Comic con

The Steel City Con returns with guests from some of your favorite TV shows, the world of wrestling and a cadre of costumed crusaders.

John Schneider ("Dukes of Hazzard," "Smallville"); Mark Goddard ("Lost in Space") and Jake Busey ("Starship Troopers") are guests for the event that uses its previous title as an "aka" -- the Pittsburgh Toy, Comic Book and Childhood Collectibles Show.

Matthew Wood, who gives voice to General Grievous for "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," will be among the celebs signing autographs and posing for pics Saturday and Sunday (hours may vary).

Scheduled to be on display are replicas of the General Lee car from "Dukes," the "Lost in Space" robot and the DeLorean from "Back to the Future." Chat up comic-book artists and the folks at the Toonseum booth while exploring vendor tables.

There will be hourly prize drawings throughout the Steel City Con schedule: 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Monroeville Convention Center. General admission is $10; $20 for a three-day pass; children under 12, $5/$10. A free goody bag comes with early purchase; www.steelcitycon.com for details.

Pops on Broadway

Singers Anne Runolfsson, Capathia Jenkins, Rob Evan and Gary Mauer join principal Pops conductor Marvin Hamlisch to regale Heinz Hall audiences with the music of Broadway hit shows such as "Phantom of the Opera," "Hairspray," "Wicked," "Mamma Mia," "Dream Girls," "Jersey Boys," "Tommy" and more.

Concerts are 7:30 tonight, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The All-Star College Chorus, led by Robert Page, helps out. Tickets are $20-$83; call 412-392-4900 or visit www.pittsburghsymphony.org.

New music bonanza

Pitt's Music on the Edge series has been a pipeline of international contemporary composers and performers over the years, and this weekend it is pouring it on.

At 8 tonight the series brings in cellist Dave Eggar and percussionist Charles Palmer to play with pianist Rob Frankenberry at Bellefield Hall Auditorium in Oakland in a free program of music by Elliott Sharp, Mathew Rosenblum, Alvin Lucier, Charles Wourinen and others.

Then Saturday composer/pianist Anthony Coleman joins flutist Lindsey Goodman of Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble fame at 8 p.m. at The Andy Warhol Museum, North Side.

Finally, the Music on the Edge Chamber Orchestra takes to the Bellefield Hall Auditorium stage at 7 p.m. Sunday for works by Mauricio Kagel, Stefan Wolpe, Amy Williams and more. Roger Zahab conducts. Tickets to Saturday and Sunday events are $5-$15; call 412-394-3353.

Glory of pop-punk

Pop-punk band New Found Glory, playing Club Zoo in the Strip Friday, is on the road celebrating not only 10 years since its debut album but the good news that Chad Gilbert is back from a thyroid ailment.

The guitarist recently spoke to the Houston Chronicle about the longevity of the band, which last year released its Epitaph Records debut, "Not Without a Fight."

"We grew up in the suburbs of Fort Lauderdale and we didn't do the band to really get famous or to have major success as a band. We just loved going to punk and hardcore shows. We needed something to do and we loved music. And to be honest, that is one of the reasons I think we are still a band today with the same members. We have the same attitude if we are playing a festival in front of 20,000 people or some random city in front 100 kids."

Saves the Day, Hellogoodbye and Fireworks open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19.99 in advance, $23 the day of the show; 1-800-745-3000.

Rhythm House farewell

The Rhythm House in Bridgeville, soon to be a Get-Go station, will say goodbye with a last big party on Saturday featuring an all-star lineup of Donnie Iris, Joe Grushecky, B.E. Taylor, Scott Blasey, Bill Deasy and Velveeta.

Over its nine-year history, the Rhythm House has been a home for regional rock, R&B and jazz bands, along with such national acts as Quiet Riot, Warrant, Darius Rucker, Billy Currington, Jason Michael Carroll and Rod Piazza. It's also been visited by the likes of Lou Gossett Jr. and Matthew McConaughey.

The Rhythm House was the home base for the Pittsburgh Jazz Society, which will move to the Rivers Casino starting March 7.

The last party begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. Call 412-221-5010.

'Page to Stage'

Sample a taste of things to come when Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company offers "From Page to Stage" at 8 p.m. Saturday at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, Downtown.

The preview of Playwrights' spring 2010 offerings includes staged readings of scenes from "Valu-Mart," "The Ancestor Series" and August Wilson's "Jitney." The evening will be emceed by Pittsburgh native Bill Nunn ("Do the Right Thing," "Spider-Man" films) and includes such performers as Lynne Hayes-Freeland, Anji Corley, Vanessa German and Sala Udin.

Admission for "From Page to Stage" is free, but tickets are required at pghplaywrights.com or 412-377-7803.

Crowns for Christ

Casting Crowns will bring catchy pop-rock and Christian ministry to the Mellon Arena (half-house) on Saturday night.

The Grammy and Dove winners have been crossing over more into the mainstream, and their fourth studio album, "Until the Whole World Hears," debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 back in November.

This is one show where the message won't be obscured.

"Our songs have always come from our ministry in the church," lead singer Pastor Mark Hall says in the band bio. "They start as messages on Wednesday night, things we're teaching our teenagers and their families. Our typical Wednesday night crowd is about 70 percent students and 30 percent parents. So we're a family ministry and that comes out in the crowds who come to our concerts. You'll see a 6-year-old and a 60-year-old at a Crowns concert."

Kutless opens the show at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30.50-$93.50. Call 1-800-745-3000.

Voices of Ladysmith

Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- the South African a cappella group that has won three Grammys, performed for presidents, royalty and a pope, and recorded with the likes of Paul Simon (think "Graceland"), Stevie Wonder, Emmylou Harris and Ben Harper -- will be spreading its unique mix of sound and culture to Pittsburghers at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Byham.

The concert concludes Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's "Showcase Noir: African American Artist and Designer Exhibit and Sale," which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Byham Theater lobby.

The showcase is free, the concert is not. Tickets cost $20-$37. Call 412-456-6666 or visit www.pgharts.org.

For Haiti

The Haiti Relief Concert, which was snowed-out on Valentine's Day, is now set to happen Sunday at Soldiers and Sailors Hall in Oakland, with The Clarks headlining and performances by Bill Deasy, the Freedom Band and Good Brother Earl.

It is presented by Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund, which is working to provide food, shelter and clean drinking water.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for a silent auction that will include autographed sports memorabilia, gift certificates and other items. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20. Go to www.clarkstickets.musictoday.com.

• As a complement to ToonSeum's new exhibition, "Civil Rights Superheroes: Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story," Pittsburgh multidisciplinary artist Vanessa German will perform a new piece inspired by the women of the Civil Rights Movement. "Let Her Be a Sweet Thing" is described as a Spokenwordoperetta inspired by civil rights activist Claudette Colvin and consisting of five original poems. Performances are 6:30 tonight and Friday at 945 Liberty Ave. Admission is $4; $3 students.

• The Pittsburgh Music Academy will hold a benefit concert for Haiti at 4:30 Sunday at Trinity Cathedral, 328 Sixth Ave., Downtown. For "Children Helping Children," Larry Loh conducts the chamber orchestra, the violin, cello, viola, guitar, flute groups and choir. Admission is free and donations will be taken to be sent to UNICEF for the efforts in Haiti.

• Greensky Bluegrass, an Americana jamgrass band from Kalamazoo, Mich., that does originals along with covers by the The Beatles, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd, plays the Rex Theatre on Friday at 8:30 p.m. with Larry Keel. Tickets are $15.

• Polish Hill Civic Association will present a silly little TALENT SHOW and other shenanigans at Gooski's in Polish Hill at 7 p.m. Friday. Anything goes -- singing, dancing, comedy, standing on your head. There will be prizes for best and worst. Admission is $5. Call 412-681-1658.

• The Title Town Soul & Funk Party returns to the Shadow Lounge at 9 p.m. Saturday with five hours of soul, funk and R&B vinyl featuring special guest Juddy Hopper of Vipers Soul Club and Soulcialism. It's 18-plus. $5. Call 412-363-8277.

• Pierced Arrows, a garage-punk band from Portland, Ore., featuring ex-Dead Moon members Fred and Toody Cole brings its new album on Vice, "Descending Shadows," to the 31st Street Pub on Sunday at 8 p.m. with Kim Phuc and Mount McKinleys. Admission is $8. Call 412-391-8334.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.