[POP PUNK] + THU., AUG. 18
The members of The Missing hail from Cleveland, but have an affinity for Pittsburgh. (Can you blame them, really?) The catchy pop-punk outfit is buds with some locals -- Spontaneo, Punchline -- and some of the tunes on its latest release, City of Curses, were produced by pop-punk man about town Steve Soboslai (Punchline, Blue of Colors). The album's got some hooky earworms, and the band's vocals are refreshingly strong and not whiny. Tonight the band plays Lava Lounge with Spontaneo and Hitodama. Andy Mulkerin 10 p.m. 2204 E. Carson St., South Side. $5. 412-431-5282 or www.lavaloungepgh.com
[SYNTH POP] + SAT., AUG. 20
Handsome Furs is the Canadian duo of Alexei Perry and her husband, Dan Boeckner, of Wolf Parade. The duo, which signed to Sub Pop in 2007, plays a disconcerting brand of synth pop: slightly too sunny to be goth, but not without the chilly undertones of the Joy-Division-and-New-Order school of post-punk. Fresh off the release of Sound Kapital, its latest full-length, the band hits Brillobox tonight along with Jx4 vs. Big BACON. AM 10 p.m. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $12-14. 412-621-4900 or www.brillobox.net
[BEATLES] + SAT., AUG. 20
Number nine … Number nine … Number nine … Tonight's all-locals Beatles tribute show at the Rex Theater is The Big Beatles Show #9. It's become a yearly tradition, presented by the good folks at Pittsburgh Guitars on the South Side, who, as guitar instructors, know that no one doesn't like The Beatles. Even better: It's a benefit for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. AM 7:30 p.m. 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. $5 plus a canned good or two for the food bank. 412-381-6811 or www.rextheater.com
[METAL] + TUE., AUG. 23
An all-woman metal band isn't an everyday thing, but it's definitely not without precedent. (If you're interested in doing some homework, check out www.metaladies.com.) Kittie is one of the best-known; the Ontario-based band, which has been around for 15 years, went gold in 1999 with its debut album, Spit, when the members were still teen-agers. Still around (though older, and in a slightly different incarnation), and preparing to release a new full-length later this month, Kittie headlines tonight at Altar Bar. Dirge Within, Diamond Plate, Fight Machine, Patron Saint and River Runs Scarlet all play as well. AM 7 p.m. 1620 Penn Ave., Strip District. $12-15. 800-745-3000 or www.thealtarbar.com
