For the summer student in Morgantown, there is more to do than stay in town, drive the empty streets and enjoy shorter lines at stores everywhere; you can catch a few concerts. I’m sure you’re probably staying up here to catch up on classes or make money to pay for stuff, but why not rid yourself of some of that troublesome cash.
Start out in Pittsburgh. Obviously, the biggest show of the summer is U2, and for some reason Pittsburgh is the only city in America that didn’t sell out yet. May 6 is the day, Mellon Arena is the place. But you might also want to see The Black Crowes and Oasis at A.J. Palumbo (5/29). For that disco lover out there, see KC and the Sunshine Band at the I.C. Light Amphitheater (6/1). Everyone else will wait and see Green Day (7/3) or even The Doobie Brothers (7/9), both at I.C. Light. If you’re still stuck in that Big Band thing from a few years ago, try Brian Setzer at Club Laga (7/24).
The biggest venue of the summer is probably the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, just south of Cleveland. Styx and Bad Company start the season (5/10) there, but you can also catch them at Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus the next day (5/11). The Black Crowes will be there (5/25) followed by Jimmy Buffet (6/7). Brooks and Dunn take the stage next (6/10). Lynyrd Skynyrd and Deep Purple are next at Blossom (6/20), and will also be performing at Polaris (6/30). Depeche Mode is next (6/24). Also at both Blossom and Polaris will be: Aerosmith (7/17) and (7/11), Poison (7/19) and (7/21), James Taylor (7/24) and (7/28), and Ozzfest (7/26) and (8/30).
Columbus is also bustling as you can try and scalp some U2 tickets for their (5/7) show at Nationwide Arena. Eric Clifton will also be performing at Nationwide (6/1). Newport Music hall will be hosting Collective Soul(5/13) and the Shottenstein Center will have Bon Jovi (5/4). Catch Lil Bow Wow at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium (5/6). Polaris will have the biggest names, though. INXS, somehow without Michael Hutchinson, will be performing (6/12). Journey will re-reunite and play yet again (7/13), as well as the Barenaked Ladies (7/14). For those people who didn’t get enough of Phil Lesh, catch him at Polaris (7/18) for six more hours and maybe two more songs. Lastly, Rod Stewart will jam at Polaris (8/15).
Closer to home, you can catch Duncan Sheik in Charleston’s Cultural Center (5/6) or Pantera at Huntington’s Civic Arena (6/27). Of course, those fans of D.C.’s Favorite 9:30 Club can catch a few shows there. Kiddy-punk band Blink 182 will perform (5/7), as will James Brown (5/26) and George Clinton (6/15). So there you go. Why save money for food and tuition when you can see bands like this?