The week ahead
Andre Watts will be playing Brahms with the ASO later this week.
Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this week, from the weather (a bit brisk), to State of the State, to funny stories, to chilies and breads, to mummies, to music...
Weather
Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:Monday: Rain then snow. Warm then cold. 40s early on, low 30s later.
Tuesday: Sunny. High of... 11.
Wednesday: Sunny and 17.
Thursday: Cloudy and 27.
Friday: Cloudy, maybe some rain. Mid 30s.
Weekend: Cloudy, 40.
A bit brisk there in the middle.
Film
Giant
Monday: The AFI 100 series at Proctors is showing Giant -- the 1956 film starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean -- on the main stage. The film was Dean's last in a lead role. Monday 7 pm - $5
Multiplexes
A bunch of anticipated movies debut at local multiplexes this Friday: Spike Jonze's Her, the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, and the star-filled August: Osage County. Her -- in which a character played by Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with an operating system -- has been getting great reviews.
State of the State
Wednesday: Andrew Cuomo will deliver his 2014 State of the State address at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. Public ticketing for the event has closed, and it's not exactly "stuff to do." But politics is the #1 sport in Albany, and the State of the State is one of the sport's biggest bowl games. (So to speak.) A lot of people will be in town around the Capitol that day for the event. Wednesday 1:30 pm -- the speech will be livestreamed online
Storytime Time
Wednesday: The Storytime Time storytelling/comedy series makes its return with an event at Kokepellis in Troy. "Not quite a comedy show, not quite not a comedy show." It's hosted by Ethan Ullman. Wednesday 6:30 pm - $5
Great Danes vs. Retrievers
Wednesday: The UAlbany men's basketball team takes on the University of Maryland-Balitmore County at SEFUC Arena. Wednesday 7 pm - $5 and up
Chilies and breads
Two cooking classes this week that are good for the cold weather:
Breads of Italy
Thursday: Gio Culinary Studio has a hands-on "Breads of Italy" class lined up. "Students will learn to create hand-made bread from scratch." The varieties: Pane Toscano, Pane Siciliana, and Piadina Romagnola. Thursday 6:15 pm - $65
Award Winning Chilies
Saturday: Chef Sarah Fish -- from The Hungry Fish Cafe -- is teaching a class at Different Drummer's Kitchen on different types of chili, including turkey and vegetarian. Saturday 6 pm - $65
MASS MoCA
Saturday: Looking ahead to the weekend, this Saturday is the annual Free Day at MASS MoCA in North Adams. "Free admission and brick-wall-to-brick-wall programming throughout the museum..." It's a good time of year to hit up the museum -- it's one of the biggest indoor spaces in the greater region. Saturday 11 am-7 pm
Mr. Mummy
Sunday: Again looking ahead to the weekend, Bob Brier -- a well-known Egyptologist at Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus who's apparently known as "Mr. Mummy" -- will be at the Albany Institute for talk connected to the museum's new mummies exhibit:
Brier will describe the various phases of mummification and exactly what was done to the mummy of Ankhefenmut, the 21st Dynasty mummy in the Albany Institute's collection. He will also share what was discovered from the study of Ankhefenmut's mummy and what future discoveries are possible from the study of mummies.
Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission
Music
Friday: Jes Hudak at Caffe Lena
Piano pop singer/songwriter back where she first started performing. 8 pm - $16
Friday: Martin Sexton at Helsinki Hudson
Singer/songwriter. 9 pm - $45
Friday: Cheryl Wheeler at Proctors
Folk singer/songwriter. An 8th Step show. 7:30 pm - $26 ahead / $28 at door
Saturday: Andre Watts at The Palace
Famous concert pianist. As a teen, introduced to a national TV audience by Leonard Bernstein -- and then later called in by Bernstein to play with the New York Philharmonic. 7:30 pm - $30 and up
Saturday: Bettye LaVette at Helsinki Hudson
Long career as a soul singer, recently riding a wave from her covers of pop songs. 9 pm - $45 ahead / $50 day of
Saturday: Seth Glier + Antje Duvekot at The Linda
Folk pop. 8 pm - $15
Saturday: WEXT folk DJ series at Caffe Lena
With: Tor & The Fjords, Zan Strumfeld, Ashley Sofia. 8 pm
Sunday: Trombone Shorty at The Egg
Jazz trombonist playing "Supafunkrock." 7:30 pm - $29.50 and up
Sunday: Jonathan Bliss at Union College
Pianist who plays regularly at Carnegie Hall. 3 pm - $25
To do list
1. Hibernate.
These are a just a few things for this week, not a comprehensive list. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!
photo: David Bazemore
Hi there. Comments have been closed for this item. Still have something to say? Contact us.
Comments
Has anyone been to free day at Mass MoCA before? Is it as crazy packed as I expect it to be?
... said B on Jan 9, 2014 at 9:53 PM | link
Turns out it was no different than any other day. The cafe was overpacked and there were a lot of small children but it was mostly like any other weekend at Mass MoCA. Don't let free day turn you away, but please donate generously. Even Ramblin' Jug Stompers were there! A great time to check out the exhibits. Get there soon.
... said B on Jan 14, 2014 at 3:38 AM | link