All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Like most holiday season weekends, this one will be busy. Sure, there's shopping and decorating and maybe picking out a tree, but there's also victorian strolling, tree lighting, ice skating, concert going, and Ira Glass(ing).

After the jump, a few things that looked fun to us. If we're missing something you're planning to check out, be sure and let us know about it in the comments. Like everything else, the holidays are much more fun when you share.

And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Troy Night Out
Shops and galleries are open late in the Collar City for Troy Night Out tonight, with holiday shopping, music and performances. There's an artisan market at The Arts Center of the Capital Region, and while you're there, you can check out a few exhibits including Sean Riley's "Everyday Will Be Sunday" in the main gallery. The Charles F. Lucas Confectionery is open, so you can check that out. Collar Works is hosting a new exhibition by Julia Casper Roth called "The Veil" -- "a mix of documentary and fictional narrative video that grapples with issues of gender and sexual identity as they relate to Mormonism." The annual Greens Show is open at the Rensselaer County Historical Society, and you can get a candlelight tour of the Hart-Cluett house ($10).

The Cake Boss
Buddy Valastro -- the "Cake Boss" on TLC -- will be at Proctors Friday night for "a special live holiday show the entire family will enjoy." 8 pm - $35.75 and up

Ira Glass
This American Life host/producer/creator Ira Glass will be at the Troy Music Hall Saturday for "Reinventing Radio: An Evening with Ira Glass." Blurbage: "Onstage, Glass will combine his live narration with quotes and music from "This American Life", mixing them to re-create a radio segment before your eyes, explaining memorable, funny, and serious excerpts from the show from his point of view at the heart of public radio." 8 pm - $25 and up

John Waters
The filmmaker will be at the Egg Sunday for "A John Waters Christmas." And what does that involve? Blurbage:

Like a wayward Santa for the Christmas obsessed, legendary filmmaker and raconteur John Waters rides into town on his sleigh full of smut, spreading yuletide cheer... Waters's rapid-fire monologue explores and explodes traditional archetypes as he shares his compulsive desire to give and receive perverted gifts, a religious fanaticism for Santa Claus, and an unhealthy love of true crime holiday horror stories.

Here's an interview with Waters from last November in the Baltimore Sun about the show and his apparently unconditional, un-ironic love of Christmas. 8 pm - $35 and up

Holiday stuff

Saturday: Hudson Winter Walk
Warren Street in Hudson will be closed off for the city's annual holiday walk. The closed-street festiveness is from 5-8 pm.

Saturday: Downtown Schenectady's Holiday Open House
Performers, carriage rides, music, shopping, kids activities and the Schenectady holiday tree lighting are a part of the city's annual open house. Saturday from noon to 5pm in the Jay Street/City Hall area. Free admission.

Sunday: Troy Victorian Stroll
All sorts of holiday whatnot in downtown Troy Sunday for the annual Victorian Stroll from 11 am-5 pm, including music, food, decorated store windows, and people in costumes.

Holiday Greens
The Hart-Cluett House at the Rensselaer County Historical Society is open this weekend for the 56th annual Holiday Greens Show. The Van Rensselaer Garden Club has decorated a dozen rooms in the house. There will be candlight tours on Friday from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. Santa will be there on Saturday morning. Saturday and Sunday tours will be offered from noon to 5 pm. $7 adults, $5 seniors, $3 children over 4,under 4- free

Sunday: ESP Holiday Tree Lighting
The tree lighting for the Empire State Plaza, which also includes music, performances, and fireworks, is Sunday. And during the day is the annual train show (10 am-4 pm - $7 / kids free) and chocolate expo.

Gingerbread houses
Saturday at Different Drummer's Kitchen at Stuyvesant Plaza: a hands-on gingerbread house class with Kathy Saso. noon - $65 adults / $40 kids

This Wonderful Life at Capital Rep
Based on the film. "All the pleasure of Frank Capra's classic movie - in only 70 minutes!" Friday at 8p.m., Saturday 3p.m & 8p.m., Sunday 2p.m. $20 and up

Capital Holiday Lights in Washington Park
The annual drive-along holiday lights display in Albany's Washington Park is open for the season (it runs through January 4). It's open 6-10 pm Friday and Saturday and 6-9 pm Sunday. Admission is $15/car.

Comedy

Spontaneous Broadway
Mop and Bucket Company's Spontaneous Broadway season opens on Friday night, underground at Proctors. Using only suggestions from the audience, the improv company makes up an entire Broadway musical. Friday 8 pm - $14 Adults, $6 Students & Seniors

Pumps and Punchlines
Five female stand-up comics with credits that include Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Mad TV, Chelsea Lately and Last Comic Standing perform at Pumps and Punchlines on Saturday night at Proctors. 8 pm - $20, $25 and $35.

Joe DeVito
Journalist and advertising writer turned stand-up comic, Joe DeVito has appeared on Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and Last Comic Standing. DeVito headlines at The Comedy Works on Friday and Saturday. Shows at 7:30 and 9:30 - $15 ahead, $20 day of.

Music

Friday: Railbird at Valentine's
Back in town, is playing an EP release show for Lucky. Openers: Hand Habits, Sun Burdens. 8:30 pm - $10

Friday: Jennifer Koh at EMPAC
Violin star. Plays a Stradivarius. 8 pm - $18 / $13 students

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

Saturday: Albany Symphony Orchestra at the Palace
The ASO will be playing Beethoven's 5th symphony -- which you know even if you don't know it. Also on the program: clarinetist David Shifrin will join the orchestra for Mozart's clarinet concerto, and Joan Tower's "Made in America." 7:30 pm - $19 and up

Saturday: Marco Benevento at Red Square
Pianist and "sound sculptor." With: Way Down. 8 pm - $14 ahead / $16 day of

Saturday: Enter the Haggis at Putnam Den
Celtic rock. With: the Kevin McKrell Trio. 9 pm - $15

Sunday: Tedeschi Trucks Band at the Palace
Grammy-winning blues rock group. They sold out a show at the Egg a year ago. 7:30 pm - $39 and up

Sunday: It's a Jazzy Christmas! at The Massry Center
Popular show featuring Christmas music by Vince Guaraldi (you know, from the Peanuts specials). This has sold out in the past. 3 pm and 5 pm - $20 / $10 students / kids 5 and under free

Sunday: Helsinki on Broadway at Helsinki Hudson
Cabaret with Alan Cumming. 7 pm

Local Holiday Shopping

+ The Tight Knit holiday craft market will be open in The Atrium in Troy on Saturday during the Troy Farmer's Market. Saturday 9 am to 1 pm.

+ The annual Hamagrael Elementary School Handcrafted Craft Fair in Delmar is this weekend. More than 90 vendors and crafters will be selling their creations at the school on McGuffy Lane School. Saturday 10 am to 4 pm.

+ The holiday shop is open at The Arts Center of the Capital Region.

Masquerade Gala
Corrected The State Room is hosting the annual Albany Center Gallery Masquerade Gala on Saturday. Laura Glazer, Radical! and a host of other Capital Region artists have created works to be auctioned off at this dinner/fundraiser for Albany Center Gallery. If you feel like dressing up and splurging a little, tickets are $100 and $75 (35 and under young professionals ticket) -- or $175 for a pair. It's a fun night for a good cause. Saturday 6-10 pm.

UAlbany vs. Siena
The basketball teams from UAlbany and Siena will square off Saturday at the TU Center. UAlbany's has already pulled off a upset this season, beating Washington on the road. And Siena's O.D. Anosike is again one of the nation's top rebounders -- he was #2 in the nation at 13.2 per game coming into this week. (The women's teams from both schools tip off at 5 pm at the TU Center.) 7:30 pm - $16 and up

Hockey

Albany Devils
The Devils are at home at the TU Center tonight against the St. Johns IceCaps. 7p.m. $13.50 -$25.

College Hockey
+ Union plays Quinnipiac Friday at 7 pm, and Princeton Saturday at 4 pm at home.
+ The RPI Engineers face off against Princeton on Friday night, and Quinnipiac on Saturday. Both games start at 7 pm at the Houston Field House.

Spam
Scooter Pie at Midnight's rock and roll burlesque show is back at Valentine's. Saturday at 11 pm.

Get a tree
If you're looking to cut your own Christmas Tree, here are some places you can try.

Ice Skating
The Empire State Plaza ice skating rink is open daily from11a.m. to 8p.m. Skating is free. Skate rental is free every Friday. The rest of the week it's $4 for adults and $3 for kids.

Capital Rep, The Troy Music Hall, and the Arts Center advertise on AOA.

photo: Stuart Mullenberg