Weezer and Panic! at the Disco Play Stage AE; Hartwood Acres Hosts the Pittsburgh Symphony (Sun., 7/3/16)

1) If there’s one thing that Weezer and Panic! at the Disco have in common—besides a shared billing at this year’s XFest at Stage AE—it’s their ability to sound youthful even as the band members age. That’s especially true of Weezer, whose self-titled debut (or, The Blue Album) came out over 20 years ago. Yet “Say It Ain’t So,” a single from that LP, is still go-to catharsis for teenagers. Weezer fell to a nadir with 2009’s Raditude and 2010’s Hurley but bounced back in 2014 with Everything Will Be Alright in the End, arguably their most solid songwriting since the ‘90s. The White Album followed this year. Although it may not reach the highs of The Beatles’ White Album (few records do), songs like “Thank God for Girls” sounds perfect for an outdoor concert.

Panic! at the Disco aren’t contemporaries of Weezer. Their debut, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, was released in 2005. Like Weezer, though, they’ve kept their audiences young with each pop rock release. This year’s Death of a Bachelor was their first album to go to number one on the Billboard 200. Some listeners may roll their eyes at the B-52’s “Rock Lobster” sample in “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time.” But a good time is exactly what will be had by those lucky enough to have tickets to this sold-out show. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, Dorothy, and SWMRS open. Doors open 4 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (CM)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TsGNkiF9tE

2) The world-renowned Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will dazzle the crowd tonight with an outdoor show at Hartwood Acres as part of the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series. This free concert will be a program of popular classics with Andrés Franco conducting the orchestra.  Bring a picnic blanket and enjoy a night of classical music under the stars. 8:15 p.m. 200 Hartwood Acres, Hampton and Indiana townships.

3) Finding Dory – In real life, it was 13 years ago that Pixar released Finding Nemo about a clownfish, Marlin, crisscrossing the Great Barrier Reef to find his lost son. But in this sequel, Finding Dory, it’s only six months later. Dory, you may remember, was the regal blue tang fish with short-term memory problems who helped Marlin in his quest. In this movie, Dory suddenly remembers she grew up in Morro Bay, California and sets off to locate her parents. Ellen DeGeneres is back as Dory, as is Albert Brooks playing Marlin. Also included in the festivities are Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Willem Dafoe, Vicki Lewis, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Bill Hader, Kate McKinnon, and Sigourney Weaver. Check Fandango for screens and times. (TH)

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