Katy Perry in Concert at PPG Paints; Digable Planets and Black Sheep; Trust Gallery Crawl (Fri., 9/22/17)

1) When Katy Perry kissed a girl (and liked it) in 2008, it  would have been easy to write her off as a one-hit wonder who used shock value to get attention in the pop world. But nearly a decade later, Perry has proven to be a pop culture juggernaut. Her 2008 album, One of the Boys, featuring “I Kissed a Girl,” sold seven million copies worldwide. The 2010 follow-up, Teenage Dream, peaked at six million. The album also spawned five number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, a first for a female artist and a feat matched only by Michael Jackson’s Bad. She headlined the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show in 2015 with assists from Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott. Her latest album is this year’s Witness. Perry keeps her fans happy with upbeat, energetic music and a stage with visuals and production value that blows audiences away. You have a chance to experience it at PPG Paints Arena. 7:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (EC, CM)

Katy Perry singing in a 2016 concert. photo: Ali Shaker/VOA and Wikipedia.

2) “I’m cool like dat” and “You can get with this, or you can get with that” are two of rap’s catchiest hooks. The former is from “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” by Digable Planets. The latter is from “The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)” by Black Sheep. Digable Planets formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 1987. “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” combined rap and jazz for a hit that went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles and No. 15 on the Hot 100. It appears on the trio’s 1993 debut, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space). They disbanded after releasing their sophomore album, 1994’s Blowout Comb. Black Sheep, formed in 1989, also hails from one of the five boroughs: Queens. Like Digable Planets, they had a huge debut, 1991’s A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, but broke up after their 1994 sophomore album, Non-Fiction. Both groups are back and will perform at the August Wilson Center. 8 p.m. 980 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. (CM)

3) Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District is happening tonight; it features visual arts, musical performances, and interactive exhibits. All events are free and take place at a variety of galleries, art spaces, and venues. Some galleries offer drinks and hors d’oeuvres. What a great way to sample some of Pittsburgh’s great arts and entertainment! 5:30 – 9 p.m., Cultural District.

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