Jam on Walnut with Kelsey Friday and Dancing Queen; Totally 80’s Rockin’ the River at Baja (Sat., 6/25/16)

1) Tonight’s Jam on Walnut is the firs of third during the summer. As usual, proceeds from the block party, which stretches from S. Aiken Ave. to Ivy St., benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Western Pennsylvania Chapter. To kick off the first jam Kelsey Friday performs for the seventh consecutive year and Dancing Queen, another multi-year performer, returns. Kelsey Friday self-identifies as a “Rocker Mom” and primarily performs with her children’s music band, aptly named the “Rest of the Week”; still, she is quite capable of performing for adult audiences as well, given her previous musical stint with her alt-rock band, Brownie Mary, in the ‘90s.  Get out on the street and take advantage of the nice summer weather while you can. Live music from 7 – 11 p.m. Walnut St., Shadyside.

2) Have a fun retro flashback (or, depending on your age, discover new music) with Totally 80’s belting out the best hits of the decade at Baja Bar & Grill. If arriving by boat, just pull up to the dock at the Fox Chapel Yacht Club, if by land, park the car at 1366 Old Freeport Rd., O’Hara Township. 8 p.m.

3) Our battlin’ Bucs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers today in a 7:15 p.m. game. It’s also a pre-game Saturday Block Party, featuring live entertainment, food and beer options, games and more. Stop by the Leinenkugel Bar and meet former Pirates outfielder Elroy Face. Also first 20,000 fans receive a Pirates’ tote bag, and additionally it’s a Scratch ‘n Win Saturday. PNC Park, 115 Federal St.,  North Shore.

4) Dark Horse – I haven’t seen the movie yet but I’m crying even as I type this. This classic underdog, er … underhorse story is a British documentary, directed by Louise Osmond, taking place in a small village in South Wales in the early 2000’s. With the local mines closed and the town suffering, a barmaid at a local pub heard about a racehorse being sold and talked villagers into entering into a horse racing syndicate and purchasing the animal.

Eventually 23 people joined the enterprise, each contributing £10 a week. They bred that horse and named the resulting foal Dream Alliance. Because of his nothing beginnings and the inexperience of the syndicate, nobody in the racing world gave Dream Alliance much attention … until he started to win races. Lots of races. Eventually he won the 2009 Welsh National. But that’s just the start of the story. The rest is … oops, can someone pass me the Kleenex? 4, 6, and 8 p.m. Screening through June 30. Regent Square Theater, 1035 S. Braddock, Regent Square.

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