All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Material World opens Saturday at MASS MoCA

You know those weekends when you're all "Sigh. There's just nothing to do."

Yeah, this weekend is not one of those.

There is a crazy amount of stuff going on this weekend!

Here's the list. If you know of some good stuff we've missed, pass it along.

And whatever you choose, have a great weekend!

Happy hour for a good cause
If you're stopping out for a happy hour drink tonight, you might want to have it at McGeary's and help out the folks at Northeast Parent and Child Society at the same time. McGeary's is hosting a benefit for Northeast from 4 to 8 with drink specials and music by Jeff Strange. Also, if you've ever wanted to try blue hair extensions, apparently this is the place.

Music
Scientific Maps celebrates the release of their new e.p. "Food For Witches" tonight at Valentine's. Man Scouts -- an all star band made up of members from Sgt. Dunbar, Beware! the Other Head of Science, Spread "Em and Boston Celtics will perform. NYC comedian Bill Chambers is also on the bill.

Livingston Taylor plays Rev Hall tonight at 8

Trombonist-composer Michael Davis joins The College of Saint Rose Jazz Ensemble for a big band concert tonight at 7:30 at Massry Center at Saint Rose.

Sean Rowe is at Bread and Jam in Cohoes tonight. $5 On Saturday the Turnrounders are there with Moonlight Jamboree.

Matt Durfee is at Tess' Lark Tavern on Saturday night with the Rattlin' Baddies and Red Haired Strangers.

Domo arigato Mr. DeYoung. STYX frontman Dennis DeYoung is at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall tonight at 8. $35-$55.

Singer Songwriter Catie Curtis is at Caffe Lena in Saratoga with Elana Arian on Saturday night at 8.

Beware! The Other Head of Science and Blister Pack are at the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy on Saturday night.

NYC based reggae group the Easy Star All-Stars are at Rev hall on Sunday with locals Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets. $20.

Poetry
The Yes! Reading Series concludes its tonight with featured poet, UAlbany alum & Oberlin College Professor, Kazim Ali. 7:30pm at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave in Albany. Ali's work has been featured in Best American Poetry, American Poetry Review, Boston Review, Barrow Street, jubilat and Massachusetts Review.

Albany All-Stars Roller Derby
The Empire Skate Troopers face off against The Long Island Roller Rebels on Saturday night at the Washington Avenue Armory.

Rugbyfest
There's a whole lot of rugby going on in A-Town this weekend. Albany Law is hosting the 25th Annual Watkins Rugby Tournament. Men's and women's teams will be playing on Campus and at Lincoln Park. Here's the full schedule.

Bike! Bike! Northeast
The Sanctuary for Independent Media is hosting a full weekend of cycling workshops, presentations, films, bike polo, a bike repair rodeo and more. Beware! The Other Head of Science plays on Saturday night. There's also a BBQ and a Sunday Brunch. Check out the full schedule.

Comedy
Mop & Bucket has a new weekly gig -- every Friday you can catch their improv act at Underground at Proctor's $14 /$6 for students.

If you think you've got stories about getting fired from a job, you check out Tom Briscoe at The Comedy Works in Albany this weekend. This guy laughs all the way home from the unemployment line. And he'll make you laugh with him.

Yes, we know she kind of dissed A-Town on Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, but that's because she didn't know us. Paula Poundstone, will be at The Troy Music Hall on Saturday night. If you go, tell her to check out AOA. She might find some stuff to love. $38 or $29.

Marga Gomez will be at the Davis Auditorium, Skidmore College with her award-winning comedy show Long Island Iced Latina. on Saturday night at 8 PM. $15, Skidmore students are free.

Author and This American Life contributor Sarah Vowell, will read her own work at The Colonial Theater in Pittsfield tonight. $25, $35.

Knock it off
Local artists reinterpret well known masterpieces, modern classics, and their own works using everything from stuff found in nature to bubble gum wrappers in the Knock it Off show at Albany Center Gallery. The art will be Auctioned off at a benefit for the gallery tonight from 6 to 9. It's free to stop by and check it out.

Material World
MASS MoCA's new show opens this weekend. Seven artists, each using a single simple material--fishing line, paper, plastic, rope-- will transform the top two floors of the gallery. The show opens Saturday with a reception and runs through February. $6 for non-members, free for members.

Eastman Tours
The NYS Museum is holding tours of the George Eastman House Exhibit "Seeing Ourselves" on Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 2 PM. The 40 minute tours meet at the west gallery entrance. Free.

Film
Tonight's Writer's Institute film at Page Hall is the 1923 silent "Little Old New York." The story of a young Irish immigrant woman who disguises herself as a boy and comes to New York City to claim her dead brother's inheritance, includes a number of real events -- like the launch of Robert Fulton's steamboat on the Hudson River.  Live piano accompaniment by Mike Schiffer. 7:30 Free.

Earth Day
Yes, it was Thursday-- but we're still celebrating. And why not.

Thatcher park is screening short films, "The Story of Stuff" and "The Story of Cap and Trade." and holding workshops for kids 8 and older on Saturday. $3 materials fee
 
Five Rivers Environmental Center is holding an afternoon of exhibits, activities and guided trail walks on Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Free

On Saturday from 10am- 3pm, Saratoga P.L.A.N. (Preserving Land and Nature) will host a "Lupine Planting Party" at their Karner Blue Butterfly Restoration site in Clifton Park. Volunteers will learn how to plant seeds, about the ecological history of the area and more.

Sunday the First Unitarian Universalist Society is hosting a free screening of "The Story of Stuff" followed by a discussion and a neighborhood clean up. 11:30.  

Skidmore College is holding an Earth Day Fest on the front lawn of the campus from noon to 10 on Saturday. Free organic food, games, tie die, organic beer and give aways. It's free, but they'll be selling merchandise for the Haitian relief effort. The musical line up looks great. It includes Matthew Carefully, Skeletons in the Piano and The Sanctuaries.

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve is planning a family friendly earth day celebration on Saturday.They'll be running a variety of conservation projects including: trails work, pulling invasive honeysuckle, tree planting, trash clean-up, and boundary posting.  Sign up at www.albanypinebush.org and click on Calendar Events..
Later in the day they're holding a program on turtles. Kids can learn about different types of turtles and turtle behavior at the Pine Bush Discovery Center on New Karner Road $2 per person/$5 per family/ under 5 free

The NYS Museum will bring environmentalists, scientists, and nature lovers to the 4th floor on Saturday for hands-on, eco-friendly activities and demonstrations.
 
Mardis Gras
Yes, lent is over but don't let that get in the way of a good Mardis Gras Parade. . Saturday from 11 to 4 there's a Mardis Gras parade and street festival in Saratoga Springs. The Parade starts at 11 and there's a Cajun cook off on Beekman Street starting at 12:30. Bands will play at under a tent near the Downtowner Motel on Broadway. It's a benefit for Saratoga Springs sister city Waveland, MS and the Saratoga County EOC's Latino community Advocacy Program.

More Festivals
Proctor's is hosting a Thacher Park support concert on Saturday from 5-10 with music from Lunic, What She Said and the Joe Nacco Band. The United 4 Thacher event is free but donations to help save the park are being accepted. They'll have a motorcycle show local artist displays and face painting, storytelling and other kids activities.

The Congregation Gates of Heaven is holding a Cherry Blossom festival on Sunday from 10 to 4. More than 50 vendors. Fair food, a 5k race and kids activities too.

The Riverway Storytelling Festival is already underway in the Capital Region. There are performances and workshops throughout the region all weekend long. Here's the full schedule.

Comic Con
There'll be toys, collectables, artwork, comics and panel discussions on all things comic at The Albany Comic Con Holiday Inn on Sunday from 10 - 4. It's also the only place you'll be able to find this special edition copy of Magdalena #1 with the Albany skyline in on

Fish and Wildlife Festival
SUNY Cobleskill hosts its 15th annual Fish and Wildlife Festival on Saturday from 10 - 4. There's a reptile demonstration (this just makes us think of gators holding little picket signs), a youth fishing derby, animals, wildlife exhibits a BBQ by Rubbin' Butts and a fish fry. Free.

Gear up for summer
Gear up for summer sports at The Saratoga City Center this weekend. 100 summer sports exhibits will be set up at the Adirondack Sports and Fitness Summer Expo this weekend. 
 Admission is free.

Theater
Stageworks/Hudson presents Christopher Durang's dark comedy, Beyond Therapy tonight and Saturday at 8 $15, $12 students and seniors.

Doubt: A Parable continues at The Arts Center of Saratoga on Saturday at 8.

Dance
Doc Scanlon's Rhythm Boys are headlining Saturday night at The Arts Center of the Capital Region's Spring Swing Fling. There's a free lesson at 8 and dancing at 8:30. Practice your jitterbug before you go. There's a contest with prizes. $15/$12 Members

The Crooked Lake House in Averill Park hosts a ballroom, swing and latin dance party tonight. There's a free lesson at 7:15. Dancing until 10:30. $10.
 
The Saratoga Savoy Center hosts a Milonga/Tango Party at 7 Wells Street in Saratoga on Saturday night from 8-11.$10.

Tulip gazing
You don't need a festival to enjoy the tulips in Albany. We've noticed that Washington Park and other spaces around the city are already blooming, and Saturday's weather should be perfect for pictures.

Find a patio
Saturday should be the perfect day to grab a drink or a snack al fresco. Where? Check out the AOA outdoor dining map.