Former Go-Go’s Singer Belinda Carlisle Plays Palace; ‘In the Mood’ for Big Band Music at Byham (Wed., 4/6/16)

1) In the late 1970s, on the L.A. punk rock scene, there appeared a young woman calling herself Dottie Danger. These days she’s a gracefully aging pop diva who credits her still-youthful looks and energy to clean living, not surgery and stimulants, and she’s back to being just Belinda Carlisle. The singer’s rise to fame began in 1978 when she teamed with friends to form an all-girl band. That group, The Go-Go’s, transitioned from punk to a new wave/power pop sound and topped the charts with their ’81 album The Beauty and the Beat. After the band disbanded in ’85, Carlisle went on to forge an impressive solo career—seven studio albums (with another coming soon), plus side ventures ranging from acting gigs to charity work. Meanwhile The Go-Go’s have become the band that wouldn’t die, re-uniting repeatedly with Carlisle to reprise their top hits such as “Our Lips Are Sealed.” Carlisle is bringing her own backup band for a concert at The Palace Theatre, and to study up for it you can read her 2010 autobiography: It’s titled Lips Unsealed. 8 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. (MV)

2) Great music is timeless and In the Mood, a big band musical of the 1940’s proves that. As the U.S. was in the run up to World War II  and during the war itself American composers were busy creating new favorites in the great American songbook. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Erskine Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, and Frank Sinatra were some of the big names of the decade. Count on hearing hits like “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “In the Mood,,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and many more. The touring musical—now in it’s 22nd year—was created by Bud Forrest, a Juilliard graduate and piano accompanist to the world-famous Singing Sergeants, the official chorus of the United States Air Force. The D.C. resident has performed at many top government and ceremonial events in the nation’s capital. April 5 – 6. 2 p.m. today. Byham Theater, 101 6th St., Cultural District.

3) The Pirates take on the St. Louis Cardinals in their third home game of the season today. The Cards will next be in the ‘Burgh on June 10. 7:05 p.m. PNC Park, 115 Federal St., North Shore.

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