All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this week, from the weather (very July), to fireworks, to slamming, to butterflies, to steamboats, to all sorts of music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast:

Monday: Sunny, maybe a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Mid 80s.

Tuesday: Sunny and mid 80s.

Wednesday: Cloudy, 40 percent chance of rain. Highs in the upper 80s.

Thursday: Sunny and mid 80s.

Friday: Sunny and 90.

Weekend: Sunny and hot.

Appropriately July.

Fourth of July

It's Wednesday. That makes it a bit of an odd week with the holiday right in the middle, so things might be on irregular schedules.

And, of course, there are a lot of fireworks this week. Here's a listing of local displays.

Poetry slam

The Nitty Gritty Poetry Slam is sending an Albany-based team to the National Poetry Slam this August. The Nitty Gritty has also been certified as an official slam site. The next local slam is Tuesday at Valentine's. sign up at 7 pm, open mic at 7:30 pm, slam at 8 pm - $5 / $3 students

Writers Institute summer

The summer slate for the NYS Writers Institute at Skidmore starts this week (as mentioned). Among the authors that will be reading this week: Phillip Lopate, Louise Gluck, Allan Gurganus, and Joanna Scott. Be sure to check the schedule. Readings start at 8 pm in Skidmore's Palamountain Hall. They're free.

Karner Blues

About 600 Karner Blue butterflies are currently in the process of emerging from their cocoons at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center. The Pine Bush is one of the few remaining habitats for the beautiful endangered butterflies, which are named after the now-gone hamlet of Karner, New York (and named by Vladimir Nabokov). The discovery center says it expects the butterflies to have all emerged by mid July. check the center for hours - free

Make your own fun week

This is National Make Your Own Fun Week, so go for it. OK, we totally made that up. But, still: this is a good week for you make your own fun. It's summer -- it shouldn't be too hard. Toward that end:
+ Capital Region Swimming Pools 2012
+ Blueberry season has started -- here are a bunch of places where you can pick them yourself.
+ We strongly encourage ice cream this week. Results from Daniel B's recent Tour de Hard Ice Cream and last summer's Tour de Soft Serve.
+ 12 Hours in: Columbia County | Bennington | Ulster County | Schoharie County. (Some of these are a few years old now, so be sure to check info before heading out. If anything, they're ideas to get started.)

Steamboats

Saturday is the annual Steamboat Meet in Waterford. A bunch of working steamboats will assemble on the water by the promenade at the visitor center. And at dusk, there are fireworks. 9 am - 9 pm - free

Phish

Phish is back at SPAC this week for the first time since 2010 -- and they're playing three shows: Friday, Saturday, Sunday. There's a good chance all three will sell out. Also: there will be a ton of people in Saratoga this weekend. $55 and up

Beat*Shot

The annual Beat*Shot Music Festival is at Red Square Friday and Saturday. It features a bunch of DJs, both local and from all over, including: Nate Da Great, J-Live and Trumastr. Friday 7 pm / Saturday 4 pm - $10 each day / $15 both days

Music

Monday-Wednesday: James Taylor at Tanglewood
You'd think he lived in Lenox, or something... oh, right. $24 and up

Wednesday: Micah Schnabel at Valentine's
From Two Cow Garage. Kind of sounds like what might have happened if Johnny Rzeznik hadn't become famous. Video. "USA! USA! Happy Hour." 6 pm

Thursday: Fishbone at Putnam Den
Old school ska punk. With: Paranoid Social Club. 9 pm - $12

Thursday: Lost Bayou Ramblers at Red Square
Acoustic Cajun music. 8 pm

Thursday: Local Blues Night at Alive at Five
Three winning bands from the Downtown Albany Blues Music Competition. 5 pm - free

Friday: Boston Symphony at Tanglewood
Opening night for the season there -- an all Beethoven slate. 8:30 pm - $20 and up

Friday: Scars on 45 at The Linda
English band, kind of sounds like Snow Patrol. A birthday show for WEXT. 8 pm - $18

Friday: Northern Faces and others at Valentine's
Northern Faces was Around the World and Back. Also on the slate: The City Never Sleeps, Olivia Quillio, The Slaughterhouse Chorus, Nate Danker. 7 pm - $8

Friday: Tesla at Upstate Concert Hall
Love will find a way in a power ballad. 8 pm - $25 ahead / $27 day of

Saturday: Sean Rowe at Caffe Lena
He has a new album coming out in August. His recent shows in the area have sold out, so if you'd like to go, it's probably a good idea to get tickets now. 8 pm - $14 ahead / $16 at door

Saturday: Joshua Bell at Tanglewood
Playing Barber, Tchaikovsky and Meyer. He'll also be playing with the Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC August 15. 8:30 pm - $19 and up

Saturday: Alexis P. Suter at Helsinki Hudson
Blues singer. "A gale-force voice." 9 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of

Sunday: Wye Oak at Helsinki Hudson
Folky, dreamy indie rock. 8 pm - $15

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.

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photo: via Sean Rowe Facebook