This year’s lineup for the annual Rock The Streets Summer Jam is as diverse as it is talented, representing some of the city’s best in indie rock, folk, rock, acoustic, and pop. With this much talent in a single night, it’s hard to beat the value. And it’s all for a good cause.

Here’s a quick run down on the artists who’ll be playing. Note that there will be two sets running concurrently in the Shadow Lounge and also down the hall at AVA.

SHADOW LOUNGE

School of Athens – Melodic indie rock suffused with keyboards and a big, glamorous Broadway-style sensibility.

Paul Luc – This talented singer songwriter just released an album in January. His nuanced Rod Stewart voice adds all kind of color to these soft rockers.

Big Hurry – Dance collides with indie rock when Big Hurry blasts big beats and and shows off their entrancing, melodic curves. (Their song “Paper Trails” is featured in the Rock the Streets video.) Read our report on Big Hurry from November.

The Jim Dandies – Who knows what we’ll hear from these self-deprecating, pop-punkers who make a point of not practicing. Could be awesome.

AVA

Ben Hardt – Symphonic orchestrations accompany a full rock band singing stories from London in the Blitz. He makes pensive, expressive songs that set a mood like nothing else. Read our report on Ben Hardt and his Symphony from August.

Caleb Lovely – The dogged pursuit of pop pleasure is this young performer’s calling card. Lush, melodic songs are made over with a jazzy acoustic treatment that’s fairly remarkable.

Truth in Advertising – An inexplicably strange duo of guitar and harmonica/accordian, with tight vocal harmonies. It’s a friendly but weird folk type thing recalling Tenacious D and They Might Be Giants. (They’re the ones opening the Rock the Streets video, below.)

Bear Cub – Expect carefully crafted indie-folk tunes from this talented five-some who were finalists in this year’s Pittsburgh Rocks.

Dream Job – These guys are kind of a mystery, actually. Sometimes it’s nice to be surprised.

For more on what the bands sound like, check out the Rock the Streets special edition podcast from Iron City Rocks.

But the music is just one part of a night that is fundamentally about helping the community. As a benefit for the poor-assisting non-profit Community Human Services, the evening will also include an auction, VIP jazz and cocktails, and some other stuff including waffles. The evening begins at 8 p.m. $15 suggested donation / $12 with a non-perishable food item. For more information: http://rockthestreets.net/