King Cool Donnie Iris and The Cruisers Play Jergel’s; Mr. Smalls Hosts The Keller Williams Trio (Sat., 12/5/15)

1) Area native Donnie Iris, aka King Cool, is performing at Jergel’s tonight with his band, The Cruisers. Sure to be on the set list are top favorites including “Ah Leah” and “Love Is Like a Rock.” Iris was once a member of the Pittsburgh group The Jaggerz in the early ’70s and had a monster hit with the “The Rapper,” which reached no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 8 p.m. 285 Northgate Dr., Warrendale. (RH)

2) “One-man jam-band.” The phrase may appear oxymoronic. That is, until you see Keller Williams live. The Virginia native often loops guitar, bass, and percussion while playing solo, creating the effect of a full band. Williams isn’t beneath asking for a little help from his friends, though. He’s recorded, performed, and toured with bluegrass group The String Cheese Incident, and he’s played in a number of additional ensembles. And this year, he’s expanded his one-man show into a trio. Joining him are upright bassist Rob Wasserman and drummer Rodney Holmes. Both are Grammy winners. Wasserman co-founded RatDog with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. He’s also played with everyone from Ani DiFranco to Lou Reed. Holmes has played and toured extensively with Santana, and his beats can be heard on the mega-hit “Smooth.” Together, the Keller Williams Trio are playing Williams songs both young and old at Mr. Smalls. Williams’s newest is 2015’s Vape, his 20th studio album and one he describes as “highly concentrated music that can be heated up and inhaled through your ears.” 8:30 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

3) Victor Frankenstein – Were you of the opinion that since, according to IMDB, there are 200 films, TV movies and shows about Mary Shelley’s creation there was nothing left to say? You simply don’t understand how Hollywood works. While normal people might see that 200 and think “enough’s enough already,” film people (in this case script writer Max Landis, son of John) say “if 200’s good, then 201 is better!” And so in this version Daniel Radcliffe plays Igor Strausman, a man with a tragic past, who is befriended by and then becomes assistant to Dr. Victor Frankenstein (played by James McAvoy). Together the two men make a human figure and give him life. And don’t worry about whether its true to the Shelley original or not since—and this is surprisingly—Igor wasn’t a character in novel. He also wasn’t a character in the famous 1930’s Boris Karloff classic and sequels either. Who knew? Check Fandango for times at your favorite moviehaus. (TH)

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