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The
Roches
The
Egg, Friday
It’s been 27 years since the Roches made their eponymous debut
on Warner Bros., and the harmonious sisters Maggie, Terre
and Suzzy Roche just keep on doing. Influenced by everything
from pop-rock and contemporary folk to traditional Irish music
and church choir music, the Roches continue to delight their
fans with their idiosyncratic songwriting and arrangements
and, well, those harmonies: sometimes resplendent, sometimes
choirlike, sometimes giddy, always distinctively Roche. The
sisters each have their own side projects in addition to being
members of the Roches; however, the trio are on tour together
right now, and will bring their unique sound to the Egg tomorrow
night. (May 5, 8 PM, $24, Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845)
Alycia
Ercums CD-release party
Van
Dyck, Friday
Local singer-songwriter Alycia Ercums has been a regular on
the open-mic circuit over the past few years, and she apparently
has made quite an impression on the local scene. The Times
Union’s David Malachowski wrote that Alycia is “a true
artist whose deep emotional impact is magnified by her mesmerizing
charm, charisma and presence.” Artist aside, Ercums is also
an activist, and she wears her altruistic side on her sleeve:
She’s donating all proceeds from her CD sales on CDbaby.com
to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Tomorrow (Friday)
night, she will release her new EP, called Matches in Gasoline,
at the Van Dyck. For added incentive to get to the CD release
show, Ercums’ Web site promises “guest performers, free giveaways,
and more.” (May 5, 7 PM, $5, 237 Union St., Schenectady,
381-1111)
Buck
Owens Tribute Night
WAMC
Performing Arts Studio, Friday
Local musical luminaries will pay tribute to late country-music
star Buck Owens (who died in March at age 76) tomorrow night
at WAMC. Owens, who pioneered the Bakersfield sound (in reference
to his town of Bakersfield, Calif.), was elected into the
Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. Performers include the
Bob Bates Band, Kevin Maul, Leigh Gibson, MotherJudge and
Hayseed. Also on the bill are the Ramblin’ Jug Stompers, “the
Capital Region’s newest honest-to-goodness jug band.” (May
5, 8 PM, $10, 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233 ext. 4)
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linda
eder
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Linda
Eder
Proctors
Theatre, Saturday
“I
am not at all by myself,” says Linda Eder, referring to the
title of her latest LP, By Myself: Songs of Judy Garland.
“I have had a lot of great people helping me and Judy on my
shoulder.” The CD, a tribute to her idol, has been said to
“capture the contrasting strength and fragility of Judy’s
voice.” Eder’s big break came in 1988 when she held the winning
title on Star Search for a record of 13 consecutive
weeks. Shortly thereafter, she discovered her flair for Broadway
when she nabbed a lead role in the musical Jekyll &
Hyde. “She has a captivating presence and a Streisand-esque
singing voice that elevates everything it touches,” says USA
Today. Eder has always attributed Streisand, Garland,
and Eileen Farrell as her “teachers.” This Saturday, she is
back by popular demand, at Proctors Theatre, to sing Broadway
tunes and popular songs from her records. Also, don’t miss
the opportunity to meet her after the show. (May 5, 8 PM,
$19.75-$39.75, 432 State St., Schenectady, 346-6204).
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The
Books
MASS
MoCA, Saturday-Sunday
Whispery pseudo-folk and crude sampling share equal closet
space on the three releases by North Adams, Mass.-based duo
the Books. Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong have been making
music together for six years, since meeting as neighbors in
Inwood, a small neighborhood in northern Manhattan. (They
relocated to the Berkshires in 2002.) Song titles like “Vogt
Dig for Kloppervok,” “A Dead Fish Gains the Power of Observation”
and “The Lemon of Pink” suggest a certain abstract quality;
fittingly, the Books’ music is just that: a mix of found sounds,
soft vocals, and string play (de Jong is reportedly a monster
cellist) that is wholly original and entirely their own (they
proudly compose, record, fund and release their own recordings).
This weekend will offer hometown fans a rare glimpse at the
process, as the Books take their beautiful and confounding
music to the MASS MoCA stage. (May 6-7, 7 PM, May 6 sold
out, May 7 tickets $17, 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, Mass.,
413-662-2111)
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Chiodos,
The Number 12 Looks Like You
Saratoga
Winners, Wednesday
If Peter Pan had a band, it would probably sound something
like Chiodos. High-pitched, pre-pubescent, epic, soaring,
progressive, and . . . well . . . a little bit creepy. Chiodos
are similar in some ways to labelmates Coheed and Cambria
with their classic-rock Queen/Rush fetish, however, they can
get onstage with prog-core luminaries Between the Buried and
Me, and sound metal—and schizophrenic enough—to hang. While
it is easy to dismiss Chiodos as Myspace screamo, their compositions
simply add up to much more than that. They also have sense
enough to tour with screeching-blasphe-belching-creepverts
the Number 12 Looks Like You, who do a nasty-ass cover of
the Knack’s “My Sharona.” They are also known for “Don’t Get
Blood on My Prada Shoes,” which functions as both a song title
and important life lesson. (May 10, 7 PM, $10, 1375 New
Loudon Road, Latham, 783-1010)
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Noted |
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stephen
clair
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The
Little Willies are at the Iron Horse Music
Hall in Northampton, Mass. tonight (Thursday);
you may not know the band, but Norah Jones just
so happens to be the piano player, so there’s
that (7 PM, $23, 413-584-0610). . . . Closer to
home (unless you live in Massachusetts), Fugazi-biting
dance-punk act Measles Mumps Rubella plays
Ground Zero on the RPI campus this evening, along
with Evolution/Revolution and Hot Gurl
Party (8 PM, $5, www.gzbasement.net). . .
. Tomorrow (Friday), catch the punk-rock sounds
of Rhode Island’s Midnight Creeps, along
with the Sleezies, Scag Rotter,
and Neon Maniacs at Valentine’s (9 PM,
$5, 432-6572). . . . Also on Friday, Albany expat
Stephen Clair plays Caffe Lena, in support
of his acclaimed third album Under The Bed;
Clair will perform as special guest of Buddy
Mondlock, an Illinois-based songwriter who’s
had his songs recorded by Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith,
and Janis Ian (8 PM, $12, 583-0022). . . . “Fake
Icelandic band” Five Alpha Beatdown will
play their last show until 2007 at the Lark Tavern
this Saturday night; Guiltless Cult will
open (10 PM, $5, 463-9779). . . . Experience the
power of three—guitars, that is—when Southern
rockers .38 Special return to Northern
Lights on Sunday; Eb Jeb and Rocking
Horse open (7:30 PM, $22, 371-0012).
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Classifieds
