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 (SUMMER), to the fair, to theater, stories, to ballet, to authors, to The Track, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sun. Probably showers and thunderstorms later in the day. Near 90.

Tuesday: Sunny, low 80s.

Wednesday: Sunny, low 80s.

Thursday: Sunny, upper 80s.

Friday: Sunny, low 90s.

Weekend: And so forth and so on.

SUMMER.

Saratoga County Fair

Tuesday: County fair season starts with the Saratoga County Fair at the fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. This is the 175th year for the fair. Admission is $12 / season ticket is $40 / shorter than 52 inches is free / active military free with ID card / unlimited ride wristband is $20

Stage

A Night with Janis Joplin
Tuesday-Sunday: Capital Rep continues its production of A Night with Janis Joplin. Blurbage: "A Night with Janis Joplin is a musical journey celebrating Janis and her biggest musical influences - trailblazers like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith - who inspired one of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest legends." Tuesday-Sunday various times - $25 and up

Williamstown Theatre Festival
Tuesday-Sunday: The Williamstown Theatre Festival's season continues with The Chinese Room on the Nikos Stage (it runs through July 23). And the new comedy Romance Novels for Dummies starts on the main stage Wednesday (it runs through July 31). various times -- $40 and up

Park Playhouse
Tuesday-Saturday: The Park Playhouse in Albany's Washington Park continues its production of Chicago. (It runs through July 30). Tuesday-Saturday 8 pm -- free on the lawn / reserve tickets $16 and up

Words

Front Parlor
Tuesday: The Front Parlor storytelling series will be at The Olde English in Albany. This month's theme is "Growing Up." Tuesday 7:30 pm -- free admission

Nitty Gritty
Tuesday: The Nitty Gritty Poetry Slam is back at the Low Beat. 7 pm

Bright Forest at Ten Broeck Mansion
Thursday: Bright Forest Storytelling will be at the Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany for a night of family-friendly stories in the mansion's gardens (it'll be inside if there's rain). Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Thursday 7 pm -- free

NYC Ballet

Wednesday: The NYC Ballet returns to SPAC, where it will be performing through July 30. This week's performances include George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream and the annual ballet gala this coming Saturday. Wednesday-Saturday various times -- $35 and up

NYS Writers Institute

Monday-Friday: The NYS Summer Writers Institute continues it series of public author readings at Skidmore. This week's schedule:
+ Monday: short story writer Amy Hempel (The Dog of the Marriage, Reasons To Live) and novelist Adam Braver (Misfit, Divine Sarah, November 22, 1963)
+ Tuesday: novelist Garth Greenwell (What Belongs To You) and poet Peg Boyers (To Forget Venice, Hard Bread, Honey With Tobacco)
+ Wednesday: novelists Rick Moody (Hotels of North America, The Ice Storm, Purple America) and Kathryn Davis (Duplex, The Thin Place, Versailles)
+ Thursday: novelist Russell Banks (Cloudsplitter, Rule Of The Bone, The Sweet Hereafter) and poet Chase Twichell (Horses Where The Answers Should Have Been)
+ Friday: poet Robert Pinsky (former Poet-Laureate of the United States; author Gulf Music, The Figured Wheel, The Want Bone, At The Foundling Hospital)

The events start at 8 pm in the Davis Auditorium of Skidmore's Palamountain Hall. They're free.

The Track

Friday: It's opening day of the season at the Saratoga Race Course. The Track will have a bunch of events and promotions for opening weekend, including the annual hat contest on Sunday.

Music

Monday: Tinsley Ellis at The Linda
Blues rock. 8 pm -- $15

Wednesday: The Felice Brothers at Rockin' on the River
Americana. With: The Parlor. 5 pm -- free

Wednesday: Black Joe Lewis at the Empire State Plaza
Blues, funk, soul. With: MIRK, Sonny Knight and the Lakers. 5 pm -- free

Thursday: Bloc Party at Alive at Five
Alt rock. With: Titanics. 5 pm -- free

Thursday: The Struts at Upstate Concert Hall
Rock. With: Dorothy. 8 pm -- $10.27 ahead / $12 day of

Thursday: Norah Jones at Brewery Ommegang
With: The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. 7 pm -- $55 ahead / $65 day of

Thursday: Freakwater at The Low Beat
Alt-country. With: Drunken Prayer. 8 pm -- $12

Friday: Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band at The Egg
Singer/songwriter. With: Darlingside. 8 pm -- $28 and up

Friday: Bumper Jacksons at Caffe Lena at The Grove
"[H]ot and sweet, painting America's story from New Orleans' brothels to Appalachian hollers." 7 pm -- $18

Friday: Terry Gordon Quintet at Upbeat on the Roof
Jazz. 7 pm -- free

Saturday: White Denim at The Hollow
Rock. 9 pm -- $18 ahead / $20 day of

Saturday: Mamadou Kelly outdoors at Freedom Square in Troy
West African star, organized by the Sanctuary for Independent Media. With: Bankaina. 5 pm -- free

Saturday: Bang On a Can All-Stars play Brian Eno's Music for Airports at MASS MoCA
Part of the ongoing Bang On a Can Festival. 8 pm -- $12 ahead / $18 day of

Saturday: Haas Kowert Tice + Jean Rohe at Caffe Lena at The Grove
Bluegrass + singer/songwriter. 7 pm -- $20

Sunday: Alejandro Escovedo at Helsinki Hudson
Austin icon. 8 pm -- $25

Sunday: Gary Nuñez y Plena Libre at Music Haven
"Puerto Rico's foremost purveyors of plena and bomba..." With: Jose Conde Unplugged. 7 pm -- free

____

To do list

1. Stay cool.

2. Blueberries.

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!

City of Albany Office of Special Events, NYS OGS At The Plaza, Downtown Troy BID, and The Tang advertise on AOA.

photo: Rachael Wright