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Walter
Salas-Humara, Anders Parker
Valentine’s,
Thursday
To folks in the know, names like Walter Salas-Humara and Anders
Parker are not to be scoffed at. Salas-Humara has been making
music for 20 years, both on his own and as frontman for the
Silos, the act named “Best New American Band” in 1987 by the
Rolling Stone Critics Poll. While their music seemed a
bit out of place when the ’90s rolled in, in retrospect it
holds up as one of the founding sounds of the alt-country
movement. Touring with Salas-Humara is Parker, who grew up
on an old farm in the Hudson Valley, and went on to be the
core of such regionally beloved bands as Varnaline and Space
Needle before releasing a couple well-received solo records
in the last few years. Can you say Americana, anyone? (Oct.
11, 8 PM, $8, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
Loudon
Wainwright III, Leon Redbone
The
Egg, Saturday
Two of American music’s most recognizable anti-stars will
share the Egg stage this weekend. Granted, when we say “share”
we really mean “play music separately in consecutive order,”
but hey, it’s a figure of speech. Anyway, you already know
what you need to know about these stalwart performers: aka
Frosty the Snowman, Redbone is the guy with the white suit,
dark glasses and ever-present moustache, whose musical gamut
runs from about 1918 to 1941; Wainwright is best known these
days for his fabulously famous offspring (call us anytime,
Rufus!), but his nearly 40-year career happens to include
more than a few near-hits, and more recently, the soundtrack
(co-written with Joe Henry) from the mega-hit film Knocked
Up. We don’t hesitate to call this show the bargain of
the week. (Oct. 13, 7:30 PM, $28, Empire State Plaza, Albany,
473-1845)
Amy
Grant
Glens
Falls Civic Center, Saturday
Long before there was “praise” music and Christian-rock radio,
Amy Grant was getting her faith-based songs to the fans. In
the 1980s, she was the first Christian singer-songwriter to
have a platinum-selling album; in the 1990s she crossed over
with the catchy smash “Baby Baby.” (Ha ha! Now you’re going
to have those 1990s synth-pop sounds in your head all day.)
Before you could say “Praise the Lord,” Grant had racked up
25 million in album sales, plus six Grammy awards. More recently,
Grant has released a couple of straight-up gospel albums,
including the 2006 award-winner Rock of Ages . . . Hymns
of Faith. For this gala performance Saturday night, Grant
will be accompanied by the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by her musical director, David Hamilton. And there’s
a special “meet and greet” after-show package for $150. (Oct.
13, 8 PM, $32.50-$57.50, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls,
798-0202)
Carolyn
Mark
Valentine’s,
Saturday
If you like your singer-songwriters as dry as a martini and
with twice the kick, then Carolyn Mark is the woman for you.
Her songs are sharp and funny (when they need to be); her
singing has the kind of old-school oomph that brings Loretta
and Dolly to mind. She’s touring in support of her new disc,
the just-released Nothing Is Free, and is coming to
Valentine’s to grace one of those Americana nights with Albany’s
own Grainbelt. Don’t take our word for how great she is; visit
her Web site and have a listen. And while you’re there, check
out her tasty recipes—yup, she’s written a couple of cookbooks
too. Mark even suggests music appropriate for each dish: Miss
Sylvia’s Salad reportedly goes well with Beck or Alice Donut,
while El Toro’s Macaroni and Cheese cries out for the Village
People or the Hairspray soundtrack. (Oct. 13, 9
PM, $5, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
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| Type
o Negative |
Type
O Negative
Northern
Lights, Sunday
Type O Negative frontman Peter Steele is notorious for being
in two places: jail, and the pages of Playgirl magazine.
While less intimidating singers would be made fun of for such
things, Steele is a gargantuan man, with guns like a body
builder, a menacing black mane, and a voice like Satan’s;
only crazy folks would dare make fun of him. Thankfully, Steele
has a strong sense of humor, as evidenced in his Beatles-influenced
goth dirges like “My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend.” So Type O’s
long-awaited return should be a fun—and gloomy—affair. Albany’s
own resident goth kids the Clay People will open. Bring your
fishnets, kiddies! (Oct. 14, 8 PM, $20, 1208 Route 146,
Clifton Park, 371-0012)
Crosby
and Nash
Proctor’s
Theatre, Sunday
Yes, that Crosby and Nash; the ones who occasionally pal around
with Stills and Young. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and good
old-fashioned hippies David Crosby and Graham Nash have been
performing together in various incarnations for nearly 40
years; and, while the rest of you sold out, cut your hair
and bought SUVs, they’ve clung to the ideals of the generation
they once gave voice to. Through alcoholism, infighting, a
liver transplant, sperm donation, and the ’80s, Crosby and
Nash remained great friends, and they’ve continued to produce
songs with the strong songwriting and harmonies that defined
their sound. The biodiesel minibus of love pulls into Proctor’s
on Sunday. (Oct. 14, 8 PM, $20-$50, 432 State Street, Schenectady,
346-6204)
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| Also
Noted |
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| Red
Haired Strangers |
In
case you missed the Zappa-related lovefest in
last week’s Live section, you can hear the late
composer’s music brought to life tonight (Thursday)
at Revolution Hall, when Project/Object,
featuring former Zappa vocalist-saxophonist
Napoleon Murphy Brock, take the stage (8
PM, $20, 274-0553). . . . You’ve heard our writers
rave about her; now catch evocative Iranian-American
vocalist Haale for yourself at the Sanctuary
for Independent Media tomorrow (Friday, 8 PM,
$10, 272-2390). . . . Long-traveled folk-country
duo and frequent A Prairie Home Companion
guests Robin and Linda Williams play the
WAMC Performing Arts Studio on Friday (8 PM, $23,
465-5233 ext. 4). . . . Red Square hosts another
Roots Music Festival this weekend, this time spanning
two nights and featuring the likes of the Sidewind
ers, Mike McCann Band, Courtney
Blackwell and festival hosts the Red Haired
Strangers (among others) on Friday; Palatypus,
Dana Monteith, Slick Fitty, Wiley
Dobbs and more on Saturday (7 PM, $7 each
night, 465-0444). . . . Rub elbows with a legend
when Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain
Boys make a rare small-club appearance at
Club Helsinki on Saturday (9 PM, $65, 413-528-3394).
. . . Actually, the weather’s about the same:
Sao Paolo, Brazil-based post-punkers Debate
play Valentine’s on Monday night, along with Athens,
Ga., indie-rockers We vs. the Shark, plus
locals Bell County Silence and Might
(7 PM, $7, 432-6572).
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