All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Kick up a few before they're covered with snow.

So we've got an hour less daylight than we had last weekend, which means we've got to pack a lot more fun into the daylight we have. Or does it mean there's an hour more of fun to have at night.

Whatever ... there's a lot of fun stuff going on this weekend and plenty of time to enjoy it.

So here's our weekly list of stuff to do. Pick your favorites, call your friends and have a great weekend.

And as always, if we missed something good, tell us about it!

1st Friday
Shops and galleries in Albany are open late tonight for 1st Friday. Here's a list of what's going on where. Check out the new windows at The Grand Street Community Art Center (they've changed out the BoardedUP exhibit and they're holding a silent auction from 5-9 to raise $$ for the center). Stop by UAG or Post-1st Friday events include the Capital Swing Dance at the Albany Elks Club from 8:30-11:30 $15, $10 student/senior (free lesson at 7:30), and Ashley Pond Band at 74 State from 8-11:30 .

The Fiery Furnaces
There's some great indie rock coming to Revolution Hall in Troy tonight. The brother- sister duo The Fiery Furnances
are coming to The Collar City with Cryptacize and Dent May. Things get going at 7:30 PM. $15. Lotus is at Rev Hall on Saturday

Art/Dance Party
The Contomposis brothers are throwing a dance party at 4 Central Avenue to help restore their gallery that was destroyed by fire. Local artists and music music by Eclectic Method, Disposable Rocket Band and DJ Trumastr. Friday at 8 PM. $5 donation requested.

Art for AIDS Sake
The folks at The Albany Damien Center are holding their 10th annual Art for Aids sake -- a dessert reception, art exhibition and silent auction, tonight Saturday at The NYS Museum's Terrace Gallery. All proceeds benefit the work of The Damien Center. $30

Chess
Today at 5:15 at The Muddy Cup at Proctor's, watch Grandmaster Ronen Har-Zvi -- the former "World under-16 chess champ," take on 25 players at the same time. It's the kick off of a Friday chess clinic at Proctor's where you can come and watch, learn, or play. Free.

Indymedia Film Fest
The Sanctuary for Independent Media is screening a group of independent films on Saturday night, including "This is What Democracy Looks Like," "Fourth World War," and "A Tribute to Brad and Will." There's a potluck dinner and a performance by Persian-American musician Haale. $10 suggested donation, $5 student/low-income.

5.9, 5.9, 5.9
AOA will be judging at the Mop and Bucket Company's Theater Sports competition this weekend. Two teams compete with improvisational comedy and the points don't matter (think Whose Line is it Anyway.) Upstairs at 440 at Proctors. Shows tonight at 8 (with AOA Mary), Saturday night at 8 and Sunday afternoon at 2 (with the fabulous AOA Jess.)

NANOvember
So if you've ever wondered what the heck nanotech actually is, this is your month. UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering has a month of activities planned to help explain it to you. On Saturday the CNSE is holding a community day. It's a free open house with tours of the facility, hands-on polymer experiments, presentations and kids stuff. Saturday from 11-3 -- 225 Fuller Road in Albany.

Code is art
open-source programming environment FIELD, artist and artificial intelligence researcher Marc Downie will speak at EMPAC tonight. He's in town for a two day intensive workshop that's probably for "code-heads" only, but tonight's talk about code, art, AI and some of the projects he's developed is for code heads and non code heads alike. Free. 7PM

Sgt. Dunbar at Ground Zero
Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned will be playing RPI's basement club "Ground Zero" with The Armchairs, Da Comrade and Man Scouts on Saturday night. It's a student run club in the basement of Nugent Hall, but it's open to the public. Here's a map to help you find it once you get to campus. 8PM. $3. Yes, $3.

Korto Momolu
Project Runway fans will recognize Korto Momolu from the 5th season. Momolu, will be at Skidmore College Saturday to discus her life as a Liberian immigrant and the effect it has had on her fashion. The talk will be followed by an African influenced fashion show of Momalu's designs. The talk is from 6-7:30 and the fashion show starts at 8. Free.

First Saturday
Most of the Fridays were taken, so Saratoga has moved on to First Saturdays. Local shops and galleries in the Spa City will be open late on Saturday night. Get a hot chocolate from Mrs. London's and wander.

Dance Movies - The Premiere
EMPAC is premiering four new projects that fuse dance with technology and movieng image. " A single-channel video installation made from animated 3-D scans of a dancer and three dance films spanning the gamut from Depression-era musical, to love story, to dancing full throttle through city streets." After the screening there's a Q & A and reception with the artists and filmmakers.

The Grateful Dead, sorta
The Dark Star Orchestra re-interprets Grateful Dead classics "the way an orchestra interprets the music of classical composers." The DSO will be "interpreting The Dead" tonight at The Palace in what promises to be a long, strange trip.

Flute Day
Who knew there was such a thing? The College of Saint Rose is celebrating flute day with a concert tonight by flutist Linda Chesis at the Massry Center. 7:30 $5 donation.

Hootie, sorta
You know him as Hootie, but tomorrow night Darius Rucker will be performing (sans Blowfish) at The Palace. Rucker will feature songs from his new country album (yep, country) from his newest solo album. 8 PM, $37.50 -- $47.50.

Cars
If you're car shopping or you just like to look at cars, head out to the Empire State Plaza for the car show this weekend. Tonight until 9 and Saturday from 11-6.

Snow show
If you're more excited than we are about the coming snow, here's something you might want to check out: The 48th Annual Ski and Snowboard Expo at the convention center in the Empire State Plaza. Tonight until 9, tomorrow 10 - 6 , sunday 11-5.

Crunch some leaves
We got a reprieve from the snow, so there's still time to take an autumn walk through crunchy piles of leaves. And the weather should be perfect. Here are a few places we like to go.