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Three
Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Puddle of Mudd
Glens
Falls Civic Center, Friday
Oh, boy. Lovers of modern-rock radio unite: Three of the most
overplayed bands of the last few years will be hitting Glens
Falls on Friday. The bill of co-headliners Three Days Grace
and Breaking Benjamin, with opening act Puddle of Mudd, is
a pretty high-profile one sure to draw fans of radio-oriented
rock to the Civic Center. Breaking Benjamin are still riding
strong on the success of their single “The Diary of Jane,”
while both singles from One-X, the newest from Three
Days Grace, found the No. 1 spot on the Modern Rock charts
(and those radio stations sure don’t let you forget it). While
these two co-headliners have been steady radio staples for
the past few years, Puddle of Mudd—a band essentially assembled
by Fred Durst—seem to be past their prime; their most recent
album Life on Display has sold only 600,000 copies
to date, which is far short of the triple-platinum sales of
the band’s debut. (May 11, 7:30 PM, $25 and $30, 1 Civic
Center Plaza, Glens Falls, 798-0202)
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Jonatha
Brooke
The
Egg, Saturday
Formerly half of a folk-pop duo called the Story, Jonatha
Brooke has been writing and performing solo for since the
mid 1990s and has since moved toward a more radio-friendly
sound while retaining her folksy roots. Her most recent album,
Careful What You Wish For, was released last month
on her own Bad Dog Records. Her current tour brings her to
the Egg’s Swyer Theater on Saturday, but this is an acoustic
show without her usual backing band. In addition to her own
albums, Brooke has contributed to a Disney soundtrack and
sang guest vocals with other singers, including Lisa Loeb.
Brooke also has covered old gems like the Beach Boys’ “God
Only Knows” and James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” on her albums.
(May 12, 8 PM, $22, Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845)
Ray
Mason Band
The
Ale House, Saturday
Ray Mason, a founding member of the Lonesome Brothers, started
his first combo more than 40 years ago, and has recorded loads
of albums with his band, solo, and with various luminaries
of the music world, like J Mascis and Lloyd Cole. With consistent
delivery of his brand of roots rock and pop, Mason has proven
a mainstay in the New England music scene. Though he recently
released a new solo record, A Man and His Silvertone,
his appearance at the Ale House this weekend will be in support
of his band’s new release on Hi-n-Dry Records, Don’t Mess
With Our Routine, out last month. In addition to Mason,
the band consists of Frank Marsh on drums, Stephen Desaulniers
on bass, and Tom Shea on guitar. (May 12, 9 PM, $5, 680
River St., Troy, 272-9740)
Blue
Öyster Cult
Northern
Lights, Saturday
That’s rock & roll for you. In 1980, the post-Ozzy Black
Sabbath teamed up with the Blue Öyster Cult for the Black
& Blue Tour; this week, Dio Sabbath (aka Heaven &
Hell), headline at the Times Union Center, while Blue Öyster
Cult will rock out at Northern Lights. While some of us are
jazzed up about Dio Sabbath, others are equally enthusiastic
about the Cult. Why? The Long Island-bred band’s lineup still
features three key original members—guitarists Buck Dharma
and Allen Lanier, and singer Eric Bloom—and the same attitude
toward the rock that they always had. Example: In 2004, when
Bloom asked bassist Richie Castellano to join the band, his
first question was, “Do you rock?” (We’re sure he answered,
“Hell yeah!”) Expect plenty of suchlike from the creators
of memorable ditties like “Harvester of Eyes,” “Godzilla,”
“Dominance and Submission” and “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.”
Byrds of Prey and Swamp Lords will open. (May 12, 7 PM,
$20, 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)
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Memorial
Concert Band of Colonie
Colonie
Central High School, Wednesday
There are all kinds of big bands. This big band, the
Memorial Concert Band of Colonie, is a nationally recognized,
70-plus member, all-volunteer wind ensemble that blows the
roof off the auditorium at Colonie Central High School four
times a year. Hyperbole? Sure. Consider, however: If you brought
17 trumpets, seven trombones and an army of clarinets with
you (not to mention saxes, oboes, tubas, euphoniums, snares,
timpani, et. al.), you could make some serious noise, too.
This Wednesday, the MCBC will perform, among other works,
a suite from Rogers and Hammerstein’s The King and I,
an overture by Franz von Suppé that, we are promised, will
be easily recognizable to any connoisseur of Bugs Bunny’s
films, and a “new musical tribute to [the victims of] 9/11”
titled Grant Them Eternal Rest. (May 16, 7 PM, free,
1 Raider Blvd., Colonie, 459-1220)
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| The
Last Town Chorus |
The
Last Town Chorus, Hot Cousin
Valentine’s,
Wednesday
The Last Town Chorus are taking a break from their rigorous
touring schedule with Michael Penn to headline an early show
at Valentine’s this week. A revolving ensemble led by Brooklynite
and lap-steel-guitar plucker Megan Hickey, the Last Town Chorus
have been touring in support of their new disc, Wire Waltz.
Critics from all walks seem to agree that the best description
of Hickey’s lap-steel playing is “aching.” The Chicago
Tribune even claimed that her “lap-steel sound moves men
to tears.” As for us, we think that Hickey’s ethereal version
of David Bowie’s “Modern Love” alone is worth the cost of
admission. (May 16, 6 PM, $5, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany,
432-6572)
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| Also
Noted |
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| Avett
Brothers |
Those
loveable alt-rock cats Kingscastle will
play at Northern Lights tomorrow (Friday) with
support from Coyle, Camphora, Sunday
Girl and Atlas Dying (7 PM, $10,
371-0012). . . . Also Friday, folk songstress
Maria Muldaur will appear at WAMC Performing
Arts Center in anticipation of her new disc, Naughty,
Bawdy and Blue, which is slated to be released
on Tuesday and which features a special duet by
Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt (8 PM, $28, 465-5233,
ext. 4). . . . If blues is what you’re in the
mood for, head on over to Club Helsinki in Great
Barrington, Mass., tomorrow night to see Harlem-born
soul songbird Shemekia Copeland (9 PM,
$30, 413-528-3394). . . . “Song builder” Guy
Clark will perform at the Colonial Theatre
in Pittsfield, Mass., on Saturday (8 PM, $20-$40,
413-997-4444). . . . Sunday night will be a bluegrass
and alt-country part-ay at the Iron Horse Music
Hall in Northampton, Mass., featuring the Avett
Brothers and the Kamikaze Hearts (7
PM, $18, 413-584-0610). . . . Also on Sunday,
Andre Rieu (aka the Waltz King of Europe)
will take over the Times Union Center (8 PM, $41-$61,
800-30-EVENT).
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