THURSDAY

FUNNY OR NOT FUNNY

Howie Mandel, the host of "Deal or No Deal," will perform a stand-up comedy routine tonight at 7:30 at the Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort.

Though he is now associated with the game show, he was the voice of Gizmo in "Gremlins," and Bobby in "Bobby's World," a cartoon show that ran for eight seasons on Fox. His brand of humor is different from the drunk you run into at a pub.

"I don't like jokes. When it's like, 'A guy, a duck, and a priest walk into a bar,' right away it goes off in my head, 'Well, a guy and a duck and a priest did not walk into a bar, so you're just making this up, and if you're making it up, why is it funny? If it really happened, that's funny. And you should call me if you're ever in a bar and a priest and a duck walk in,' " he told Calabasas Magazine.

Here's another thing: don't try to shake hands with him. He has mysophobia, an intense fear of germs. He does not shake hands with anyone unless he is wearing latex gloves. He told Howard Stern that his fear of germs is the reason for his shaved head.

"When my interview was over, I asked if somebody could get the door for me," Mandel said. "They said, 'Just open the door, you can wash your hands after,' and I said, 'I can't.' And then I thought, 'I can't not talk about this anymore; this is an issue I have.' And he kept me on for the next two hours talking about it."

Tickets, at TicketMaster 412-323-1919, cost $20 for general admission, $40 for reserved seats and $60 for gold seats.

-- Cody McDevitt

FRIDAY

WHEN HIPPIES ATTACK

If you're going to Seven Springs, be sure to wear flowers in your hair. The resort taps into the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love by presenting the second annual Hippiefest.

Said tour creator Toby Ludwig, "This festival is for people who weren't around in the '60s and '70s or were and just can't seem to remember."

Representing long hair, flower power and good vibes will be hitmakers The Turtles ("Happy Together"), Felix Cavaliere's Rascals ("A Beautiful Morning"), The Zombies ("She's Not There," Mountain ("Mississippi Queen"), Mitch Ryder ("Devil With a Blue Dress"), Badfinger ("Come and Get It"), Country Joe McDonald ("I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag"), Iron Butterfly ("In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"), Denny Laine ("Go Now") and Melanie "Brand New Key").

It begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $45. See Music Preview: It's still 'A Beautiful Morning' for Rascals' Felix Cavaliere for more on the Rascals.

-- Scott Mervis

MISTER BUBLE

No matter what happens in pop music, there will always be crooners. And there will always be ladies swooning at the foot of the stage. At the top of that heap right now is Michael Buble, a smooth Canadian singer who covers the standards like "Come Fly With Me" and "Fever."

He performs at the Petersen Events Center at 8 p.m. Friday. Last year, the PG asked how he was enjoying his success.

"You know, yeah, I'm having fun, absolutely. There are moments of exuberance and moments of exhaustion. Moments of self-doubt -- you wonder if, you know, you deserve to be there -- and then there are moments you think absolutely, I deserve to be there."

Tickets are $65 to $85. Call 412-323-1919.

-- S.M.

PAINTED IMAGES

The exhibition "Of the Painted Image: Miriam Cabessa, Seth Cohen, Peter Rostovsky" will open Friday at the American Jewish Museum in the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill, continuing through Nov. 2.

This show inaugurates the museum's investigation and celebration of paintings by young Jewish artists, at different stages of their careers, who contribute substantive works to the dialogue of 21st-century artistic practices, says David Stanger, curator and museum director.

The Brooklyn-based artists will give a free public lecture at the JCC at 7 p.m. Oct. 24. For information, call 412-521-8011, ext. 105.

-- Mary Thomas

BONEY JAZZ

Boney James, whose style is referred to as urban jazz, is back with a new record, "Shine," that is pulling in good reviews. The PG's Rick Nowlin, a contemporary jazz aficionado, said "the music he's recorded often sounds more like product than music. Until now."

	Boney James brings "Shine" to the Byham Friday night. Click photo for larger image.

Jazziz wrote, "On 'Shine,' the title says it all. There's energy, there's emotion in each track. Each song tells an individual story reflecting different moods."

On Friday at 8 p.m., the jazzman from Massachusetts brings his sax to the Byham for the 1st Annual Groove Jazz Festival with Roy Ayers and Tom Browne.

Tickets are $45.50 to $55.50. Proceeds Benefit Naomi's Place -- Transitional Housing, a nonprofit that assists homeless women. Call 412-456-6666.

THE DMB

The Dave Matthews Band recently stopped work on an upcoming album for a tour that will stop at the sold-out Post-Gazette Pavilion Friday (you can get tickets on eBay, the price ranging from $90 for one to $130 for two).

"We're having a good time. We're laughing really hard together, and we also raise our voices and curse

at each other," Matthews told Rolling Stone earlier this month. "It's healthier that way, at least for us, because all of us can get tired of avoiding confrontation. With the new album, we have so many ideas, but they haven't found a comfort zone. None of it's bad, just that nothing grabs us yet."

Matthews turned 40 in January. Things have changed a little since his earlier years as a musician.

"I wouldn't jump off quite as tall a precipice as I may have in my younger years, but that's just my knees talking," he said.

-- C.M.

SATURDAY

ZOO BREW

How about meeting at the Pittsburgh Zoo for a beer?

The occasion is the inaugural Brew at the Zoo, a benefit for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation with more than 30 breweries, music by Funkmeister Fatty and a special appearance by the controversial Mark Madden of ESPN Radio.

It runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $35 advance; $40 at the gate. Must be over 21. Call 412-793-8077.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

AFRICAN ARTS

The Shadyside arts festivals were bumped back to September, meaning the 4th Annual African Arts in the Park Festival has the neighborhood all to itself.

Presented by the Umoja African Arts Company, it takes place Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Mellon Park and features music, dance and art influenced by West and Southern Africa.

There will be a Children's Hut with facepainting, arts and crafts, storytelling, balloon sculptors, relay races, drum workshops, moon-bounce house and more.

There is also an Empowerment Hut for adults and teens with mini-rap concerts, Southern African dance lessons, step shows, mini-blues concert, spoken word poetry and more.

Performance wise, each day opens with a welcome from Princess Wabei from the Kingdom of Barotseland of Zambia and closes with an African dance/music parade led by Umoja African Arts Company.

STAGE ENTERTAINMENT:

Saturday

• 11-11:10 a.m.: Welcome & singing of the Southern African Anthem (Mukwae Wabei)
  
• 11:15-11:45 a.m.: Nu2u Kidz (Fashion Show)
  
• Noon-12:30 p.m.: Mano Y Mano (Hip-Hop/Reggaeton)
  
• 12:45-2:15 p.m.: Soul Village (R&B)
  
• 2:30-4 p.m.: The Flow Band (Reggae/Calypso)
  
• 4:15-5 p.m.: Sitali (Afro-Caribbean /Soukous/Salsa/Samba)
  
• 5:15-6 p.m.: Sonji (NeoSoul)
  
• 6:15-7 p.m.: African Celebration Parade (Umoja African Arts Company)

Sunday

• 11:10-11:15 a.m.: Welcome
  
• 11:15-11:45 a.m.: Nu2u Kidz (Fashion Show)
  
• Noon-12:30 p.m.: Pittsburgh Dance Ensemble (West African Dance & Drumming)
  
• 12:45-1:15 p.m.: Eric Blackwell & Faithful (Gospel)
  
• 1:30-2:15 p.m.: Anita Tillman (Gospel)
  
• 2:30-4 p.m.: Kevin Howard Band (Smooth Jazz)
  
• 4:15-4:45 p.m.: Brian Wright Sr. (Gospel)
  
• 5-5:45 p.m.: Spirit-Filled Ministries (Gospel)
  
• 6-7 p.m.: African Celebration Parade

SUNDAY

TRIBUTE TO WALT

The "Satin Doll" man, Walt Harper, will be the focus of a tribute Sunday afternoon at Highland Park. The event, part of the popular "Reservoir of Jazz" concert series, will feature Mr. Harper's Tribute Band and the Burgh Big Band. The concert is free and runs from 5 to 7 p.m.

DECLARING GWAR

Look out, Millvale. Here comes Gwar. The thrash metal band turns up Sunday night at Mr. Smalls with a jaunty evening of musical satire.

Now, please, enjoy the detail of the band's Wikipedia entry: "The band is best known for their elab- orate sci-fi/horror film-inspired costumes; raunchy, obscene, politically incorrect lyrics; and graphic stage performances, which consist of humorous re-enactments of scatology, sadomasochism, necrophilia, pedophilia, paraphilia, bestiality, pagan rituals, satanism or devil worship, executions, battle, torture, malice, rape and physical abuse, racism, anti-Christian messages, suicide, illegal drug use, alcohol abuse, and other controversial violent, political and moral taboo themes. The band occasionally also performs fire dancing."

Did they miss anything there? Doesn't seem like it.

Shadows Fall and The Acacia Strain open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $24 advance; $26 at the door. Call 1-866-468-3401.

-- S.M.

NEED TO KNOW

Flickerstick, winner of VH1's "Band on the Run," headlines the free outdoor Station Square Street Jam on Friday with Mercury and Kill the Drama. It begins at 5:30 p.m., Flickerstick plays at 9:30.

The Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars, the inspiration for the Jack Black film, turn up at the Rex Friday at 8:15 p.m. with "everything from Zeppelin to Zappa and the Beatles to Black Sabbath." The headliner is the veteran St. Louis alt-country band The Bottle Rockets. Admission is $15.

The Clarks, who need no introduction around here, play the Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $13 and $18. 866-703-7625.

In Search of the Remedy is an Art Auction benefitting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation with work by Kathleen Lolley and music by Brian Freed. It's from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Ulterior Motives, 1103 E. Carson St., South Side. Call 412-432-7900.