Block party season ends with a bigger bang tonight: Rolling Stones’ tribute Jumpin’ Jack Flash at 6 p.m., followed by Darkslider of the Moon at roughly 8:30 p.m.

Darkslider, Erie’s all-star Pink Floyd band, promises a killer light show, which is only appropriate for Floyd. Because lead singer Doug Phillips is a major fan of “The Wall,” they’ll feature a lot of songs from that opus before playing “Dark Side of the Moon” from start to finish. It’ll be nice to catch this one outdoors, even if it’s 90 degrees, which it is. By nightfall, though, it should be cooler. I’m hoping, at least.

If you like the Stones at all, though, get there at 6. JJF rocks.

Train headlines the 15th annual Taste of Cleveland Festival on Sunday at 9:15 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City in Cleveland. Opening up will be Big Rig, which includes James Lewis, one of the featured vocalists from Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Train’s “If It’s Love” holds at No. 2 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Songs chart behind long-time No. 1, “California Gurls” by Katy Perry.

More than 30 restaurants, cafes, bistros, and eateries will offer sample-sized portions of their signature dishes and desserts at Taste of Cleveland.

Admission is free until 3 p.m. each day (except Labor Day), but you need to buy tickets for the concerts. They’re on sale through www.livenation.com. General admission tickets for Train (standing room only) are $14.25. Reserved seats are $52.50.

Other shows during Taste of Cleveland nclude Weird Al Yankovic on Friday, Michael Stanley and the Resonators on Saturday, and Frontiers (a Journey tribute) and Led Zeppelin 2 — the Live Experience.

For more details, visit www.cleveland.com/tasteofcleveland.

The Project AK47 tour with War of Ages, the Contortionist, The Color Morale, The Great Commission, and Legend will kick off at Edinboro’s the Hangout on Oct. 8.

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds won’t be playing Erie after all.
Due to low ticket sales, the Babyface show that was scheduled for Sept. 5 at the Warner Theatre has been cancelled. Refunds are available at point of purchase.

R&B fans can take solace in one fact: S.O.S. Band swings into Rainbow Gardens on Sept. 11 with special guests Case and Familiar Spirit.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced some of S.O.S. Band’s biggest hits, including “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” and “Just the Way You Like It.”
General admission tickets are $35 advance, $45 at the door. VIP seats ($55) are also available. They’re on sale at Sundance Records, Dee’s Cigar Store, and by phone at 397-4200.

Block party season is winding down. Tonight you’ll find M-80s and DJ Bill Page outside Jr.’s Last Laugh. The Sept. 2 finale will be fun for Stones’ and Pink Floyd fans. Jumpin’ Jack Flash plays first, then Darkslider of the Moon for a party outside the Docksider and Crooked I.

Big Leg Emma returns to Erie for a Sept. 3 show at the Crooked I with special guest Gahu Drum & Dance which features two West-African style drummers and a pair of dancers.

Rock bands from Italy don’t ordinarily play Erie but the Tribraco arrive on Sept. 1.
On their web site, they explain themselves this way: “The creativity of the four tight-rope walkers musicians is expressed in the balance between the structured composition and free improvisation, syncopated and pressing rhythms, joint themes, creating goliardic and visionary atmospheres which leave ample room to the viewer’s imagination, guided by effective and amusing introductions to the tracks.”
To hear what that means, visit www.myspace.com/tribraco.

This weekend, another Arts & Drafts Fest rolls at Brewerie at Union Station. See today’s Showcase, page 2, for details.

Cedar Point unveiled plans for its latest thrill ride today.
The WindSeeker, a 30-story tall swing ride, will debut near the park’s beach in 2011.
Riders will be seated in two-person swing that allows their feet to dangle. They’ll start rotating as the ride ascendss the 301-foot tower, which is nearly as high as the Millennium Force’s first hill.
At the top, swings will reach speeds between 25 to 30 MPH, with riders flaring out almost 45 degrees from the tower.
The $5 million ride will be located near the locaton of the Ocean Motion, a swinging boat ride, which will be dismantled after this season ends.

Rancid bassist Matt Freeman will tour behind Devils Brigade, his side project, next month. The band will play Buffalo’s Town Ballroom (Sept. 21), Pittsburgh’s Diesel (Sept. 22), and Cleveland’s Grog Shop (Sept. 23). Too bad they couldn’t squeeze in a Crooked I show.

Tom Tom Club, which features former Talking Heads’ members Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, will embark on a short tour to support their “Genius of Live” CD. That releaseh features both a live concert and remixes of their classic song “Genius of Love.”
The tour includes a Sept. 24 date at Cleveland’s Grog Shop.

Long time ago, I caught Tom Tom Club when they toured with the Ramones and Debbie Harry and played Cleveland’s Nautica Stage. Man, that was a great show. They did lots of Talking Heads’ tunes.
By the time the Ramones capped it off, the folding chairs were a twisted, gnarly, totally destroyed mess.

Just in: Scotland’s brilliant Teenage Fanclub will play Mr. Smalls Theater in Millvale near Pittsburgh on Oct. 3. Tickets are available at www.ticketweb.com/mrsmalls and by phone at (866) 468-3401.

The reunited Posies will also play Mr. Smalls; look for them on Nov. 11 with Brendan Benson. Tickets go on sale Saturday, also at www.ticketweb.com/mrsmalls and (866) 468-3401.

Bob Dylan has announced the next edition — the ninth — in his “Bootleg” series. Unlike the last one, which focused on later Dylan, this one goes way back to when he was so much younger.

Subtitled “The Witmark Demos,” the set includes 47 songs he cut between 1962-64 on guitar, harmonica and some piano. It features early verisions of a few classics, including “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and another 15 songs which were never released.
Look for that release on Oct. 19.

Donna the Buffalo will play Buffalo’s Tralf Music Hall on Nov. 19. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.

Buffalo’s Center for the Arts at University of Buffalo has unveiled its 2010-11 season series.
Shows include Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood (Oct. 9); Classic Albums Live performing the Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers” (Nov. 12); Chris Isaak (Dec. 8); Hot Tuna, Charlie Musselwhite, and Jim Lauderdale (Feb. 2); Kind of Blue featuring Jimmy Cobb’s So What Band (Feb. 12); Drumline Live (Feb. 16); “The Comedy of Errors” (Feb. 23); the Tony Award-winning musical “Spring Awakening” (March 31); Buddy Guy (April 4); and Dame Edna (April 25).
Tickets for the above go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster and by phone (800) 745-3000.

Can’t let Monday kick in too fast without saying a few words about CelebrateErie 2010, which wrapped up with pretty fantastic fireworks on Sunday night.
It hard started raining hard at the end of Craig Morgan’s set; it looked like we might not get the usual booming display. But it eased up in time, so I headed down to the parking garage adjacent to the Sheraton for a super close-up view from the rooftop. That was like seeing them in 3-D. Madonna would have freaked from the rays of light on display.

I caught all 3 headliners this year. Morgan was loose and fun on Sunday. He showcased a rock-styled band that kicked up his material a notch. And, in addition to playing his own songs, like “That’s What I Love About Sunday” (with an “Amazing Grace” intro) and current hit “That Ain’t Nothin’), he dabbled in some of his country, rock, and easy-listening covers: Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker,” The Commodores’ “Easy” and John Conlee’s “Rose Colored Glasses.”
The daredevil side of Morgan came out, too, when he climbed the rigging to get a look at the crowd. He jumps out of airplanes, rides motocross, hunts big game and chronicles his exploits on cable’s “The Outdoor Channel.”
Morgan closed with a raucous “International Harvester” and fans, to their credit, stayed til the wet end. He also showcased a couple new songs, including an uptempo, rocking new single that could be a smash.

While the rain didn’t arrive until late for Morgan, the Gin Blossoms played throughout a steady downpour on Saturday night. That kept the crowd down; it was the lowest of the three nights, by far. But those who were there stayed with them.
They played some of their biggest hits first: “Follow You Down”, and — third song in, “Allison Road” — showcasing the ringing, melodic pop-rock approach that earned them a big, if brief, following in the mid-90s. There’s a sameness to their chiming approach but they delivered a strong set, perhaps inspired by the diehards who cheered them on despite the rain. After closing with “Hey Jealousy,” they did a generous two-song encore: “Going to California” and “Until I Fall Away.”

Dennis DeYoung on Friday may have drawn the weekend’s largest crowd; it seemed to stretch back near Perry Square. He played the Music of Styx with a band that sure sounded a lot like Styx, even throwing in the Tommy Shaw hits like “Renegade” and “Blue Collar Man.” That was a nice bone to throw to fans, considering DeYoung’s split from Styx was not entirely amicable.
Unlike Three Dog Night in 2009, DeYoung seemed into it. He was polished and professional, to be sure, but also impassioned and can still sing. DeYoung and band delivered dead-on versions of nearly every Styx song you’d ever want to hear, including early hits “Lady” and “Lorelei” and crowd-pleasers like “Come Sail Away” and “Too Much Time On My Hands.”
It’ll be interesting to see how this one compares to the Styx show set for the Warner in November. I’m not the biggest Styx fan in the world but DeYoung delivered a first-rate show that helped erase the memory of the by-the-numbers’ set Three Dog Night phoned in.
By the way, Raven Sound deserves a big thumbs up for the excellent sound from the main stage, despite the weather conditions on Saturday and Sunday.

Matty B and the Dirty Pickles were plagued by guitar issues during their opening set for DeYoung. Still, their energy and exuberance carried the day. They fought through it with spunk and style.
Stiletto sizzled in their opening slot for Gin Blossoms, singing girl classics by Janis Joplin, LaBelle, Heart and more as well as some Black Crowes, Beatles and disco. Before it rained for real, they did “It’s Raining Men.” And they closed with a killer version of Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls.”
Lindsay Vendetti, Angie Myers, Emily Foht and Monica Lewis sport formidable vocal power on their own but put them together and wow. Helps, too, that String Theory backs them so capably.
Pick Up Band also delivered a tasty set: Allmans, Beatles, even Gary Wright. Thing is, they play songs other bands don’t ordinarily cover, which is cool, and do them with flair, verve, and excellent musicianship. Don’t miss their regular gigs at Docksider and elsewhere.
Had fun at the 11th and State St., stage, too, with Abbey Road and especially Joe Rockhead, who banged out a killer “Karn Evil No. 9″ by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and a surprising Santana cover of “No One to Depend On.”

The Eagles will play the Bryce Jordan Center in State College on Oct. 22. Tickets go on sale Aug. 30 at Ticketmaster.

Also, the Experience Hendrix all-star collective will play Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center on Oct. 26. Performers include Billy Cox (Band of Gypsys & The Jimi Hendrix Experience), Steve Vai, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas from Los Lobos, Living Colour, Chris Layton of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Ernie Isley and The Slide Brothers. Tickets go on sale Friday at www.pgharts.org and (412) 456-6666.

Yes, Celebrate Erie is rolling now and there’s plenty of good stuff to catch, including Gin Blossoms on Saturday and Matty B. and the Dirty Pickles opening up tonight for Dennis DeYoung.
But life rolls on after this weekend.
Gravel Pit Park in North East will host a Wings & Wheels event on Sept. 4-5 that benefits the Injured Motorcycle Riders Foundation.
Performers include blues-rock veterans Savoy Brown with Kim Simmonds on Sept. 5, with Rick and Roadhouse Rockers, and Duke Sherman Band both opening up. How’s that for a lineup? Even better, admission is free.
The Sept. 4 performers include Shania Twin — a Shania Twain tribute, natch — as well as Jack Lambert Band and Tombstone.
The event also includes a cruise-in and bike show, plus a wing cookoff. We’ll have more details in the Sept. 2 Showcase.

Kellie Pickler talked with Showcase on Friday about her upcoming show(Aug. 26) at the Crawford County Fair. She was a hoot, talking about her friendship with Taylor Swift, and getting to sing ’9 to 5′ with idol Dolly Parton. Look for that story on Aug. 26.
We’ll also have a feature on “Bob and Tom” favorite Greg Hahn, who brings his manic, high-energy comedy into Jr.’s Last Laugh from Aug. 26-28.
“Monday — start of the weekend!” is one of his favorite sayings.

Also, check Sunday’s Times-News for a feature on Jake’s Blues, which headlines Monday’s American Jam at Crawford County Fair.

Edinboro-based progressive, hard-rock band Sacred 13 plays a CD release party tonight at Crooked I for “Jagged Regrets.” They’ve been opening shows for Alice Cooper in the Midwest, and hope to snag a full-blown tour with him in 2011. Go to www.sacred13.com for more details or to order their CD if you can’t make it tonight.

Good news for comedy fans. Ventriloquist/comedian Jeff Dunham will return to Erie, along with Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Walter, Bubba J., Peanut, and his other buddiess.
Dunham’s “Identity Crisis Tour” is set for Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Tullio Arena. Tickets are $42.75 each and go on sale Friday, Aug. 20, at the Tullio Arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 452-4857 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.
You might want to get tickets, fast. Dunham drew nearly 4,000 fans at his first Erie show in April 2008 and is even hotter now. He’s one of comedy’s busiest performers.
In addition to relentless touring, Dunham stars in his own cable show “The Jeff Dunham Show.” The first season, just released on DVD, sold more than 100,000 units in its first month. He also hosted the CMT Music Video Awards, and appeared in this summer’s Paul Rudd/Steve Carell comedy “Dinner for Schmucks.”
Dunham will release his autobiography “All By My Selves” on Nov. 2. He’ll also record the audio book.
See www.jeffdunham.com for more on Dunham.

Hear that?
It’s CelebrateErie, knocking on the door. It arrives next week with Taste of Erie and the Artists Colony on Thursday, then kicks into high gear on Aug. 20.
We have interviews with headliners Dennis DeYoung, the Gin Blossoms, and Craig Morgan, as well as country singer (and Erie native) Tyson Bowman scheduled for the Aug. 19 Showcase. DeYoung was quite the jokester on the phone when he talked about doing the music of Styx.
“I was going to the music of Led Zeppelin but they said no,” he joked.
He also admitted he’s a big Train fan, saying “Calling All Angels” is one song he wishes he had written.

We’ll also preview the Crawford County Fair, including an interview with Josh Turner.

I caught the Black Eyed Peas and T Pain show in Buffalo on Wednesday. It’s the most high-tech, visually dazzling concert I’ve ever seen, and trust me: I’ve been a billion shows.
. Every performer got a turn in the spotlight, there were dancing robots, futuristic outfits, a DJ booth spinning up from under the stage, moving platforms, and “Tron Legacy” type motorcycle that traveled over the crowd.
Will.i.am did a fun, 15-minute DJ set, mixing a melange of songs by Nirvana, Guns n Roses and more. Fergie sang three solo hits, including “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Fergalicious” and was pretty damn adorable the way she played the crowd.
Peas did every hit you’d expect, too, closing with “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling,” a pretty potent 1-2 punch with eyepopping lights. For sheer production sizzle and performer energy — they were relentless — this show was mighty impressive.

Adam Lambert must have enjoyed the audience and environment at the Warner Theatre on Tuesday night.
Instead of trotting out the usual “Mad World” or “Whole Lotta Love” for his encore, the 2009 “American Idol”: runner-up chose Erie to debut a new cover: T. Rex’s “20th Century Boy.”
Unfortunately, I missed it. The show started 25 minutes late, and I had to leave during “If I Had You” in order to make the Erie Times-News’ print deadline. But I heard about it from fans, who were thrilled to hear Lambert do something in Erie he hadn’t done before.
The show, before a responsive, sold-out crowd of 2,200, was short but powerful. I think Lambert, good as he is, is still only tapping into his full potential as a performer. It’ll be cool to what his next tour is like, when he has enough material to play a regular 90-minute set or so.

Still, the show had plenty of sizzle, with Lambert and four dancers interacting and thrusting all over the stage, including a stairwell he used effectively.

His band also rocked. Lambert seems to prefer disco-flavored dance stuff, but he can rock out when he wants, as well. His vocals, no surprise, were terrific, whether he was conquering a slow ballad, going glam or heating up the dance floor. That’s what make him such a force; he can stylistically go where he pleases.

By the way, someone already posted that encore on YouTube.

Erie has a new country show on the books: Gary Allan, Randy Houser, and Jerrod Niemann will play Tullio Arena on Oct. 8. Tickets are $35 and go on sale Friday. Niemann sports the nation’s No. 1 country single with “Lover Lover.” Allan, a terrific performer and songwriter (“Tough All Over” is my favorite) is touring behind “Get Off on the Pain,” his eighth album. That debuted at No. 2 in March. The hard-rocking title song is inching toward the Top 10.

Billboard today cites a US magazine report that Train’s smash “Drops of Jupiter” sparked the nasty dispute between Charlie Sheen and his wife Brooke Mueller on Christmas a few years ago.

“You have a song [that] you share with your daughter, but not one with me?” Mueller reportedly said, according to the magazine. Billboard reports Erie native and Train leader Pat Monahan responded via Twitter:”I’m pretty sure that Drops of Jupiter is a positive part of Charlie Sheen and his daughter’s relationship. Just gonna look at it that way. P.”

It’s not even noon yet, but big concert news is already rolling in.

First, though, something that’s not official: Gary Allan at the Warner on Oct. 8. Ticketmaster lists that date; a civic center spokesperson says it’s a mistake.

The Eagles will play Pittsburgh’s new Consol Energy Center on Oct. 19. Tickets will go on sale Aug. 16 at Ticketmaster, LiveNation.com, and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. If you’ve got money to burn, the Eagles are also offering a variety of VIP packages for this one. For more details, see www.iloveallacess.com.

Consol sure is bringing in the big names: Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Lady Gaga, Rush, Nickelback, and now the Eagles.

John Mellencamp this fall embarks on a rare small-venue tour to support his new CD, “No Better Than This,” which was produced by T. Bone Burnett. Mellencamp recorded it at three historic locations in the South, including Sun Studio in Memphis, and the hotel where Robert Johnson recorded in 1936.
He’ll play Cleveland’s Palace Theater on Nov. 17; tickets go on sale Aug. 14. He will also play Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall on Nov. 20; those tickets don’t go on sale until Aug. 20. For ticket prices and info, visit www.aeglive.com.
This tour, by the way, features a unique “opening act.” You’ll see a documentary by Kurt Markus shot on Super 8 film during the Mellencamp/Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson tour of minor-league ballparks in 2009. It chronicles the creation of Mellencamp’s new CD, and is also a “think piece” on the state of the country.

Gaslight Anthem, which released one of 2010′s best albums so far (“American Slang”), will play Cleveland’s House of Blues on Sept. 23. Tickets go on sale Aug. 13. HOB also has new shows with Big Head Todd & the Monsters (with Carbon Leaf) on Sept. 26, Umphrey’s McGee on Oct 23., and Red Wanting Blue (Nov. 27) all going on sale Friday, as well.

The lineup is out for Buffalo State College’s Great Performer Series. It includes trumpeter Rick Braun (Oct. 22), comedians Steven Wright (Nov. 5) and Josh Blue (Jan. 29), Arlo Guthrie plus the Burns Sisters (Nov. 9), Esperanza Spaudling (Dec. 11), Al Di Meoloa (March 26), Boney James (April 15), Rockapella (May 6)
Tickets go on sale Aug. 30 for all the above Buff State shows at (716) 878-3005.

How’d ya like the Blues & Jazz Festival this year? I sat next to a long-time blues fan who regularly attends the International Blues Challenge and blues clubs around the world. (He attending wearing a shirt autographed by Shemekia Copeland). He was blown away by Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle and said he can’t wait to see them again in early 2011 at the
IBC finals in Memphis. They smoked, with Yarosz sizzling on harmonica. With Eric Brewer on guitar plus P.J. Askey and Ralph Reitinger, the Vehicle brought its A game.
One World Tribe also delivered a sizzling set, closing with a Santana classic, “Oye Como Va.” More than once, I thought this band is beginning to resemble a modern-day Wailers.

Sugar Blue was mightily entertaining as well. As promised, he did his version of the Stones’ “Miss You.” He played harp on the original track back in 1978. It’s amazing how aggressively he plays the harp, drawing all sorts of sounds and tones from it. He was also an engaging front man, playing with an easy authority and confidence. Small wonder he plays the biggest blues festivals in the world. I was glad to see the Erie Art Museum bring him back to town.
After soaking up too much sun (and beer) on Saturday, though, I didn’t make it back for jazz day. Instead, I opted for the movies. “The Other Guys” with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg was amusing enough, putting clever twists on the buddy-cop genre with a little more depth (just a little) than you’d expect. Ferrell is excellent, and I’m not usually a big fan of his stuff. Wahlberg isn’t quite up to that level but he does display good chemistry with Ferrell, which is crucial in a movie like this. I liked seeing Michael Keaton again; there’s a running gag with him that’s fairly amusing.
Even better: “The Kids Are All Right,” with exceptional performances by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore highlighting a smartly observed story about an unconventional family with two moms. Though the story goes to fairly predictable places, it’s told with nuances and richly drawn characters (especially the moms). Nobody is a walking cliche, in other words.
Bening deserves an Oscar nom for this one, and Mark Ruffalo does a nice job playing a laid-back, everything’s cool sort of guy who was the sperm donor for the moms’ kids. The story revs into motion when the curious teenagers contact him, anxious to meet their real father. This also has a great, closing shot.

Little River Band played Erie earlier this summer, but it was part of the Manufacturer Association’s dinner with Dick Cheyney at Bayfront Convention Center with a very high ticket price.
Now, if you don’t mind a short drive, you have a second chance to catch them.
The band will perform Aug. 28 on the floating stage next to the Italian Fisherman Restaurant in Bemut Point, N.Y. Tickets for limited preferred seating are $50, available at (716) 386-7000 and online at www.bemusbaypops.com.

LRB’s “Reminiscing” is currently featured in the new comedy “The Other Guys” with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. They also had big hits with “Help Is On Its Way,” “Lady,” “Lonesome Loser,” and “It’s a Long Way There.”

New show alert: Foose, a new band with former Spudmonsters’ singer Don Foose, will play at Crooked I on Aug. 14.
Foose picks up where Spudmonsters left off, playing old-school hardcore in a late 80s vein. They recently played with Faith No More, De La Soul, Death Before Dishonor and more at a major rock festival in Belgium.
Look for an interview with Foose in the Aug. 12 Showcase. Admission is free, and ANA Shelter officials will be on hand to accept donations and show photos of available animals for adoption.

NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. will visit Cedar Point on Aug. 12 during the park’s third annual Wheels of THunder. He’ll appear at Picnic at the Point, held in Point Pavilion, on that day from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Guests can enter a drawing for such prizes as an autographed Junior jacket, a Junior stand-up and more.
Earnhardt will also appear on the park’s Main Midway on Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m. The Goodyear blimp will also fly over the park; the five highest bidders in a Red Cross auction get to ride along. Visit www.firelandsredcross.org/ultimateride for more details.
For more on Wheels of Thunder, visit the Cedar Point web site at www.cedarpoint.com or call (419) 627-2350.

I caught Green Day at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Thursday night. This was just the second night of their U.S. tour but it sure didn’t feel like it; they were at the top of their game, playing a nearly three-hour, 32-song set that included a huge amount of “American Idiot” and generous helping of older songs.

Billie Joe Armstrong dropped more F Bombs than Lewis Black but was in total control on stage, often inviting fans to clamor onstage and sing and/or play along. He sucked up to the Buffalo crowd, big time, and probably says the same complimentary things in every city. But it felt real, like he meant it.
At one point he was so pleased with how fans sang along, he said, “This is why the Bills will win the Super Bowl!”
That ain’t going to happen, and neither will Green Day ever play halftime at the big game. Still, the group was wildly entertaining, whether banging out songs from “21st Century Breakdown,” which was a mild commercial disappointment, or vintage cuts from “Dookie,” including “When I Come Around” and “Burnout.”
They also played not one but two medleys: the first with short bursts of hard-rock staples like “Iron Man” and “Highway to Hell”; the second more oldies’ based with “Twist & Shout,” “Satisfaction,” and “Hey Jude,” among others. This was Green Day’s way of saying they can play anything and do it well but also of demonstrating they’re part of the rock and roll continuum.

In three years, they’re eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hard to imagine they won’t make it. They are first-rate performers. PS: The stage show was cool, too, with 3D like backdrop, including a stunning cityscape, and lots of pyro. Armstrong also had a ball, hosing down the crowd and firing toliet-paper rolls into the crowd.

I didn’t get home until 1 a.m. or so which made working Friday a complete drag but, hey, with a show this good — it was worth it, if perhaps not as incendiary as their tour for “Idiot” which I caught at Wolstein Center in Cleveland.

Going out this weekend? Don’t miss Waterband tonight at Docksider or the art museum’s blues and jazz festival at Frontier Park on Saturday and Sunday.
A reminder of what’s on top:

Friday’s places:
Waterband at Docksider
Chaka at Nelson’s
Mary Alice Brown (6-9 p.m.) at BayBreeze Lounge
Kristen and the Cosmonauts at Rum Runners
Abbey Road (6-10 p.m.) at Under the Clock
Hakoosta Matata (5:30 p.m.) at On the Rocks
New Wave Nation at Sherlock’s
Acoustic Gypsies (9 p.m.) at Brewerie
TBS at the Last Shot
Frank Singer, Paula Grack Holmes (7-10 p.m.) at Matthew’s Trattoria
Fred Greco and Pati Williams (5:30-9:30 p.m.) at Night Flights
Greg Hatza ORGANization (6 p.m.) at Romolo Chocolates
Jackson Station (6 p.m.) at Coconut Joe’s
M-80s at Sloppy Duck
Geek Army at Sluggers
Dale Jones, Andy Beningo at Jr.’s Last Laugh
Thirst ‘n Howl at Doc Holliday’s
Open Island at Oasis
Jake’s Blues (9 p.m.) at Presque Isle Downs
Open Mike with dot. kom at French Quarters
Black Diamond at American Legion in Wesleyville
Crabapple Creek (7 p.m.) at Goodell Gardens in Edinboro
Contels at American Legion (9 p.m.) in Warren
Gem City Jazz Ensemble (8:30 p.m.) at Dan Rice Days in Girard
Paper St. at Sugar Grove in Cochranton
Jackson Rohm at Village Casino in Bemus Point, N.Y.
BluesBeaters at Regency Pub at Peek’n Peak in Findley Lake, N.Y.
Money Shot at Lakeview Hotel in Lakeview, N.Y.
Sam Hyman Band (6-10 p.m.) at Quincy Wine Cellars in Ripley, N.Y.

Saturday’s chases

Jake’s Blues (9 p.m.) at Presque Isle Downs
Rumble Daddy (CD release) at Crooked I
Steve Johnson Band at Sloppy Duck
Jackie, Chrome at Sherlock’s
Coverup at Nelson’s
Small Town Rollers (9 p.m.) at Brewerie
Loose Change Band (8 p.m.) at Wesleyville American Legion
Paper St. (4 p.m.) at benefit at Mound Grove
Geek Army at Oasis
Pheenix with Boyd Baker at Bootleggers
Eric Brewer and Friends at Docksider
Thirst ‘n Howl at Doc Holliday’s
Heliotropes (6:30 p.m.) at Alto Cucina
Sam Hyman Trio (7 p.m.) at Perry’s Landing Maritime Club
Breeze Band and Friends at West Side Reunion (7 p.m.) at Bayview ark, 2nd and Cherry
Money Shot (6:30 p.m.) at Blessed Sacrament block party
Dale Jones, Andy Beningo at Jr.’s Last Laugh
Open Mike with dot. kom at French Quarters
Eargazm (2 p.m.) at Josh DiBello benefit at St. Nick’s Grove
Tri This (5 p.m.) at Penn Shore Winery in North East
Two for Flinching at Speed’eez in North East
After Midnight at Jammin’ Vine in North East
Blessed Sacrament Praise Band (7:30 p.m.) at Living Water Oasis in Girard
Jack the Dog at Conneaut Lake Park Beach Club
Salmon Frank (8 p.m.) at Charlie’s Pub in Edinboro
Frank Marzano (1 p.m.) at Eclectic Etceteras in Edinboro
Jake’s Blues (2 p.m.), Rick and Roadhouse Rockers (4 p.m.) at Thunder in the City in downtown Meadville
Contels at Dan Rice Days in Girard
Cheap and Easy at Fox Tails in Franklin
Face Down in High Water at Oasis in Oil City
Waiting for Never (12:30 p.m.) at RockStar Mayhem Energy Festival at First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown
Rick and Roadhouse Rockers (7:30 p.m.) at Pymatuning Lake Fest
Elvis’ New Year’s Party, the Volks (7 p.m.) on Bemus Bay Pops’ floating stage in Bemus Point, N.Y.
Shotgun Jubilee (4 p.m.) at Harvest Barn Dance in Sherman, N.Y.
New Wave Nation at Village Casino in Bemus Point, N.Y.
Face Down in High Water (2-5 p.m.), Sean and Rick from Stealth Blues Bombers (5-8 p.m.) at Cooler Cafe in Sherman, N.Y.
BluesBeaters at Regency Pub at Peek’n Peak in Findley Lake, N.Y.
Jeff Horner (6-8 p.m.) at Blue Heron Inn in Findley Lake, N.Y.

Sunday’s races
Frank Marzano (3 p.m.) at Presque Isle Gallery
Hakoosta Matata (2-6 p.m.) at Rum Runners
Boyd Baker with Mike O. (4-7 p.m.) at Cove
Burnin’ House (4-7 p.m.) at Last Shot
WXCS Community Radio Picnic with Seth Brewster, Electracons, Rick Magee and the Roadhouse Rockers, Salmon Frank (2 p.m., music at 3) at Wishing Well Park, near Venango on Route 19
Irish Festival with Ischabaha, Dady Brothers, Town Pants (noon start) on Bemus Bay Pops’ floating stage in Bemus Point, N.Y.