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‘Star Wars’ screenings and shows to light your saber

By Scott Tady for The 5 min read
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ToonSeum

“Star Wars” fanatics also can get hepped up Wednesday at ToonSeum, the Pittsburgh cartoon museum, which invited notable artists to draw their favorite “Star Wars” character on standard Post-it note paper. Admission is free from 8 to 10 p.m., with those mini-art pieces to be sold for $25 each as a ToonSeum fundraiser (cash only, so hit the ATM on the way there).

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Pittsburgh pop-punk band the SpacePimps will perform Saturday at the Pulaski Township Fire Hall.

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Greg Scharpf (left) and Lou Christie collaborated on "The Soldier," a benefit single that also enlists the talents of Donnie Iris, Jimmie Ross, Joe Grushecky, Pete Hewlett and other well-known area rockers.

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Scott Tady stole this lightsaber off the set off the new Star Wars film.

Hey, did you hear there’s a new “Star Wars” movie?

If only that last sentence was a text message then I could have added a smiley face emoji. Do they make one yet that looks like Yoda? Enjoy that, I would.

OK here’s the deal: Unless you just landed here a short time ago — from a galaxy far, far away — then you’re well aware that a volcano of hype is about to erupt with Thursday night’s opening of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Tickets went on sale months ago — in Los Angeles, “Star Wars” fanatics began lining up a week-and-a-half early — for the most eagerly awaited film in years. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing a commercial for soup, batteries, coffee creamers, kid’s meals, cars and even Covergirl makeup somehow tied-in with “Star Wars.”

At last check, tickets for the midnight (late Thursday/early Friday) screenings are sold out at Carmike 6 in Uniontown and Carmike 15 in Greensburg. However, tickets may still be available for Friday evening 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m. and 10:50 p.m. showtimes (may be).

Eager to secure a good seat, you know people will line up early, some of them in “Star Wars” costumes.

Costumes also are encouraged Thursday night at elegant Heinz Hall, where the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will perform “The Music of Star Wars: Episodes I-VI.”

Conducted by Daniel Meyer, this concert will feature the iconic music of John Williams from all six current Star Wars films, and is designed as a perfect warm-up to the movie premiere of “Star Wars Episode VII.” The PSO will perform fan favorites like “The Imperial March,” “Across the Stars,” and that iconic “Main Title.”

Tickets are $20 to $50.

“It’s selling very, very well,” PSO spokeswoman Joyce Defrancesco said.

Spectators arriving when doors open at 5:30 p.m. will hear “Star Wars” music played live by a 14-piece trombone choir. The main concert won’t include any film clips, but will be presented without intermission and end in plenty of time for concertgoers to catch a midnight screening of the new movie at a local theater.

“Star Wars” fanatics also can get hepped up Wednesday at ToonSeum, the Pittsburgh cartoon museum, which invited notable artists to draw their favorite “Star Wars” character on standard Post-it note paper.

Admission is free from 8 to 10 p.m., with those mini-art pieces to be sold for $25 each as a ToonSeum fundraiser (cash only, so hit the ATM on the way there).

Pittsburgh rock heroes help soldiers

Pittsburgh rock ‘n’ roll luminaries Lou Christie, Joe Grushecky, Donnie Iris, Jimmy Beaumont, Jimmie Ross, Pete Hewlett and Jack “Johnny Angel” Hunt, joined forces on “The Soldier” a benefit song released last week to help military members and their families.

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle provides the voice-over greeting on the song, co-produced by Beaver County Musicians Hall of Famer Joe Munroe, and written by Greg Scharpf formerly of the band Sweet Breeze.

Adding to the all-star cast is saxophonist Eddie Manion, a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band from 2012-14, who’s doing his CD release show Jan. 9 at the Strand in Zelienople.

“The Soldier” is sold at Giant Eagle for $5.99, with all proceeds benefiting Hope for the Warriors, a national charity that provides support programs for military members, veterans, and their families, focused on transition, health and wellness.

The lyrics are from the point of view of a seriously injured soldier in a hospital bed, watched over by his loving spouse.

The story has a happy ending, said Scharpf, who wrote “The Soldier” after seeing a televised news report about an Operation Enduring Freedom army sergeant’s struggles after returning home wounded.

“He lost both his legs and he had to wait forever to get help and his whole life just fell apart,” Scharpf said. “I thought about how horrible that was for someone who risked his life for us, so I wanted to do something to help.”

The B-side of the single features Crescent Township native Christie, famed for his 1966 chart-topper “Lightnin’ Strikes,” singing “O Holy Night” with the University of Pittsburgh Men’s Choir.

Christie has a new single in the works, targeted for early February release.

SpacePimps to rock Pulaski hall

One of Pittsburgh’s top pop-punk bands, the SpacePimps, will headline a Dec. 19 show at the Pulaski Township Fire Hall, outside of New Brighton.

That’s a feather in the cap for the Beaver County music scene and the show’s promoter Stephen Rubinosky, given that the SpacePimps’ bio includes tours of the Far East, appearances on the Warped Tour, write-ups in Alternative Press and Absolutepunk.net and opening act assignments for the likes of New Found Glory, the Used and Sum 41.

“I haven’t hosted a concert in a very long time, and I miss how everyone gets so happy and gets into the music and just hangs out,” Rubinosky said. “There hasn’t been much of that in the last year, so I decided to finally host another fire hall concert and I thought to myself that if I was going to do another one that I have to go all out.”

The lineup also includes the Plot Twist, Twin Trees, Johnny Dombeck, the Annajames Band, the Panic Room, Mallory Run, Slowmedown, FlipSwitch and Rubinosky himself, backed by a full band.

Tickets are $5 in advance when purchased from the bands, or $7 at the door, with the show starting at 2:30 p.m. and ending around 11. Food will be available.

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