The Opening of Citizens Live at The Wylie Sparks a Hill District Resurgence
The venue pays tribute to the neighborhood’s past while contributing to the future of live performances in Pittsburgh.
PHOTO BY EVAN JOSEPH
Pittsburgh has a new performance venue with a century-old soul.
On Sept. 28, after two years of construction, the 4,000-capacity Citizens Live at The Wylie opened in the Lower Hill District with Donnie Iris & The Cruisers and NASH.V.ILL featuring Byron Nash. The inaugural show benefited the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
PHOTO BY EVAN JOSEPH
The venue, which is within walking distance of PPG Paints Arena, as well as many Downtown hotels and restaurants, will host more than 100 events each year, from concerts and community gatherings to private events.
Its opening season begins with Role Model on Oct. 1 and Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa on Oct. 2, followed by Styx, Foster the People, Modest Mouse, Chance the Rapper, Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Little Big Town and more.
PHOTO BY EVAN JOSEPH
The building is a love letter to the historic Black neighborhood, which was a hub of American music before development in the 1950s displaced residents, reshaped the area and silenced the vibrant Wylie Avenue scene.
“The Hill District has always been a place of extraordinary creativity, resilience and cultural influence,” Dr. Cathryn Calhoun, director of education and community engagement at AWAACC, says in a press release. “Paying sincere tribute to that history matters, and it is especially meaningful when that tribute helps create new opportunities for the community and the next generation.”
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Images from Carnegie Museum of Art’s Charles “Teenie” Harris Archive are showcased throughout the venue. The photographer who captured the spirit of the Hill District during the 20th century will get a star on Pittsburgh’s Walk of Fame in the Strip District on Oct. 13.
Multiple design elements also pay tribute to the neighborhood’s past, including a mirrored piano inspired by the Crawford Grill that hangs from the main lobby’s ceiling like a disco ball.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Other unique features include a terrace with views overlooking Pittsburgh’s skyline and the Vinyl Room, an intimate listening lounge inspired by Japanese hi-fi bars. Open before, during and after the show, the space features a live deejay, Pittsburgh music memorabilia, a menu of chef-driven food and signature cocktails. It’s available to premium ticket holders and fans looking to enhance their night out.
The main music hall will also have upscale grab-and-go food options, ranging from Bavarian pretzels to pierogies, along with local beer, spirits and non-alcoholic options.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Although the building is 98,500 square feet, it feels intimate, with only 130 feet between the stage and the back row. There are five well-appointed dressing rooms for performers and equally luxurious spaces for their family, friends and crew members.
Tom Loudermilk, Live Nation’s Pittsburgh Region Market President, says he wants visitors to feel at home at Citizens Live at The Wylie — and be compelled to come back.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
In addition to attracting artists from across all genres and around the world, the venue created more than 350 permanent jobs, with many employees hired from the Hill District. For every ticket sold, Live Nation will direct $2 to the Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund for a decade and support programming at the historic New Granada Theater.
Citizens Live at The Wylie is part of a larger movement to jumpstart the Lower Hill’s cultural and economic heartbeat, complete with a retail incubator offering small businesses from the neighborhood a platform of visibility and growth.
