Bryan's songs

He got his first real six string, baby, at the five-and-dime. You know the rest. Bryan Adams went on to be the next Eddie Money with a bunch more hits.

The Canadian singer-songwriter is touring this summer with Foreigner and Rod Stewart, but he's spinning off for some solo gigs like the one tonight at the Byham Theater. With acoustic guitar in hand, he's showcasing a new album called "11," as it's his 11th album of original songs.

The reviews have been a little rough. The London Times said it's "so devoid of surprises that it could easily have been created with a computer program."

If those songs aren't so great, fans will still get hits like "Summer of '69," "Cuts Like a Knife," "Run to You" and "Heaven," plus stories and comments about the songs.

It begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $27.50. Call 412-456-6666.

Kansas carries on

In its late '70s heyday, Kansas could be found headlining the Civic Arena. These days, the band doesn't quite have the draw for that or the Post-Gazette Pavilion. But recent shows here have revealed that the Midwestern art-rock band can still pack a wallop.

Kansas -- currently Steve Walsh, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart, Billy Greer and David Ragsdale (violin) -- pulls into the Pepsi Roadhouse this weekend, having just reissued "Two for the Show: 30th Anniversary Edition," with 10 previously unreleased live tracks.

Along with that, Kansas has been winning new fans as they play through the song "Carry on Wayward Son" on "Guitar Hero II."

"The Internet has added a lot of youth to our crowd," Williams recently told the Norristown Times Herald. "Having our songs on movie soundtracks has helped. The last few years there have been quite a few 19-year-old kids in the front row. It's exciting to look down and see that."

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Blinding Edge plays at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $59 to $79 (including dinner). Call 412-323-1919.

-- Scott Mervis

Fair games

If you're looking for a slice of country life -- or some loud crashing machinery -- head for the Washington County Fair, running Friday through Aug. 16.

Saturday is a day filled with baking contests, followed by The Clarks in the grandstand at 7 p.m. On Sunday, it's Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners at 7 p.m. and the country band Stampede at 8 p.m.

As for the louder stuff, there's a 4-Cylinder Demolition Derby Tuesday night, a School Bus Demolition Derby Wednesday and a Freestyle Motocross Jump-Off next Thursday.

Admission ranges from $6 to $9. For details, go to www.washingtonfair.org or call 724-225-7718.

Smokin' Pineapple

"Pineapple Express" arrived on Wednesday with a good buzz -- in more ways than one. The new stoner-action comedy stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as buyer and seller of a new strain of weed called Pineapple Express. The PG review called it "a lumpy blend of a half-dozen genres, including stoner comedy, action movie, buddy picture and message film, with echoes of 1970s cop shows and all the trappings of an R rating."

Also new is "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," which reunites America Ferrera with Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel in a sequel also based on Ann Brashares' books.

Big redneck

"World's Strongest Redneck Coming to Cranberry" -- caught your eye didn't it? Of course it did. It's the "redneck" part that's so intriguing. What does the world's strongest redneck look like? Is he like Cletus the slack-jawed yokel from the Simpsons? Does he wear flannel shirts with the sleeves ripped off? Does he smell like he just came home from fishing?

First, let's identify the source of speculation: Steve McGranahan. He's 6 feet tall. He weighs in at 333 pounds. He can rip 10 decks of cards in 29 seconds. His arms are 22 inches around. And he can bench 500 pounds. This is where you give a low whistle and try to imagine arm wrestling this guy.

So why is the world's strongest redneck in Pittsburgh? Preachin' to the masses. McGranahan is part of KidQuest '08, an event promoting "Godly principles" in kids' lives. To help them along with those principles, the event includes a 32-foot rock wall and playing "Rockband" on a Wii.

KidQuest '08 is 9 a.m. to noon Friday at North Boundary Park, Cranberry. Discovery Christian Church will host a free Family Splash Party from 9 to 11 p.m. Sunday night at the Cranberry Water Park. It'll include a movie, ice cream, live band and games.

Information: www.kidquest08.com or 724-779-1010.

-- Kate McCaffrey

Free and easy

As if there weren't enough treasures here this weekend, with the New American Music Union festival, Allegheny County chimes in with its most prestigious concert weekend of the summer.

On Friday at South Park, it's The Whites, Grand Ole Opry regulars who sang so beautifully on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack.

On Sunday at Hartwood Acres, the county welcomes John Hiatt, the veteran singer-songwriter who was on the ground floor of the alt-country/AAA movement in the late '80s with albums like "Bring the Family" and "Slow Turning."

The Indianapolis native is on the road with "Same Old Man," his first album in three years. The Capitol Times in Madison wrote recently that Hiatt and his band, the Aging Beauties, left the crowd, "sweaty, happy and danced-out."

Both concerts are at 7:30 and both are free.

Arctic breeze

If the summer heat is getting to you, here's a temporary respite -- "Exploring the Arctic Seafloor: Photographs by Chris Linder," which opens Saturday at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

This exhibit of 30 color photographs explores the underwater mountain landscapes beneath the Arctic Ocean and documents research expeditions by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Visitors will get a glimpse of an alien world that lies beneath the Arctic ice.

In addition to the photographs, there's a 3-D model and a sample of rock from the ocean floor.

"Exploring the Arctic Seafloor" runs through Jan. 25.

-- Adrian McCoy

Cartoon world

Admit it, the first thing you read when you turn to the editorial page is Rob Rogers' cartoon. Flipping through a Newsweek you skip a couple of articles but never the cartoon and quotes page. You don't cut articles out of the New Yorker and tape them to your desk, you cut out a cartoon -- which you read before reading that 20-page in-depth report on Iraq, and you only finished reading half of that anyway.

That's because political cartoons are awesome and funny and usually true. Now you can see a whole bunch of 'em without having to flip through all those annoying articles to get to 'em.

"Drawn to the Hive: Cartooning Pittsburgh's Mayors" features original editorial cartoons from the likes of Tim Menees, Rob Rogers, Wayno, Tim Hartman, Randy Bish and Cy Hungerford. The exhibit covers more than 50 years of newspaper history.

"Drawn to the Hive" will be on display Saturday through Oct. 11 at the ToonSeum in the Children's Museum on the North Side. Free with admission.

-- McCaffrey

Party with birds

The National Aviary invites you to party with its feathered friends Saturday at the annual benefit A Night in the Tropics.

The entertainment for the evening will be birds from the aviary's outdoor free-flight bird show FliteZone, reggae group The Freedom Band in the Rose Garden and DJ Carlton's Latin tracks in the Atrium.

The menu will be fare from Church Brew Works, Bravo! Italian Kitchen, Spaghetti Warehouse and McCormick & Schmick's.

It runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $50; $100 for VIP. Visit www.aviary.org or call 412-323-7235, ext. 240.

Cool and casual

The Pillow Project fights the dog days of summer with the coolly casual Second Saturday this weekend in the art-lounge atmosphere of The Space Upstairs (over Construction Junction) in Point Breeze.

At any time between 7 p.m. and midnight, visitors can view illustrated graffiti by Samantha Thorp and Jaison Schafer, live 2-D performances by Jillian Canastraro and The Pillow Project, and photography exhibits.

The suggested donation is a similarly cool $5 at the door.

-- Jane Vranish

• Geoff Achison -- voted one of the "Ten Hottest New Guitarists" by Guitar Player Magazine -- performs with his band The Souldiggers at Moondog's on Saturday. The Australian guitarist, now living in Atlanta, has been touring for 20 years and is a teacher at Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Guitar Ranch. Last year, his band released an acclaimed live CD called "Souldiggin."

• Corey LeChat unveils "Candy Dreams of Spacemen," a photographic odyssey with unreal rockets and astronauts, at moxie DaDA, 1416 Arch St., Lawrenceville, with a reception Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. It also features an original Theremin score composed and performed by the artist. Space snacks and Tang will be provided.

• Vienna Teng, folk-pop pianist-singer-songwriter, plays Club Cafe Friday in support of her new album, "Dreaming Through the Noise." It begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.

• If you love the blues and you're up for a short road trip to Wheeling, W.Va., check out the Heritage Music Fest this weekend with Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets and the Debbie Davis Band (Friday); The Mannish Boys, Ana Popovic and Watermelon Slim (Saturday); and Johnny Winter, Deanna Bogart, James Cotton Band, Tinsley Ellis and Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials (Sunday). For details, go to www.heritagemusicfest.com.