All Over Albany

At the Plaza 2015

Updated

The slate of summer events at/near the Empire State Plaza is out. It includes the usual mix of concerts, festivals, and movie screenings.

One change this year: The events that typically would have been held on the State Museum end of the plaza will be on the Capitol end of the plaza this year because of the ongoing construction on the State Museum steps.

OK, let's get to the schedule...

Compact schedule

June 3: Pop-Rock Night Featuring Orleans

June 10: EQX Night Featuring The Features

June 17: Country Music Night Featuring Craig Wayne Boyd

June 24: Reggae Night Featuring Maxi Priest

July 4: New York State's 4th of July Celebration starring Southside
Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, fireworks

July 8: Jazz Night Featuring Kim Waters

July 11: GE's Kids Day Sing Along Adventure with Barney

August 1: The Black Arts and Cultural Festival, starring Will Downing

August 5: Capitol Park After Dark Movie Series: Mary Poppins

August 12: New York State Food Festival, starring Cracker

August 19: Capitol Park After Dark Movie Series: Monsters University

August 26: Capitol Park After Dark Movie Series: The Maltese Falcon

September 12: Hispanic Heritage Celebration, starring Alex Matos

September 16: Plaza at 50 Festival, starring Shadows of the 60's-A Tribute to Motown Super Groups

Expanded schedule

Quoted blurbage is from the state Office of General Services press release.

June 3: Pop-Rock Night Featuring Orleans
With: Barrere &Tackett, and Jocelyn Arndt
"Orleans is best known as the '70s pop/rock band that brought you the iconic hits 'Still the One,' 'Dance With Me,' and 'Love Takes Time.' Now entering its 41st year of live performances, Orleans has produced a body of work spanning 16 albums and several DVDs." Wednesday, June 3, 5-9 pm

June 10: EQX Night: The Features
With: The Vaccines, Stellar Young.
"The Features are a Nashville-based modern indie rock band led by frontman Matthew Pelham. They deliver their own exciting and imaginative sound with subtle nods to new wave, '60s garage, southern rock, and beyond. " Wednesday, June 10, 5-9 pm

June 17: Country Music Night Featuring Craig Wayne Boyd
With: Chris Dukes Band
"The seventh season winner of NBC's The Voice, Craig Wayne Boyd hit number one on the charts with his rendition of Johnny Cash's 'Walk the Line' and his single 'My Baby's Got a Smile on Her Face' debuted at number one on the Hot Country Songs chart." Wednesday June 17, 5-9 pm

June 24: Reggae Night Featuring Maxi Priest
With: Morgan Heritage, Jemere Morgan
"Reggae fusion artist Maxi Priest is one of those artists whose own unique vision has led him to tremendous international success. With the song 'Close to You,' he became the first reggae artist to have a No. 1 hit worldwide-including the U.S. Billboard charts. His effortless blend of reggae, R&B, and dancehall has universal appeal. Wednesday, June 24, 5-9 pm

July 4: New York State's 4th of July Celebration starring Southside
Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, fireworks
"Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes emerged from the New Jersey shore scene in 1974, evolving as an R&B horn band in the Memphis' Stax Records tradition. The band is known for high-energy shows and no-holds-barred songs, including 'I Don't Wanna Go Home,' 'Havin' a Party,' 'The Fever,' 'Talk to Me,' 'Trapped Again,' and 'This Time It's For Real.'" Saturday, July 4, 3-10 pm

July 8: Jazz Night Featuring Kim Waters
With: Alex Bugnon
"Saxophonist Kim Waters is a staple on the urban-jazz landscape with a deep catalogue that boasts 14 number one singles, including 'Waterfall,' 'Secrets Told,' and 'Midnight at the Oasis,' four number one albums, 16 Top Ten singles, and crossover sets that have logged time on the Billboard 200, urban, contemporary jazz, Heatseekers, and Top Independent Albums charts." Wednesday, July 8, 5-9 pm

July 11: Kids Day Sing Along Adventure with Barney
"GE's Kids Day is this area's "kid-centric" outdoor event. Nowhere else can children enjoy live music, theater, and dance, in addition to an array of favorites, such as face painting, bounce rides, puppet shows, arts and crafts, animals, and balloons all in one place. Get ready for a super-dee-duper time with Barneyâ„¢ as he brings a celebration as big as your imagination. Don't miss the opportunity to meet everyone's favorite purple dinosaur in a special interactive sing-along. The loveable, huggable T-rex invites children to explore exciting places as he encourages sharing, caring, imagining, dancing, and learning along the way." Saturday, July 11, Noon-5 pm

August 1: The Black Arts and Cultural Festival, starring Will Downing
"Presented by McDonald's, the Black Arts and Cultural Festival, formerly African American Family Day, is an updated take on a classic celebration of the traditions and cultural contributions of the black community through music, art, dance, and more. In addition to an exciting lineup of talent on the main stage, the festival will feature five destination areas highlighting themes such as heritage, health &wellness, beauty, empowerment, and kids; a satellite art display of the Albany Center Gallery; and an expanded kids' zone. Will Downing is known as 'The Prince of Sophisticated Soul.' Over the course of a 27 year career he has become a living example of the absolute best that smooth R&B and soul has to offer." Saturday, August 1, Noon-7 pm

August 5: Capitol Park After Dark Movie Series: Mary Poppins
"The Travers children get the attention of their all-business father by bedevilling every new nanny in the Banks household. When Mr. Banks advertises conventionally for another nanny, the kids compose their own ad, asking for someone with a little kindness and imagination. Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews in her screen debut) answers the children's ad by arriving at the Banks home from the skies, parachuting downward with her umbrella." Wednesday August 5, 8 pm

August 12: New York State Food Festival, starring Cracker
With: Gedeon Luke and The People, Soul Sky
"With nearly 100 food vendors to choose from, 15,000 people annually flock to the Plaza Food Festival for lunch, dinner, or both. They come for the food and stay for a day of live musical entertainment. The Food Festival showcases New York producers and specialty products, New York State beers, and the popular Farmers Market. Cracker has been described as a lot of things over the years: alt-rock, Americana, insurgent-country, and have even had the terms punk and classic-rock thrown at them. But more than anything Cracker are survivors. Cofounders Lowery and Hickman have been at it for almost a quarter of a century making hit songs such as 'Low,' 'Euro-Trash Girl,' 'Get Off This' and 'Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me.'" Wednesday, August 12, 11 am-9 pm

August 19: Capitol Park After Dark Movie Series: Monsters University
"Take a trip back in time to when star Monsters, Inc. employees Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (voice of John Goodman) were just two promising young students at Monsters University in this frightfully fun Disney/Pixar prequel." Wednesday, August 19, 8 pm

August 26: Capitol Park After Dark Movie Series: The Maltese Falcon
"Humphrey Bogart achieved true stardom as Sam Spade, a hard-boiled San Francisco private eye who can be as unscrupulous as the next guy but also adheres to his own personal code of honor. Into the offices of the Spade & Archer detective agency sweeps a Miss Wonderly (Mary Astor), who offers a large retainer to Sam and his partner Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan) if they'll protect her from someone named Floyd Thursby." Wednesday, August 26, 8 pm

September 12: Hispanic Heritage Celebration, starring Alex Matos
With: George Lamond, MW, DJ Boy
"Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with this this tribute to Latin culture. Rich in tradition, the Hispanic community comes together in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center for a colorful pageantry of live music, dance, food, and family friendly activities. Alex Matos is known as the Dominican who came to put the world in Salsa. A performer of Salsa and pop ballads, he won the Casandra Award of the Dominican Republic in 2014 as 'Salsero of the Year.'" Saturday, September 12, 5-10 pm

September 16: Plaza at 50 Festival, starring Shadows of the 60's-A Tribute to Motown Super Groups
"A day full of live entertainment, food, a farmers market featuring New York State products, and fireworks is in store for season's last big Summer at the Plaza event. It is part of a series of events and exhibits being held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the June 21, 1965 cornerstone laying at the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza. Shadows of the Sixties pays tribute to the tremendous legacy of The Four Tops, Temptations, and Supremes. In this tribute production show, Shadows of the Sixties perform the hits that span several decades. Great care is taken to reproduce the music, note for note and in the original keys and arrangements." Wednesday, September 16, noon-8 pm

Made in the Shade at The Egg

Here's the lineup for this summer's "Made in the Shade" outdoor concerts on Wednesdays at noon at The Egg:

June 17: Bhi Bhiman: original folk-rock
June 24: GX3+: flamenco, classical, and bluegrass
July 1: The Wiyos: swing, folk, and old-time blues
July 8: Jeremy Kittle Trio: classical crossover
July 15: Bopitude: modern jazz
July 22: Front Country: contemporary bluegrass
July 29: Brass & Blues: acoustic blues & traditional jazz
August 12: Ajkun Ballet Theatre: contemporary dance
August 19: The Revelers: Cajun, zydeco, & swamp pop
August 26: Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company: modern movement
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NYS OGS advertises on AOA.

The Vaccines photo via the band's FB page | Maxi Priest via VP Records