all day: Movies

Two New Yorkers are smitten after a chance meeting but decide to leave it to fate to determine whether they were meant to be together in the romantic comedy “Serendipity.” John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale portray the two strangers who hope that their accidental crossing of paths happens one more time.

* “Serendipity,” rated PG-13 for a scene of sexuality and for brief language, opens Friday in general release.

6 pm: Pop Music

Disturbed is the perfect name for the Chicago band fronted by singer David Draiman--disturbed about limp pop music and codes of conformity, about all those forces that turn a sensitive kid into an angst-riddled rocker. The group has quickly carved out a niche in the crowded nu-metal field, and on its “Music as a Weapon Tour” it’s bringing along some like-minded colleagues for the clamorous ride.

* Disturbed, with Drowning Pool, Stereomud, Adema and Systematic, Hollywood Palladium, 6215 Sunset Blvd., L.A., 6 p.m. $25. (323) 962-7600.

7:30 pm: Jazz

The 15th annual Catalina Island Jazztrax Festival opens Friday and continues for three weekends on the island across the sea. Opening weekend will include performances by David Mann, Joyce Cooling, Jeff Lorber, Willie & Lobo, Freddie Ravel & Norman Brown, Ronnie Laws, June Kuramoto, Jeff Golub and Warren Hill.

* Catalina Island Jazztrax Festival, Wrigley Ballroom, Avalon, 7:30 p.m. Also Sat.-Sun., noon and 7 p.m. Ends Oct. 21. $26 to $115. (888) 330-5252.

7:30 & 9:30 pm: Jazz

Three of jazz’s top soloists--pianist Benny Green, guitarist Russell Malone and bassist Christian McBride--come together in four concerts this weekend in Orange County.

* Benny Green, Russell Malone and Christian McBride, Founders Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $49 for early shows, $39 for late shows. (213) 365-3500.

8 pm: Theater

Music Theatre of Southern California presents the professional Southern California premiere of “Honk!,” London’s 2000 Olivier Award-winning best new musical. Based on the story of ‘The Ugly Duckling,’ the musical romp by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe is as much for adult audiences as children.* “Honk!,” San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, 8 p.m. Regular schedule: Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m.; Ends Oct. 21. $32 to $42. (626) 308-2868; Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, Oct. 26-27, 8 p.m.; Oct. 27-28, 2 p.m.; Oct. 28, 7 p.m. Ends Oct. 28. $22 to $42. (800) 233-3123.

8pm: Music

Esa-Pekka Salonen launches a new season of Los Angeles Philharmonic subscription concerts with a Beethoven-Schoenberg program, the first event in a series of “Schoenberg Prism” concerts. Emanuel Ax will be soloist in the Piano Concerto by Schoenberg and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy; the program ends with the Fifth Symphony. Schoenberg’s three children, Lawrence and Ronald Schoenberg and Nuria Schoenberg Nono, will be featured in the pre-concert discussions.

* Los Angeles Philharmonic, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A., 8 p.m. $12 to $78. Also, Sat., 8 p.m. and Sun., 2:30 p.m.

8 pm: Pop Music

Iceland’s Sigur Ros, propelled by endorsements from such influential fans as Radiohead, has become the darling of the U.S. rock cognoscenti, planting its stately suites and arcane vocals in the middle of the experimental-progressive spectrum. The Reykjavik quartet comes to town with a new item in stores, an EP called “Svefn-g-englar” that includes two live tracks recorded at the Icelandic Opera House.* Sigur Ros, with Damien Jurado, Wilshire Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 8 p.m. $30. (323) 468-1716. Also Saturday, with the Album Leaf.

Freebie

* Mikhail Korzhev is the soloist in Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with Wayne Reinecke conducting the Rio Hondo Symphony, at First Family Church, 8434 Greenleaf Ave., Whittier, at 8 p.m. This “Russian Spectacular” will also offer Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” Suite and excerpts from “Eugene Onegin.” (562) 947-5907.