Pittsburgh shows by Mariah Carey, Billy Strings, Travis Scott highlight December calendar

2023 blessed us with a steady batch of standout concerts, and we're not done yet.

December offers Christmas queen Mariah Carey, rap star Travis Scott, and newgrass sensation Billy Strings on back-to-back nights in Pittsburgh.

Christmas shows from country star Sara Evans and Beaver County's on-the-rise "American Idol" finalist Morgan Gruber add zest to the holiday season.

Here's the December concert highlights in Western Pennsylvania, plus a peek into what 2024 brings, concert-wise.

PPG Paints Arena

Dec. 5: Mariah Carey

Dec. 8: Travis Scott

Dec. 16: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Feb. 3: Jo Koy; Feb. 5: Madonna; Feb. 7: Playboi Carti; Feb. 16-17: Drake; March 8: Lauren Daigle; March 9: Zach Bryan; March 15: Bryan Adams; March 25: Avenged Sevenfold; March 27: Fall Out Boy; March 29: Kane Brown; April 4: Andrea Bocelli; April 27: Tim McGraw; May 2: Tom Segura; May 15: NF; May 18: Greta van Fleet; June 25: AJR; Aug. 15 and 18: Bruce Springsteen; Sept. 26: Sebastian Maniscalco.

More: Get your 'Summer of '69' in Pittsburgh, as Bryan Adams sets PPG Paints Arena concert date

Petersen Events Center

Dec. 12-13: Billy Strings

Jan. 19: Crowder, Lacrea, Cain; March 19: Toby Mac; Oct. 26: Lainey Wilson.

Jergel's Rhythm Grille

Dec. 8: Justin Fabus, Mary Ours, Borstal Boys

Dec. 13: Reb Beach Band

Jan. 18: Colt Ford with Eldorado Band; Jan. 28: Mr. Big.

Palace Theatre

Dec. 3: Jim Brickman

Dec. 13: Terry Fator

Dec. 15: Sara Evans

Jan. 25: Rodney Carrington; March 10: Kenny Wayne Shepherd; March 22: Leanne Morgan; April 7: Buddy Guy; April 10: Yachtly Crew; June 7: Air Supply.

Stage AE

Dec. 1: Lukas Nelson and POTR

Dec. 14: Lany

Dec. 16: Matt Light

Jan. 19: Conner Smith; Feb. 1: Umphrey's McGee; Feb. 8: Greensky Bluegrass; Feb. 13: The Dead South; Feb. 19: Static-X and Sevendust; Feb. 21: Neck Deep; March 16: Waterparks; March 28: 49 Winchester; April 11: JJ Grey & Mofro; June 5: Bleachers; June 20: Brothers Osborne (outdoors); June 28: Oliver Anthony (outdoors); July 18: O.A.R. and Fitz & The Tantrums (outdoors).

UPMC Events Center

March 16: Donnie Iris; March 21: Leanne Morgan; April 6: Rend Collective.

More: Donnie Iris says he feels great; announces March show in Moon

Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall

Dec. 1: Nikki Glaser

Dec. 2: Jazz is Dead

Dec. 5: Kenny G.

Dec. 6: Dave Koz & Friends

Dec. 8: Morgan Gruber

Dec. 12:  Postmodern Jukebox

Dec. 15: Brian Kilmeade

Jan. 15: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken; Jan. 19: Charlie Berens; Jan. 25: Three Dog Night; Feb. 6: Extreme with Living Colour; Feb. 27: Aimee Mann; March 2: Wayne Newton; March 9: Taylor Dayne; March 10: Lewis Black; April 12: Gregorian; April 19: Jim Breuer; April 28: Toto; March 1: Carbonaro; May 9: Marc Maron; May 14: Amy Grant.

Roxian Theatre

Dec. 10: Steel Panther

Jan. 8: Story of The Year; Feb. 1: Machine Head; Feb. 12: Band of Horses; Feb. 16: Ghost Hounds; Feb. 27: Haken; March 1: Trombone Shorty; March 2: St. Paul & The Broken Bones; March 19: Blackberry Smoke; March 20: Set It Off; March 22: Grouplove; April 24: Queensrÿche; May 4: Madison Beer; May 19: Tommy Emmanuel.

City Winery Pittsburgh

Dec. 1: Jonathan Coulton

Dec. 6: Over The Rhine

Dec. 10: Joan Osborne

Dec. 12: Jon McLaughlin

Dec. 17-18: Musiq Soulchild

Jan. 16-17: Robert Glasper; Jan. 30: Foy Vance (sold out); Feb. 1: Stephen Kellogg; Feb. 24: Bob Schneider; March 12: Paul Thorn and Steve Poltz; March 17: Will Hoge; April 12: Suzanne Vega; April 21: Carbon Leaf.

Benedum Center

Dec. 11: A Very Yinzer Christmas with Scott Blasey, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, Jeff Jimerson and others.

Dec. 12: Straight No Chaser

March 9: Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit; April 25: Matt Rife.

1st Summit Arena, Johnstown

Dec. 1: Ice Nine Kills

March 14: Scotty McCreery.

Mr. Smalls Theatre

Dec. 2: The Cadillac Three

Dec. 29: The Commonheart

Jan. 13-14: Lotus; Jan. 20: Digable Planets; March 2: Blonde Redhead; March 16: Beach Weather.

Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall

Dec. 8: Keller Williams.

Dec. 10: The Mountain Goats

Dec. 15: Punchline

Jan. 20: G. Love & Special Sauce; Jan. 27: Wednesday; Feb. 9: Plain White T's; Feb. 19: Indigo de Souza; March 13: Marc Broussard; March 23: Dave Hause; March 27: Sonny Landreth & The Iguanas; April 25: Ana Popovic.

Heinz Hall

Dec. 4: Nurse Blake

Dec. 5: Celtic Women

Dec. 10: Il Divo

April 29: Bonnie Raitt; June 25: Laufey with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Byham Theater

Dec. 1: Alan Cummings and Ari Shapiro

March 27: Herbie Hancock; April 21: Jimmy Carr; April 28: Hasan Minhaj; July 13: Brad Williams.

Hard Rock Cafe

Dec. 10: Alana Springsteen.

Jan. 7: Asher Roth; Jan. 19: Billy Price Band.

Club Cafe

Dec. 1: Todd Berry

Dec. 16: Billy Price Band

Jan. 15: Steel Wheels; Feb. 7: Dan Bern.

Pavilion at Star Lake

May 29: Noah Kahan; June 19: New Kids on The Block; June 29: Hootie & The Blowfish; June 30: Tyler Childers; July 12: Chris Stapleton; July 29: Hozier; Aug. 3: Creed; Aug. 10: Jason Aldean.

Acrisure Stadium

June 1: Kenny Chesney.

PNC Park

Sept. 1: Green Day.

MCG Jazz Concert Hall

Dec. 2: New York Voices

Dec. 4: Lisa Ferraro

Dec. 16: Gerald Albright

Jan. 27: Diego Figueiredo; Feb. 24: Blue Note Quintet; March 9: Veronica Swift; March 23:  Jazzmeia Horn; April 6: Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra celebrates Duke Ellington at 125; April 27: Take 6; May 11: Kim and Kayla Waters.

More: Drake adds second PPG Paints Arena concert with J. Cole

Others

Dec. 2: Jackie Evancho, Westminster College's Orr Auditorium; Dec. 5: The Howard Levy 4, The Original Pittsburgh Winery; Dec. 6-7: Chris Jamison, Oaks Theater; Feb. 14: Veil of Maya, Preserving Underground, New Kensington; March 14: Otoboke Beaver, Spirit Hall, Lawrenceville; April 27: Judas Priest; May 20: Matthew Morrison, Greer Cabaret Theater.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: December concerts bring Mariah Carey, Billy Strings, Travis Scott