All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Franz Nicolay is at Valentine's Friday night.

March is coming in like a lion, but who cares. There's plenty to do this weekend so put on your long johns, get out and have fun. Whoo-hoo! Who's with us?!?

OK, maybe we've been working a little too hard.

Anyway, here are a few things we thought might be worth a try this weekend. Got some other ideas? Pass them along! Pretty please.

Chillin' in Troy
It's Troy Night Out. Collar City shops are open late with music, art and all kinds of fun stuff. The best part -- the Official Unofficial After Party at Revolution Hall. Why? Beside the fact that it's warm and dry? Aficionado, pelham 123, We Are Architects, back from japan and jenkins. All for 5 bucks. Doors open at 9.

Hold Steady preview
If you're waiting for The Hold Steady to come to Valentine's at the end of March, here's something to tide you over. Friday night Jennifer O'Connor is at Valentines with Franz Nicolay, keyboard player for THS. Albany/Brooklyn's own Knotworking will be there too. 7PM. $7

Male Strippers
Well, sort of. Blue collar husbands take it all off on stage to impress their wives in The Full Monty at Cohoes Music Hall. Yes, leave the kids at home. Friday and Saturday at 8, Sunday at 3. $23-$32

Ax Tossing
Yep, ax tossing, wood throwing, chainsaws and old fashioned logging techniques will be on display at SUNY Cobleskill's Woodsman's competition. Nathan "Bucket" Waterfield, a professional STIHL timber sportsman, will judge the men's, women's and coed teams and will conduct a demonstration. Really, we're not making this up. While you're there, be sure to pay a visit to C.Abunga. Tell her we said hay.

Zidane at EMPAC
EMPAC's unfiction series continues with Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait. The documentary about soccer great Zinedine Zidane. We hear tickets could be tough to come by, so you may want to call ahead.

Fat Saturday
Belly dancing, zydeco, zombie dancing, a silent auction and a Cajun buffet on Saturday night at Revolution Hall. The $15 admission goes to support The Arts Center of the Capital Region. Doors open at 7PM.

Swing
The Crooked Lake House is throwing another Ballroom, Swing, Latin Dance Party tonight from 8 to 11. There's a free lesson at 7:15. It's $10 to dance the rest of the night.

Milonga/Tango
The folks at The Saratoga Savoy Center of Dance Center are holding a candlelight dance party on Saturday from 8-11. $10.

V-Day
UAlbany students and alumni will perform readings from The Vagina Monologues this Saturday night. Proceeds benefit Equinox. $10

You got theater in my sports. No, you got sports in my theater
The Mop and Bucket Company have a whole weekend of Theatersports competitions planned. Tonight at Saturday at 8 and Sunday afternoon at 3. AOA will be judging tomorrow night's bout, so stop in and visit.

Suessabration
Here's our kid's pick for the weekend. The Saratoga Children's Museum is hosting a birthday party for Dr. Seuss. Guest readers, games and Seuss inspired treats. Green eggs and ham, anyone? The party's free with the $6 museum admission.

Catch a flick
Sure, the Oscar's are over, but you can still catch a few of the nominated films. There are a handful of them still at The Spectrum ( Doubt, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Frost Nixon) and Waltz with Bashir opens this weekend.

Splatto
No, it's not a comic book character, it's a festival Chorus. Violinist and composer Todd Reyonolds percussionist Ed Mann David Barrett on Saxophones and bass player Michael Bisio make some pretty interesting jazz. 8 PM Saturday $10.

4 for $100
Try this. It's an evening for four -- dinner, dessert and post dinner drinks -- for $100. And it's fun.

photo: Konstantin Sergeyev