Boyz II Men (Thursday)
This will be the second straight sold-out show at Rivers Casino for the Grammy-winning Philly R&B trio that emerged in 1991 with the nine-times platinum “Cooleyhighharmony” and blew up the charts with such hits as “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” “One Sweet Day” and “Motownphilly.” The lineup consists of Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris, who were all part of that debut. It begins at 7 p.m. Info at riverscasino.com/pittsburgh.
Comicsburgh release show (Thursday)
Comicsburgh, the Pittsburgh-based coalition of comic writers/creators, celebrates D.P. Brown’s debut publication, “The Theme of Thieves #1,” with an event at the new Poetry Lounge in Millvale. It will feature three bands whose frontwomen will be dressed as supervillains in the Pittsburgh-based live-action television series/comic book “Heroineburgh” created by Manny Theiner. Acts include Murder for Girls (with Stephanie Wallace as Dysphoria), Working Breed (Erika Laing as Dark Spectra) and Jessica Bella Band (Jessica Bella as Serpenta). The event runs 5-11 p.m. at 313 North Ave. in Millvale. Admission is free. It is a 21+ event. More info at comicsburgh.com.
La Ti Do Cabaret: Kristin Pacelli (Thursday)
BroadwayWorld.com’s Best Cabaret Series is at City Winery Pittsburgh in the Strip with an evening of local theater and spoken word artists performing Broadway, slam poetry and everything in between. It’s at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25/$30; citywinery.com/pittsburgh.
‘Fiddler on the Roof in Concert’ (Friday-Sunday)
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andy Einhorn, performs the music of this enduring classic that won nine Tony awards, including Best Musical, after hitting Broadway in 1964. The PSO performs it at Heinz Hall in collaboration with Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. It features John Williams’ Oscar-winning score adaptation as heard in the 1971 feature film. Concerts are at 8 p.m. Friday; 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25; pittsburghsymphony.org.
‘Skeleton Crew’ (Friday-Sunday)
Barebones productions opens its 21st season with the Pittsburgh premiere of Dominique Morisseau's drama about a tight-knit group of Detroit auto workers hoping to hang onto their jobs at the start of the Great Recession in 2008. The third entry in Morisseau's Detroit cycle trilogy debuted in 2016 at Atlantic Theatre Company in New York City and ran on Broadway from 2021-2022. Tomé Cousin directs a cast including Pittsburgh jazz legend Etta Cox, Saige Smith, Richard McBride and Brenden Peifer. It runs through March 10 in the Barebones Black Box Theater in Braddock. Times this weekend are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $40; barebonesproductions.com.
Deborah & Mimi: Our Exhibition (Friday-Sunday)
The Ohringer arts gallery in Braddock holds a weekend exhibition featuring the work of Deborah El-Platt and her daughter Jameelah “Mimi” Platt. Deborah is a self-taught artist and registered nurse who works with graphite and takes inspiration from the band Earth, Wind and Fire. Jameelah, who studied fine art at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, creates acrylic paintings, collages, photography and murals and says, “I enjoy contributing to the representation of Blackness within my work.” The reception and artist talk run 6 to 9 p.m. at 640 Braddock Ave., and the show continues 3 to 6 p.m Saturday and Sunday. Artwork will be available for purchase.
Blink-182 tribute (Friday)
The Needle Drop series at Bottlerocket Social Hall in Allentown goes back to 1999 to celebrate Blink’s breakout album “Enema of the State,” performed in its entirety by the Postmanti Brothers. Blink’s third album includes such pop-punk classics as “What's My Age Again?,” “Adam’s Song” and “All the Small Things.” There will also be an encore the venue says will “satisfy any Blink-182 fan.” It’s at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15; bottlerocketpgh.com.
Super Science Saturday: Neighborhood Nature (Saturday)
Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland explores the biodiversity of Pittsburgh, observing how organisms are thriving in and around the city. Topics range from a sidewalk crack teeming with plant life to majestic birds of prey soaring over the rivers. It runs from noon to 4 p.m. and is free with museum admission: $25; $15 kids 3-18 and students with ID; $20 seniors; carnegiemnh.org
Q Ball (Saturday)
Quantum Theatre invites theater lovers and food connoisseurs to “step beyond your everyday and embrace the extraordinary” at this gala event at the Union Trust Building, Downtown. Quantum’s Quark Bar will serve cocktails and libations from the mixologists of Lo Bar. Black Radish Kitchen will offer charcuterie boards, smoked eggplant and mozzarella sliders, ham and Gruyère with rosemary honey mustard sliders and more. The sweet treats are provided by Union Trust’s Ritual House, master confectioner Zoe Peckich and Q-appuccinos customized by Bella Christie’s. It runs from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $150; quantumtheatre.com.
Blue Note Records Tour (Saturday)
The MCG Jazz season continues with the Blue Note Records’ 85th Anniversary tour, featuring an all-star ensemble of Blue Note artists. Pianist and musical director Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, drummer Kendrick Scott and bassist Matt Brewer will offer classic tunes from the label’s history as well as original compositions. Times are 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the North Side theater. Tickets are $61; mcgjazz.org.
Beasts of the ‘Burgh 2 (Saturday)
The annual show of Pittsburgh hard rockers moves to The Club at Stage AE, North Shore, with metallic pop-punk band Chip & The Charge Ups headlining a bill with Dream the Heavy (ethereal rock with dense rhythms), NeverWake (modern rock with metalcore) and Spinning Jenny (female-fronted hard rock). “Beasts of the ‘Burgh is like Monsters of Rock, but with Pittsburgh bands,” Chip Dominick of Chip & The Charge Ups noted. “The audience will be electrified by four 30-minute sets of these bands’ best material, so it will be all killer, no filler, all night long!” It begins at 8 p.m. $15/$18; thechargeups.com/store.
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia (Saturday)
The Children's Theater Series is at Byham Theater, Downtown, with “The Rainbow Fish,” an adaptation of the award-winning book about the beautiful fish who learned to share his most prized possession. Times are 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Info at trustarts.org.
Polkamaniacs (Saturday)
The 9-piece "plaidtastic" combo that mashes polka with roots rock and punk, with a side of comedy, sets up at the Hard Rock Cafe at Station Square for a live video recording. Accordions, guitars, banjo, trumpet, bass, trombone and drums will all be in action. iNCO FIdO opens the all-ages show at 8 p.m. $15; hardrockcafe.com.
Alcée Chriss III (Sunday)
Music in a Great Space and the Organ Artists Series of Pittsburgh present this musician who serves as organist and artist-in-residence at Wesleyan University performing on the four-manual, 106-rank Reuter organ at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, 5121 Westminster Place. The concert is at 3 p.m., preceded by an optional brunch at 1:30 p.m. in the Sharp Atrium. Tickets are $20, students free with valid ID; organseries.com.
Tribute to Tina Turner (Sunday)
Sheena B., formerly of the ‘80s Atlantic Records group Company B, takes the stage at the Hard Rock Cafe, Station Square, with a tribute to the R&B dynamo who died last year at 83. The internationally touring Sheena B. will be joined by her band, The 445s. It begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15; hardrockcafe.com.
First Published: February 20, 2024, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: February 21, 2024, 5:58 p.m.
