Larry the Cable Guy at Heinz Hall, Fist Fight at Altar Bar (CPs Sat., 1/11/14)

1) By tapping into the always underestimated entertainment market of ordinary WalMart-shopping Americans, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour made stars out of all of its performers, but the breakout was undoubtedly Daniel Lawrence Whitney, a.k.a. Larry the Cable the Guy. The Nebraska native’s R-rated Christmas carols and tales of trailer-park life have begotten an empire that includes his own brands of potato chips, barbeque sauce, frozen dinners, and clothing bearing his signature phrase “get-r-done.” (We’ve always thought he should sign off on a line of sleeveless flannel.) Even with a travel show on the History Channel (“Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy”) and an increasingly long IMBD listing of movie parts, he’s still willing to tour and entertain you in person with stories of Grandma’s “walking farts.” Tonight, he’ll get two shows at Heinz Hall done. 7 and 9:30 p.m. 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District.

2) Though you may have seen “Fist Fight in the Parking Lot” on Altar Bar’s marquee, there won’t be any bare-knuckle beat-downs outside the venue today. There will be a local hard-rock foursome called Fist Fight in the Parking Lot, and they have plenty to offer in terms of action, with blistering guitar riffs and lead singer Abby Krizner’s gritty wailing. Tonight is the release show for their second album, Year of the Ox, and it promises to pack as much punch as a street-side rumble. Opening are Black Plastic Caskets, Lady Beast, and After the Fall. 8:30 p.m. 1620 Penn Ave., Strip District.

3) Just because Chris Higbee is a country singer don’t think he has antiquated ideas about gender roles. The fiddler’s song “Write to Me” is a thoroughly modern, very touching letter from a man to his girlfriend serving in Afghanistan. Higbee was a founding member of The Hillbilly Way, Pennsylvania’s reigning kings of yee-haw and the official country band of the Steelers. In his solo career, he plays a decent mix of the slow and rollicking. See for yourself at the Meadows Casino. 8 p.m. 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington.

4) You can have a four-member band in which everyone plays the saxophone, and H2 Saxophone Quartet will show how that works at the Andy Warhol Museum today. Playing a span of jazz, classical, and avant-garde works, the Michigan-based ensemble has released three CDs and solicited a variety of composers to create something tailored for their unique instrumentation. This band totally blows, and for once, that’s a good thing! 8 p.m. 117 Sandusky St., North Shore.

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Nick Keppler

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