THURSDAY
RAW ‘VERVE’
RAW: natural born artists showcases local emerging artists in film, fashion, music, visual art, performance art, hair and makeup artistry and photography at XTAZA, 1620 Smallman St., Strip District, at 7 p.m.
“VERVE” will feature almost 60 local artists, including Tyler Miller, Natekodi, Nelly, Chelsea Kirk, Kristie Gutonski, Boutique Bijou, Le Beau Verre, Tyler Schmidt Photography and Trevor Oh. For a complete list of participating artists: http://www.rawartists.org/pittsburgh/verve. Portia Foxx will be the host, and DJ Motor Mane is guest DJ. Dress code for this 21-and-over event is fashionable attire. Valid ID is required.
Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door; www.RAWartists.org/pittsburgh or the RAW Pittsburgh Facebook page.
FRIDAY
Metal mariachi
Fresh from last year’s “America’s Got Talent” is Metalachi, a heavy metal mariachi Band that promises to “blend the worlds of Spinal Tap and Cheech & Chong” and has been praised by the likes of Howard Stern and Pantera.
Metalachi plays the Hard Rock Cafe, South Side, at 9 p.m. Friday. $10-$12; ticketfly.com.
FRIDAY
Fun with Weird Al
Along with being a four-time Grammy winner, Weird Al Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time, but you may have figured that. He invades the Cultural District on a new leg of the Mandatory World Tour.
Upon announcing it, he said, “I’ve decided to do the Mandatory World Tour for one more year after learning that some people didn’t make it out to the show this last time around. Apparently, they don’t know the meaning of the word ‘mandatory’!”
“Mandatory Fun,” the first comedy album in more than 50 years to hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts, found Weird Al putting his goofy spin on Iggy Azalea (“Handy”), Lorde (“Foil”), Robin Thicke (“Word Crimes”) and Imagine Dragons (“Inactive”), among others. It’s at the Benedum Center at 8 p.m. $39.50; trustarts.org.
FRIDAY
Madigan again
“I don’t have a computer. I’m going to wait until that whole fad is over. I was suckered in on the Pet Rock. Not twice, people.”
That little piece of wisdom comes from Kathleen Madigan, referred to by Lewis Black as “The funniest comic in America, bar none.” The 2014 American Comedy Award nominee for Best Concert Comic performs at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall in Munhall on Friday.
She can be found on Jerry Seinfeld’s web series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” and also on Netflix in her second special, “Madigan Again.”
It begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25-$45 at www.ticketfly.com.
FRIDAY
Norton laughs
Also on Friday, Jim Norton, co-host of “Opie With Jim Norton” with Gregg “Opie” Hughes on Sirius XM Radio, performs at the Rex Theater on the South Side.
Along with being a regular on the late-night talk shows, the comedian is known for his HBO stand-up special “Monster Rain” and “The Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget.”
The show is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35-$75; ticketfly.com.
SATURDAY
PSO gala
You know it’s fall when the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s annual gala concert arrives on the calendar.
The glitz- and glam-filled fundraiser, titled “Moonlight Masquerade,” features the eminent violinist Gil Shaham and music director Manfred Honeck on the podium. The first half of the 7 p.m. concert at Heinz Hall includes music by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Debussy, Mendelssohn, Strauss and others. Mr. Shaham is the showcase of the second half, performing three works for violin and orchestra by Fritz Kreisler, along with Sarasate’s “Carmen” Fantasy.
Dress to impress for the pre- and post-concert festivities, including a cocktail party, gala dinner and soiree with symphony musicians. Remaining tickets for the concert are $25-$120, while soiree and gala packages start at $225 and $825. More at www.pittsburghsymphony.org or 412-392-4900.
SATURDAY
I Love the ’90s!
Having said goodbye to the ’90s about 17 years ago, it’s about that time for it to come back again.
The ’90s nostalgia will be in full swing the next two weekends. On Sept. 24, Vanilla Ice and Salt N Pepa headline the I Love the ’90s show at the Petersen Events Center, Oakland, with Coolio, Color Me Badd, Tone Loc and Rob Base.
This Saturday’s look back is ’90sFest, at 2200 Smallman St. in the Strip, which is about the only time you’ll find hip-hop crew Bone Thugs N Harmony and folk-rock band Sister Hazel (“All For You”) on the same bill. The event, hosted by comedian Pauly Shore, also features the Spin Doctors (“Two Princes,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”), Sisqo (“Thong Song”), DJ Jazzy Jeff, Saved by the 90s and RATM2.
The promoters promise “a totally immersive, time-traveling experience” with ’90s vintage apparel (to browse and buy), throwback activities such as video games and slime, food trucks and more.
It runs from 3 to 10 p.m. Tickets start at $45 at eventbrite.com.
SATURDAY
Folk legends
Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, who made up two-thirds of the folk institution Peter, Paul & Mary, are carrying on without the late Mary Travers as Peter & Paul, stopping at the Benedum Center on Saturday.
They will draw from 50 years of material, performing such folk classics as “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “This Land Is Your Land.”
Expect the two 78-year-old troubadours to bring plenty of humor and poignancy to the music.
It’s at 8 p.m. Tickets are $38-$76; www.trustarts.org.
SATURDAY
Venetian romance
Italian songstress Giada Valenti, recently the subject of an oft-repeated PBS special, will be live Saturday at the Byham Theater with “From Venice With Love.”
Ms. Valenti, born and raised in Venice and singing in five languages, performs her interpretations of American and Italian hits ranging from The Carpenters and Rosemary Clooney to the Beatles and Doors to Christina Perri.
It begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39.25; 412-456-6666, www.trustarts.org.
SATURDAY
Fall fest
The seventh annual Running of the Wieners is the highlight of Fall Fest at The Waterfront in Homestead. It happens from 2 to 3 p.m., and all dogs under 25 pounds are free to participate and will be outfitted with hot dog costumes for the race.
The festival, running from 1 to 5 p.m., also features a free pumpkin patch, live music, food vendors and shopping discounts at retailers. Info at www.waterfrontpgh.com.
First Published: September 15, 2016, 4:00 a.m.