All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Dear summer,

Thanks in advance for the weekend weather we're expecting.

We love you.

Sincerely,
AOA

Another fabulous looking summer weekend is on tap, with absolutely no shortage of stuff to do. After the jump, a few things that looked interesting to us.

Let us know what we missed.

And have a great weekend!

TNO
Kick off your weekend at Troy Night Out, tonight. Check out the art, music and other fun stuff going on all over the collar city.
Duck into Terra Nova church and see Jessyka Neitzel's solo "summer blossoms" exhibit. RPI's Chapel and Cultural Center is hosting a reception for David Brickman's landscape exhibit from 6-8 and The Arts Center of the Capital Region has a reception for the Fence Select Exhibit. The Rensselaer County Historical Society has an ice cream history exhibit complete with a tasting. Stop by and check out the progress on the new Troy Food Coop and end the night at Daisy Bakers for the official/unoffical TNO after party with the goodship DJs from 9-2.

Whip it
Devo (yes, that Devo) takes their comeback tour to Northern lights on Saturday night at 8. $45.

More Music

Tonight
The Upbeat on the Roof series at Skidmore's Tang Museum continues tonight with the blues group Three Girls and their Buddy Larry.

The Folkadelics play Putnam Den tonight at 9:30

Sean Rowe plays the Bayou Cafe in Downtown Albany tonight at 5:30.

Valentine's hosts, Brooklyn's, The Dirty Stayouts tonight at 8.

Mirk & the New Familiars are at Red Square tonight at 9 with Midnight Spaghetti and the Chocolate G-Strings.

Maroon 5 is at SPAC tonight at 7:30 p.m

Saturday
Sting is at SPAC on Saturday night at 8

Alta Mira is playing at Elda's

The Mathematicians, Beware! The Other Head of Science and the Troy Chainsaw Ensemble are among the bands scheduled to play at the Salem Art Works Festival this Saturday.

Sean Row, Railbird, Sean Rowe, Ben Karis-Nix and John Brodeur play a free show in Amsterdam's Riverlink Park.

Skidmore alumns Throwdown Bouquet are having a reunion show at Caffe Lena on Saturday. 8PM. $12 advance/ $14 door.

Dub artists Skadee and Sugarproof are at Bread and Jam on Saturday night at 8. $5

Vesper and Black Mountain Symphony are at Putnam Den on Saturday

Sunday

O.A.R. is at SPAC on Sunday night. 7:30

Maria Z and Alegria have a free concert in Scotia's Freedom Park on Sunday night at 7

Raul Midon gives a free concert at Music Haven in Schenectady Central Park on Sunday night at 7.

Grock Spock's art
Opening at Mass MoCA this weekend, Leonard Nimoy's first major museum exhibition, "Secret Selves." The photography exhibit is based on "Aristophanes' theory that humans were once double-sided creatures with two heads and multiple limbs before Zeus cleaved man in two and left him forever struggling to be whole again, Nimoy's photographs reveal his subjects' other half." There's an opening reception on Saturday night for members only, but there's still time to join. The exhibit opens to the public on Sunday.

Other museum stuff
Mass MoCA wraps up its Bang on a Can festival of experimental music on Saturday with a six hour marathon that combines pieces written in the last week with classic experimental works. Visit the museum and head down to the festival at 4. $22

*If you've been waiting to check out The Albany Institute of History and Art, now is a good time. Throughout the summer you can get in for free on Fridays and on Saturday's it's buy one get one free.

In Williamstown, The Clark is still running their Picasso looks at Degas exhibit.

And they're off...
The weather looks great for a day at the races. Go for the horses, the people watching and the muddy track.

Breakfast at the track
Even if you're not much of a gambler, the Saratoga Racecourse is gorgeous in the morning. For some AM cheap fun, bring some bagels and coffee, hang out in the boxes and watch the workouts. Then take a free tour of the backstretch. They leave every 20 minutes or so from the clubhouse gate.

Poets in the park
The "Poets in the Park" series continues on Saturday night at 7 in Albany's Washington Park with readings by Susan Deer Cloud and Guy Reed.

Comedy
Mop & Bucket makes up another show Underground at Proctor's tonight at 8. $14, $6 for students.

Theater
Tons of offerings in the summer theater season. Here are a few"

Molly McGrath's voice is reason enough to catch Annie Get Your Gun at Park Playhouse in Washington Park. Also, it's fun and free. Tonight through Sunday at 8, but get there early to claim a spot and bring your own blanket & a picnic.

"Damn Yankees" -- for those who like baseball and musical theater. At the Mac-Haydn in Chatham this weekend.

The Williamstown Theatre Festival has productions of Our Town, and After the Revolution.

Barrington Stage presents "Art" -- a show about friendship, as well as art, and the new musical, "Pool Boy."

"Imagining Madoff" the imagined conversation between Bernie Madoff and Eli Wiesel continues this weekend at Stageworks/Hudson.

Baseball & Canoli
Who says you have to have hot dogs at a ball game. Tonight is Italian night at The Joe Bruno Stadium. You can watch the Valley Cats play, and have some sausage, cannoli or Italian cookies. Fireworks after the game.

Boxing
The Saratoga Springs City Center hosts a night of pro/am boxing on Saturday. Tickets run $40 to $125.

Sunshine Fair
The Schoharie County Sunshine Fair gets underway today in Cobleskill. It's a bit of a drive, so make the most out of your trip by checking out some other cool stuff in Schoharie County while you're there.

Art in the Garden
Master Gardeners and local artisans display artwork and photography in the Memorial Garden at the Cooperative Extension building on Martin Road in Voorheesville on Saturday from 1-4.

Turning Point Festival
Take a ride out to Schuylerville for their celebration of the turning oint in the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Saratoga. The Turning Point Festival includes a parade, food, 15 bands, a bonfire and fireworks.

Aliens
Also at Proctor's this weekend, It Came From Schenectady presents the directors cut of Aliens (yep, Sigourney Weaver and that little critter that pops out of the stomach) along with a surprise second feature. Alien Invasion night starts at 7. $8

More Film
There's always Salt. You may want to check out Lou's Review before you go.
Also, City Island is at Proctor's on Sunday at 2 and 4:30.

Peace of Pie
Pie is good. So is helping people. So pie + helping people = twice as good. Right?
Sunday is the 4th Annual Peace of Pie Contest Rockefeller College (135 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12222). Bake a pie, bring it to be judged ($15 entrance fee) or come taste ($20 entrance fee). There's also a pie eating contest ($15 entrance fee). Donations fund an arts and culture exchange between Big Sister and the children at Hardthaven Children's Home in Ghana.

Group Ride
The Critical Mass Bike Ride for July takes place tonight. Cyclists are meeting up at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in Washington Park ( Near the State St. and Henry Johnson Blvd Entrance) at 5:15.

Swim
Cool off at a pool, beach or sprinkler near you.

Boating and fishing
The new Rensselaer Land Trust is holding a community boating and fishing day on Saturday with a guided boat tour and fishing competition. The catch is you must have a canoe or kayak, fishing gear (and license). 10-4

Walk on Adventure
Don't have a Kayak of your own? Try a walk on adventure.

Take a ride in the way back machine
Take a kid to Hoffman's Playland. It's retro-fun
Scenic Railroad
Hop an Adirondack Scenic Railroad train and take a ride through the Adirondacks.

Stay-cation
These folks have lots of great tips on how to get the most out of summer in the Capital Region.

Dine Al Fresco
Find a nice patio and soak in a little sunshine. Check the map before you go.

Ice Cream!
Take the Capital Region Ice Cream Tour or hit up a seasonal stand near you!

Road Trip
Spend 12 hours here, here or here. Or take a shopping trip to Northampton or Woodstock.

*The Albany Institute of History and Art advertises on AOA