All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Happy Friday! You made it. Time to have some fun.

After the jump, a few things we thought you might like to try on this chilly, wet, April weekend. Got something planned that isn't on the list? Share it in the comments.

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

Albany Wordfest
The 12th annual Albany Wordfest -- a weeklong celebration of poetry -- continues through Saturday with a string of events around town. It concludes with an invitational poetry slam Saturday at Valentine's, with competitors from around the Northeast.

Beer, History & Art
Saturday the Albany Institute of History and Art hosts Hudson Valley Hops, a celebration of the history of brewing and a chance to taste modern local brews. Taste craft beer from seven local breweries, sample food and tour the galleries. Saturday 4-7 pm - $25

Manil Suri
Fiction author -- and mathematician -- Manil Suri will be at UAlbany as part of the Writers Institute visiting writers series to talk about his new book The City of Devi, about a Mumbai evacuated because of the threat of nuclear attack. Here are two reviews from the Guardian. Friday 8 pm, Campus Center Assembly Hall, uptown campus - free

Downtown Albany Restaurant week
Restaurant week in downtown Albany starts Saturday and runs through next Friday. Sixteen restaurants will be offering three-course meals for $20.13. If you're looking to hit up one of the participating restaurants, reservations are usually a good move.

Roller derby
The Albany All Stars take on the Mass Attack Roller Derby Saturday at the Washington Ave Armory. first whistle at 7 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of / kids under 12 $4

Theater

Red
RED, John Logan's Tony-winning play about abstract-expressionist painter Mark Rothko, starring Broadway's Kevin McGuire, is in previews this weekend at Capital Rep. Saturday at 8p.m., Sunday at 3p.m. & 8p.m., Sunday at 2p.m. $20 to $60

Sweeney Todd
Skidmore College presents Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. We've seen productions from Skidmore's theater department in the past, and they tend to be high quality. Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm - tickets at 580-4431

Our Son's Wedding
Curtain Call Theater in Latham presents Our Son's Wedding, the story of an Italian-American plumber and his wife who arrive at their son's wedding to another man. Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm - $23

You've got Hate Mail
Our Own Productions presents the comedy "You've Got Hate Mail," -- a story of love and relationships told through email. Friday at Emmanuel-Friedens Church in Schenectady, 8 pm - $13

Christopher Durang plays
The Two Of Us Productions in Hudson is doing a pair of Christopher Durang comedies "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You," and "The Actor's Nightmare," at Hudson High School Auditorium this weekend. Friday and Saturday at 8p.m., Sunday at 3p.m.

Radio Heaven
Saint Rose students perform a vintage radio drama where they audience can "hear and see what radio was like more than 50 years ago." Friday, and Saturday at 7p.m., Sunday at 2p.m.$10, or $5 with a Saint Rose I.D.

Comedy

Wacky Chad
Friday: Chadd Deitz -- AKA Wacky Chad -- will be at Proctors for his stunt comedy act, which includes "extreme pogo skills" and balancing "a shopping trolley on his face and rides another human being on his miniature bicycle." Friday 8 pm - $15 / $10 age 10 and under

Best Kept Secrect
The Comedy's Best Kept Secret tour is at Proctors with comedians Michael Cannon, Dan Frigolette, and Matt Richards. Saturday, 9 pm - $15

MopCo: You Never Know
The Mop & Bucket Company's "You Never Know" show is back. Think Whose Line is it Anyway -- a night of short form improv games where talented improvisers make up scenes and songs based on audience suggestions. Underground at Proctors. Friday at 8 pm - $14 adults, $6 students and seniors.

Improv at The Comedy Works
Mop & Bucket opens a weekly short form improv comedy show on Saturday night at The Comedy Works on Northern Blvd in Albany. Think Whose Line is it Anyway. 8 pm - $15-$20

Stand Up for Autism
NYC headline comic Patty Rosborough got her start in comedy hosting "Short Attention Span Theater" with Jon Stewart and her credits include the BBC and Comedy Central. Rosborough headlines a night of stand up to benefit the Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region on Saturday night at the East Greenbush Elks Club. 7 pm - $15

Music

Friday: Gospel Jubilee at Proctors
Among the Lineup of choirs and solo singers, Melba Moore. 7 pm - $20

Friday: Alan Evans Trio at Red Square
Drummer and Soulive founder. With: The Chronicles. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of

Friday: Tom McWatters and the Phil Beddoe Band at Valentine's
With: Esquela, Caroline MotherJudge. 9 pm

Friday: Steel Panther at Upstate Concert Hall
'80s hair metal parody band. With: Hillbilly Herald. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $25 day of

Friday: Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez at Caffe Lena
Soul singer. Vocalist for the SNL band. Apparently sports an impressive beehive. 8 pm - $20

Friday: The Hornitz at Putnam Den
"A duo consisting of Tenor Saxophone, Keyboards, Organ, Bass Trombone, and a Human Beatbox rhythm section." With: Mitochi. 10 pm - $5

Saturday: Voca People at Proctors
A cappella. "[F]riendly aliens from the planet Voca, somewhere behind the sun...where all communication is made by music and vocal expressions." 8 pm - $20 and up

Saturday: Dan Deacon at MASS MoCA
Now with his own in-concert mobile app. 8 pm - $12 advance / $16 day of / $10 students

Saturday: Iris DeMent at Helsinki Hudson
Country/folk singer/songwriter. Recently on NPR's Mountain Stage. 9 pm - $39 / $46 day of

Saturday: Vishtèn at Proctors
"Essentially Celtic, but with a difference..." From the greater Prince Edward Island area of Canada. An 8th Step show. 7:30 pm - $24 ahead / $26 at door

Saturday: Dakota Dave Hall at Caffe Lena
Ragtime and folk veteran. 8 pm - $16

Saturday: The Machine performs Pink Floyd at Upstate Concert Hall
Pink Floyd tribute act. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $22 day of

Saturday: Albany Sonic Arts Collective at Upstate Artists Guild
Five acts of "deep synth zones and noise," headed up by Afterlife from Brooklyn. 8 pm - $5

Saturday: Elvis Spring Dance at The Linda
Featuring the Lustre Kings. 8 pm - $20

Sunday: Kottonmouth Kings at Upstate Concert Hall
Cali rap rock. 6 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of

Sunday: Los Angeles Guitar Quartet at the Zankel Center
Four guitarists, all sorts of genres.

Sunday:Schenectady Symphony Orchestra at Proctors
SSO plays Tchaikovsky, Arutunian and Beethoven. 3 pm - $12, $8 for students

Film

No Impact Man
As a kick off to Earth Day week, the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Albany is screening No Impact Man, the documentary about a family that gives up any activities which might affect the environment. Friday at 7:30 p.m.

A Hard Day's Night
The Saratoga Film Forum is screening The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night on Saturday night . There's a special presentation before the screening by Skidmore professor Gordon Thompson, author of Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out. 7:30 p.m. - $7, $5 for Film Forum members and students.

Some Like It Hot
The Ballston Spa Film Festivals monthly classic series continues with Some Like It Hot on Saturday at Ballston Spa High School Auditorium. Screenings at 2p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Free.

Visit baby animals
Yep, it's that time of year. You can visit the baby animals at Hancock Shaker Village in Western Mass. Behind the scenes tours are also available. Admission: Adults - $17, kids 13 and up- $8, kids 12 and under-Free.

Tiffany Conference
St. Pauls in Troy is offering a tour and discussion of the Tiffany glass windows in the church on Saturday, with a curator of American Decorative Arts from Metropolitan Museum of Art. Registration and coffee at 8:30a.m., presentations begin at 9a.m.$30 at the door, $25 in advance.

April in Paris
The University Club is hosting a French wine tasting on Friday. French wines - reds, whites and rosés. Raffle and a wine pull station where for a $20 ticket you can draw wines valued between $20 and $120. Tasting from 5:30-6:30 and a spring buffet from 6:30 to 8p.m. Tasting+buffet $30.

Hockey
The Albany Devils are at home all weekend with games on Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 5 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm at the TU Center.

Recycle electronics
This could be a good weekend to get rid of the old computer. Tri City Rentals is holding free e-waste recycling collections on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm at locations throughout the Capital Region.

Take a walk
Sure, wear your rain boots and bring your umbrella just in case. Splash in a puddle if you want. That's what April is for.

Get some ice cream
Kurver opened this week, and Jumpin' Jack's, The Snowman, Tastee Freez in Bethlehem, Bumpy's in Schenectady and many of the other seasonal ice cream stands have been open for a few weeks now. Go get a taste of spring.

Proctors and Capital Rep advertise on AOA.