The Carnegie Music Hall that hosts a legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee tonight is not the one on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, or even the one on Forbes Avenue in Oakland. The concert -- by punk poet Patti Smith -- is instead at the Carnegie Library of Homestead, which is trying to assert its own turn-of-the-century musical jewel as a regional concert venue.

The library's 1,000-seat music hall has been hosting public performances since 1898, mostly tied to the local community: school plays, church productions, talent shows. But seeking to draw more visitors from outside the neighborhood -- and help the independent library's bottom line -- library officials decided to start booking major concerts at the music hall, starting with tonight's performance by Smith.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette The view from the stage of the music hall at the Carnegie Library of Homestead, where Patti Smith will be performing tonight. Click photo for larger image.

"We're thrilled about the concerts. They're a fulfillment of what we're all about," said library executive director Kate Grannemann. "The idea of people from all over the county seeing a treasure they might not have ever heard of before is so satisfying."

The Carnegie Library of Homestead was the second Mon Valley library Andrew Carnegie built (following one in Braddock), designed by Alden and Harlow, the same architects who did Carnegie's library and museum complex in Oakland. Homestead's music hall is much like its sister in Oakland -- ornate and acoustically sublime -- but about half the size.

The Homestead music hall, which is officially in Munhall, was repainted and renovated in the mid '90s, with improvements to the lighting, sound system and air conditioning completed for the building's centennial in 1998. It is carpeted with remnants from Heinz Hall.

The renovated music hall got some outside attention, largely during an Al Gore speech in 2000 and performances by the River City Brass Band, but library leaders still found that most Pittsburgh-area residents did not know about the space.

So two years ago -- through a consulting project with the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University -- the library's board decided to start actively marketing its building in the region, partially to help its budget. (The library is independently run and financed and not part of the Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh system.)

Ken Hanselman replaces the numbers on seats in the music hall at the Homestead Library. Click photo for larger image.

Last year, it focused on promoting its athletic facilities. This year, it turned to the music hall.

With no experience in the music business, the library enlisted promoter Brian Drusky, who largely books shows at Club Zoo in the Strip District and in State College.

"Being so close to the Waterfront, that's not bad for business," Drusky said last week, when asked why he agreed to do shows there. "It's a very nice place, seated, and a new venue. The people are nice over there, and that counts for something, too."

Following Smith, the show calendar includes singer-songwriter Pete Yorn Aug. 14, teen pop group Hanson Sept. 27, comedian D.L. Hughley Oct. 27 and pastor Rob Bell Nov. 24.

Tonight's show should be a bit different from the last show Smith played in Homestead, in 1979, at the since-demolished Leona Theater. Since the music hall is all seated -- and no alcohol is served -- shows could be rather sedate.

"I wouldn't book [hardcore punk band] Rise Against there," Drusky joked.

Music promoters are also returning to the other Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, which also has been going through changes lately.

On the rock side, the 2,000-seat hall will host indie darling Feist Sept. 13, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird Oct. 2, and former Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams Oct. 29. Again, productions at the ornate theater cannot be "over the top," said Brendan Pester from promoters Opus One Productions. But there is the benefit of being able to draw from a wide customer base in the East End.

"People know where Forbes Avenue is, they know where Oakland is, and most know where the museum is," he said.

The Oakland music hall does not hurt for attention -- there were 103 events there last year, few of them in the summer, since it is not air-conditioned -- but the Carnegie Museums system is still trying to give it a shot of life, replacing its carpeting and first-floor seat cushions, repainting and fixing plaster, and renovating its backstage dressing rooms.

Part of that is due to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra -- which premiered at the music hall in 1896 -- moving its chamber orchestra back to the venue in October. The same month, it hosts the awards ceremony for the Carnegie Medals of Philanthropy.

"It's one of the great halls in America, not only acoustically but artistically," museums president David Hillenbrand said. "Our intention is to make sure, as Oakland continues to grow and prosper, that we are quite clear we have a world-class facility right here in Oakland."

Carnegie Library of Homestead is at 510 E. 10th Ave. in Munhall. For information: 412-462-3444 or www.homesteadlibrary.org.