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 (chilly start), movies, comedy, interstates, magic, lots of music from then...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sunny, mid 50s. Frost possible at night.

Tuesday: Sunny and low 60s.

Wednesday: Maybe some rain, low 70s.

Thursday: Sunny, mid 70s.

Friday: Again, but maybe some rain.

Weekend: Mid 70s.

Chilly start.

Movies

Saving Private Ryan
Monday: Proctors' AFI100 series is showing Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan on the main stage. It's a fitting venue -- Saving Private Ryan is a modern take on the old-school war movie (though with more nuance, and more realism). That it lost the best picture Oscar to Shakespeare in Love that year is kind of baffling (Spielberg won for best director). Monday 7:30 pm - $5

Geek blockbusters
Opening Wednesday at midnight: Star Trek: Into Darkness, the new Star Trek movie from J.J. Abrams (who kind of the new Spielberg). And Iron Man 3 has been out for a few weeks, so if you were waiting out the crowds, now's your chance.

Aziz Ansari

Tuesday: Comedian Aziz Ansari will be at the Palace for a standup show. Of course, Ansari stars on Parks and Recreation. But he's appeared in a bunch of other shows and movies, as well comedy specials. And during the last year, he's gone the Louis CK route and posted one of his standup specials for a $5 download. And here's a gif of him making Michelle Dockery laugh. 8 pm - $27 and $32

Stories

The Front Parlor storytelling series is back at the Ale House in Troy Tuesday. This month's theme is "learning curves." 7:30 pm

Arts and sciences

Suvir Saran
Monday: chef and cookbook writer Suvir Saran will be at the Spring Street Gallery in Saratoga Springs for a reading and talk. Saran was the executive chef of the only Indian restaurant in the US to receive a Michelin star, and he's appeared on Top Chef: Masters. He also has a farm in Washington County. Monday 7:30 pm - free

Science and religion
Wednesday: Boston U philosophy professor Wesley Wildman will be at Union for the annual Wold Lecture on Religion and Conflict. The title of this talk: "I Just Don't Understand Those People! Scientific Perspectives on Religious Conflict." Wednesday, 5:30 pm, Nott Memorial - free

"The roads we love to hate"
Sunday: Skidmore professor Tom Lewis will be at the Albany Institute for History and Art for a talk about "the history of highway transportation in the Albany region and our love/hate relationship with the asphalt and concrete roads that are central to modern life in America." He's the author of the book Divided Highways: Building the Interstate Highways, Transforming American Life. Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission

Gordon Parks
The exhibit of works by renowned photographer Gordon Parks -- "Gordon Parks 100 Moments" -- closes at the State Museum Sunday. If you haven't checked it out, it's worth a stop if you're near the museum this week. (The exhibit is in the back of the museum, near the mastodon).

Penn and Teller

Friday: Magician/comedians/skeptics Penn and Teller will be at Proctors for a show. Penn is the one who talks. Friday 8 pm - $20 and up

Roller Derby

Saturday: The last Albany All Stars last bout of the season is at the Washington Ave Armory. The All Stars will be facing off with the New Jersey Roller Derby. Music from DJ Trumastr. first whistle 7 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of / $4 kids under 12

24 Hour Theatre Project

The annual 24hr Berkshires/Capital Region Theatre Project is Saturday. The cast and crew from the Berkshires and Capital Region will be collaborating to write and produce five new works in 24 hours at the Black Box Theatre at Schenectady High School Saturday 8 pm - $20 / $15 students

Music

Wednesday: Chelsea Light Moving at Helsinki Hudson
Led by Thurston Moore. 8 pm - $18 ahead / $20 at door

Wednesday: California Guitar Trio at Caffe Lena
Eclectic acoustic guitar trio. Here they are soft rocking "Bohemian Rhapsody." 7 pm - $24

Friday: Albany Spring Fest at the Palace
Old school hip hop: Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh. 8 pm - $32 and up

Friday: The Spampinato Brothers at Valentine's
Joey Spampinato was a founder of NRBQ. 8 pm - $12

Friday: The Feelies at Helsinki Hudson
Post-punk, reunited. 9 pm - $20 ahead / $22 at door

Friday: The Slide Brothers at Putnam Den
Pedal steel guitarists. Recently on World Cafe. With: Danielle Miraglia. 9:30 pm - $8 ahead / $10 at door

Saturday: The Darkness at Upstate Concert Hall
Glam rock. With: Airbourne. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $22 day of

Saturday: Richard Barone at Valentine's
Rock songwriter/producer/former frontman of the Bongos. With: Blue Factory. 8 pm - $9

Saturday: Project Percolator at The Egg
Featuring two former members of The Band: Jim Weider and Garth Hudson. 7:30 pm - $29.50

Saturday: Black Taxi at Bayou Albany
"[H]eavy on harmonies, spitfire guitar licks, body paint, and all manner of instrumentation." 8 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of

Saturday and Sunday: Albany Symphony Orchestra and violinist Aisslinn Nosky at Troy Music Hall
Playing Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," along with a few other works. May 18 7:30 pm / May 19 3 pm - $19 and up

Saturday and Sunday: Melvin Seals at Putnam Den
Electric organist, longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band. 9:30 pm - $23 (Saturday) $20 (Sunday) ahead / $25 (Saturday) $21 (Sunday) at door

Sunday: Eric Burdon at The Egg
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, formerly of the Animals. 8 pm - $34.50 and up

Sunday: James McCartney at Helsinki Hudson
Son of Paul and Linda. With: Jon Sandler. 8 pm - $15
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These are a just a few things for this week. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

Proctors and Live Nation advertises on AOA.

photo via Aziz Ansari website