Texas-sized rock

Okkervil River and The Old 97's both played memorable and well-attended shows here earlier this year -- Okkervil with the New Pornographers at the Carnegie Library in Homestead and the Old 97's as part of the WYEP Summer Spectacular at the Schenley Plaza.

The bands return -- separately -- tonight for headlining gigs. Okkervil River plays Mr. Small's at 8 p.m., touring on "The Stand Ins," a new record by the Austin indie band that showcases the lyrical depth and vocal power of Will Sheff, a frontman who can be talked about in the same breath as Conor Oberst or the Arcade Fire's Win Butler.

The Old 97's, who broke out of Dallas in the early '90s as one of the premier alt-country bands, go back and forth between bar-room twang and more straight-up power-pop. They'll generate some rowdy fun at Diesel at 8 p.m.

See Weekend Guide for more details.

The Bacons

Kevin Bacon brings his stardom, his guitar and his musical sibling to the Palace Theatre in Greensburg tonight for a performance by The Bacon Brothers.

This isn't just a case of the movie star dabbling. Before he was famous, Kevin was writing songs and playing percussion in Philadelphia coffeehouses with his brother, Michael, and others. Michael, who is nine years older, formed a Philly band called Good News in the late '60s and moved on to a solo career that would also lead to film and TV scoring.

As the Bacon Brothers, they've recorded a half-dozen records, including a new one called "New Year's Day."

The show is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call 724-836-8000.

-- Scott Mervis

Oscar tunes

"Songs That Oscar Taught Me" is an evening of music celebrating the works of American lyricist Oscar Hammerstein.

Daphne Alderson, a contralto who trained in opera at Duquesne University and in New York and Europe, now balances classical and cabaret singing in her performing career.

Tickets are $125. The concert is a benefit to raise funds for restoration of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall. The drive has raised $5.75 million toward its $8.6 million goal.

The performance is Friday at 8 p.m. in the Music Hall at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Ave., Carnegie, and will be followed by a reception.

Information: 412-276-3456, ext. 6.

--Adrian McCoy

PSO with Chang

One of the few debuting conductors this season at Heinz Hall steps to the podium this weekend when Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He will be surrounded by plenty of known quantities, however, starting with violinist Sarah Chang. She will premiere Christopher Theofanidis' Violin Concerto, and Rachmaninoff's well-traveled Symphony No. 2 follows. Oh, and opening the concert is a little ditty about someone who needs no introduction: Richard Nixon. Nelsons will conduct John Adams' "The Chairmen Dances" from his opera "Nixon and China" at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Heinz Hall. Tickets $20-$79; call 412-392-4900.

-- Andrew Druckenbrod

Pumpkin ride

The Pumpkin Patch Trolley, the annual non-scary Halloween celebration at The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, Pa., gets underway this Friday through Sunday plus Oct. 17-19 and Oct. 24-26.

Trolley rides to the pumpkin patch run every half hour from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Kids can choose a pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch and decorate it.

On Oct. 17-19 and Oct. 25-26, the museum will be offering $2 trolley rides to the Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Admission is $8 for adults, $7 ages 62 and older, $5 ages 3-15, 2 and under are free. Information: 724-228-9256 or visit the Web site at www.pa-trolley.org

-- McCoy

The King of Dangdut

King of what? Dangdut is Indonesian pop that arose in popularity in the 1970s and '80s. It mixes Western and Eastern instruments and has Indian, Malay and Arabic elements.

Think of singer Rhoma Irama as the Elvis of this propulsive dance music. He came to be identified with dangdut, and still is a major figure. As part of a conference on "Islam and Popular Culture in Indonesia and Malaysia" at Pitt this weekend, the Pitt Department of Music, University Center for International Studies and the Asian Studies Center will present Irama and his band Soneta for a free concert 8 p.m. Saturday at Bellefield Hall Auditorium in Oakland. Pitt's own dangdut group, Dangdut Cowboys, will open.

-- Andrew Druckenbrod

New Jack revival

Here's a ladies night out that's a bit more funky than going to see "Sex and the City."

The show Saturday night at the Petersen Events Center features R&B stars and New Jack swing pioneers Keith Sweat, Bell Biv Devoe and Dru Hill with Sisqo.

Sweat -- who scored hits like "Make It Last Forever," "I Want Her" and "Twisted" in the late '80s and early '90s -- recently issued "Just Me," his first album since 2002. BBD, a spinoff of New Edition that blended R&B and hip-hop, had a No. 1 single in 1990 with "Poison," and has been off and on since then, releasing its most recent record in 2002. Dru Hill came along later, around 1996, with a smooth R&B sound producing hits such as "In My Bed" and "Never Make a Promise," long before Sisqo's "Thong Song."

The show is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $42.50 to $75. Call 412-323-1919.

Caustic cabaret

Does an appearance by Tony Clifton and the Katrina Kiss-My-Ass Orchestra at the Rex Theater Saturday mean that Andy Kaufman is really alive and well, and finally revealing himself?

It would be fun to think so.

Clifton was the acerbic lounge lizard alter ego of Kaufman, but he was also performed by Kaufman's comedy buddy Bob Zmuda, who will likely be behind the shades.

The show is a music, dance and comedy revue featuring Clifton and an orchestra of displaced Gulf Coast musicians.

The Chicago Tribune described as "a bacchanalia with a horn section that lands somewhere near deep, deep parody, a live taping of a Howard Stern show, an episode of 'Hee-Haw,' political satire, a New Orleans jam session led by a decent group of session musicians and an evening at Nevada's Moonlite Bunny Ranch, where Clifton hangs out."

It's at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $25. Call 412-323-1919.

-- Mervis

Pet place

Two-legged and four-legged guests are invited to the Dad's Pet Care Pittsburgh Pet Expo at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center this weekend. The four-legged ones need to be on a leash.

Sponsored by Dad's Pet Care and Clear Channel Radio, the fifth annual Pet Expo has something of interest to pet owners of all stripes.

Dog owners can register their pets to compete in long-distance dock jumping with Ultimate Air Dogs through the Ultimate Air Dogs link at the Pet Expo Web site. Other highlights include performances by America's Best Frisbee Dogs, canine freestyle routine demonstrations in Dancing With the Dogs, Hot Dog Pig Races and a "Basics of Animal Communication" seminar.

The microchip pet identification system helps reunite lost pets with their families: The Animal Friends Medical Team will be offering microchip injections for $20.

People looking to adopt pets can talk to representatives from animal shelters and breed rescue groups. People interested in a particular breed of dog can learn about the characteristics of AKC registered breeds at the AKC Meet The Breeds session.

An Ugliest Pet Contest will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and a costume contest and "Pup Rally" will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Pet can get their photos taken with Santa, and enjoy free treats and giveaways.

Pet Expo hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is $8. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. 412-919-8523 or www.PittsburghPetExpo.com.

-- McCoy

• Todd Rundgren returns to the Rex Friday with The Rock Show that finds the pop craftsman, who had been touring in more acoustic mode, kicking up the volume. "The unusual thing about this tour," he told us last year, "is that it's been a few years since I actually strapped on the guitar and fronted the band as a guitarist as opposed to just a singer who may play an occasional guitar solo." It's at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 to $45. Call 412-323-1919.

• Roots band Railroad Earth pulls into Mr. Small's Saturday with "Amen Corner," a new album written and recorded at singer Todd Sheaffer's empty 300-year-old house in New Jersey's rural countryside. The show is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• Local jazz legend Etta Cox celebrates the kickoff of the Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Agnes R. Katz Plaza with a free outdoor concert under the light projection designed by Corentine Buron for ARTLUMIERE. The "flip the switch" ceremony will take place at 8:30 p.m.

• The Black Sheep Puppet Festival begins Friday at the Brew House Space 101 with the opening of the fully interactive gallery show. The contributing artists have installed pieces that are meant to be handled and played with by guests. The opening will include a performance by Taiwanese artist Spica Wobbe. The weekend includes all-afternoon activities at the Children's Museum.

• The record-mad public will descend up on the Radisson Hotel in Green Tree Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Pittsburgh Record & CD Convention XXVII with thousands of vinyl records and CDs for sale or trade from national and local dealers. Admission is free.