If there’s a theme for the concerts in March, it’s “get there early”.

It’s a great month for live music and also a weird month as many of the most interesting bands are undercards: Mdou Moctar, L’Rain, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, Melvins, Negative Approach.

The value of a good opener is underestimated. It’s a great way to find something new and unexpected. Even when all the recorded story music is at your fingertips, sometimes it has to be live and right in front of you for it to make sense.

And if the openings suck, hey, it’s always a great time for a beer.

As always, please note that most venues require proof of vaccination, negative Covid tests and/or masks, so check with each club. (But really, do this stuff anyway). It is also likely that there will be further Covid related cancellations so check well before you go.

March 1, Tool, The Acid Helps: PPG Paints Arena, Uptown

Maynard James Keenan is reclusive and elusive for a rock star, but he never wanted it any other way. To hear him say it, making music is something he does in the off season when things slow down at his winery (Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars in northern Arizona). Again, Keenan’s bands – especially the progressive metal behemoths Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer – had no problem selling millions of albums and selling out stages without too many catchy singles, airplay and/or the usual promotions. They only make albums when they feel like it, and if that means skipping a decade or two… so be it. The fans still come back.

March 1, Son Volt, Jesse Farrar: Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale

As one half of the songwriting force of beloved band Uncle Tupelo of the early 1990s, Jay Farrar helped start an unlikely revolution in pop music – the resurrection of old country music for indie-rock audiences. . Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were uneasy equals in the group, the strengths of each songwriter filling in the voids left by the other. It was as if Neil Young and Bob Dylan were trying to share a stage. Obviously, it was too explosive a combination to last. Tweedy became a real rock star with Wilco, and Farrar formed Son Volt – and didn’t. His Volt is however a very good group. Farrar always looks like he carries the weight of the world in his voice, though his mercurial, introspective approach to Americana will keep him free from the pesky burdens of fame.

Photo courtesy of the Ministry’s Instagram.

March 4, Ministry, Melvins, Corrosion of Conformity: Stage AE, North Shore

Ministry began preaching the New Wave/synth-pop gospel in 1981, before shifting radically to gritty, confrontational industrial metal. But Al Jourgensen and company always kept a few pop nuts and bolts inside the machinery, and that helped them sell more records than anyone in the genre except Nine Inch Nails. They even released a record last year (“Moral Hygiene”), featuring guest spots from members of Megadeth, NWA and punk prophet Jello Biafra. The Melvins have been around almost as long – singer/guitarist Buzz “King Buzzo” Osborne literally introduced Dave Grohl to Kurt Cobain. Their spiky, aggressive post-punk and heavy, doom-laden Black Sabbath-style metal had a huge influence on Nirvana and a high percentage of all bands, good and bad, that followed in their wake.

Photo courtesy of Flower Crown Facebook page.

March 4, Flower Crown, Glam Hand: Spirit, Lawrenceville

Pittsburgh Rockers Crown of flowers release their new album “Heat” this month. With a band name like that, you’d be tempted to guess that they make crazy psychedelic pop — and you’d be right. However, the disco ball on the cover suggests a new burst of bright, shimmering mid-tempo music and endless replayability – and something you could probably even dance to. One of Pittsburgh’s best bands just hit a creative peak.

Tame Impala. Photo by Matt Sav.

March 7, Tame Impala: Petersen Events Center, Oakland

australian rockers Tame the impala started in 2010 as purveyors of groovy Technicolor psychedelia, throwbacks to the upbeat side of the 60s. However, slowly over the past decade they have evolved into a synth-focused, dancefloor-ready pop band – and thus became one of the biggest bands in the world. That’s why they’re at Pete, a basketball arena, whose acoustics will be challenged by the delicately layered sound of Tame Impala.

Pablo Sainz-Villegas. Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

March 11-13, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with Pablo Sáinz-Villegas: Heinz Hall, Downtown

The always sublime PSO combines with Spanish guitar master Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, considered by some to be the greatest living classical guitarist. They will perform Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez” for guitar and orchestra, as well as works by Prokofiev, Debussy and Lutoslawski, under the direction of Spanish conductor Juanjo Mena.

Photo courtesy of Tyler, the creator’s Instagram.

March 12, Tyler, The Creator, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, Teezo Touchdown: Petersen Events Center, Oakland

It’s funny when the most dangerous and disruptive musicians unexpectedly mature into something acceptable – like how Dr. Dre was in the famous NWA, but just performed at the halftime show of the Super Bowl. Likewise, Tyler the Creator burst into hip-hop as a kind of vicious punk upstart a few years ago. And now it’s headlining arenas and topping year-end top critics lists. Freed from the need to play the bad guy, he pulls off some of the most clever and original moves in hip-hop. Again, the undercard here is staggering. Vince Staples is neck and neck with Tyler and Kendrick Lamar as one of the game’s most important lyricists. Colombian-American retro-Latin soul singer Kali Uchis has gone from living in her car to winning Grammys and collaborating with Mac Miller in just a few years. I have no idea who Teezo Touchdown is, but kudos for the name.

Khrouangbin. Photo by Mindy Kang.

March 12, Khruangbin, Nubya Garcia: Internship AE, North Shore

With a suite of influences extending far beyond the musical Anglosphere (Thai Luk thung, Persian pop, Japanese folk-rock), a native of Houston Khruangbin has become a big problem here in the United States. They are mostly instrumental, which makes their popularity doubly confusing and surprising. It’s fun, funky and versatile psychedelia that refuses to sit quietly in the background when you put it on. To their credit, the Houston trio really loves music that falls outside of the western rock canon and inspires kids to listen to music that would normally only be found in the dustiest nooks of the most analog-heavy record stores and off-grid world.

Photo courtesy of Le Vent du Nord

March 12, Le Vent du Nord: Kelly Strayhorn Theatre, East Liberty

The North wind plays traditional French folk from their native Quebec. If that doesn’t quite get your heart pumping, consider them a version of extremely high-energy Celtic music – which flourished in both Brittany (northern France) and Canada – with vocals in French. Their instruments tell the story – guitar, Irish bouzouki, hurdy-gurdy, button accordion, acoustic bass and jew’s harp. It’s something you don’t hear every day in Pittsburgh. I hope they bring poutine!