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 (summery), to the World Cup, to Lustron houses, to cooking together, to burlesque, to free concerts, to all sorts of music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sunny and 85.

Tuesday: Showers from overnight, then sunny and 87.

Wednesday: Sunny to start, then a chance of rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon and into the evening. Upper 80s.

Thursday: Sunny and 80.

Friday: Sunny and almost 80.

Weekend: Some sun, maybe a shower or two, upper 70s.

Summery.

World Cup

Monday: The World Cup is well underway and the US Men's National Team will finally take the field against Ghana Monday evening in Brazil. On Monday we'll have a round-up of a handful of places to watch the World Cup, but to no one's surprise Wolff's heads the list. The biergarten on Broadway in Albany will have a big tent set up for people to watch the match (there's a $10 cover -- you get a bier stein). And that's where the Albany chapter of the American Outlaws supporters group will be gathering. US game Monday at 6 pm

Stories

Monday: The Front Parlor storytelling series returns to the Olde English in Albany. This month's theme: "fathers." Monday 7:30 pm

Arts and sciences

Lustrons
Wednesday: Historic Albany's "Walkabout Wednesday" series heads to the Upper Washington neighborhood in Albany for a guided walking tour of the Lustron houses on Jermain Street. Lustron houses? The pre-fab enameled steel houses were manufactured in the late 1940s and touted as the wave of the future. Albany has a handful of them. Wednesday 5:30 pm at 8 Jermain Street - reservations required (details at that first link)

Controversial objects, controversial history
Saturday: The Rensselaer County Historical Society's Thomas Phelan Endowed Lecture Series this year takes up the topic of controversial historical objects. Saturday morning's talk will feature directors from the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut and the Cooperstown Graduate Program (which trains museum professionals). Saturday 10 am, Sage campus, Bush Memorial - free

"I Am Having So Much Fun Without You"
Saturday: Courtney Maum -- author of the recently published novel I Am Having So Much Fun Without You (review)-- will be at the Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs. The book, a comedy about an artist trying to put his marriage back together in Paris, has been getting a bit of attention in summer book previews (example). Saturday 7 pm - free

Cooking together

Friday: Gio Culinary Studio is hosting a hands-on cooking basics class for couples. "Student couples will learn to prepare a full dinner while working together, using professional and classic techniques that are easily duplicated at home." Friday 6:15 pm - $110

C. Amanda Boutahorse's Cult Classics

Friday: The burlesque series C. Amanda Boutahorse's Cult Classics will be celebrating its one-year anniversary at The Hangar in Troy with "SpinalTits" -- yep, a tribute to This is Spinal Tap. Friday 9 pm - $15

Music

Monday: Dan Johnson at The Low Beat
Album release party. With: Downfall Country. 8 pm

Tuesday: Lucinda Williams at The Egg
Americana/country rock/roots queen. With: The Kenneth Brian Band. 8 pm - $35 and up

Wednesday: Bootsy Collins at the Empire State Plaza
Funky. With: Shaggy, DJ Nate da Great. 5 pm - free

Wednesday: Aquanett at Rockin' on the River
80s hair metal tribute. The first Rockin' on the River of the summer in Troy. 5 pm - free

Thursday: Gaslight Anthem at Upstate Concert Hall
The good part of Jersey. With: White Denim. 8 pm - $25 ahead / $27 day of

Thursday: Delta Rae at Helsinki Hudson
"Mumford and Sons meets Fleetwood Mac." With: Gabe Dixon. 8 pm - $35

Thursday: Easy Star All-Stars at Alive at Five
Reggae night. With: John Brown's Body. 5 pm - free

Thursday: Wakey Wakey at The Low Beat
Alt pop rock. The frontman appeared on One Tree Hill. With: Great Mutations, Casey Shea. 8 pm - $10

Thursday: Lucky Jukebox Brigade at The Hollow
Post-Alive at Five. 8 pm - $5

Friday: Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers and Edie Brickell at The Palace
Martin -- yep, that Steve Martin -- and Brickell won a Grammy for best American roots song (and were nominated for best Americana album). 8 pm - $39.50 and up

Saturday: Phila Street Block Party
Phil Street, as in downtown Saratoga Springs. With a lineup of good locals: Bryan Thomas, Dan Johnson and the Expert Sidemen, Holly & Evan, and Rebel Darling. noon-5 pm - free admission

Saturday: Fishbone at Putnam Den
Alt rock from way back. With: Banooba, Eli Hargrave. 8:30 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of

Sunday: Iron & Wine at MASS MoCA
AKA Sam Beam. With: The Secret Sisters. 6 pm - $29 ahead / $35 day of

Sunday: Kaiser Chiefs at Vapor
A free show thanks to EQX and a beer company. With: Stellar Young. 7:30 pm - free (21 and over)

Sunday: Snowmine at The Low Beat
Ambient rock. With: Titanics. 8 pm - $10

To do list

1. Strawberry season has started. Let's hope for some good weather for berry picking.

2. The Fourth of July will be here soon (really). It might be good to start making plans. (Unless your plan is to have no plan, which is itself often a great plan.)
____

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!

Live Nation, NYS OGS, the City of Albany Office of Special Events, and Historic Albany Foundation advertise on AOA.

photo: Danny Clinch