No Bad JuJu Dance Party at The Meadows; Pirates vs. Cards + Zambelli Fireworks (Sat., 6/11/16)

1) No Bad JuJu is an energetic eight-piece band that calls Pittsburgh home. It’s made up of veterans from all corners of the musical landscape, though most are either Pittsburgh born or educated. Vocalist Sabrina de Matteo has been performing in Pittsburgh since she sang with salsa bands in night clubs when she was 16; she’s gained acclaim for her stage work, winning the Gene Kelley Award for playing Timone in Once on This Island. Band cofounder and lead guitarist Mark Matteo has worked as a session musician with the likes of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and ‘N Sync; he’s written and recorded music for movies, TV shows, and commercials and performed live with Bo Diddley and Peter Noone. 8 p.m. No cover. The Meadows Casino, 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington.

2) The Pirates take on the St. Louis Cardinals on one of the prettiest patches of grass in the ‘Burgh tonight at 7:15 p.m. It’s a Scratch and Win Saturday and a Zambelli’s Fireworks Night. PNC Park, 115 Federal St., North Shore.

3) Xanadu – Come children, gather ‘round the digital fireplace app and let Grandpa tell you that yes, back in the day there really was something called “Roller Disco” a late 70’s/early 80’s craze which spawned not one but two movies. One of them, Roller Boogie, is all but forgotten … and willfully, no doubt, by it’s star Linda Blair. But as Yoda says in Empire Strikes Back, “there is another,” and that would be Xanadu.

Originally conceived as a low-budget flick meant to cash in on the roller disco fad, for reasons no one really understands it began attracting big name talent and wound up starring Olivia Newton-John, just coming off of her white-hot success in Grease, screen legend (and Pittsburgher) Gene Kelly and featuring a score by Electric Light Orchestra. Such high hopes! Until it opened to some of the worst reviews in film history, (although the ELO soundtrack went double platinum.) It was so bad it inspired John J. B. Wilson to invent the “Golden Raspberry Awards” given yearly to the worst efforts limping out of Hollywood. But life’s funny and times change and since it’s 1980 debut, Xanadu has become a huge cult favorite … even going so far as to spawn a campy 2007 Broadway musical version. I’d explain, or rather try to explain, the plot but you’d never believe it. 7 p.m. Ends tomorrow. Hollywood Theater, 1449 Potomac Ave., Dormont. (TH)

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