All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Some weekends are for sitting at home on the couch, catching up on DVR recordings and scrolling through the Netflix cue. This is not one of those weekends.

After the jump, a few things we thought you might like to try. Doing something that's not on the list? Share it with the crowd.

Pack an umbrella -- the forecast for the weekend is very... April-y. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend!

River Street Riot
Saturday at the Arts Center of the Capital Region: The River Street Riot, a rockabilly dance party that benefits the Arts Center. Live music by The Tichy Boys, along with swing dance lessons and a dance contest. Also: a vintage fashion show with pinup girls and rockabilly guys. Food by Dinosaur Bar-B-Q and Sticky Fingers. 6 pm - $15 ahead / $20 at the door

Merchant Mash-up
The nicest weather night of the weekend will probably be Friday night. Stroll and sample your way through Schenectady's Merchant Mash-up. Eleven Schenectady restaurants will be offering samples in city stores, and they're all within walking distance of each other. Here's the list.

Urban Roots
Saturday at Brown's Brewing: a tasting of local foods paired with Brown's beer, following by a screening of Urban Roots -- a documentary about the emerging urban farming scene in Detroit. 6 pm - $38

Tweed Ride
Put on some tweed (or just some fancy dress clothes), hop on your bicycle and join the Tweed Ride on Sunday. The ride starts at the Ultra Violet Cafe on Delaware Ave at 10 am and ends at the Olde English Pub downtown for lunch.

Tool is Loot
Friday and Saturday at EMPAC: a duet by choreographers/dancers Wally Cardona and Jennifer Lacey based on a year of working apart. 8 pm both days - $18

Albany Word Fest
Albany Word Fest, a series of events featuring the poetry, spoken word, and music of upstate New York, continues through Saturday. Here's the schedule.

Move Music Festival
This Saturday around downtown Albany: Move Music Festival. About 100 indie bands playing at 10 venues around the city. There will also be "a merchandise trade show and interactive round table sessions with industry professionals" at the Hotel Albany. All-access tickets are $12.

Music

Friday: OUTPOST1 at Jillian's
Obey City and Tall Ass Matt join the regulars. 11 pm

Friday: Mice Parade at Helsinki Hudson
Shoe-gazy -- and, in this case, acoustic. 9 pm - $8 ahead / $10 at door

Friday: Roy Orbison & Friends Tribute at Proctors
A tribute act for Roy Orbison, Elvis, and Ricky Nelson. 7:30 pm - $39

Saturday: The Underscore Orkestra and The Lucky Five at Helsinki Hudson
Is there a neo-Balkan-20s-jazz band movement? Possible. 9 pm - $12 ahead / $15 at door

Saturday: All American Rejects at Northern Lights
Not really a dirty little secret. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $22 day of

Saturday: Hot Club of San Francisco at Troy Music Hall
Gypsy jazz. 8 pm - $27 and up

Saturday: Pesky J. Nixon and Spuyten Duyvil at Caffe Lena
Two folk bands. 8 pm - $10

Saturday: Albany Symphony Orchestra at The Palace
Performing the choral work "Carmina Burana," under the direction of guest conductor JoAnn Falletta. 7:30 pm - $19 and up

Saturday: Cheryl Wheeler at Proctors
Folk poet, songwriter. Part of 8th Step. 7:30 pm - $26

Sunday: The Avett Brothers at The Palace
Probably will sell out. Be sure to check if you don't have tickets 8 pm - $38 and up

Theater

Memphis
The touring production of the Broadway musical Memphis is at Proctors this week. The show -- based on a story about a Memphis DJ who starts to play music by African-Americans on the radio in the 1950s -- won the 2010 Tony for best musical. runs through Sunday, check for times - $20 and up

Thirtynothing
Actor/playwright Dan Fishback performs his one-man show Thirtynothing tonight at Rocks. Thirtynothing juxtaposes tales from the dawn of the AIDS epidemic with stories from Fishbeck's own more innocent childhood in those same years. "As he unearths forgotten work by gay artists who died in the 80s and 90s, Fishback weaves stories from his own life through stories from theirs." Friday 8 pm - $5 (Benefit for the Our Brothers' Keeper Foundation.)

Jerry's Girls
Not so Common Players present Jerry's Girls -- a musical review featuring some of the women Jerry Herman made famous -- Mame, Dolly Levy, Mabel Noman and others. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm - free

Naked
The College of Saint Rose presents a student production of Piradello's seldom-staged play Naked. Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm - $10.

Laughs

MopCo.
MopCo.: You never know. The Mop and Bucket improv company has a new show Underground at Proctors. It's a mix of short-form scenes and improv games, and it's different every week. Friday at 8 pm - $14, $6

Bed and Sofa
The Writer's Institute's Classic Film series continues with a screening of the 1927 Russian silent Bed and Sofa [Tretya Meschanskaya], the story of a Moscow construction worker who creates a dysfunctional family when he invites an army buddy to move in with he and his wife. Friday at 7:30PM in Page Hall. Free.

Repairing old windows
On Saturday the Historic Albany Foundation has a class lined up on how to "remove, repair, and rehang your wood windows." A lot of houses in this area have these sorts of windows. When this question came up recently on AOA, this class -- taught by Jack Alvarez -- got a handful of recommendations. 10 am-2 pm - $10

Invisible Cities
The new exhibit at MASS MoCA -- Invisible Cities -- is now open (and Michael Oatman's All Utopias Fell also open again).

Juan Gonzalez
New York Daily News columnist and Democracy Now co-host Juan Gonzalez will speak at The Sanctuary for Independent Media tonight at 7 pm. $10 suggested donation, $5 for students and low income.

SPAM
Scooter Pie at Midnight's Rock n' Roll Burlesque show is back at Valentine's on Saturday night at 11 pm.

Tulips
Don't wait for the festival, some of them are up now -- and there are no crowds. Take a walk through Washington Park and treat yourself to gelato at Crisan afterwards.

Star gazing
The Albany Area Amateur Astronomers host a night of star gazing at the Landis Arboretum in Esperance. Friday at 9 pm. Free. (Donations accepted)

Baby animals
Awwww. Yep, the Baby Animal Days have begun at Hancock Shaker Villiage. What's it like? Check out Dawn's visit from a few years ago. Tours daily from 10 am-4 pm

Ice cream
Kurver Kreme, The Snowman,Jack's Drive In in Wynantskill, and Jumpin' Jack's and lots of other seasonal joints are now open. Go to it!

Farmers' markets
Winter farmers' markets are open this weekend: Saturday in Troy and Saratoga, and Sunday in Schenectady.

Brunch
It's one of the best ways to spend a lazy weekend morning. Here are a few fun brunch options and some great diner breakfast stops.

MopCo. is an AOA advertiser.
Troy Music Hall advertises on AOA
Proctors advertises on AOA as well

photo: Ashley Dzingle