Thu., April 14 -- Indie-Pop
You may have encountered KT Tunstall's music when she released her debut album, Eye to the Telescope, in 2004. But if your iPod and Tunstall haven't become friends yet, now would be a good time to introduce them. After 2007's Drastic Fantastic, the artist felt uninspired and unsure of her music, so she took a break to travel around the world. Now she's back with a new outlook on her music and a fever to perform. Check out her new live compilation, KT Tunstall's Live in London March 2011, and her show when she stops by Mr. Small's. Bethie Girmai 9 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $25. 412-821-4447 or www.mrsmalls.com
Sun., April 17 -- Soul
He may be a young throwback artist, but Honeyboy Carenco is also the genuine New Orleans article. The NOLA-based singer and bandleader plays dirty soul-funk (occasionally ska-inflected), showing a flair for classic sounds and eschewing contemporary glossy production. He appears tonight at The Smiling Moose in support of his new full-length, The Widowmaker. DJ Soulful Fella spins. Andy Mulkerin 8:30 p.m. 1306 E. Carson St., South Side. $8-10. 412-431-4668 or www.smiling-moose.com
Sun., April 17 -- World Music
Tony Allen is a legend, plain and simple. The master percussionist most famously played with Fela Kuti in Africa '70, and is considered to be one of the founding fathers of Afrobeat. More recently, he has enjoyed a renaissance as an idol of well-informed rockers, working with Blur's Damon Albarn, The Clash's Paul Simonon and The Verve's Simon Tong in The Good, the Bad and the Queen. He appears with Tony Allen's Afrobeat Orchestra tonight at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, co-presented by The Carnegie Museum of Art and The Andy Warhol Museum. AM 8 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $15-18. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org
Sun., April 17 -- Soft/Pop Rock
If you haven't heard of Brendan James, you at least know the work of Warren Huart, his producer. Huart, who has produced for Augustana, The Fray and Howie Day, has outdone himself with James' new album, Brendan James (which, James says via his website, is self-titled because it's his first full-length that shows his full palette). James' sophomore effort could be classified as a tutorial for the correct way to follow up a successful debut album. The piano-pop balladeer stays true to his roots while introducing fans to the different facets of his artistry. BG 8 p.m. 1601 E. Carson St., South Side. $12-15. 412-366-5077 or www.dieselpgh.com
Tue., April 19 -- Noise Rock
Ron Anderson has always been into extreme music. The veteran of the Manhattan and Philadelphia avant-rock scenes cut his teeth in the band RAT AT RAT R in the early '80s, and has collaborated with the likes of Sun City Girls and Terrie Ex. His current project, Ron Anderson's PAK, combines jazz complexity with noise aggression; the band's latest, Secret Curve, was released on John Zorn's revered Tzadik label. PAK plays Garfield Artworks tonight with support from Dwarf Fortress, Man Found Dead and Season Finale. AM 8 p.m. 4931 Penn Ave., Garfield. $5. 412-361-2262 or www.garfieldartworks.com