Cool Picks Monday August 6, 2012

August 6, 2012/Rick Handler

1) For classical music lovers who enjoy it with a modern touch, Heinz Hall is hosting internationally acclaimed operatic pop group Il Divo. The talented 4-man group consists of a French pop singer, a Spanish baritone, a Swiss tenor, and an American tenor. Fittingly, they have produced songs in French, Spanish, Italian and English. Il Divo was created by American Idol producer Simon Cowell.Their 2006 tour with Barbara Streisand generated the second most money of any tour that year, and they’ve sold over 26 million albums worldwide to date. 8 p.m. Downtown.

2) Tonight Club Cafe is hosting AcoustiCafe, an open stage night that seeks to emulate the best open stages in the country (i.e. Austin, Nashville). See a wide variety of musical talent as up-and-coming artists from around the area gather in a supportive environment, performing for patrons and fellow musicians alike. Artists take the stage at 7 pm. 56-58 S. 12th Street, South Side. No cover.

3) The Pittsburgh Pirates return home to face the Arizona Diamondbacks and kick off an 11-game home stand in the picturesque confines of PNC Park. The Pirates are continuing their charge for a spot in the MLB playoffs in this season where they’re actually a contender. 7:05 p.m.

4) NASA’s Mars rover attempts to land on the Martian planet in the wee hours of this morning. Relive the successful (hopefully) Mars landing at the Carnegie Science Center . Buhl Planetarium staff will host an hour long, post-landing program that will feature NASA Mission Control video recorded live, of the attempted landing. Curiosity, the Mars rover, was launched on November 26, 2011 and is the size of a small car. Program begins at noon.

5) If the weather forecast holds true, it’s a perfect day to get out into the country for some fresh air. Ohiopyle State Park features many exhilarating activities: rafting, canoeing, kayaking; water slides, fishing, hiking, biking. In addition to all the fun, it’s just nice to experience Ohiopyle’s natural beauty; the waterfalls, wild flowers and white water that are seen throughout the Youghiogheny river gorge.