KeyBank Pavilion – The “Key” to Some Great Outdoor Entertainment

Looking to hear some great music? Or to get a great laugh? And are you in the mood to jam out or crack up outside rather than inside? If you answered “yes” to all or most of these questions, then KeyBank Pavilion is the place for you.

KeyBank Pavilion is an outdoor amphitheater located in Burgettstown, in suburban Pittsburgh. The venue is owned by popular entertainment company Live Nation. It originally opened in 1990 as Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater. It was later renamed Post-Gazette Pavilion in 2000 when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh’s newspaper, bought its naming rights. In 2010, it was announced that the Post-Gazette’s naming rights had expired and that they had not renewed their contract, which led to First Niagara Bank purchasing the naming rights. Later that year, the venue was renamed First Niagara Pavilion. In 2016, the venue was renamed once more when KeyCorp acquired First Niagara. This time, it was renamed as what is known today as KeyBank Pavilion. It has a seating capacity of 23,000, making it the largest outdoor amphitheater in Pennsylvania. It contains open seating on the lawn, or covered seating in the pit closer to the stage. Some of the biggest names in music have played here, as well as some of the biggest names in comedy. Since it is an outdoor venue, most of its events take place in late spring, summer, or early fall.

KeyBank Pavilion is one of the most popular places to see a concert or comedy in the Pittsburgh area, especially in the summer. Throughout the summer, a variety of groups/artists perform at KeyBank Pavilion, as well as some of the biggest comedians out there. These includes both today’s top artists and the top artists of previous years and even previous decades. They also include artists from several genres, which allows for a bigger variety of audiences to attend the concerts. Artists who have performed at KeyBank Pavilion on more than one occasion include Train, Fall Out Boy, and Journey. The venue has also hosted various music festivals, particularly the Vans Warped Tour. While KeyBank Pavilion is better known for being a music venue, several comedians have performed here as well, such as John Oliver, Hannibal Burress, Dane Cook, Gabriel Iglesias, Sarah Silverman, and more. One reviewer on TripAdvisor said that she has loved the venue ever since it opened, because of “the sound, the stage, and even just relaxing on the lawn.” KeyBank Pavilion is the best place to go in Pittsburgh to enjoy a performance while also enjoying the great outdoors.

Since KeyBank Pavilion is an outdoor amphitheater, it’s a lot different from a lot of performance venues you might be used to. So I thought I’d include some tips for before you go:

1.     Don’t go to a concert alone – This is an open, outdoor amphitheater. It’s not like an arena, stadium, or theater which is an enclosed space. For this reason, it’s good to always have someone else at the concert with you in case something happens. Make sure you have this person’s cell phone number in case anything happens. Also, let’s be honest, it’s more fun to go to a concert with someone else, right?

2.     Be prepared for the weather – The weather in Western Pennsylvania is constantly changing. Be prepared for any type of weather. Check the forecast on the DAY OF the event, so that you’ll have the most accurate idea of what the weather will be like. Bring a jacket in case it’s going to be chilly, and bring a raincoat, umbrella, or poncho in case it’s going to rain. Also, it’s worth noting that events at KeyBank Pavilion do not get cancelled because of weather. So, if it’s a rainy day your seats are on the lawn, you’re likely going to get rained on, while the same can’t be said for those in the pit.

3.     Bring a blanket – This really only applies to the people sitting on the lawn. As with a lot of outdoor events, it may be a good idea to bring a blanket, towel, or something of that nature to sit on. That way, you can avoid getting your clothes wet or muddy when you sit down on the lawn.

4.     Spray up! – Sunscreen is always a good idea, but it may not be necessary for a show at KeyBank Pavilion since most of these shows occur later in the evening, after the sun has already started to set. However, you should definitely bring some bug spray, and apply it right before the concert. Mosquitoes and gnats can get really, really bad in the summertime in Western Pennsylvania, especially at night. For the best effects, you should probably spray yourself at the concert; the bug spray might wear off if you do it any earlier than that. However, you should probably do it in the parking lot and leave the spray in the car after you spray yourself, because you probably won’t be allowed to carry it through the security check.

5.     Hit the road early! – While the other four tips can apply to any outdoor music venue, this is one I just thought I’d mention about KeyBank Pavilion specifically. KeyBank Pavilion is located in Burgettstown, which is quite a distance from a lot of other parts of Pittsburgh. It is well past the airport, which is quite difficult to get to itself. Traffic on Interstate 376, otherwise known as the parkway, tends to be rough most of the time. It’s for these reasons that it would help to leave well ahead of time. This is crucial no matter how far away you live from the venue. I thought I’d mention this because people from all over Western Pennsylvania, and even other states, attend shows at KeyBank Pavilion.

If you’re looking for the best place in Western Pennsylvania to catch outdoor-only entertainment, then what are you waiting for? Buy some tickets for a show at KeyBank Pavilion in Burgettstown!