RIB KICK-OFF
When the Allegheny County Rib-Cookoff went the way of the Marathon, the Steelers were quick on their feet to offer something more than pigskin this weekend.
The Steelers serve up the meat, as well, at the Coors Light Kick Off & Rib Festival at Heinz Field. Today, the vendors are there for the high school football games, from 4 p.m. to midnight.
On Saturday, Charlie Daniels, the man who once warned not to "lay your hand on a Pittsburgh Steelers fan," plays a free concert at 9 p.m., preceded by Unwound at 7:30 p.m. The rib concessions open at noon and there is an autograph session with Dwight White at 2 p.m.
On Sunday, gamers can take the "Madden Challenge," and play the new "Madden 2005" for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas and a shot at $50,000. That runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The music starts with No Bad Ju Ju at 7 p.m., followed by the Little River Band reminiscing at 8:45 p.m.
On Labor Day, they let the dogs out -- not the Cleveland Browns, but the Baha Men, at 5 p.m. The Ambridge High School Steel Drum Band kicks the festivities off at noon, followed by The Flow Band playing the island music at 3:30 p.m.
Admission is free.
TASTE OF ITALY
It's a big Italian wedding -- without the wedding -- at the 17th annual Penn Mac Summer Italian Festival at the Chevrolet Amphitheatre at Station Square. Guests can fill up on pasta and cannoli while they enjoy the Italian songs of Pisa Moreno Fruzetti, We Three, Michael Amante, Morella Volpe and The Cavaliers and the comedy of Pat Cooper.
Filling the Food Court with marinara will be Christopher's Pizza, Rizzo's Malabar Inn, Bobby Dale's Restaurant, LaTavola Italiana, Angie's Restaurant and, to top it off, Joyce's Homemade Cookies. There will also be pasta-eating contests and a Bocce Tournament presented by Rebecca Tambellini's. On Sunday, there will be an Italian Mass (no admission charged) at 11 a.m. by Bishop Anthony Bosco.
Hours are 4 p.m. to midnight today; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday; and noon to 8 p.m. Monday. Admission is $8; free on Friday courtesy of Citizens Bank.
THE CLASSICS
What better way to end summer than with the actual group that sang "Summer in the City"? The Lovin' Spoonful kicks off the second annual Rock 'n Roll Classic Weekend today at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in the Laurel Highlands.
The Lovin' Spoonful, who can also put "Do You Believe in Magic" and "Daydreamin' " in the setlist, will be followed by a dance party featuring The Hubcaps. The concert is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and $20.
On Saturday at 8 p.m., The Association puts those smooth vocals on "Never My Love," "Windy" and "Cherish," and The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie turn up with the irresistible classic "Happy Together."
On Sunday at 8 p.m., Neil Sedaka explains why "Breaking up Is Hard to Do," followed by a dance with The Vogues. Tickets are $32 and $38.
The weekend also features a barbecue dinner on Saturday evening and a classic car cruise on Sunday. There will be raffles, a Chinese auction and other fund-raising activities to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital. For information, call 1-866-703-7625 or go to www.7springs.com.
More than a Folkfest
Johnstown will be flooded with music this weekend for the Johnstown Folkfest, a fest that goes way beyond folk. The more than 20 acts encompass folk-blues (Ernie Hawkins and Chris Smither), country-rock (Two Dollar Pistols), polka (Jimmy Sturr), zydeco (Chubby Carrier), rockabilly (Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys) and soul (Barrence Whitfield and the Savages). The more than 60 food vendors will run the gamut of ethnic goodies. The free festival runs today through Sunday.
Hartwood Blossoms
Remember "Hey Jealousy"? It was the 1994 hit by the Gin Blossoms, who will headline the Allegheny County Music Festival, the season-ending concert Sunday at Hartwood Acres.
The Gin Blossoms broke up in 1997, with singer Robin Wilson and drummer Phillip Rhodes launching the Gas Giants and guitarist Jesse Valenzuela fronting Low Watts. They regrouped in 2002 but haven't released a studio record since 1996. Opening the show at 6 p.m. will be Pittsburgh's excellent Good Brother Earl, who has already played the Dave Matthews Band show and the Regatta this summer.
The Children's Activity Area will include the making of musical instruments, crafts and face painting, from 4 to 7 p.m. The jam tent, where you can bring an instrument and join in, will be busy from 4 to 6 p.m. "The Saturday Light Brigade" radio folks will be there as well. The $10 per car donation benefits the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, which does the important work of aiding children who have been abused and neglected, have a developmental disability, live in a homeless shelter with a parent or are mentally retarded.
Colonial fest
You can stock up for the winter on dried floral arrangements, sheepskin apparel and wood-carved pigs at the 11th annual Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Colonial Festival at the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds. Adding to the festivities will be the 11th Pa. Military Regiment, the Acoustic Shadows of the Blue-Gray String Band and the Commonwealth Ancients fife and drum parade. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Monday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5; $4.50 seniors; $1 kids 6-12. Call 724-863-4577 or go to www.familyfestivals.com.
Political voices
Anne Feeney, who's been called "the best labor singer in North America," has a busy Labor Day Weekend planned. Tonight, she joins Voices of the Revolution, a coalition of New Jersey artists playing a pro-peace/anti-Bush concert at the Quiet Storm in Friendship at 7 p.m. The show will feature coalition founder Jim Grande and his band, The New Patriots, along with Daddy and DJ Kwaaze. Proceeds from the $5 cover will go to The Thomas Merton Center and local anti-Bush efforts.
On Monday, Feeney will do her final Pittsburgh performance with Chris Chandler as the Flying Poetry Circus at Club Cafe on the South Side. Feeney will offer standards such as "Which Side Are You On?" "Joe Hill" and "Solidarity Forever," as well as originals like "War on the Workers" (the theme of a "Justice at Wal-Mart Campaign") and "Have You Been to Jail for Justice?" (a song covered by Peter, Paul and Mary). The second half of the show at Club Cafe will find Feeney and Takoma Park, Md., spoken-word artist Chandler performing what they call "folken word."
They have been performing more than 200 shows a year at rallies, union halls, conferences, etc., but have decided to explore "other creative options" after the election. It begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 advance, $20 at the door.
More political voices
"Politics, Prisons and the Printed Page," opening at Gallerie Chiz, is a highlight today along the Ellsworth Avenue FirstFriday ArtWalk. It features politically charged work by book artist Joan Goswell and the editorial cartoon work of the Post-Gazette's Tim Menees, who also offers drawings of prisoners at the State Correctional Institution of Pittsburgh, where he volunteers as a creative writing teacher. The opening is from 6 to 9 p.m.; the exhibit runs through Sept. 25 at 5831 Ellsworth Ave.
Tee off
Here's an offer: Hit a little white ball into a hole and win a million dollars. That's the tease of First Tee of Pittsburgh, which launches its Hole-in-One Contest with a cocktail reception tonight at 6 outside the Schenley Park Club House.
There will be live music, a cocktail buffet and a silent auction ($50). The contest runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 9 a.m. to noon Monday with golfers taking qualifying shots at the 118-yard 5th hole. The winners will get prizes and proceed to the playoffs (at 12:30 p.m. Monday), where if a hole-in-one is made, the golfer receives a $1 million 20-year annuity. Qualifying shots are $2 each; three for $5.
At 2:30 p.m. Monday there will also be a Great Helicopter Drop, where the four closest balls to the hole will win prizes ($20 per ball; three for $50).
First Tee of Pittsburgh is a youth development program based at the Schenley course. For information, call 412-622-0108.
Blues power
Nick Curran won the 2004 W.C. Handy Award for Best New Artist Debut for his Blind Pig record "Doctor Velvet." With the Nitelifes, the young singer-guitarist blends vintage R&B, jump blues and garage rock. The "All Music Guide" says he comes on like "a sci-fi hybrid of T-Bone Walker, Little Richard and Guitar Slim." He plays Moondog's in Blawnox tonight. See Page W-29 for review of his "Player!"
Still carrying the banner for Southern rock are Hall of Famers the Allman Brothers Band, powered by the ever-soulful vocals of Greg Allman and the guitar heroics of Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes. The latter opens the show with a solo set at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Post-Gazette Pavilion. Tickets are a reasonable $10 to $28.75; 412-323-1919.
Jazz at Frick
This Friday's First Fridays at the Frick is the last Friday of First Friday. In other words, go today or wait until next year. Performing will be jazz pianist and two-time Grammy nominee Fred Hersch and singer Kate McGarry, who will offer her take on the standards. The free concert begins at 7 p.m. on the grounds of the Frick Art & Historical Center, Point Breeze. Rain date is Saturday.
Crossing over
Pittsburgh Live Music, a nonprofit helping to book and market emerging talent, launches a new Showcase Series that combines classical and club music tonight at Club Cafe on the South Side. The Pittsburgh Live Chamber Music Ensemble will perform, followed by solos and duets from singer-songwriters Brad Yoder and Heather Kropf and Argentinean music by Tangueros de Ley. It runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $7; $5 students, seniors, members of WQED and the Guitar Society of Fine Art. For details, go to www.pghlivemusic.org.
Parades and more
The annual Labor Day Parade will march through Downtown Monday, beginning at 10 a.m. at Mellon Arena and concluding at the Post-Gazette building on the Boulevard of the Allies.
Saturday is the last call for the Fall Fantasy Parade at Kennywood. It will march through the park at 8 p.m. with high school and college bands and floats with themes like "Teddy Bears Picnic on the Moon," "The Cow Jumped Over the Moon," "Fairy Plane" and "Jack in the Box." The park is offering a ride-all-evening ticket for $13.95, available after 6 p.m. 412-461-0500.
It's Olde World Weekend at the Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival featuring English country dance with Lady Ophelia, song and dance by Polish troupe Polonia, African storytelling by Temujin and more. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday through Monday at the grounds at Exit 51-A (Route 31 east) off of I-70, 6 miles west of New Stanton. Web site is www.pgh-renfest.com.
First Published: September 3, 2004, 4:00 a.m.
