ALL WEEKEND

This is quite a week for monster trucks. We had the one that took out a chunk of the Convention Center -- postponing the International Auto Show -- and now we have the more literal "monster trucks" rolling into the Mellon Arena for the Monster Jam. Such four-wheeled beasts as Grave Digger, Predator, Prowler and Annihilator will race and crush lesser vehicles while creating a global warming effect under the dome. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10 to $25. Call 412-323-1919.

	Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette "Grave Digger" returns to the Mellon Arena for more crunching at the U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam. Click photo for larger image.

Remember how excited everyone was when Stomp came along beating on trash cans, walls, their heads and anything else that got in their way? Well, for many, that initial excitement is still palpable. "Stomp is as crisp and exuberant as if it had opened yesterday." The New York Times said that pretty recently. This weekend, Stomp beats a path to the Benedum for the PNC Broadway Across America -- Pittsburgh series. Performances are 7:30 tonight; 8 p.m. Friday; 5 and 9 p.m. Saturday; and 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20.50-$48.50. Go to www.pgharts.org or call 412-456-6666.

Pittsburgh stages are bulging right now with "The Muckle Man" (City Theatre), "Bug" (barebones at the Upstage) and "Cabaret (Public). Now, Quantum Theatre jumps in, flamenco style, with the Friday opening of "The Red Shoes," a humorous fable adapted from Hans Christian Andersen by Karla Boos and Carolina Loyola-Garcia. It's presented at Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, 416 W. North Ave., North Side. Performances are Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets are $27 ($24 Wednesdays and Sundays) and a limited number of $15 student tickets. See page W-16.

TODAY

Club Cafe checks in with a double bill. At 7 p.m., singer-songwriter Catie Curtis stops on her tour for "Long Night Moon," which is billed as her most personal effort to date. It begins at 7 p.m. ($16-$18).

The 10:30 p.m. show is Piers Faccini, a Parisian indie singer-songwriter who specializes in mournful romantic ballads and has been compared to Nick Drake and Ali Farka Toure. Faccini recently was on the road opening for Ben Harper and has some players from Harper's band. Tickets are $8-$10. Call 412-323-1919.

When the great Loretta Lynn came through town two years ago, the Coal Miner's Daughter had been under the weather and struggled getting through some of the songs. Should be interesting to see what happens when the 71-year-old legend returns to the Pepsi Roadhouse with Kellie Lynne. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., when dinner is served. Lynne opens at 7:30, and the Coal Miner's Daughter takes the stage at 9. Show and dinner: $78-$98; 412-323-1919.

Mary Jo Walicki, Associated Press Lynn and Lynne: Country legend Loretta Lynn holds court at the Pepsi Roadhouse Friday night with Kellie Lynne as the opener. Click photo for larger image.

Mastodon, a monstrous metal band with epic ambitions and critical acclaim out the wazoo, stomps into the Rex at 7 p.m. with Converge and Priestess. Should be crushing.

The Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont presents A Little Night of Romance Discussion and Book Signing with Victoria Alexander, who is releasing "What a Lady Wants," the second of her "Last Man Standing" series. It concerns four bachelors in Regency London with a wager on who will be the last to marry. It's at 7 p.m. It's free, but make a reservation by calling 412-828-4877.

SATURDAY

If you'd like to do a little Stomp-ing yourself, the man who beat the skins for Rusted Root presents Winter Rhythm Renewal: Drumming With Jim Donovan at Schoolhouse Yoga, 2401 Smallman St., Strip. Donovan will explore rhythms, songs, chants and concepts from West Africa, Central Africa, the Caribbean and more. The workshop is for 18 and older and runs 2 to 6 p.m. Admission is $35 advance; $45 day of event. Call 412-401-4444.

The Pittsburgh Dance Council brings Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the pride of Windy City dance, to the Byham Theater with a program of four pieces including "Lickety-Split," choreographed by Alejandro Cerrudo, and Jorma Elo's "From All Sides," which just had its world premiere. It begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 to $40.50. Go to www.pgharts.org, or call 412-456-6666.

The MCG Jazz Family Series pulls a rabbit out of its hat with JazzMagic, a performance that combines the two and finds the similarities. Master magician Paul Gertner, who has won numerous awards in international magic competitions from Las Vegas to Madrid, will be joined on stage at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild by saxophonist Mike Tomaro, pianist Max Leake, bassist Paco Mahone and drummer Roger Humphries at 2:30 p.m. After the concert, Life'sWork's Ben & Jerry's PartnerShop will be selling ice cream as a fund-raiser for the Guild and kids can have fun with the Pittsburgh Roars giant puppets. Tickets are $15. Call 412-322-0800 or go to www.mcgjazz.org.

I like an exhibition title that says it all and spares us the explanation. This one comes close. "Visual Grammar: Five Approaches to Abstraction (Side II)" opens at Digging Pitt Gallery in Lawrenceville with new work by Charles Andreson, Glen Brunken, Joren Dykstra, Patrick Schmidt and curator Gary Jurysta. There will be a free reception from 6 to 9 p.m. and a closing reception on April 7.

With a nod to A Flock of Seagulls, The Carnegie Science Center offers "Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus," a documentary film that pokes fun at both sides of the debate. It is described as "a balanced, light-hearted yet informative documentary of the Evolution-Intelligent Design controversy. A century and a half after Charles Darwin started it all, scientists still face the challenge of communicating the science of evolution effectively or ... going the way of the dodo in public opinion." Ecologist/filmmaker Randy Olson visits with key players in recent school controversies in Kansas and Dover, York County, as well as scientists and creationists. There are three showings, 4, 7 and 9 p.m., and film-only admission is $7. Information: 412-237-3400 or www.carnegiesciencecenter.org.

At Heinz Hall, Daniel Meyer leads the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra in Fantastic Symphony!, a program that includes Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique," Dvorak's Violin Concerto in A Minor and Dukas' "Fanfare from La Peri" at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Call 412-392-4872.

It's sold out, but we should mention it anyway. Cartel, a power-pop band (please don't say punk) with the formulaic MTV hit "Honestly" and recent tours with Warped and New Found Glory, returns to play Mr. Small's. Opening will be Cobra Starship (as heard in "Snakes on a Plane") and Boys Like Girls at 7 p.m.

Fine roots rocker Scott Miller, formerly of the V-Roys, now of the Commonwealth, hits Club Cafe on a solo tour at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7. Call 412-323-1919.

SUNDAY

For the grand finale of its 18th anniversary celebration, Moondog's in Blawnox presents an all-day music fest from 3 to 10 p.m. featuring Li'l Brian and the Zydeco Travelors, DuWayne Burnside (son of R.L. Burnside) and West Mifflin's own Guitar Zack. For more details, see page W-13.