All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look ahead to, or keep busy with this week -- from the weather (gray), to September 11, to a poetry slam, to pigs, to a wine and food festival, to a night at the museum, to all sorts of music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast:

Tuesday: Cloudy. Rainy. Highs in the upper 60s.

Wednesday: Repeat.

Thursday: Cloudy, less chance of rain. Highs around 70.

Friday: Sunny and mid-70s.

Weekend: Sunny and upper 70s.

September, why so gray?

September 11

The State Museum has a group of events leading up to the 10-year commemoration of the 9/11 attacks:

Wednesday: the 10th anniversary of 9/11. ten years of documentation and collecting
A short lunchtime talk by the museum's curator of history, Craig Williams, about the efforts to document and preserve the artifacts from the September 11th attacks and their aftermath. The State Museum has largest collection of 9/11 artifacts. 12:10 pm - free

Thursday: 9/11 - 10 years later: a community dialogue
A panel discussion about "how we have changed-as individuals, New Yorkers, and Americans-in the 10 years since 9/11." Panelists include: Rockefeller College political scientist Victor Asal, the TU's Paul Grondahl, Columbia University historian Kenneth T. Jackson, State Museum director of exhibitions Mark Schaming, and the National Journal's Jamie Tarabay (former NPR bureau chief in Baghdad). 7 pm - free

Friday: Reflecting on September 11, 2001
The museum's new exhibit, including submissions from the public, opens. free

Ongoing: The World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response
The exhibit "details the history of the World Trade Center, the September 11 attacks, the rescue efforts, the evidence recovery operation at the Fresh Kills facility, and the public response to the September 11th events." free

Poetry slam

The Nitty Gritty Slam, the first in an ongoing series of local poetry slam nights, is Tuesday at Valentine's. So, what is it? Blurbage:

Each slam, judges are randomly selected from the audience who score poets who perform for up to three minutes and use nothing but words, their body and a microphone. The judges give each poet a score on a scale of 0.0 to 10.0. The scores are added up, and the poets with the higher numbers advance until two poets are left in the final round. At the end of the three rounds, the highest-scoring poet is awarded a prize--bragging rights to start, on up to a chance to join the slam team we're sending to the National Poetry Slam!

Sign-ups start at 7 pm. Poetry at 8 pm. It's $5, $3 with student ID.

Pig

Chef Christopher Tanner is teaching a nose-to-tail pork class at Different Drummer's Kitchen at Stuyvesant Plaza Wednesday. "In this class, Chef Tanner, charcuterie specialist from Schecectady County Community College, will demonstrate everything from fine cuts, down to economy cuts, to the innards and offal. You'll learn how to make pancetta, ham and sausage, as well as pork chops like never before." (You should sign up online if you'd like to attend.) 6 pm - $69

Wine and Food Festival

The annual Saratoga Wine & Food Festival at SPAC is Friday through Sunday. The festival includes a bunch of wine and food exhibitors, as well as seminars. There weekend's big event is the wine tasting featuring 200 wineries. Also: there's kids cooking demo with chef Marcus Samuelsson.

The weekend also includes a Ferrari festival at the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

Night at the Museum

The Friday evening benefit for the Living Walls project is a costume dance party at the State Museum. "Dress up as your favorite historical figure, whether that be a politician or a superstar. Get creative. Props to the best costume!" DJ, free food, cash bar. 7 pm - $15 or $10 with a can of paint

Earlier: Talking with Samson Contompasis about Living Walls

Shorts

The touring "short film concert" from the Asbury Shorts series in NYC will be playing at The Linda Friday night. 8 pm - $10

Theater

Albany Civic's production of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession continues Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. $15

9 bands at the ESP

The first "Local Legends Live" all-day show is Friday at the Empire State Plaza. A lineup of nine local bands will be playing from noon into the evening. Among the lineup: The City Never Sleeps, Severe Severe, Charlie Watts Riots, and Sgt. Dunbar and The Hobo Banned. Music starts at noon. free

Local 518 Rock 'n Relief

WEXT has lined up a bunch of local bands for an Irene relief benefit show Friday night at Valentine's. The huge lineup includes more than 19 acts. 8 pm - $7

Jazz downtown

The Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival is Saturday at the Riverfront Park amphitheater. Six acts will be playing from noon until the evening. The headliner is Kevin Eubanks. free

Friday night is the first "Downtown Albany Jazz Fest Contest". Ten bands will be performing downtown and the public will have the chance to vote on its favorite. The winner will be the first act to play on Saturday.

Music

Wednesday: Paley and Francis at Valenine's
That would be Reid Paley and Black Francis (you know, from the Pixies and Frank Black and the Catholics). 7 pm - $15

Thursday: Toby Keith at SPAC
He'll probably talk about aggressively putting a boot someplace. 7:30 pm - $29.50 and up

Friday: EARBRAINS: Sonic Research Underground at EMPAC
A night of experimental music from Fat Worm of Error, Keith Fullerton Whitman, David Shively, Caboladies, and Jason Lescalleet and Graham Lambkin. 8 pm - $18

Friday: Joy Kills Sorrow at Helsinki Hudson
Bluegrass from a "bold young Boston-based string band." 9 pm - $15

Friday: Roger McGuinn at The Egg
From The Byrds. 8 pm - $29.50

Saturday: Donna the Buffalo at Putnam Den
9 pm - $20

Saturday: Lucky Jukebox Brigade at Hudson River Coffee House
starts... sometime

Sunday: Dropkick Murphys at Altamont Fairgrounds
Part of the "Shamrock 'N Roll Festival" at the fairgrounds. Also among those scheduled to appear: Micky Ward -- the guy played by Mark Wahlberg in the The Fighter. $30.50 ahead / $35 day of

Sunday: Stone Temple Pilots at The Palace
Part of the ongoing Capital Region Tour of Somewhat Nostalgia-inducing Music. 8 pm - $39.50 and up

These are a just a few things for this week. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

Look for our "Stuff to do this weekend" post on Friday.

Yep, the Saratoga Wine & Food Festival advertised on AOA.

photo: New York State Museum