Scott Tady: These 2023 concerts were simply the best

Wow, what a superb year for concerts.

Here are the 2023 Pittsburgh area shows that stood out the most to me.

10. Pink and Brandi Carlile, Aug. 5, PNC Park.

The Philly pop star brought the hits, delivered charm, and incredibly catapulted while spinning upside down clear to the top of the Pittsburgh Pirates stadium, in one of her many circus-like stunts. Pink added a solid mix of humor and poignancy (a tribute to the recently passed Sinead O'Connor.) Plus, opening acts can make a difference, and no 2023 opener played a fiercer and more fun set than alt-country's Carlile.

More: Concert review: Pink soars high in solid, electrifying Pittsburgh performance

9. Aerosmith, Sept. 6, PPG Paints Arena.

You never know what you'll get from the classic rock legends, but Steven Tyler and guitar ace Joe Perry were on fire this night. Tyler sang with mighty force, though three nights later, the group postponed the rest of its tour after he suffered a major vocal cord injury.

More: Sweet emotions: Aerosmith rocks mightily at Pittsburgh farewell show

8. Billy Strings, Dec. 12, Petersen Events Center.

The 31-year-old bluegrass sensation demonstrated stupendous strumming skills and sang with conviction, backed by a top-flight band with mandolin, banjo, upright bass and fiddle.

More: Lord of The Strings: Bluegrass star Billy Strings blazes and amazes in Pittsburgh

7. John Mellencamp, May 22, Benedum Center.

The musical pride of Indiana's smoke-coarsened voice sounded magnificent, somehow adding genuineness to his steady supply of blue-collar lyrics. From the "going to work on Monday/Got yourself a family" of "Check It Out" to the "suck it up and tough it out/And be the best you can" advice in "Minutes to Memories," Mellencamp's vocal grit, go-for-the-gusto singing, and animated stage gestures all sounded and felt utterly sincere and full of wisdom.

More: John Mellencamp excites, engages opening night of Pittsburgh performances

6. Here Come The Mummies, Oct. 19, Jergel's Rhythm Grille.

The eight-piece Nashville funk band's anonymous members wore mummy costumes, as tradition dictates, keeping in character throughout a loose, loud and impossible-not-to-smile-at performance launched with a drum line march from the juke joint's upstairs greenroom, down the steps and through the dance floor throng, banging colorfully lit percussion instruments the whole time. The band's gimmick, especially in the Halloween season, is a hoot, but as musicians, they're also smoking hot.

More: Scott Tady: Mummies, organs, Ballers & Joni bring music to celebrate locally

5. Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew, March 3, Roxian Theatre.

Talking Heads' keyboardist-guitarist Harrison and King Crimson guitar sorcerer Belew reprised their rhythmically rich 1980 tour collaboration for a grateful audience that turned the show into a non-stop party. The back-to-back-to-back pre-encore whammy of Talking Heads gems "Life During Wartime," "Once in a Lifetime" and "Take Me to The River" was as exhilarating as any stretch of live music this year.

More: Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew bring non-stop party to the Roxian

4. Ed Sheeran, July 8, Acrisure Stadium.

How did he do that? How did Sheeran simultaneously strum a guitar, while manipulating foot pedals that sampled him slapping that same guitar to create an on-the-spot percussion track that backed his live singing as a constantly rotating platform spun him around clockwise from an in-the-round stage surrounded by 67,000 fans? Complicated, but he made it look easy and fun, set to enjoyable songs and engaging audience banter. For the encore, the cheery Englishman wore a Steelers jersey with the name "Mac" on the back, a cool tribute to one of his hip-hop heroes, the late-Mac Miller of Pittsburgh. The mammoth crowd was a good one, polite and focused on the music, which matters.

More: Concert Review: Ed Sheeran + Pittsburgh = spectacular

3. The Eagles, Oct. 15, PPG Paints Arena.

They could have merely gone through the motions, but the legendary country-rockers demonstrated their musical passion and pride still burns brightly. Don Henley nailed the high notes, Joe Walsh blazed on guitar and sprinkled in his quirky humor. Vince Gill and Deacon Frey, filling in for his late father Glenn, skillfully shared vocals and guitar work. And with one of American music's greatest songbooks to draw from, even if you've seen the Eagles a dozen times, this farewell tour visit felt extra special.

2. Eric Clapton, Sept. 8, PPG Paints Arena.

The surprise of the year. It would have been fine if ol' Slowhand just churned out his hits like an on-stage jukebox, but no: Clapton sounded amazing. His guitar mastery − the fluidity, controlled dynamics, clean tone and above all the feeling with which he played − made this night memorable, plus he surrounded himself with a top-notch band including Andy Fairweather Low, Paul Carrack and two fine backing vocalists. As a nice touch, Clapton launched his set covering The Band's "The Shape I'm In," a tip of the cap to the then recently departed Robbie Robertson. This was the best concert audience I witnessed in 2023. They didn't talk during the performance; they weren't sloppy or rude; fans just came to peacefully behold a guitar god, cheering loudly and rising to their feet when appropriate.

More: Scott Tady: Clapton ruled; and Jambridge a must-see festival

1. The Sadies, May 4, Club Cafe. A recurring theme to this Top-10 list: A hungry band performing for a respectful, appreciative audience always elevates a concert. That happened when vastly underrated Canadian band The Sadies headlined a cozy South Side-Pittsburgh club. Tapping into 2022's outstanding "Colder Streams" album, The Sadies delivered twangy, propulsive country-western with a few sturdy shakes of psychedelic-rock. The band's urgency was infectious. Travis Good, now the lone frontman, kept his eyes tightly closed much of the time when singing and shredding on electric and acoustic guitars, not to be distracted when imparting the band's heart-on-the-sleeve messages. Travis' brother and band co-founder Dallas Good, had died unexpectedly 14 months earlier and was memorialized with a large tapestry of his likeness that served as the stage's visual backdrop. The Sadies honored his memory by playing with intensified purpose for fans close enough to reach out and touch from the non-elevated stage. "This is the best country-western show I've ever seen!" shouted a spectator two-thirds through the concert. Wasn't me, but I understood.

More: Scott Tady: The Sadies amazed; Rochester choral concert deserves attention.

Ah, but what about Taylor Swift, you ask?

She landed at lucky No. 13, of course, for a visually spectacular, career-spanning marathon. You lose some musicality and nuances playing a stadium stuffed with 72,000 people, but the pop superstar still sounded excellent, and her fans are an utter delight in their positivity.

Rounding out my Top 20:

Pablo Cruise at Jergel's; KT Tunstall at the Three Rivers Arts Festival; Angel Olsen at Mr. Smalls Theatre; Joe Bonamassa at the Benedum; Spiritualized at Mr. Smalls; Ashley McBryde at Stage AE; The Offspring-Simple Plan-Sum 41 at The Pavilion at Star Lake; Paramore at PPG Paints; Boygenius at Stage AE.

What were your favorite 2023 Pittsburgh concerts? Let Scott Tady, Times Entertainment Editor, know at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Tady: These 2023 concerts were simply the best