COMIN’ SOON: New Concert Announcements

By Greg Haymes

The Upper Room in downtown Albany is upping its reputation as Greater Nippertown’s home of the blues with a couple of new additions to its calendar – Coco Montoya at 8pm on Friday, October 6 ($20 & $30) and Ronnie Baker Brooks at 7pm on Saturday, October 14 ($20 & $35).

Blending the ethereal vocals of Boston’s Jake Zavracky and Vancouver Island’s Elizabeth LeBaron in intertwining melodies, the Brooklyn-based Dream Eaters make their Greater Nippertown debut at The Linda in Albany at 8pm on Wednesday, August 23. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $15. Also at The Linda, comedian Linda Lou headlines an evening of comedy and music with her children – Courtney Blackwell and Chris Blackwell – as her musical support acts at 7:30pm on August 31. The show is a benefit for the Saint Anne Institute Alumni Fund, and tickets are $25.

Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park welcomes Life of Agony on Friday, September 29 with Leeway, Brick by Brick and Born Low in the support slots for the 7pm show. Tickets are on sale now priced at $23 in advance; $25 at the door. Also, looking way into the future, Florida headbangers Kamelot are slated to headline on Wednesday, April 25 with Delain and Battlebeast opening the evening at 7pm. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $28.50 in advance; $30 at the door; $100 VIP.

The Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park welcomes Hollywood Undead on Sunday, November 19. Butcher Babies open the show at 7pm. Priced at $25 in advance; $28 at the doot, tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday (July 28).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Contemporary country hitmakers Old Dominion two-step into the spotlight at Albany’s Palace Theatre on their Meat & Candy Tour. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10am on Friday (July 28).

Rick Barton – a founding member of Dropkick Murphys – brings his current band Continental to Pauly’s Hotel in Albany on Thursday, September 28. Candy Ambulance and Asa Morris & the Mess open the show at 8pm. Tickets are $7 in advance; $10 at the door.

OPENERS: At the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, Max Glazer and Lady Moon & the Eclipse have snagged the opening slots for Maxi Priest’s concert on Friday, August 11… Banooba will open for Zach Deputy at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs on Friday, August 25… Suzanne Santo will warm up the crowd for folksinger Willie Watson at Club Helsinki in Hudson at 9pm on Friday, October 27.

Actor and cabaret artist Charles Busch brings his new show, “My Kinda ’60s,” to Club Helsinki in Hudson at 8pm on Saturday, September 2. Accompanied by his longtime musical director-arranger Tom Judson, Busch’s new show weaves tales of his childhood and coming of age with songs by Burt Bacharach, the Beatles, Henry Mancini, Stephen Sondheim and Kander & Ebb.

A pair of Greater Nippertown favorites – The Sea The Sea and Girl Blue – team up at the Hollow Bar + Kitchen in Albany at 9pm on Saturday, August 26. Tickets are $10.27 in advance; $15 at the door.

Nobuntu – all-female a capella quintet from Zimbabwe – will make a stop at UAlbany’s Performing Arts Center at 7:30pm on October 29 as part of their debut U.S. tour. And klezmer quintet the Big Galut(e) steps into the spotlight at UAlbanyPAC at 7:30pm on February 22. Advance tickets for each show are $15; $10 students & seniors. Ticket prices are $5 more on the day of the show.

SOLD OUT: Two of the concerts in the new SPAC on Stage series – Hot Sardines on August 7 and Black Violin on Monday, August 21 – are now officially sold out.