|
The
Velmas label-signing party
Valentine’s,
Thursday
Area
pop-rock outfit the Velmas have been at it for six years or
so now, bringing their radio-friendly sound and energetic
live shows to venues across the northeastern United States
and beyond. City Canyon Records, an independent label based
in New York City, apparently has taken note of the Velmas’
considerable work ethic: The label recently signed the group
to a deal that will see the release of a brand new Velmas
album, tentatively titled Station, later this year.
To celebrate having signed on the dotted line, the band will
throw a big ol’ party this evening (Thursday). They promise
giveaways, live music from Sun Domingo and Ten Girl Pile Up,
and of course a full set of Velmas music. (Feb. 9, 9 PM,
$5, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
 |
|
vorcza
|
Vorcza
red
square, saturday
“I
was knocked out!” said Trey Anastasio of the Vermont jazz
trio Vorcza. As impressive as that might be, in our mind Trey
Anastasio is the kind of guy who is knocked out by a lot of
things. “Dude! Your shirt is totally green!” Thud. And yet
after listening to Vorcza we found ourselves asking, “Dude!
Did you totally hear that drum fill?” (We did manage to stay
conscious, however.) Vorcza have shown off their jazz-jam
skills alongside both the Trey Anastasio band and Dave Matthews,
which means they have likely smoked enough reefer to sedate
King Kong after swallowing a methamphetamine plant. In fact
their MP3s function as digital ganja to jam heads all over
the world. Check out Vorcza Saturday night at Red Square:
They’re gonna get you as high as . . . a jam band from Vermont.
(Feb. 11, 9 PM, $5, 388 Broadway, Albany, 432-8584)
Country
Joe MacDonald
The
Van Dyck, Saturday
And
it’s one-two-three what are you waitin’ for? Country Joe MacDonald
was a charter member of the San Francisco hippie hall of fame.
He was right there with Janis and Marty and Grace and Skip
and Jerry and the rest of the dudes and dudettes who made
the Bay Area so . . . vibrant (stoned?) in the mid- to late-’60s.
With Country Joe and the Fish, he made music that ranged from
experimental acid rock to the good-timey sing-along songs
that had them all joining in at Monterey and Woodstock. And
it’s five-six-seven, isn’t it really great? Country Joe is
coming to bring a genuine blast of hippie sunshine to Schenectady
on Saturday night. You could resist the draft, but you can’t
resist Country Joe. (Feb. 11, 7 and 9:30 PM, call for prices,
237 Union St., Schenectady, 381-1111)
Valentine’s
@ Valentine’s
Valentine’s,
Tuesday
Let
us begin by reminding you that you are currently reading Metroland’s
annual sex issue. So, before you get all high and mighty about
what Valentine’s Day really means—please, tell us,
we’re dying to know—let us remind you that with practically
every grand romantic gesture comes a seedy ulterior motive.
So, why not explore the seedy (we’ll call it “sexy”) side
of this supposed holiday with what is being billed as “an
erotic night of sight, sound, and taste”? In addition to the
perpetually sexy soul-rock sounds of Bryan Thomas, Valentine’s
@ Valentine’s will include an “erotic open mic” for poets,
artwork by local artists Joe Hall, Julia Howard, Ryan Pooler
and Sandra Williams, “sensual cheesecakes,” and door prizes
for those who care to dress up—which is recommended, because
as that chick on those late-night chat-line commercials says,
“you’re bound to hook up!” How very romantic. (Feb. 14,
7 PM, $6, $10 per couple, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
In
Flames
Saratoga
winners, Tuesday
Godfathers
in the realm of crime are bad mama jammas who get themselves
piz-aid. Unfortunately for In Flames, godfathers of the musical
realm generally only have one part of the equation down. James
Brown (the godfather of soul), Marc Bolan (punk) and Neil
Young (grunge) were bad mama jamas who never got paid for
their influence. In Flames want to buck that trend and get
their palms greased for being the godfathers of the American
metal-core scene. Rather than rest on their Swedish laurels,
In Flames signed on to American metal-core home Ferret Records,
wrote an album with the occasional female lead vocal, and
are touring with a gaggle of bands they influenced. While
some have accused In Flames of selling out and becoming metal
whores, they are sadly mistaken—godfathers who get paid are
pimps. (Feb. 14, 7:30 PM, $22, 1375 New Loudon Road, Latham,
783-1010)
Black
Rebel Motorcycle Club
Pearl
Street, Wednesday
As
an expat of the famously dysfunctional Brian Jonestown Massacre,
Peter Hayes should know a thing or two about life in a fucked-up
band. So when his latest project, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club,
was unceremoniously dumped by Virgin Records after two Jesus
and Mary Chain-beholden releases, and drummer Nick Jago up
and left the band, did he freak out? Nahh, bro, he just waited—and,
apparently, listened to a lot of blues and gospel in the downtime.
Lo and behold, both Jago and the major labels (RCA, in this
case) came a-runnin’ back, and BRMC reemerged last year with
Howl, their best album yet. It’s a throwback record
in the best sense of the word; a deeply rootsy outing that
just reeks of Mississippi River runoff. They’ll bring their
new old sound to Pearl Street this week along with the Morning
After Girls and New York-based guitar-rock band Elefant. (Feb.
15, 8:30 PM, $18, 10 Pearl St., Northampton, Mass., 413-584-7771)
 |
| Also
Noted |
 |
|
winterpills
|
The
somewhat-annual Kissy Kiss Love Affair takes place
tomorrow (Friday) at Valentine’s, with music from
Complicated Shirt, Connecticut rockers
Fatal Film, a rare performance from Rockets
and Blue Lights, and Zahnartz, featuring
members of the Amazing Plaid; bring candy (9 PM,
$5, 432-6572). . . . Cajun dance band the Back
Porch Rockers will help celebrate Time and
Space Limited co-founder Claudia Bruce’s 60th
birthday at TSL this Friday; bring cake (7 PM,
$10, 822-8448). . . . Check out a jam-packed pop-rock
bill at Northern Lights on Friday, featuring band-on-the-rise
Winterpills, the newly revamped Brian
Kaplan Band, the newly re-drummered Hector
on Stilts, and My Last Sunrise (7:30
PM, $8, 371-0012). . . . David Bromberg
and his “big band” will explore the nooks and
crannies of Americana and folk music at the Egg
on Friday (8 PM, $28, 473-1845). . . . Excellent
new area band the Luxury Flats will take
part in an indie-rock revival of sorts at the
First Presbyterian Church in Hudson on Saturday;
Sufjan Stevens cohort Denison Witmer, P.G.
Six, Micah Blue Smaldone, and Alex
Lukashevsky share the bill (6 PM, $8, 828-4275).
. . . An array of musicians will team up for a
benefit concert this Sunday at the State Room
in Albany; proceeds will help offset the medical
costs for Myles McAdoo, a 3-year-old area boy
who recently began treatment for a rare form of
brain cancer. WNYT’s Benita Zahn will be on hand
to emcee, and the aforementioned array includes
Hung Jury, Sonny & Perley, Nate
Buccieri and more; call ahead for advance
tickets (2 PM, $40, 522-0753). . . . The Exit
will play a free show for all you lovers this
Tuesday (that’s Valentine’s Day, sucka) at the
Skyline (7 PM, free, 472-8150).
|
|
|
Columns
& Opinions
