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Terry
Dame and Electric Junkyard Gamelan
Time
& Space Limited, Saturday
You’d be hard-pressed to find a band more eclectic than Electric
Junkyard Gamelan. Initially inspired by traditional Indonesian
gamelan music, the band incorporate funk, punk, jazz, rock
and Indian classical into their curious bag of tricks. And
if that’s not enough, the five-piece ensemble perform this
musical cocktail on an arsenal of homemade instruments created
by composer Terry Dame. We’re not talking beans in a coffee
jar here: Dame’s creations include the Rubarp and Big Barp
(electric rubber-band harps), the Sitello (electric cello/sitar
hybrid), the Clayrimba (a three-octave clay-pot marimba),
and a variety of percussion instruments built from kitchenware,
farm equipment, turntables and truck springs. It’s an amalgamation
that creates “rhythmic, near-hypnotic music,” according to
The Village Voice. (March 29, 8 PM, $10, $7 students
and members, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, 822-8448)
Pete
Francis
Red
Square, Saturday
As the singer-guitarist-bassist for the hugely successful
indie-jam band Dispatch, Pete Francis saw and did a lot of
things most of us can only dream about. For instance, when
the band reunited for a one-off last summer at New York’s
Madison Square Garden, the show sold out in a matter of days,
prompting the addition of not one but two more shows. Francis
doesn’t pull quite the same numbers at his solo gigs, but
that doesn’t stop him from delivering the nouveau folk in
his own inimitable fashion. This week, he’ll bring songs from
his just-released solo disc Iron Sea and the Cavalry
to the Red Square. (March 29, 9 PM, $13, 388 Broadway,
Albany, 465-0444)
 Airbourne,
Endeverafter
Jack
Rabbit Slims, Saturday
Fun. Airbourne and Endeverafter are fun. It can be put so
simply only because hearing their tunes reminds you of the
grabbing-a-brush-or-a-soda-can-and-swinging-your-hair-around
days. And they evoke ’70s and ’80s rock so well because they,
too, were abusing their brushes with “Back in Black.” Both
bands were inspired by the massive sound, massive energy and
massive hair (righteously updated into short, razor-sharp
locks) of old-school hard stuff. Endeverafter’s swagger drips
sexuality and badass, and their lyrics echo the same; Airbourne
take their Australian gusto with them when they hit stages,
and they’ve been know to leap from stage to bar. Should they
sound a little too familiar, think of this show as
an alternative to a cover band—you may not know the words,
but the hook will definitely sound familiar. (March 29,
8 PM, $7, 895 Broadway, Albany, 434-4540)
L.A.
Guns
Northern
Lights, Sunday
How about some authentic (well, kind of) old-school hard stuff?
Here’s the answer to the question none of you were actually
asking: This is the Phil Lewis-led version of the late-’80s
hair-metal act, the one featuring original drummer Steve Riley.
And why are there two versions of this all-but- forgotten
touring act? Simple: Guitarist and band namesake Tracii Guns
(also the namesake for half of Guns N’ Roses, btw) owns only
half of his band’s name. Riley owns the other half. The drummer.
What the hell was Tracii Guns thinking? Hey, we don’t have
all the answers. Celebrate the second—or third, we’re losing
track—coming of the Guns this Sunday; their guests will be
Vicious Disorder, the Erotics and Stuck on Stupid. (March
30, 7:30 PM, $14, 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)
Howard
Fishman
Club
Helsinki, Sunday
This guy is a jack of all genres. He’s meddled in “early jazz,
folk, blues, free jazz, classical, rock, pop, funk, country
and New Orleans brass band and gospel music,” so says his
repertoire. Currently, his shows indulge in all of
those noises—in a smooth way. He’s a playwright and a composer,
so his garnered sound is easy and fluid, one that gathers
all musical inspirations for a new presentation. He’s far
enough out on the fringe that you might not heard of him,
but beware his inviting, hypnotic trance: the Love Song. Girls,
you may have to fight hard on this one: Fishman’s melodies
have been dubbed “lullabies” and “completely downright sincere.”
Amid the violins, trumpets, trombones, tubas, bongos, banjos,
and a myriad of guitars, finger- snapping and be-bopping will
be graciously welcomed. (March 30, 8 PM, $20, 284 Main
St., Great Barrington, Mass., 413-528-3394)
Joey
Belladonna
Jack
Rabbit Slims, Wednesday
Give it up to central New York for producing two of the greatest
singers in the history of heavy metal. Of course you know
about his holiness, Ronnie James Dio, but often overlooked
is the fact that one-time Anthrax howler Joey Belladonna hails
from Oswego. We’re not sure what’s in the water out west,
but it must be something that rocks. Anyhow, after
a brief reunion with his old band in 2005, Belladonna is again
touring under his own name, but that won’t stop him and his
band from re-creating the classics—in fact, we’ve heard his
current tour does not skimp on the ’thrax. Joey Belladonna
will give you a fistful of metal this Wednesday at Jack Rabbit
Slims. (April 2, 7 PM, $10, 895 Broadway, Albany, 434-4540)
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