Summer Concert Guide to Northeast Pennsylvania

You can hear it already. Music. It's the sound of summertime in Northeast Pennsylvania.

There are some great indoor and outdoor concert venues in and around the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton areas of Northeast Pennsylvania. And this summer promises to bring some of the best music acts of all time, as well as some new faces to the area.

Here are some highlights:

Country superstar Toby Keith has been making almost annual appearances in the area, and long before his superstar status. He will hit the Toyota Pavilion in August, playing his old hits like "Should've Been a Cowboy" to his latest smashes, "Whiskey Girl" and "American Soldier."

Meatloaf has been very successful in Northeast PA over the years as well, nearly selling out each year. Perhaps this is due in part to his music being passed down to new generations. Who doesn't love "Paradise by the Dashboard Light?"

Back to the country scene, Kenny Chesney and some friends will also hit the mountain in August. Unbeknowst to many fans, Chesney actually made about six albums and had several strong radio hits before he blossomed into superstar status. Once known for ballads and upbeat songs, he has become somewhat of a Jimmy Buffet country style guy, with his beach and youth themed songs. Chesney previously opened for bigger country acts and headlined fair shows in the area, but in the past few years Chesney graduated to A+ act and is selling out large venues.

The Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Moosic

Montage Mountain is located halfway between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, just off Interstate 81 making it easy for locals and out-of-towners to get to. Breaking Benjamin kicked off the Summer 2007 concert season at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain in early June. Here is a look at what else is in store for the mountain, as of press time. (Additional shows are very likely to be added as the summer progresses.)

--Rush- Friday, June 29
--Stevie Nicks w/Vanessa Carlton- Saturday, June 30
--Kenny Chesney, Sugarland and Pat Green- The Flip Flop Summer Tour- Friday, July 20
--Vans Warped Tour 2007- Thursday, July 26
--Meatloaf- Thursday, August 2
--Toby Keith- Friday, August 17
--Poison and Ratt- Saturday, August 25 (Northeast PA loves hair bands. Read this.)

The Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza- Wilkes-Barre
The Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre has become a year-round entertainment venue for people of all ages. In addition to being the home for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins ice hockey team and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers AF2 football team, the arena hosts family shows and concerts year round. This summer, the following concerts are slated:

--Martina McBride w/ Little Big Town- Friday, June 29
--Dancing with the Stars Tour- Thursday, July 5
--Josh Grobin- Tuesday, July 31
--Keith Urban w/ the Wreckers- Tuesday, August 14

To read more about concert venues in the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton area, you can read this AC article.

For information about where to eat in the area, check out this article on the best bar/restaurants in the area.