British punk

• Should you get a ring from Justin Sane of Anti-Flag, it will be London calling. The singer for the veteran Pittsburgh punk band is now living in London, according to a blog he has written for the new online site Blurt (www.blurt-online.com).

He begins his blog about how support for Barack Obama is improving America's global image by noting that he's taken up residence in London's East End after "living nearly my entire life in my beloved hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."

Sane, who is touring in Germany with the band, could not be reached yesterday, but prior discussions with him would indicate that his London move has more a romantic than musical motive.

Among the coolest

• When I saw the tease on the Paste magazine cover "The 17 Coolest Record Stores in America," I thought, "Jerry's has to be on the list." And sure enough it is.

Paste writes of the Squirrel Hill store in the July issue, "With millions of records in stock [no CDs, thanks], Jerry's is a must-see on the crate-digger's itinerary -- whether you're a bedroom sampler or DJ Jazzy Jeff."

Other stores include Amoeba Music in L.A., Criminal Records in Atlanta and Other Music in NYC.

Boston keys

• The local angle to the WYEP Summer Music Festival on Friday, besides opener Good Night States, will be the keyboardist in Juliana Hatfield's band, Elizabeth Steen.

Steen, who played with the Pittsburgh Symphony when she was 16 and has a master's degree in piano performance, is based in Boston, where she has played in the surf band Count Zero and toured with Tanya Donnelly and Natalie Merchant.

"I just played with Natalie and the Boston Pops," Steen says. "Interesting experience. Sort of took me back to my classical upbringing."

Steen also has a solo project under the name of Fritter (www.fritter music.com), and a teaching gig in the Boston Public Schools.

She played with Hatfield a few years ago and got the call to join her again this tour for her 10th album, "How to Walk Away."

'Punkgasm'!

• The new Don Caballero record, oddly titled "Punkgasm," is due out Aug. 19, but you can hear some of the new tracks at www.myspace.com/doncaballeropgh.

The seminal math rock band -- drummer Damon Che, bassist Jason Jouver and guitarist Gene Doyle -- recorded the album at Rust Belt Studios in Michigan with longtime producer/engineer Al Sutton. It includes such songs as "Loudest Shop Vac In the World," "Celestial Dusty Groove" and "Why Is The Couch Always Wet?" along with a few unprintable titles.

The band's tour, which begins Aug. 19, includes a Sept. 6 show at Mr. Small's Theater in Millvale.

Best of 'burgh

• The fourth installment of the Best in the 'Burgh acoustic music showcase takes place Friday at 7 p.m. at Connections Cafe, 3495 Bates St., Oakland. The event raises money for Leukemia research in Pittsburgh with music by The Deceptions, Christopher Laughrey, Between Liberties, Molly Rae, The Lost Sea, Nik Westman, Derek Dysart and Boulevard of The Allies. Admission is $5; $4 for students; unlimited coffee all evening. It's all ages.

-- Scott Mervis