Pittsburgh’s long running indie punk, emo and hardcore Four Chord Music Festival is celebrating its 10th birthday at a new venue this year, the 140-year-old historical landmark of Pittsburgh’s Carrie Furnace on the banks of the Monongahela River in the Pittsburgh area industrial town of Swissvale.
“We’ve been trying to get in there for a while,” festival founder Rishi Bahl tells Billboard. “Carrie Furnace is one of the oldest blast furnaces in Pittsburgh, which obviously is known for steel,” adding, “It just felt right for the 10th anniversary to bring the festival back to Pittsburgh proper, which aligns with the ethos of the festival and its blue collar, independent, DIY and anti-Live Nation endeavor”
The historical festival site will serves at the backdrop for the 10th anniversary of Four Chord, June 22 and 23, featuring A Day To Remember, All-American Rejects, The Story So Far, Something Corporate, State Champs, Motion City Soundtrack, Four Year Strong, The Get Up Kids, Microwave, Militarie Gun, Relient K and more.
Situated within the remnants of the iconic U.S Steel Homestead Steel Works, the Carrie Blast Furnaces stand as a testament to Pittsburgh’s industrial prowess in the 20th century.
“We’re going to outfit the furnaces with lights and branding to match the festival,” says Bahl, who also leads the band Eternal Boy and is an assistant professor at La Roche University in Pittsburgh.
Four Chords began in 2014 as a local punk rock festival in a 1500-capacity club and has grown into a massive stadium-sized two-day destination event, featuring the punk scene’s biggest and brightest, while keeping its independent DIY roots intact.
Bahl says, “10 years is a long time. Most things that you were into 10 years ago have not survived, so to reach the 10th anniversary of Four Chord Music Fest is something we are very proud of. We really tried to make this one the biggest and best one yet and are stoked to spend the weekend with all of you at our brand new, historical landmark of a location, The Carrie Furnace. Get out the sunscreen and bring the Advil, it is going to be a party.”
This year, Four Chord Fest is partnering with nonprofit Biggies Bullies which is dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of pitbull-type dogs in both Pittsburgh and its neighboring regions.
Attendees can choose from general admission and VIP tickets, with a new deluxe VIP tier now available. This option provides access to a spacious elevated viewing lounge, private bathrooms, a partially open bar, and more, enhancing the overall festival experience. Early bird GA tickets and VIP are on sale now, while public on sale opens Friday (Feb. 23) at 11 a.m. Eastern.
