Robert Randolph Heats Up Altar Bar; The Skivvies Sizzle at City Theatre (CPs Thu., 2/13/2014)

1) Though certainly not ignored by radio programmers, Robert Randolph and the Family Band have primarily built their fan base night by night through killer live shows, a la the Grateful Dead or the Allman Brothers. Their concerts have all the spitfire of a holy tent revival. The band encourages—even demands—audience participation, enticing people into singing along and occasionally pausing the music to give dance instructions. Leader Randolph is known for fiery skills on the steel guitar, an instrument played sitting down, but he’ll rise up, kicking over his chair as he does. With their roof-raising brand of soul, funk, and rock, the New Jersey-born band is set to acquire a few more admirers at Altar Bar tonight. Pittsburgh’s own Big Gypsy opens. 8 p.m. 1620 Penn Ave., Strip District.

2) Broadway singer/actors Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley have become sensations in the NYC club scene and on YouTube with their band The Skivvies. The act offers Molina, on the cello, and Cearley, on the ukulele and other stringed instruments, performing covers of popular songs while in their undies. The duo, who are buff enough to look good this way, have done songs by Robyn, CeeLo Green, and Carly Rae Jepsen and even performed a medley of Amanda Bynes’ Tweets in the near nude. Because this surreal oddity is something the entire nation should see, live and in person, they are on a tour that stops into City Theatre for the next three days. 8 p.m. 1300 Bingham St., South Side.

3) Ever wonder what it is like to be the cashier at one of those adult mega-stores? You know, the kind of place you’ve spotted a few times up McKnight Road? The new comedy Adult World mines such a premise for laughs. Emma Roberts (of Uncharmed and American Horror Story fame) plays a young poet who graduates college with few marketable skills and finds herself ringing up unmentionables at a porn shop. The film recently got a debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. Today, director Scott Coffey is coming to the Hollywood Theatre for a one-day, pre-wide-release screening of the comedy, which has a supporting bit from the always great John Cusack. 7:30 p.m. 1449 Potomac Ave., Dormont.

4) Blond, bright-faced Lisa Landry might look like a suburban mom, but one minute of her stand-up act will disarm you of that notion. Landry draws wickedly funny and risqué humor from her marriage, child-rearing, conversion to Judaism, and small-town roots. Our favorite bit: “There was nothing to do in our town, except have sex or go to the Dairy Queen. Two girls got pregnant because they were lactose intolerant.” Hear more for the rest of the week at The Improv. 8 p.m. 166 E. Bridge St., Homestead.

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