grin Hound, *Worse!, Psych Ward Grips, *The L Words, Boris and the Joy, J. Trafford, Nowhere Wolves, *John Henry Watt, Megha Pai, Tony from Bowling, Astrology Now, Dog Lips (NH), **Blue Hour, Adam J Snyder, Mirabelle Skipworth, The Brink of, Tucker Muetzel, **The Ruckus, Slam Peace, The Pinkerton Raid, *Nutmeg Party, *Rec Center, Battery Acid Boyz.

Episode 8 - August - "Cruel Summer"

*Slam Peace, *Dunce, The Redlines, Laura Hickli (Canada), Mellowscape, Beach Boise, ID, *Nino Albanese Trio, *The Markers, Bloody Run, Nervous Aggression, Lord Humongous, Septic Idols, Stephen Clair, On Hiatus, *LAMP - Lame Ass Mother Phuckers (DeMoines, IA), Bikini Islands, The Book Club, A Day Without Love, Second Hands, Frog Legs, *Amy Mmhmm, Twin Lakes (MN), Scare Tape, Constant Hell, Sewn Tight, Jumprope (Houston, TX), Jennica Tamler, **Phase Shifter Shifter, The Cynz, Rattle Bones, Creedmoors, Dad Bod (SLC, UT), Orua (Brazil), Dead, Dead Swans, *Robin McDumphy, *David Montez, *Julianna Warner, Jessica Vines, Heavy Peasant, *Gray Matter, Microwaves, *Sarlaac, *Re-52s, *The Reckoning, Nervous surface, Tilt Controls, Frantic Orange, Shay Park, Disco Behemoth, Rated Eye, *Grybus, Theresa Musatto, Optimistic Apocalypse, *The Turpentiners, Dereos Roads, Your Siiick, Water Fountain Coins, Shel the Philosopher.

Episode 9 - September - "Back To School"

**Through these Eyes, Closing in, Cursed Form, Gods Computer, VoidDweller, *Blaised & Confused, *Smac!, Casey Catone, *Martyna & The Sinners, Rose Cora Perry & The Truth Untold, Carini, Better Think Twice, **The Rumble, Casino Six, Sandman Sleeps, Jacques Dumont & Friends, Chrome Moses, The Conspiracy Theory, Time Brothers, John Roseboro, Frances Chang, Wired Tae the Moon, *Cactustache, Haishen, Stereo Scandal, Airbrake, Pornos Pornos Pornos, *Scott Quay, Greg Hoy, Beach Boise, ID, Marble Teeth, Plasmata, Melter, 2 Forks.

Episode 10 - October - "Spooky Season"

Zookraught, Sacred Monsters, Murder for Girls, Lez Paul, *Dress Code, Howling Mob, Indigo Rae, Laurel Lowlifes, Craig Veltri, Latecomer, Norcos Y Horchata, The Pooks, Cab Ellis, Deluxe Taxi, Casino Six, Davy Jones’ Locker, Audrey Heartburn, Griffen Handshake, Pucker Up!, Chub Clampion, Jake McKelvie & His New Old Band, Dave Shepherd, Alan Getto, *Turmada Brewsha, Pink Peugeot (GA), *Nutmeg Party, Nino Albanese, *ITZ MARLY, DRE DIOR, KI LYRICS, JORDAN KINZ, THEREAL250, *SPLASH, *M-DOT DAGREAT, *ACE MONEY, SALEENA RANAY, **SHAMAR, BARBADOS BLACK, CHARDONNAY, CARILLO NICE, *HARLAN TOBE, NO NI, *ROH ROHI, **LIL SIS GG, LANDO ASH, SHEL THE PHILOSOPHER, *Shannon Paton, Tai Chirovsky, Lounna, Reliable Child, Krystal Evette, **Opals, Tigo Woodstock, *The Dwellingtons, Rebel Revolver, Mellowscape, Amoeba Knievel, Hardac, *The Centigram, Weird Paul Rock Band, *El Grosso, Airbrake, Dumplings

Episode 11 - November - "Remember, Remember"

Tempered, Hard Hat, Jessica Bella Band, *Sun Years (Richmond, VA), *Hysteric Coils, *Sundras, ConFyah, Abuse Repression, **Hiss, Wake of The Blade, *Wheretheforsynthiablooms, The Bakers Basement, Dumplings, Smug Brothers, Anti-Corn League, Lez Paul, Ziggy D, C-Level, All My Friends Are Cats, Feyleux, 2020K, *Doors in the Labrynth, Mel Bryant & The Mercymakers, Jack the Underdog, Cokeworks, Z-Nemo & The Big Slime, Magick Potion, Forrester Grey, Stephen Babcock, Noa Jordan, The Redlines, Creedmoors, God’s Green Apples, The Cheats, *The Shutouts, Travis Heeter, *BDB Trio, Theresa Musatto, Shadow Plea, Manners Manners, Airbrake, *Thunder Thighs, Caleb Pogyor, *Jack Ferrera, Brian Weaver, **Uncle Al, King Fez, *ATS, Meeka in Jail.

Episode 12 - December - "A Strong Finish"

Will Orchard, Jess Kerber, Vireo, Not Worth Asking, Woodrow Vine, Judge Russo, I4A, Olathia, *Iron Brigade, Storms Within (Erie, PA), Miwi La Lupa, James Hatem, Orange G, Morgan Erina, Old Tom & The Lookouts, *Daryl Leroi Fleming & Friends, Horror Movies in the Morning, **Mr. Red, Seeking Therapy, *Guns of Brixton (Clash tribute), *Sick Bed of Cuchulainn (Pogues tribute), *Nutmeg Party, Fidello, *MKUltruists, *Battery Acid Boyz, *Corduroy, The Brilliant Minds, See Night, Nellie Bly, **Eye Candy, Subarctic Beach Party, Wolferd, *Moonshine Jasmine