India’s ‘Taj Express’ Rolls into the Byham; Club Cafe Hosts Noted Guitarist Albert Lee (Wed., 2/15/17)

1) Here comes a really big show for lovers of Bollywood song and dance. Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical is produced, directed and choreographed by Shruti and Vaibhavi Merchant, sisters belonging to one of the dynastic Bollywood families. This musical is a showcase of Indian cultures woven together, like a beautiful silk scarf, through a journey on the Taj Express, a train which travels from from Mumbai to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. The plot follows the exploits of a thief named Vasu—but that’s just part of what is in store.  The Bollywood aesthetic thrives on “more of everything!!!” and Taj Express has waves of mass musical numbers, plus of course a spectacularly romantic love affair, with the dancing and singing done in a blend of styles that range from traditional Indian genres to contemporary Mumbai rock. Taj Express started a world tour in 2013 which stops in Pittsburgh this month, for one night only. 7:30 p.m. Byham Theater, 101 6th Ave., Cultural District. (RH)

2) Albert Lee, one of the world’s greatest and most unassuming guitarists, is playing Club Cafe this month, a great opportunity to see some underrated talent in a cozy venue. His name may not be recognizable, but his fingerpicking style, which melds country and rock, is. Also recognizable: the musicians that he has performed and recorded with, such as Emmylou Harris, the Everly Brothers, and Eric Clapton. While with the British band Heads Hands & Feet, Lee co-wrote “Country Boy,” which later became a hit for American country singer Ricky Skaggs. Lee also produced an accomplished solo discography. His most recent album, 2014’s Highwayman, coincided with his 70th birthday. The celebration included two concerts at Cadogan Hall in London and a documentary of his career. He began playing music as a boy in Blackheath, London. One of his first gigs was with the rock group The Crusaders; he replaced a young Jimmy Page on guitar. The Cryers open. 8 p.m.  56-58 S. 12th St., South Side. (CM)

A scene from ‘JH: Mechanics of a Legend.’ photo: Renee Rosensteel and the The New Hazlett Theater’s 2015 CSA Performance Series.”

3) “Before I let your steam drill beat me down, I’m going to hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord, I’ll hammer my fool self to death,” Bruce Springsteen sings on his version of “John Henry.” The oft-covered ballad concerns the iconic African-American tall tale character, a real man who may have died just south of Pittsburgh in Talcott, West Virginia. Legend has it that he raced a steam-powered hammer to prove that he could drive more steel than a machine. He won—but died from the stress of the achievement, leaving his hammer to his lover, Polly Ann. His legend is rife with symbolism: of man versus mechanization and of civil rights. Who better to take on these themes than the Hiawatha Project, a Pittsburgh-based ensemble which explores social questions through movement. According to the event page, the performance will incorporate “the language of mechanics, century old ballads and primary historical records. 8 p.m. Performances through February 18. ” JH: Mechanics of a Legend is at the August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. (CM)

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