Ty Taylor on the bar at Stage AEWhether it's a hockey arena or a small club, Ty Taylor knows how to work a room, as he demonstrated again on Friday night at Stage AE.

The CMU grad who fronts Vintage Trouble brought the LA band back to Pittsburgh after having won over The Who crowd cold at Consol in November. This was a chance to get up close -- or even up on stage, as as two dancing fans did early in the set.

"These ladies are the example of how to party!" Taylor said.

VT didn't get a huge return on The Who show on a wintry night in March. There may have been 150 people in the frontroom Club at Stage AE, but he rocked them, like Otis Day at the frat party. As a theater major who grow up with vintage R&B, Taylor has soul to burn and charisma to match, channeling the likes of James Brown, Jackie Wilson and, yes, Tina Turner.

The three musicians behind him can deliver the jolting funk of the Famous Flames, the garage-rock fury of the White Stripes or the heavy blues thunder of Zeppelin. The band's signature song, "Blues Hand Me Down," postively sizzled; Ike and Tina's "Baby Get It On" had Taylor holding court on top of the bar (likely a first at AE); and "Run Outta You" was a launch pad for Nalle Colt to unleash one of the fiercest blues guitar solos that will be played here all year.

The songs, most of which came from the band's 2010 debut, aren't always vintage level -- how could they be? -- so there were some lags in the set where it felt like typical bar-band stuff and places where the songs were drawn out too long ("Jezzebella" and "You Better Believe It"). Taylor likes to push every song to the limit, where sometimes, like on the half-chill ballad "Nobody Told Me," you wish for understated.

Vintage Trouble has already done some work on the follow-up album, so the next time we see them, we should get a fresh set. Let's hope the songwriting shines, because Taylor and company are too talented, too seasoned and too thrilling to go unnoticed.

Progressive rock band Kansas is playing a "once-in-a-lifetime fan appreciation concert" to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and that event will take place in Pittsburgh, on Aug.17 at the Benedum.

The concert will mark the first time in more than 30 years that all six original members of the band will be on stage together. Kansas will begin the concert backed by a 35-piece orchestra, and then follow with a traditional rock band second set. The concert is not part of a tour, as the band is taking a break from its regular touring schedule.

Kansas formed in 1973 in Topeka, Kan. Why celebrate in Pittsburgh?

'“People need to know that Pittsburgh, and the whole state of Pennsylvania,  discovered the band Kansas first!," drummer Phil Ehart said in a statement. "We came here in the early days and Pittsburgh was like our home away from home! Heck, we are even using Rich  Engler to promote this show at what used to be the Stanley Theater. Rich Engler and the incredible Stanley Theater….just like the old days! How cool is that?”

Three of the original members -- Dave Hope, Kerry Livgren and Robby Steinhardt -- are no longer with the band and will be returning as special guests. They'll join original members Steve Walsh, Robbie Williams and Phil Ehart, and current members Billy Greer and David Ragsdale

There will be a limited number of VIP tickets available, but there are no details yet on prices or sale date.

Go ahead and scratch the possibility of another Stone Temple Pilots reunion show for the summer concert lineup.

This morning the band tweeted: “Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland.”

They didn't actually kill their lead singer, because he was alive enough this afternoon to post on his Facebook page: "I learned of my supposed 'termination' from Stone Temple Pilots this morning by reading about it in the press. Not sure how I can be 'terminated' from a band that I founded, fronted and co-wrote many of its biggest hits, but that’s something for the lawyers to figure out. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing all of my fans on my solo tour which starts this Friday."

It's been a long ordeal for both parties ever since the singer's substance abuse problems arose around 1996, following the band's third (and perhaps best) album, "Tiny Music: Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop)."

The band broke up in 2002, after two more albums, and then regrouped in 2008, eventually releasing a self-titled comeback album in 2010. In between breaks, there was Velvet Revolver, Army of Anyone, solo projects, etc.

We had the dubious honor of hosting STP here in 2010 (First Niagara Pavilion) and 2011 (Station Square). I skipped the '11 show based on the '10 show, which happened right after the accusations of Weiland lip-synching, based on the vocal continuing after he fell off the stage at a previous show.

Lip-synching may have been an improvement on that Burgettstown gig because his vocals were subpar (some blamed the sound mix) and it was clear that STP was out of sync with its frontman. The energy of the show just died about midway through, partly due to his ranting and the band's odd noodling.

Now, amidst the Internet drama, there's a fanbase divided -- right on Weiland's facebook page -- based on the comments:

STP without Scott? That's an oxymoron. Or a double negative. Does not compute. Terminal error. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Dude seriously Scott Whineland, get over urself and grow the f up! U couldnt even handle a show in as small of a town as here in Clarkston. U need to get some serious help. Go to rehab or a hospital or whatever u gotta do! I dont feel sorry at all for u. Ur a grown ass man and they fired u becuz u r f'ing up! Grow some [b---] and be a man. I havent liked ur [s---] since the 90s anyways.