SPREAD THE HAIGHT

This area struggles to get some of the top emerging bands -- like, for starters, the Arcade Fire -- but we have little trouble with the classics.

This weekend we have not one, but two members of the old Haight-Asbury scene in our midst, representing the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane.

First, guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, who started with the Airplane and moved on to Hot Tuna, hits the Rex at 8 p.m. Friday on a tour with Barry Mitterhoff playing acoustic blues ($25; 412-323-1919).

On Sunday, Bob Weir of the Dead brightens the doorstep of the Palace Theatre in Greensburg with his own bluesy outfit, Ratdog. That long-time band -- featuring Mark Karan, Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane, Kenny Brooks and Robin Sylvester -- is also well-versed in the Dead as well as whatever blues jam he might want to venture into. Weir posts on his Web site that the band is now heading East, and he's wondering, "Think you could lose some of that snow before we get there, please?" The show is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $32-$38. 724-836-8000.

ALL WEEKEND

Don't cough. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is making a record. Marek Janowski will conduct the Third Violin Concerto by Camille Saint-Saens and two works by Johannes Brahms, his Second Symphony and Variations on a Theme by Haydn with concerts at 8 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. They will feature violinists Julia Fischer and Chee-Yun and will be recorded for the Pentatone label. Tickets are $19 to $72. Call 412-392-4900.

The River City Brass Band teams with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh for the second time for "Heavenly Musical Match." The concert will open with Rossini's "Overture: The Italian Girl of Algiers," dedicated to the memory of RCBB baritone player Tara Davis, who died in January. The program will also include favorites like Cole Porter's "From This Moment On" and Joe Campus' arrangement of "Danny Boy," plus an Andrews Sisters medley and "A Touch of Irish Singalong," arranged by Anthony Spurgin. Concerts are at Gateway High School, Monroeville, at 8 tonight ($20-$25); Palace Theatre, Greensburg, at 8 p.m. Saturday; and Pasquerilla Performing Arts in Johnstown at 3 p.m. Sunday. It continues next weekend in other locations. Tickets are $20 to $27. 1-800-292-7222.

At the Benedum, the Joffrey Ballet will present George Balanchine's "Apollo," along with Laura Dean's "Sometimes It Snows in April" (music by Prince) and Kurt Jooss' anti-war classic, "The Green Table." The concerts are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Council will present "Gods & Goddesses," a party after the Saturday night performance at the Benedum Center, where local artist Richard Parsakian had designed a setting resembling a Greek mythological heaven for patrons to meet and mingle with the Joffrey dancers. DJ Edgar Um will supply the music amid "special visual surprises" throughout the night.

"Movement and Momentum," at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, is a concert of original dance pieces choreographed by several of Point Park faculty members. Nicolas Petrov presents the classical ballet piece Symphony in C by Stravinsky; Kiesha Lalama-White presents "Going, Going, Gone," a contemporary jazz piece; Judith Leifer offers her modern piece, "Almost Waltz"; Peter LeBreton Merz presents his ballet, "Ondine"; and Ron Tassone the jazz piece "The Big Bang." Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 to $14. Call 412-621-4445 or online at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com.

TODAY

Clipse, the Virginia Beach duo of brothers Malice and Pusha T, returned from a four-year absence last year with "Hell Hath No Fury," a concept record about street hustlin' that spawned the singles "Mr. Me Too" and "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" and made all kinds of Top 10 lists last year. So, what can people expect live at the Rex Theatre? The Virginian-Pilot said of a December concert, "Their stage show seemed as minimalist as their spacey, stark album. There was no decor, and their set essentially consisted of them pacing the stage, yelling into their microphones. People got what they wanted -- watching Malice and Pusha T of Clipse offer a passionate, willful performance. They sweated. They bopped and swayed as they rapped 'We Got It for Cheap' and 'Momma I'm So Sorry.' " Wiz Khalifa is also on the bill. It begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance; $12 at the door. 412-323-1919.

The Ryan Montbleau Band, a Boston outfit blending Americana, folk, blues and more, plays the Rex Theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. Call 412-323-1919.

The Andy Warhol Museum calls attention to the exhibit "Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race" with a forum evening featuring a slide talk and discussion, gallery talks and open studio on the intersection of art, science, and ethics. It runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Call 412-237-8300 or go to www.warhol.org.

FRIDAY

In honor of Women's History Month, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust opens "Women's Work," an exhibition of women artists from around the region, at 709 Penn Gallery, Downtown. The reception is from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and will feature live music by Autumn Ayers. Call 412-456-6666 or go to www.pgharts.org.

SATURDAY

The mayor who's everywhere will appear over there -- with a book, if you care. Why the rhyme? Because Luke Ravenstahl will be reading Dr. Seuss' "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut," for which he surely will have to open his eyes. It's part of a Read Across America event from noon to 3 p.m. at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. In addition, there will be Storytelling by The Cat In The Hat and state Rep. Jake Wheatley. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium will present "The Choice Is Ours" on conserving endangered species and natural resources. There will be free books for Museum visitors as long as supplies last. Call 412-321-8022 or visit www.rifpittsburgh.org.

Buille (pronounced "BWEE-luh") has been called a breath of fresh air in traditional Irish music for good reason. Far from being folky, the instrumental Celtic trio sounds more like a jazzy jam band attacking the usual jigs and reels. The result is at times complex, beautiful and hypnotic. The group is led by concertina virtuoso Niall Vallely, seen here a few years ago with the Karan Casey Band, and features his brother Caoimhin Vallely on keyboards, and Donal Clancy on guitar. Calliope: The Pittsburgh Folk Music Society presents Buille at the Carnegie Lecture Hall at 8 p.m. with local artist Eve Goodman. Tickets are $28 advance; $30 door; $15 student rush. Call 412-394-3353 or order online at www.proartstickets.org.

Showcase Noir: African American Artist & Designer Showcase takes over the lobby of the Benedum to celebrate regional artists and designers of African descent. Look for a selection of pottery, jewelry, watercolor painting, sculpture and art of various media for sale. Dwayne Dolphin Quartet and DJ SMI will provide a soundtrack. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Radical Riffs, a new series of multidisciplinary performances, throws a whole lot of creativity against the wall at Space, 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown, with Dust & Feathers, an ensemble featuring Gia Cacalano (dance), Daryl Fleming (guitar), Eden McNutt (sound poetry), Ben Opie (reeds) and Jeff Berman (vibraphone). It begins at 7:30 p.m. $8 suggested donation, $5 suggested student donation. www.spacepittsburgh.org or 412-325-7723.

Bellevue ... the new hot spot for artists? That's the plan of Creative TreeHouse, new artists' collective based at 517 Lincoln Ave. On Saturday night, it's the scene of a "NYC-style late-night dance party" hosted by Courtney Freeman of AMPtique and featuring indie music by DJ Adammm and art by Laura Petrilla and Matthew Macri. It runs from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Cover is $5; over 21 only; BYOB. Go to www.myspace.com/AMPtique or www.CreativeTreeHousePgh.com.

Quirky singer-songwriter Erin McKeown is on tour with "Sing You Sinners," a record of vintage covers, but you can expect to hear a range of her material when she plays Club Cafe at 7 and 10:30 p.m. See page W-13.

Cracker, led by master of wit and irony David Lowery, broke its four-year silence last year with "Greenland," a record that seemed to slip under the radar. The band, which evolved out of Camper Van Beethoven, plays the Rex with the Hackensaw Boys at 8 p.m. $20. 412-323-1919.

Garfield Artworks has a quiet Saturday night booked, but it should be beautiful with Denison Witmer, an intimate acoustic singer-songwriter from Lancaster who could fit on a playlist between Sufjan Stevens and Paul Simon. The show is at 8 p.m. Admission is $8. Call 412-361-2262.

The penguins are playing at the National Aviary in a little encounter called Penguin & Me, geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. The one-hour interactive program starts Saturday and includes the presentation of age-appropriate fun facts about the popular birds, as well as time with a penguin in a small group setting. Each group is limited to a maximum of eight children. It will be offered at 10:30 am Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Price is $25 for one child with one adult; $12 for each additional child; $10 for each additional adult. Call 412-323-7235, ext. 209, or e-mail education.programs@aviary.org.

SUNDAY

We already mentioned the Bob Weir and Ratdog show at the Palace Theatre. If you're looking for something more jazzy, the Pittsburgh Jazz Society presents the Phoenix Jazz Project at the Rhythm House Cafe in Bridgeville at 7 p.m. Call 412-221-5010.