Eric Nam performing in Pittsburgh, October 6.

Korean-American singer Eric Nam will perform in Pittsburgh on October 6, as part of his "House on the Hill" tour.

Named GQ Korea’s Man of the Year and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, the multifaceted musician, actor and television personality Eric Nam is one of the most successful Korean-American figures of recent times, having built what GQ calls “one of the most varied and entrepreneurial legacies in the K-Pop scene.” With 2.5M+ monthly listeners and 5M+ followers on Instagram, Eric has amassed over 1B streams on Spotify and most recently headlined a sold-out world tour playing 59 headline shows across 54 cities including Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London and Melbourne. In addition to music, Eric is a co-founder and creative director at DIVE Studios, the world’s leading AAPI and K-pop focused media company with multiple award-winning podcasts, and Mindset, a mental health and wellness platform for Gen Z audiences. Eric will soon make his acting debut as the lead in the psychological thriller Transplant.

He last performed in Pittsburgh in February 2022. This time he's at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks (map) at 7:00 pm, and tickets are available onilne.

Kpop Drop-in Class: Loona, "Paint The Town" at Yanlai Dance Academy, September 16.

Yanlai Dance Academy's next Kpop Dropin Class will do Loona's "Paint The Town" on September 16.

Our Kpop dance class has decided on LOONA's 🟥 Paint The Town 🟥 for their first Kpop cover this year. Drop-in for $15 to join us for our first class or register for the semester.

Our Kpop class meets regularly on Saturdays from 5:30-7:00pm. Learning the full dance to LOONA's Paint The Town, dancers learn unique skills while growing and developing together as a team. Sound like something you want to be a part of? You can still register for this semester!

The cost is $15 for a drop-in and it is recommended for ages 10 and up.  It runs from 5:45 to 7:00 pm at Yanlai Dance Academy at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).

"Japanese Action Comic Punk" band Peelander-Z in Pittsburgh, September 25.

"Japanese Action Comic Punk" band Peelander-Z will return to Pittsburgh on September 25.

PEELANDER-Z, the Japanese Action Comic Punk Band based in NYC, was originally formed in 1998 by Peelander-Yellow, Peelander-Red, and Peelander-Blue, after meeting in New York City (although they’ll tell you they’re all from the Z area on the planet Peelander). Peelander-Green was welcomed in July 2008 after Blue left the band.

Peelander–Z has appeared at major music festivals including Bonnaroo and the Vans Warped Tour and has also been featured on TV programs such as VH1’s “Best Week Ever” and Comedy Central’s “Upright Citizens Brigade” among others. The band has also been covered by SPIN, Rolling Stone, Village Voice, NPR and The Onion among many others.

At its live shows, Peelander–Z guarantees intense audience participation and a chance to exercise. You’ll see the band in colorful costumes reminiscent of Japanese anime, though they describe their outfits as their skin. You’ll also see The Red Squid, human bowling and all around insanity. A Peelander–Z performance is a rare occasion for the entire family to rock out and have a great time.

The 21+ show is at Club Cafe on the South Side (map) from 8:00 pm and tickets are available online.

IU Concert: The Golden Hour in Pittsburgh, September 28 and 30.

The acclaimed concert film IU Concert: The Golden Hour will play in Pittsburgh on September 28 and 30.

Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the artist’s debut, IU CONCERT : The Golden Hour comes to the big screen in this special Cinematic Cut. Experience IU’s first ever global cinema release, as the first Korean female singer to perform at the iconic Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul, the largest stadium in South Korea and the dream venue for music artists. Starting with a thrilling acap lla opening, the setlist is filled with beloved songs from across IU’s career. From the floating strawberry moon balloon, to fireworks and a stunning drone show, the enchanting stage production is a must-see in cinemas. Embrace the happiness of the unforgettable 'Golden Hour' through IU’s legendary performances and a fully-charged live show. In September 2023, join Uaena all over the world to enjoy this heartwarming experience together in cinemas!

Wikipedia also has a lengthy page on it. It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Eric Nam performing in Pittsburgh, October 6.

Korean-American singer Eric Nam will perform in Pittsburgh on October 6, as part of his "House on the Hill" tour.

Eric Nam is a multifaceted entertainer, singer, songwriter, and TV personality fluent in English, Korean, Spanish, and conversational in Mandarin. Named GQ Korea’s Man of the Year, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Eric is a household name and one of the most extensively touring and best-selling artists out of Korea. He is currently headlining a sold-out world tour playing 59 headline shows across 54 cities.

Eric released his first album as an independent artist, titled “There And Back Again”, in January 2022, which debuted at #3 and #7 on the US and UK Spotify Charts and peaked at the #22 spot for albums sold on Billboard.

In addition to music, Eric hosts the #1 K-Pop podcast, “Daebak Show”, which earned Apple Podcasts’ Best Listens of 2019.

He last performed in Pittsburgh in February 2022. This time he's at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks (map) at 7:00 pm, and tickets are available onilne.

Mongolian folk-fusion band Tuvergen in Pittsburgh, September 21.

Tuvergen, a Chicago-based trio performing Mongolian folk-fusion, will perform in Pittsburgh on September 21.

An emerging act at world music festivals across the U.S., Tuvergen Band (“galloping” in Mongolian) is a Chicago-based folk-fusion trio founded by Tamir Hargana (lead vocals, folk lutes, morin khuur), Naizal Hargana (morin khuur, vocals), and Brent Roman (percussion, didgeridoo, vocals) in 2020. Hailing from Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, Tamir and Naizal bring some of the country’s most distinctive sounds to Tuvergen Band, including the cello-like horsehead fiddle (morin khuur), various folk lutes (the Tuvan doshpuluur and West Mongolian tovshuur), and khoomii throat singing. An ethnomusicologist and Asian percussion specialist, Roman augments these sounds with a custom hybrid drum kit of twenty global percussion instruments and didgeridoo. The trio use this rich instrumental palette to perform what they call “modern nomadic music,” incorporating bluegrass, blues, rock, and more into its repertoire of Mongolian and Tuvan folk songs and originals.

Tuvergen will perform at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map) from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

Japanese kawaii metal band BABYMETAL in Pittsburgh, September 8.

The Japanese kawaii metal band BABYMETAL will perform in the Pittsburgh area on September 8. They'll play the UPMC Events Center on the Robert Morris University campus in Moon Township (map) with DETHKLOK and tickets for the 7:00 pm show are available online.

New date, again: Korea-based travelling music family TENGGER in Pittsburgh, October 4.

The three-piece travelling music family band Tengger will play in Pittsburgh on October 4 as part of their North American tour (a change from a previously-announced date of October 3). Their official site describes their sound thus:

텐거/天郷
TENGGER is a traveling musical family, made up of Pan-Asian couple, itta and Marqido, who create their brand of psychedelic New-Age drone magic through the use of harmonium, voice, and toy instruments (played by itta) and analogue synths (played by Marqido). The duo originally started out with the moniker “10” but since the birth of their son RAAI (who joins them on tour and often on stage) in 2012, have called themselves TENGGER (meaning ‘unlimited expanse of sky’ in Mongolian) to mark the expansion of the family. It also means ‘huge sea’ in Hungarian. Travel, as spiritual experience in real environments, and the sound between the space and the audience have been central themes of their works. The family’s yearly pilgrimages inform every aspect of their art.

They will play at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map), from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

Japanese metal band HANABIE。at Preserving Underground in New Kensington, September 23.

The Japanese metal band HANABIE。will play in the Pittsburgh area, at Preserving Underground in New Kensington, on September 23. Their Reddit fanpage provides an introduction:

Loud rock band HANABIE。formed at their school light music club in June 2015. Centering in Kichijōji, Tokyo, they started performing live around areas such as Shinjuku and Tachikawa.

The sound of Hanabie features the sound mixture of metalcore, hardcore, Hip-Hop, and J-POP. Their 1st album, "Girls Manifest" was released in 2020. With this album, they have established their own genre "HARAJUKUCORE"

Their live performances have a speed and power that exceeds expectations and captivates their audience. Yukina's powerful screaming/growling vocals never leave anyone without being amazed, along with this excellent melodic lines given by the clean voice of Matsuri, this is a complete basis for an amazing metalcore band but as for them it isn't enough they add different layers of voices between rap lines. If vocally they are great, in the instrumental part they're not left behind, aggressive, heavy, and dynamic. Certainly to define this band you need at least two words: dynamic and powerful.

The all ages show starts at 7 pm, and tickets are available online. Preserving Underground is located at 1101 5th Ave., roughly 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh (map).

2023 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival, September 16 at Mellon Park.

The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center will present the 2023 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival on September 16 at Mellon Park.

Big News, Folks! Mark your calendars for the 2023 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival - the pinnacle annual event of our local Chinese community!

When: Saturday, September 16th, 2023, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Where: Mellon Park, Pittsburgh (6518 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206)

We're expecting a turnout of over 5000 participants for a day filled with culture, cuisine, and entertainment - all for FREE!

Taste authentic Asian cuisine

Enjoy enchanting music and dance performances

Witness masterful exhibits by world-renowned artists and craftsmen

Play exciting games and much more!

For more info, check out the official event page: https://pghccc.org/

See you there for a celebration of Chinese culture like no other in Pittsburgh!

The festival is free and open to the public and will be held at Mellon Park in Shadyside (map) from 11 am to 6 pm.

Japanese band Boris (ボリス) returns to Pittsburgh, September 15, with Melvins.

Japanese rock band Boris (ボリス) will perform at the Roxian Theatre on September 15, sharing the bill with Melvins. They've played in Pittsburgh several times before, most recently last fall, and tickets are available online. Roxian Theatre is located at 425 Chartiers Ave. in McKees Rocks (map).

Estelle Z at Lounge at the Greer Cabaret Theater, August 24.

Estelle Z will perform at the Lounge at the Greer Cabaret Theater on August 24.

Estelle Z is a musician and performer of cover songs. She grew up listening to bedroom pop before it had a name, and resonates with some version of every sad girl with a ukulele on YouTube. She'll put an indie acoustic spin on any song she can get her hands on.

The concert starts at 5:30 pm and is free, but registration is required. The Greer Cabaret Theater is located at 655 Penn Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Anime / K-pop Night at Squirrel Hill Sports Bar, August 19.

Squirrel Hill Sports Bar will host Anime / K-pop Night on August 19. There's a cosplay contest with a $200 prize. The ages 21-and-over event runs from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am, and there is a $5 cover charge at the door. The Squirrel Hill Sports Bar is located at 5832 Forward Ave. (map), next to Chengdu Gourmet.

Yanlai Dance Academy presents KPOP Random Play Dance PGH, August 16 at Station Square.

Yanlai Dance Academy will present KPOP Random Play Dance PGH on August 16 at Station Square.

Calling all Kpop fans! 
We welcome you to join us for Pittsburgh's 2nd Kpop Random Play Dance co-hosted with Level Up Studios! Please join us or come and watch.

12-1 PM
Join us for a free dance workshop taught by Lucy of Yanlai Dance Academy and Ki of Level Up Studio

1-2:30 PM
KPOP Random Play Dance

Free and open to everyone.

Rules for playing:
1. When not dancing please wait at the sides of the dancing area.
2. When the music comes on for a kpop song that you know the dance to, jump out into the middle and show off your moves!
3. If you don't know the dance, cheer on others who do!
4. Don't forget to have fun and and be respectful of those in the kpop community here in Pittsburgh!

It runs from 12:00 to 2:30 at Station Square (map) and is free and open to the public.  Yanlai Dance Academy is located in the North Hills and routinely has Kpop and Chinese dance classes, among a wide variety of other offerings.

Kangdaniel: My Parade in Pittsburgh, August 30 and September 2.

The new concert documentary film Kangdaniel: My Parade will play in Pittsburgh on August 30 and September 2.

Following his explosive career as a member of one of Korea’s hottest K-pop groups, KANGDANIEL has chosen to walk down a path all his own. While he faced obstacles due to circumstances outside of his control in the early days of his solo career, it was during this time that KANGDANIEL explored and discovered his true colors as an artist. With the release of his first studio album, KANGDANIEL stands before fans once again with “FIRST PARADE,” his first solo concert in Seoul that also marks the start of an epic world tour. This concert documentary film chronicles Daniel’s time in the rehearsal room, his stripped back and natural self with the people closest to him, and a glimpse into his mindset and resolve through heartfelt interviews. As we cheer for KANGDANIEL on his path of transforming his dreams into reality, we soon find ourselves cheering for our own journeys as well. Here’s to KANGDANIEL, here’s to MY PARADE.

It is scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Mongolian folk-fusion band Tuvergen in Pittsburgh, September 21.

Tuvergen, a Chicago-based trio performing Mongolian folk-fusion, will perform in Pittsburgh on September 21.

An emerging act at world music festivals across the U.S., Tuvergen Band (“galloping” in Mongolian) is a Chicago-based folk-fusion trio founded by Tamir Hargana (lead vocals, folk lutes, morin khuur), Naizal Hargana (morin khuur, vocals), and Brent Roman (percussion, didgeridoo, vocals) in 2020. Hailing from Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, Tamir and Naizal bring some of the country’s most distinctive sounds to Tuvergen Band, including the cello-like horsehead fiddle (morin khuur), various folk lutes (the Tuvan doshpuluur and West Mongolian tovshuur), and khoomii throat singing. An ethnomusicologist and Asian percussion specialist, Roman augments these sounds with a custom hybrid drum kit of twenty global percussion instruments and didgeridoo. The trio use this rich instrumental palette to perform what they call “modern nomadic music,” incorporating bluegrass, blues, rock, and more into its repertoire of Mongolian and Tuvan folk songs and originals.

Tuvergen will perform at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map) from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

Indonesian rock band Voice of Baceprot in Pittsburgh, August 11.

The Indonesian rock band Voice of Baceprot will play a show in Pittsburgh on August 11. Their official site introduces them thus:

Young, Indonesian, hijab-wearing, female metal trio Voice Of Baceprot (VOB) have been covering the members’ favourite metal songs since they learned to play their instruments. Their prowess at playing these covers got them attention from fans and media worldwide and enabled them to develop to the point where they could, as a band, create original songs.

Consisting of Marsya (vocals and guitar), Widi (bass), and Sitti (drums), the trio first met when they were still junior high school students in their hometown of Singajaya, a small village two hours’ drive away from the city of Garut, West Java. The word “baceprot” from their band name comes from the Sundanese language meaning “noisy”. It was chosen to represent the type of music that they play.

Since their formation, VOB have become a point of discussion for a host of renowned global media, including The New York Times, NPR, BBC, DW and The Guardian, featuring them in the pages of their online publication. VOB were recently named by heavy metal and rock magazine Metal Hammer as “the Metal Band the World Needs Right Now”.

They'll play at the Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh, located at 230 W. Station Square Drive (map) in Station Square. The show starts at 7:00 pm, and guests under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

MAMAMOO: My Con The Movie in Pittsburgh, August 9 and 12.

The tour film MAMAMOO: My Con The Movie will play in Pittsburgh on August 9 and 12.

"1, 2, 3, Eoi!" Join the new powerhouses of K-pop as they embark on their first world tour in the highly anticipated film MAMAMOO: MY CON THE MOVIE. Idols Solar, Moon Byul, Whee In, and Hwa Sa invite you on their special and thrilling journey. Witness their captivating vocals and dynamic performances, then delve into their personal and heartfelt stories like never before, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes. Beginning with the MAMAMOO WORLD TOUR - SEOUL, the group's story unfolds. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience on the big screen with the musical phenomenon – MAMAMOO!

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

[New date] Korea-based travelling music family TENGGER in Pittsburgh, October 3.

The three-piece travelling music family band Tengger will play in Pittsburgh on October 3 as part of their North American tour (a change frmo the original October 4 date). Their official site describes their sound thus:

텐거/天郷
TENGGER is a traveling musical family, made up of Pan-Asian couple, itta and Marqido, who create their brand of psychedelic New-Age drone magic through the use of harmonium, voice, and toy instruments (played by itta) and analogue synths (played by Marqido). The duo originally started out with the moniker “10” but since the birth of their son RAAI (who joins them on tour and often on stage) in 2012, have called themselves TENGGER (meaning ‘unlimited expanse of sky’ in Mongolian) to mark the expansion of the family. It also means ‘huge sea’ in Hungarian. Travel, as spiritual experience in real environments, and the sound between the space and the audience have been central themes of their works. The family’s yearly pilgrimages inform every aspect of their art.

They will play at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map), from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

"Japanese Action Comic Punk" band Peelander-Z in Pittsburgh, September 25.

"Japanese Action Comic Punk" band Peelander-Z will return to Pittsburgh on September 25.

PEELANDER-Z, the Japanese Action Comic Punk Band based in NYC, was originally formed in 1998 by Peelander-Yellow, Peelander-Red, and Peelander-Blue, after meeting in New York City (although they’ll tell you they’re all from the Z area on the planet Peelander). Peelander-Green was welcomed in July 2008 after Blue left the band.

Peelander–Z has appeared at major music festivals including Bonnaroo and the Vans Warped Tour and has also been featured on TV programs such as VH1’s “Best Week Ever” and Comedy Central’s “Upright Citizens Brigade” among others. The band has also been covered by SPIN, Rolling Stone, Village Voice, NPR and The Onion among many others.

At its live shows, Peelander–Z guarantees intense audience participation and a chance to exercise. You’ll see the band in colorful costumes reminiscent of Japanese anime, though they describe their outfits as their skin. You’ll also see The Red Squid, human bowling and all around insanity. A Peelander–Z performance is a rare occasion for the entire family to rock out and have a great time.

The 21+ show is at Club Cafe on the South Side (map) from 8:00 pm and tickets are available online.