NFG, H2O, Alkaline Trio at Stage AE; Silent Film at Altar Bar (Thu., 11/14/13)

1) Punk purists and the first wave of music bloggers mocked bands like New Found Glory, H2O, and The Alkaline Trio — all of which are coming to Stage AE tonight — as flashes-in-the-pan and pretty-boy posers. But the pop punk acts of the late ’90s have found surprising longevity on the touring circuit, even if the middle-class suburban kids who first bought their CDs now prefer Old Navy to Hot Topic, a latte to Red Bull, and spinning to skateboarding. Still, for a generation trying to recover from the great recession, bouncy songs like NFG’s “Hit or Miss” or the Alkaline Trio’s “Hell Yes” offer the perfect blast of nostalgia, and dang if they ain’t still catchy after all these years. 8 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore.

2) “A Star Is Born,” “People,” “The Way We Were,” “A Piece of Sky,” and “Yentl,” songs that are now staples, were made famous by Barbara Streisand, the archetypical star of stage and screen. Singer/songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway has made a career as of late interpreting them, and today she takes her show, The Streisand Songbook, to Heinz Hall where she’ll be backed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. More interesting than a straight-up Streisand copycat, Callaway is known for putting a pop/jazz spin on these songs. Through Nov. 17. 7:30 p.m. 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District.

3) Cake Boss, a reality show about a New Jersey bakery, has lasted a surprising six seasons on TLC. What’s the appeal? A large part of it is the dedicated work ethic, Italian-American charm, and flashy frosting application skills of its star/baker Buddy Valastro. Also, people freakin’ love cake. The show has spawned a live tour. Today, Valastro will be at the Palace Theatre to show you how to whip up your own batch of something sweet. 7:30 p.m. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg.

4) Though neither of their two albums have included that one breakthrough single, Oxford, England’s A Silent Film comes in the same vein as the emotive mid ’00s that put melody over style and image. If you like The Killers and Snow Patrol, you’ll also like them. Today, they play Altar Bar, after opening sets by two similar-sounding bands, LA’s Hands and Pittsburgh’s own The Show. 7 p.m. 1620 Penn Ave., Strip District.

5) With the 2013 Carnegie International finally unveiled, the Carnegie Museum of Art  and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History are open for free Thursday evenings through Nov. 21. 4 to 8 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland.

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