Stage AE

Went to see Bahamas /​City & Colour last night, so we were indoors. It was my first time there. I read about security being tight so I didn’t bring a purse or a coat, and just had my bank card, ID, and cash in my upper shirt pocket (I was wearing a flannel, like every single other person at that concert, haha). When approaching the pat-​down lady, I took everything out of my pockets (just my ID, cell phone, chapstick) and held them in my hands so she wouldn’t have to question me. I saw a lot of people leaving umbrellas and a variety of keychain items in a pile by the entrance. My friend ended up losing her keychain thing.
I didn’t bother trying to sneak beverages in since I wasn’t sure how frisky they would get but I suppose if it’s cold, and you have a sort of baggy hoodie, and a relatively large bosom, you might be able to carry a small drink under the tatas. she just felt my arms, legs, and sides.
24oz beer was 8.25, and a 20oz was a dollar less. A 16oz is 6.25 if I remember correctly. It’s a pretty nice-​looking place. We were able to go upstairs with general admission tickets, and even though we were nowhere near the front of the line getting in, we still found seats in the bleachers. Beats standing all night, especially when you’re 5’2. We had a good view, and there is also a bar and bathrooms on the upper level. Bathrooms were very clean. The lights accompanying the music were also really cool. So I was pretty happy with this place. I only took a star off because of beer prices: b

I’ve been here on two occasions.
The first time it was outdoors– it had to be since it was Dayglow and all the «paint» they use, but it was SO COLD on that autumn day. The sound was still good outside, and it wasn’t too crowded. Wasn’t old enough to drink yet, so I can’t comment on the alcohol from their outdoor bar.
The second time was indoors for The Chainsmokers. It was completely sold out and way too crowded. Another cold day, and there they don’t have a coat check. Thankfully the ubers and lyfts were pretty quick.
I can’t comment on the bathrooms or alcohol from the bars in the back. And I haven’t been up in the balcony either, but I was able to see that it was considerably less crowded than the pit for obvious reasons of not being close to the stage.
The security guards weren’t jerks or anything from what I saw, so that’s another good thing. They take their time to tell fence-​hangers to not hang from the ledges, so I’ve seen some girls have enough time to snap a decent elevated picture/​selfie from a ledge before a security guard sauntered by to tell them to get down. (You’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve been here.)
It’s a typical concert venue with a intuitively designed interior structure (in the way that you can see the stage from wherever you’re standing, as long as you’re not right behind someone).

Stage AE has an awesome stage, excellent sound, and AV capabilities that Roger Waters would be happy with. It’s an extremely wide stage and there is not a bad seat in the house. Their outdoor stage for Summer shows is cool with outside bars in a large open space.
One complaint is there are beer prices are expensive although reasonable by Heinz Field or PNC park standards. I guess they would say that the prices are cheaper than Consol and they get similar types of bands. Partially true, but many of the shows targeting under 25 and college crowd. Lower the prices or have one beer special for these events. All in all, I’m a fan. Definitely check it out and especially for shows that benefit the most from excellent Audio/​Video production.

Meh. I have such a mixed review of Stage AE. I come to a lot of shows here simply because if it’s a band I want to see I’m not going to let a venue deter me.
Parking: $ 12, fine. Necessary evil and it’s right at the venue or across the street so at least it’s plentiful IF it’s not a Pirates game night, then you need to get creative.
Pros:
1. Great mid-​sized venue, not massive like First Niagara or Consol and not smaller like Altar Bar or Mr Smalls.
2. Drink prices aren’t horrible. Cheaper than Altar but more expensive than a crappy bar. BUT a necessary evil if you want to drink. Right? Weird beer choices too… Coors, Blue Moon or Redds basically.
3. Acoustics are good. I’ve been to really heavy shows here (Lamb of God, Slayer) and my ears ring a bit afterwards but not as much as other venues.
4. Restrooms and venue in general are clean.
5. Security is very attentive and in some cases too strict… for example, carabiners are forbidden. Why? Because they can be used as brass knuckles. This was told to me by a friend who had hers taken away when she was at a folk music type show. OK… I guess I just never thought about using my keychain as a weapon. Alrighty then… One security guy is the biggest asshole that I have ever experienced. Ever. Calm down dude, you work security at a concert venue in Pittsburgh. The rest that I’ve dealt with have all been really nice guys though.
6. I’ve only been at a few, but the outdoor shows are really nice with a grassy area behind the pit.
Cons:
1. The space, especially inside is really weird, especially if you’re short. There’s the general pit area in front of the stage, then some stairs and a fence around the raised area. If you don’t want to be directly in front of the stage and you get there early enough you can grab a nice patch of fence. Otherwise, you are screwed. Especially at my 5’2″ height when a 7 foot tall dude likes to stand directly in front of me. All the time. I did recently discover that you can go upstairs where there is another bar and bleachers for general admission ticket holders. I had much better luck seeing the stage from up there.
2. When the ticket says «doors open at…», Stage AE NEVER opens the doors at that time. There is a line wrapped around the venue and they won’t open the doors until at least 30 minutes later, ESPECIALLY when it’s freezing outside and you decide to leave your coat in the car because who wants to deal with a coat inside? And when you get close the line splits into two, girls & guys so they can pat you down. Luckily since I generally go to metal shows which are 75% guys I can get in quickly when I get to this point.
I did come down to Stage AE for the summer Beerfest and the venue was amazing for it. Beer tables set up inside and outside and they had the entire stage area open so you could hear the music from anywhere inside or out.
Another note, if you see a show advertised as the «Club at Stage AE», avoid it… unless it’s a band you absolutely must see. The «Club» at Stage AE is basically a teeny area raised about 4 inches off the floor where bands normally have their merch table set up. You cannot see a thing. Horrible.

Very impressed with this venue. Staff were very friendly compared to other venues. The sound quality was good and lights were pretty decent. Overall, it was fairly clean and I will definitely be coming here again!

Huge fan of this venue! I’ve now gone to close to two dozen concerts at Stage AE and have had an excellent time every time.
I feel that Stage AE has brought to Pittsburgh the concert venue size they needed. It’s smaller than Consol or First Niagara but bigger than Altar Bar and Mr. Small’s which means we get a lot more acts coming through Pittsburgh.
The drinks here are affordable for a concert venue and overall it’s very clean. I enjoy the shows I’ve been to at Stage AE and I’ll continue to come back.

So for my second review, 3 years later, I have to say Stage AE has made a lot of improvements. Sound and layout outside have definitely improved and their line up has had a few Nu Metal bands play that were really impressive-​In This Moment, Killswitch Engage to name just a few. We have seen a lot of great bands there this summer and beer fest was a blast. Dont get me wrong, they still are low on seating but they are multi-​versatile because they are not limited by seating structure. Definitely have a lot more options when doing this and you can have more people attend. They really are giving Pittsburgh a great venue for entertainment, so just make sure you wear comfortable shoe.
They have a LOT of security, so with large groups of people this is a comfort. They have designated smoking areas outside and VIP/​handicapped section outside that is really nice. They have a huge women’s bathroom that is always clean and outside they have rows of the luxary porta-​bathrooms that are air conditioned-​they are tiny but still really nice.
Bar prices and quantity/​variety are great compared to other local venues. $ 7 or $ 8 for 20oz Angry Orchard? Sure. I paid $ 9 for a 12oz Blue Moon at Altar Bar. They still have a small stand that sells pretzels and nachos too, so if you need some substance it is there, not much in option though.
Only negative, it is really hard getting details on lineups. So you know doors open at 6pm but know idea when the show is actually starting.

Had a great time at the Death Cab concert at Stage AE. First time for both actually. Had never been to the venue and had never heard of the band. My coworker invited me to join when one of her friends got sick and couldn’t go. The venue is a perfect size. Not too small and not too large. Great views of the city too. I came directly from work with my computer and laptops weren’t permitted. Wish I had known that or at best wish the information was printed on the ticket. Security was nice and helpful though. They suggested a location closely where I could keep my bag. Had a cocktail because I don’t drink beer, but found it to be watered down. Think the best choice is to stick to beer if you like it.

It was a nice place and the view was great but the staff was a bunch of assholes. Specifically the security. I drove 2 hours just to show up and be treated like crap by the guys doing pat downs. They just stare at you and expect you to know what they want. I was then pulled aside by a 2^nd security guard who proceeded to hardass me about whether I was intoxicated, which I was not. I just wanted to go see a concert after a hard day of work with out being harassed by someone with an authority complex. Completely ruined my experience after a 2 hour drive. I will not be back and will be filing a complaint. The staff wasn’t as bad but most of them were rude or seemed very offputting.

I was so excited when this venue came to be. I made many trips to its sister venue, LC Pavilion, in Columbus. Stage AE shows are general admission, so you can get really close if you want to stand in line for when the doors open.
For the outdoor shows there is a concrete pit area, a reserved box section, then a s lawn. Indoors there is a pit section, and elevated standing section on the first floor near the bar with a railing to lean on. Upstairs there is another bar, a lounge area (no views of the stage, but a good place with windows to sit for a spell), general admission bleachers and high top tables for two with stage view and box seats. I don’t know how to purchase box tickets other than the «I know a guy/​gal» method. I was lucky enough to score a box seat for My Morning Jacket earlier this spring and it was epic!
Now that I know the high top tables exist on the second level I may be more interested in arriving early and claiming a spot.
Now, on to the concessions. The libation selection is good and affordable, around $ 5 a draft. There is a small concession area near the 1^st floor bar. Pretzels, pizza etc. Not too sure on price.
My only complaints:
1) If you plan on purchasing a bottle of water prepare to pay $ 3.50. Come on, Stage AE — give a designated driver a free cup of water!
2) Although there is a security presence on the floor, the people in front of you will still be vaping or smoking weed.
If they could find a way to provide free water and control the magic dragons from puffing I would add that last star.

Been hearing all about Stage AE so finally got my chance last night with the triple win of Colin Hay, Violent Femmes, and Bare Naked Ladies.
Size: Just the right size. Not a bad spot to view the concert in the entire place. There is the elbow-​to-​elbow space right in front of the stage if standing elbow-​to-​elbow with your neighbor to view your favorite band is your thing. Then, there is the grassy area just a bit further back. I preferred that area because there was room to spread out and even sit down. I could still see just fine when standing. It’s elevated a bit so can see over most heads. On their website they indicate there is also indoor seating for some concerts. This particular concert was outdoors so can’t comment on indoor seating.
Food/​drink: Plenty of beer and soda options. Food selections, on the other hand, are sparse. Dogs, burgers, pretzels, and nachos were about what I saw and from which I partook. For some reason, I really was craving popcorn and was wishing they offered that. Dunno why…
I won’t comment on prices. You know the drill on any venue’s food/​drink prices already, I’m sure.
Restrooms: Lines were small and went fast.
People watching: Oh, yeah… THAT was sumpin in itself and worthy to pass the time between sets.
Seating: All general admission for this event except for some special event seating between the stage, general admission in front of the stage and the general admission grassy area. Don’t know what that’s about or who gets an opportunity to enjoy that.
Smoking: Allowed.
What you can bring in to the venue: Not much. Saw some people sitting on plastic they brought with them but no blankets. My butt was wet from sitting on grass that had just been rained on earlier in the day but, whatev.
Summary: Concert was excellent; sound was good; food/​drink/​restroom lines were short; people were well-​behaved; enough staff was in place if/​when needed; parking was nearby.

I got to check out Stage AE on 6÷12÷2015 for the outdoor Flogging Molly/​Gogol Bordello concert, as the Philly/​Baltimore stops on that tour that were closer to where I live fell during long-​scheduled vacation. It was Pittsburgh or bust, so I bought my tickets online and readied myself for the 3 ½ hour drive.
I’m not sure what all the parking options were around the venue, so all I can speak to is where we parked: Carnegie Science Center, which was maybe a 10-​minute walk, just skirting around the outside of Heinz Field. We got there early enough in the day to avoid the «special event parking» rates, roughly 2:30 p.m., and got back to our car around 11 p.m. Total charge: $ 5. No complaints here.
An added bonus to parking at Carnegie: We were a minute’s walk to the Allegheny T station, and used it to grab some grub at Primanti’s in Market Square beforehand.
We got in line 75 minutes before doors opened, and with about 15 minutes to go, I saw a security guard fling sarcasm at a woman asking if she could park along the curb right outside the venue. When she questioned it, he pointed to all the «NO PARKING» signs and said, «Yeah, English is a really hard language to grasp, isn’t it?»
Fine…it may have been a dumb question, but you’re still a representative of the venue. Show some class, will ya?
When doors opened, I was subject to a pretty vigorous pat-​down and a super-​close inspection of my keys. After a quick scan of my tickets, my son and I grabbed a bottle of water from the concession stand ($ 3.50), which they gave to me without the cap. Then we made a bee-​line for the barricade to get up front and hopefully stay there at least through Gogol’s set.
The layout is as described from many other reviews: There’s a fairly-​wide pit area that goes back about 100 feet (?) to the sound booth. Just beyond that area is a mildly-​angled lawn area, separated by some gating/​fencing. To the left and right of the stage are concession areas. Bathrooms were a series of trailers, but I have to give credit where it’s due: They were air-​conditioned, as clean as you could expect for a rock concert, and there were plenty of them.
The highly-​praised (from Unilocal reviews) sound wasn’t too impressive for the opening act (Mariachi El Bronx), mostly in the vocals, but it got fixed over the course of their set. By the time Gogol and Flogging played, everything had been corrected and they both sounded fabulous.
My experience at the barricade was superb, and a far cry from the criticisms I’ve heard about security. From the get-​go, a security guard was chatting me up and joking around, and it made the downtime go a lot quicker. During Gogol’s set, security guards were offering people up front water if they looked like they needed it. They hauled a couple of girls — who’d had enough of being rammed up against the steel — over the barricade and toward safety.
My son took a shoe to the arm from a crowd-​surfer and, as I tended to him, security guards were right there to make sure he was okay, and asking if we needed any help.
After Gogol’s set, my son had had enough and suggested we move back to watch Flogging Molly. Beforehand, we hit the concession stand and I asked for a couple of fountain sodas, listed at a reasonable (all things considered) $ 1.75 per. They said they didn’t have fountain sodas (although they *were* listed on the board), but that they had bottles. Thinking there’d be no difference in price, I got two and was whacked with an $ 8 charge. Ouch.
Despite that, the people at the stand were nice and asked my son questions about the show and if he was having a good time. So the prices weren’t great, but at least they were trying to be friendly and sociable.
After we got our drinks, my son and I skirted around the farthest reaches of the lawn and I gotta say… there really wasn’t a bad spot. At a sold-​out show, I could see where it might be tougher to get a good view, just for how packed it would be. But for this show (maybe 75% capacity?), we couldn’t lose. I worry about my son, because he’s just a little guy and it’s tougher for him to see sometimes, but he got to watch Flogging Molly’s set without issue (or at least until he got tired and sat down).
As others have mentioned, the city backdrop is pretty sweet, and makes for some cool scenery at night.
I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to Stage AE. I’d just be a little more careful about what I’m actually paying for concessions, but overall, I enjoyed my first concert experience there.

First, let me say that everything here is overpriced, including the tickets.
The real reason I am writing this review is because I went to the bar here while seeing a show and the bartender refused to give me a cup of water. He instead suggested that I buy a bottle of water for $ 3.50. I asked for the cup of water in addition to a drink I was ordering that cost $ 10.50 (did I mention this place was overpriced?). I would MAYBE be a little more understanding if I wasn’t also ordering a drink, but really this is unacceptable either way. Perhaps they would also refuse free water to someone who passes out in the crowd at a show? Wouldn’t surprise me. Anything for a buck at this place.
This is the ONLY time I have ever been at a bar that refuses to serve its patrons a cup of water for free, ESPECIALLY when they are buying other drinks. It’s not like I walked in off the street and asked for a drink. Did I mention my ticket cost $ 49???
Go see a show at Mr. Smalls for $ 20 instead of $ 50 and they will happily give you a free cup of water if you are thirsty or want to take a break from drinking alcohol. Anyone who says this place is great only sees shows at large venues and doesn’t care about getting ripped off on everything. This place sucks.

Stage AE is a fantastic concert venue if you show up early. We were easily able to get a standing spot right near the front for the Styx concert on 5÷7÷2015. The outdoor setting is really fun for a summer concert on a nice day, and the selection of acts seems fairly diverse from their website. While the drinks are overpriced with typical venue inflation, the selection was actually quite good. Overall a great experience!

Love the sound of the space, even though there is no real personality, but then in 2015, in terms of the modern spaces, personality is a thing of the past…
Saw my second show ever at AE last night, Todd Rundgren. As much as my A Perfect Circle experience at AE was LAME — the security was totally intimidating and TOO INTENSE — but I love Todd too much to let Nazi security deter me. As expected, we got frisked from head to toe, made empty our pockets, took away water bottle AND umbrella… went through my wife’s purse —- all this for a rock concert!!! At leastp once inside, there was no real security presence and we could enjoy the show. AE is just another one of many oppressive venues that treat us like cattle to be processed. OH, and I was really hungry, wound up spending $ 4.50 on a soft pretzel…

First, are there two places to review, outside and inside? Didn’t see the distinction, so here goes:
Stage AE outside: Jack White, rain and miserable — fabulous concert, though!
Stage AE inside: Government Mule, sat in the bleachers… not a pit fan — sound was great!
Ticket prices were unremarkable. Beer/​concession prices, typical. Acoustics, hooray!
Parking is more than adequate, regardless how busy the city may be.
My only complaint is the lines to get in — very slow moving. Very.
Some have mentioned rude staff. I don’t see concert staff as service staff, so much as shepards to the patrons cows. And beer? Thanks, but skip the chat, make the change and move it along — nothing wrong with that at a busy concert.

They only get 3 stars because the venue is great, but the staff is horrible. Rude, uncooperative, even somewhat aggressive or indifferent. Time to change it up, I won’t likely return, sad… Cause the space is excellent.

Been to so many concerts here: Buck Cherry, Return to Forever, Cheap Trick, Boston, Counting Crows, Sublime, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Devo, and even attended as a volunteer pouring for New Holland during the Pittsburgh Craft Beer Fest. Always had a great time be it an outdoor show or an indoor event.
Last night I saw Gaelic Storm. I’ve seen them a number of times and they have never disappointed. Great show! But every show has been good at Stage AE (with the exception of the Slightly Stupid concert who didn’t take the stage until after 10:00 pm on a «school night»). The venue is the perfect size for live act. Not a bad seat/​view anywhere.
I always have a good time there and the atmosphere is just perfect. Something about the place just screams, «Lets rock and roll!» Last year my girlfriend, at the age of 55, body surfed during the Sublime concert and is so proud to tell about it! And somehow, without even trying or with predetermined intent, I always end up in the first or second row by the end of the concert. I’ve got tickets to see Todd Rundgren in April and the Bare Naked Ladies with the Violent Femmes in May. Looking forward to more rocking good times.
My only knock on the place is that the drinks are expensive and you’re not permitted to bring drinks in from the outside. My advice is to pre-​lube either on your tailgate or at one of the venues outside of the place and simply enjoy the concert and ignore the concession stands inside. If enough people did that, perhaps they would bring their prices down to a more reasonable cost.

Having attended concerts here and worked behind the scenes, I have a pretty good idea of what Stage AE is all about: money. Disclaimer: this isn’t bad as it’s any company’s goal but Stage AE is just awful.
They won’t allow outside food or drinks in, so what do guests have to do with them? Throw them away. The prices inside are crazy.
The worst part? Stage AE claims to recycle but EVERYTHING is thrown into the trash. Thousands of bottles and cans for each show are simply trashed. They claim they recycle when I ask them about it but I have seen both sides and there is no recycling happening here.

I’ve been to Stage AE three times now. It’s great to have a venue of this size in the city; prior to Stage AE there wasn’t too much available between the really small places and an arena.
I have been to four shows here now, the most recent being Phantogram in March and Alabama Shakes just last week. These two, along with Passion Pit in 2012, were all indoor shows. The inside stage feels kind of like a club; it’s big enough to accompany a decent crowd but not so huge that you feel totally disconnected from the performance. I have always had quick service at the bar (even when there is a huge crowd trying to get drinks) and the bartenders have been friendly. Drinks are not that outrageously priced (for a concert venue), which is refreshing these days.
In summer of 2012 I saw Feist outside, and that part of the venue was great as well. It was nice being able to either stand in the crowd or take a seat in the grass and watch from the hill.
I have already bought tickets for Chvrches in June and plan on seeing Arctic Monkeys (also in June) as well. There are other shows coming up too… looks like I’ll definitely be getting further acquainted with Stage AE this summer!