Kickoff time
As you very well know, the Steelers begin their campaign tonight for a return trip to the Super Bowl, kicking off against the Tennessee Titans at 8:30 p.m. at Heinz Field.
That's not all. The pregame appetizer is a free concert in Point State Park starting at 5 p.m. with country star Tim McGraw and record-breaking hip-pop group the Black Eyed Peas.
Gates open for a Steelers video at 4 p.m., and it will run until 8 p.m., with the artists doing a number or two for the live network pregame show after 8.
RCBB is back
River City Brass Band opens with perhaps one of the most sincere titles for a concert series that you are going to see. After the band's near dissolution last spring due to financial problems, its program titled "And The Band Played On" acknowledges how happy it is to still be playing. Granted, everyone would like to be paid better but for fans of hot brass playing, just being there is better than the alternative. On the program is Philip Sparke's "Music for Battle Creek," Joseph Turrin's "Escapade," Bernstein's "Somewhere," and Pittsburgh native Erroll Garner's "Misty."
Concerts take place at Gateway High School, 8 p.m. today; Carson Middle School, 8 p.m. Friday; Palace Theatre, 8 p.m. Saturday; Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, 3 p.m. Sunday; Upper St. Clair Theater, 8 p.m. Tuesday; Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, 8 p.m. Sept. 17.; and Baldwin High School, 3 p.m. Sept. 20. Ticket prices vary; call 412-434-7222 or visit www.rcbb.com.
Carnegie rocks
Carnegie's 22nd annual Arts & Heritage Festival runs today through Saturday with a craft marketplace, local ethnic foods, children's activities and lots of music. Jill West headlines on Friday, Joe Grushecky plays Saturday night and on Saturday afternoon there will be a Battle of the Bands from noon to 4 p.m. A second stage will feature jazz, folk, belly dancers, Irish dancers and more. Here is the music schedule:
Today: Sweaty Betty (5-6:30 p.m.); Dave Iglar (6:30-8 p.m.); EMJ Band (halftime of Steelers game, which will be broadcast).
Friday: Soiree Band (4:30-6 p.m.); Groove Merchant (6-7:30 p.m.); Mahajibee Blues Band (7:30-9 p.m.); Bill Toms (9-10:30 p.m.); Jill West and Blues Attack (10:30-midnight).
Saturday: Battle of the Bands (noon--4 p.m.); The Elliots (4:30-6 p.m.); Trainwreck (6-7:30 p.m.); Gary Belloma (7:30-9 p.m.); Mansfield 5 (9-10:30 p.m.); Joe Grushecky (10:30-midnight).
Go to www.carnegieartsandheritage.com.
Pittsburgh Comicon
Pittsburgh Comicon begins Friday and runs through Sunday at the Monroeville Convention Center, with Stan Lee as a featured guest on Saturday.
The man who created marvels such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and the X-Men will be signing autographs ($40 in-advance tickets required) until 11:30 a.m., then take a break and be back from 12:30 to 3 p.m.
Writer/director Brian Pulido will be on hand with "Lady Death" exclusives and will debut his new horror film, "The Graves," at 4 p.m. Saturday in the convention center's Spidey Room. The film is due in theaters January 2010 and comes with the tagline: "In Skull City, Death is the least of your problems."
There will be an all-ages casino Friday night and art auction on Saturday night to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and New Dimension Comics will raffle movie passes for "Whiteout and Surrogates." For more guests and special features, visit pittsburghcomicon.com.
Tickets: one-day pass $18.16, two-day pass $35.24 (per person), three-day pass $45, Stan Lee three-day package $90, Stan Lee autograph ticket $40, under 8 free with paid adult admission. Admittance on Sunday is free for fans in costume.
Big Daddy
Toby Keith on 9/11?
Now that should be interesting.
Obviously, the country star, who plays the Post-Gazette Pavilion Friday, was front and center in the America First movement after the terrorist attacks and has been a big supporter of the troops ever since -- even if he hasn't always supported the idea of the war against Iraq.
Anyway, it should be quite the pep rally at the Pavilion during this show with the even taller Trace Adkins.
Last fall, Keith released his 14th record, "That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy," scoring two No. 1 country hits with "She Never Cried in Front of Me" and "God Love Her."
Now, the hardest-working guy in country music already has another one on the way with "American Ride" coming on Oct. 6, and the provocative title track already shooting up the charts.
The concert is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $65-$25; 1-877-598-8703.
Snoop gets Small
So let's get this straight: Pittsburghers will not only witness one the biggest kickoff celebrations to ever begin a Steelers season, but also have a chance to party with the team and one of the most famous Steelers fans the next day?
For shizzle.
To pay homage to the Super Bowl champs and the city that obsesses over them, Snoop Dogg and his band the Snooptronics will host a party at Mr. Smalls Theater, 400 Lincoln Ave. in Millvale on Friday. The theater's intimate setting, which holds a crowd of 650, along with the sounds of a live band playing Snoop's tracks, will give fans an opportunity to hear the hip-hop veteran perform some of his biggest hits to a more "sensually seductive" sound.
Between the presence of the Doggfather and the Steelers coming off a (hopefully successful) home opener, this party should set the standard for how this city celebrates the season for years to come. Doors open at 9. The sold-out show starts at 11.
'Season' opener
Four members of a high school basketball team and their coach gather in Scranton for their 20-year reunion, where they relive "That Championship Season" in a season-opening production by The REP, Point Park University's professional theater company.
Jason Miller's character study about past glories and unrealized dreams is directed by Ronald Allan-Lindblom at Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse, Rauh Theater, Oakland, with a preview tonight. It opens Friday and runs through Sept. 20.
The REP team is Robert Haley as Coach, Jarrod DiGiorgi as Tom Daley, Philip Winters as George Sikowski, David Cabot as James Daley, and Daryll Heysham as Phil Romano.
"That Championship Season" is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award as best play.
Tickets are $24-$27 at 412-621-4445 or www.pittsburghplayhouse.com. The REP's Pay What You Will program is in effect for the 2 p.m. performance Saturday. Tickets go on sale at noon that day at The Playhouse box office.
Highlanders
Pipe bands, crafters, Scottish dogs and poets will be among those gathering at Idlewild Park this weekend for the Ligonier Highland Games, a festival that sets out to "savor the pageantry and pride in the Celtic culture."
Along with the piping and drumming will be such events as the caber and the Scottish hammer throw, Highland and Scottish country dancing, fiddling and storytelling. There will be Celtic crafts, a living history demonstration of the Scottish military, Scottish breed dog exhibits and a Gaelic Mod competition of prose, poetry and song.
It begins with a Scottish dinner Friday at Four Points by Sheraton in Greensburg (7 p.m.; $35; $13 for kids 2-10). The park opens at 9 a.m. Saturday with welcoming ceremonies at noon featuring performances by the Massed Bands, including Celtic rock band Highland Reign from Indianapolis and traditional group Callan (they gather again at 5:30 for the awards). The Games culminate with a traditional Ceilidh (a Gaelic social dancing and dining event) at Shepherd's Barn in Ligonier (7 p.m.; $35; $13 for kids 2-10).
Tickets are $18; $15 for seniors (65 and over); $8 for children to age 12; and free for children under the age of 6. For details, go to www.ligoniergames.org.
'Crime' pays
Three actors + 80 minutes = "Crime and Punishment."
That's the equation for Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's production, based on the adaptation by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus from Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel.
Joel Ripka portrays Raskolnikov, whose brutal act drives the story. Larry John Meyers is the policeman who investigates the crime and Susan Goodwillie plays Sonia, the prostitute who may be the key to Raskolnikov's salvation.
"It's a brilliant, award-winning, 80-minute adaptation for just three actors," notes Andrew Paul, producing artistic director of PICT. "The piece is very hot and is being performed all over the country this autumn."
Matthew Gray directs the fast-paced production at the Henry Heymann Theatre, Stephen Foster Memorial, 4301 Forbes Ave. Previews begin tonight; the show runs Saturday through Oct. 3.
Tickets: Opening night: $48, $45 seniors; Fri. and Sat. nights: $46, $42; Wed., Thurs. nights and Sun. matinees: $42, $40; Tues. nights and Sat. matinees, $42, $40; under 25, $17 for all performances with I.D. Call ProArtsTickets at 412-394-3353 or visit www.picttheatre.org.
In conjunction with the play, PICT will host the free panel discussion "Crime and Punishment: Three Perspectives," after the Sept. 20 matinee; a post-show talk-back with the company after the Sunday matinee; and pre-show discussions at 7 p.m. Wednesday and next Thursday.
Science Night
Drop your kids at the Carnegie Science Center and then take off for the evening?
That's the offer on Saturday night for the premiere of Parents' Night Out.
Parents are invited to drop off their kids -- ages 6-12 -- at 5 p.m. at the Science Center, where they can enjoy dinner, an Omnimax film, laser show, science activity and the exhibits.
Parents can then go on a date -- dinner, movie, casino, whatever -- and pick up their kids at 10 p.m. (or 11 for an additional $10).
Cost per child is $35 for members; $40 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Call 412-237-1637 to register. It will be offered again Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Nov. 28 and Dec. 5.
More 'TV Tunes'
Who can turn the world on with her smile?
If you said Mary Tyler Moore -- and really, who wouldn't? -- then you'll want to know that Chris Laitta is returning to the late-night cabaret scene with her "TV Tunes" sing-along show at the CLO Cabaret in the Cultural District.
Laitta encourages (but doesn't demand) audience participation as she runs through theme-song lyrics that you probably know, or know just enough of to appreciate.
Joining Laitta for her stroll through TV land are Paul Thompson on bass, Joe Domencic on piano and RJ Heid on drums.
The show is at 10 tonight and Saturday; cover is $5, and drinks and food are available to order.
Trucks and Trolleys
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum invites everyone on board Saturday and Sunday for Antique Trucks and Trolleys, a display of pickups, tractor trailers and delivery trucks.
Admission includes rides on vintage trolleys and RG-2, the "world's ugliest diesel locomotive" as well as tours of the Trolley Display Building (which houses 29 trolleys), a blacksmithing demonstration, and a World War II encampment.
The museum is located in Washington, Pa. Admission is $9; $8 seniors ages 62 and over; $5 kids 3-15. Children 2 and under are free. Family rate of $30 covers up to two adults and four children. For more info, call 724-228-9256 or go to www.pa-trolley.org.
Correction/Clarification: (Published Sept. 11, 2009) The River City Brass Band was to perform at the Upper St. Clair Theater at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. An incorrect date was listed in this Hot List as originally published Sept. 10, 2009.
First Published: September 10, 2009, 4:00 a.m.
