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 (messy), to all sorts of holiday stuff, to stories, to money, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sunny, 31..

Tuesday: Snow/rain -- could be 1-2 inches of liquid precipitation. Low 30s.

Wednesday: More rain/snow. Mid 30s.

Thursday: Maybe rain/snow. Upper 30s.

Friday: Cloudy, 38.

Weekend: Sunny, around 40.

Tuesday into Wednesday a nor'easter is making its way up the coast. The track of the storm could have a big effect on what happens here, and whether it's rain or snow. Whatever happens, those two days look to be wet and messy.

Holiday stuff

There continues to be so much.

Monday: The Piano Guys "A Family Christmas" at The Palace
YouTube-famous. "'A Family Christmas' puts The Piano Guys' signature twist on such Christmas classics as 'Silent Night,' 'Good King Wenceslas' and 'Angels We Have Heard On High.'" 7:30 pm - $40.50 and up

Tuesday: The Messiah at The Cathedral of All Saints
"Woodrow Bynum leads The Cathedral of All Saints Choir of Men & Boys, and a period instrument orchestra in a performance of Handel's masterpiece ... The work, sung in its entirety, features guest soloists Ava Pine, soprano, Emily Marvosh, alto, Jack Swanson, tenor, and Sumner Thompson, baritone, and performed in the Gothic splendor of The Cathedral of All Saints." 7 pm - $25 / $20 seniors / $15 students / $10 under 12

Tuesday: Michael McDonald "This Christmas" at The Egg
"An Evening of Holiday & Hits." 8 pm - $65.50 and up

Thursday: Jim Brickman at Troy Music Hall
"[A] one-of-a-kind concert event filled with lush instrumentals and soaring vocals ... With featured musical guests, feelings of hope and joy are fused together with Jim's most beloved hits like 'Valentine,' "If You Believe,' 'The Gift,' 'Angel Eyes,' and 'Sending You A Little Christmas.'" A benefit for the Capital Region Coalition to End Homelessness. 7:30 pm - $29 and up

Friday: Mendelssohn Club Holiday Concert at The Egg
"The Mendelssohn Club performs their annual Holiday Concert: Seasonal Joy Around the World with guest artists Vedrana Kalas and the Queensbury Madrigal Singers." 7:30 pm - $20

Friday, Saturday: Holiday folk show at Caffe Lena
"The time when true-blue folkies across the region gather at Caffe Lena to enjoy a 'Candlemas-Hanukkah-Ramadan-Solstice-Christmas-Kwanzaa-New Year-Boxing Day-Epiphany Event.'" 8 pm both days - $20

Saturday: Downtown Schenectady's City Hall-iday
A new take on downtown Schenectady holiday open house: crafts, performances, horse-drawn carriages, Santa. noon-4 pm - free admission

Saturday: Albany Gay Men's Chorus: Christmas Bells are Ringing
"This year you will hear some traditional holiday music-and perhaps some not too traditional." The chorus will be at the First Congregational Church in Albany (on Quail near New Scotland). And there's a repeat performance Sunday, Sunday at the First Reformed Church in Hudson. 7:30 pm - $12 / $9 students

Saturday: Max & Ruby - The Nutcracker Suite at The Egg
"Bunny siblings Max & Ruby let their imaginations whisk them away to a magical land where they become characters in the beloved holiday ballet." 11 am / 3 pm - $18 / adults in free with a kid (one adult per kid)

Saturday, 14: Albany Pro Musica: Christmas Around the World
The choral group will be at the Carondelet Hospitality Center in Latham for "joyous journey to holiday celebrations in Sweden, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Nigeria, Spain and England, back to America." Saturday, Saturday 7:30 pm / Sunday, Sunday 3 pm - $25 and up / $10 students

Saturday: Nowell Sing We Clear: A Pageant of Mid-Winter Carols at Old Songs
"This will be the 40th and final season of Nowell Sing We Clear with its unusual songs, carols, stories and customs." 3 pm - $20 / $5 12 and underSOLD OUT

Sunday: Historic Albany Holiday House Tour
"The tour moves from neighborhood to neighborhood highlighting the very best in Albany's architecture and ongoing preservation efforts." noon-4 pm - $25 / $15 students before December 10 | $30 / $20 students after December 10

Sunday: The Zucchini Brothers Holiday Show at The Egg
Kids concert. 2 pm - $12 / one adult in free with each kid

Stories

Front Parlor
Tuesday: The Front Parlor storytelling series will be at The Ale House in Troy. This month's theme: "Oops." Tuesday 7:30 pm

Storytime Time
Wednesday: Storytime Time -- the series of stories that are both funny and true -- will be back at Café NOLA in Schenectady. This month's lineup includes Doreen Watson, Justin K. Rivers, Morgan Williams, Peter Delocis, and Lecco Morris. It's hosted by Ethan Ullman and Talia Cass. Wednesday 7 pm - $5

NPR Family Matters

Wednesday: Family Matters, a traveling stage show about family finances from NPR, will be at The Linda. Blurbage:

NPR's Morning Edition host David Greene and NPR Planet Money correspondent Robert Smith take multi-generational audiences through an educational, interactive, lively and -- believe it or not -- fun conversation about personal finance. They will speak with economic and personal finance experts. They will share their own stories, while hearing stories from the audience.

Wednesday 7 pm - free, but a ticket is required

The Secret Garden

Capital Rep continues its production of Tony Award-winning musical The Secret Garden. Reviews have called the production "intimate and immediate" and "appealing." various times - $20 and up

Looking ahead to the weekend

Fight Club Burlesque
Friday: C. Amanda Boutahorse's Cult Classics series is back at The Hangar in Troy with a burlesque tribute to Fight Club. Friday 9 pm - $15

John Oliver
Saturday: Comedian John Oliver -- of The Daily Show, and Last Week Tonight fame -- will be at The Palace for a standup show. 8 pm - $39.75

Siena vs. UAlbany
Saturday: The basketball teams from Siena and UAlbany will face off at the TU Center in the annual Albany Cup. The women's teams tip at 5 pm, with the men's team's following at 7:30 pm. $12 and up

Music

Monday: Twenty Drummers Drummin' at UAlbany
Percussion ensembles from UAlbany and the Empire State Youth Percussion Ensemble. 7 pm, Performing Arts Center, uptown campus - $6

Wednesday: Korn at Washington Ave Armory
Alt-metal mainstays. With: King 810. 8 pm - $39.50 ahead - $42 day of

Wednesday: Sadie & The Hotheads at The Egg
A "7-piece band that performs a variety of styles - from 60s pop to country, esoteric folk to jazz, Celtic to torch songs" featuring Lady Cora Crowley, the Countess of Grantham (or Elizabeth McGovern, as she's also known). 7:30 pm - $35

Thursday: Gwar at Upstate Concert Hall
Metal and costumes. With: Corrosion Of Conformity, American Sharks. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $22 day of

Thursday: The Fresh Beat Band at The Palace
Music for pre-schoolers. 6:30 pm - $30.50 and up

Friday: Chris Thomas King at The Linda
Blues. 8 pm - $18

Friday: Robert Randolph and The Family Band at Helsinki Hudson
Funk and soul. 9 pm - $35

Saturday: Swinging with the Rat Pack at The Egg
"[T]hree skilled New York actors are bringing the songs, the laughs and the charisma of Frank, Dean and Sammy back to life." 8 pm - $50

Saturday: Chuck Ragan at The Hollow
Folk rock. 8 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

Saturday: Chris Webby at Upstate Concert Hall
Rapper, rescheduled. With: Jitta On The Track, AMJ, Quale Jak. 8 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of

Sunday: Cymbals Eat Guitars at The Low Beat
Indie rock. With: Alex G, What Moon Things. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $14 at door

Sunday: Brad Mehldau Trio at The Egg
Jazz pianist. 7:30 pm - $29.50

Sunday: The Pat Benatar/Neil Giraldo show at The Egg has been postponed.

To do list

1. Get a Christmas tree, if you do that.

2. Settle holiday plans, if you do that.
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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!

Cap Rep, Troy Music Hall, and Siena advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of Storytime Time.

photo: Richard Lovrich