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 (hot), to The Track, to authors, baseball, to ballet, to the stage, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Near 90.

Tuesday: Sunny and 88.

Wednesday: Sunny and 90.

Thursday: Sunny and 91.

Friday: Sunny, maybe some thunderstorms. 85.

Weekend: And so on.

Hot.

The Track

It's the first full week of the new season at the Saratoga Race Course. (And, of course, there is no racing on Tuesday.)

Baseball

Monday-Tuesday: The ValleyCats wrap up a short home stand at the Joe with two games against Vermont. (Tuesday is team poster night, with fireworks after the game.) Monday and Tuesday 7 pm -- $5.75 ahead / $7 day of (and up)

Arts and sciences

Summer Writers Institute
Monday-Friday: The NYS Summer Writers Institute finishes its series of public author readings at Skidmore. This week's schedule:
+ Monday: novelist William Kennedy (Pulitzer Prize Ironweed; Roscoe) and novelist Cristina Garcia (Dreaming in Cuban)
+ Tuesday: novelist Joseph O' Neill (Netherland, The Dog) and novelist Rivka Galchen (Atmospheric Disturbances, Little Labors)
+ Wednesday: Presidential Election Panel: writers Jim Miller (The Passion of Michel Foucault, Democracy Is In The Streets), Katha Pollitt (National Magazine Award for Subject To Debate; columnist for The Nation magazine) and Tom Healy (What The Right Hand Knows, Animal Spirits)
+ Thursday: novelist-memoirist Jamaica Kincaid (Mister Potter, See Now Then) and poet Henri Cole (Pierce The Skin, Nothing To Declare)
+ Friday: Two Pulitzer-Prize Winners: Novelist Paul Harding (Tinkers, Enon) and Poet Carl Dennis (Unknown Friends, Practical Gods, New & Selected Poems)

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

Workplace gender equality
Tuesday: The New York Council for the Humanities has a town hall-style event about workplace gender equality lined up for The Linda. Blurbage: "What arguments have been advanced to keep women disadvantaged in the workplace? How have these arguments been overcome? What are the unique challenges women of color face in the workplace? What is the biggest obstacle for gender inequality in the workplace today?" Tuesday 6 pm -- free (RSVP required)

Moth Mania
Thursday: The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center has an evening moth walk. Blurbage: "The Albany Pine Bush has one of the most diverse and fascinating communities of moths anywhere in the Northeast, including many species that have adapted specifically to live in the Pine Bush and other pine barrens habitats." Thursday 8:30 pm -- free (pre-registration required)

NYC Ballet

Tuesday-Saturday: The NYC Ballet continues its summer stay at SPAC (it will be through Saturday). This week's performances include presentations of classic ballet works and Wednesday is American Girl night (tickets for kids are $10 on the lawn). Tuesday-Saturday various times -- $35 and up

Stage

A Night with Janis Joplin
Tuesday-Sunday: Capital Rep continues its production of A Night with Janis Joplin. (It closes August 7.) Tuesday-Sunday various times - $25 and up

Williamstown Theatre Festival
Tuesday-Sunday: The Williamstown Theatre Festival's season continues with the new comedy Romance Novels for Dummies starts on the main stage (it runs through July 31). And on Wednesday the new musical Poster Boy starts on the Nikos Stage (it runs through August 7). various times -- $40 and up

Park Playhouse
Tuesday-Saturday: This is the last week for the Park Playhouse's production of Chicago in Washington Park. (It runs through July 30.) Tuesday-Saturday 8 pm -- free on the lawn / reserve tickets $16 and up

Music

Monday: Lindsey Stirling at The Palace
Violinist/dancer/composer, "a futurist world of electronic big beats and animation." 8 pm -- $29.50 and

Monday: Josh Groban at SPAC
With: Sarah McLachlan. 7:30 pm -- $38 and up

Tuesday: Shakey Graves at Helsinki Hudson
Americana. 8 pm -- $25

Wednesday: Blues for Breakfast at Rockin' on the River
Grateful Dead tribute. 5 pm -- free

Wednesday: Yanni at The Palace
"[W]ith a new album - Sensuous Chill..." 7:30 pm -- $48 and up

Wednesday: Mandolin Orange at Helsinki Hudson
Folk/Americana duo. 8 pm -- $15 ahead / $18 day of

Wednesday: Chanticleer at Tanglewood
A cappella. 8 pm -- $18 and up

Thursday: LOCASH at Alive at Five
Country. With: Skeeter Creek. 5 pm -- free

Thursday: Aurora at The Hollow
Electropop. 9 pm -- $15 ahead / $18 day of

Friday: A-Boogie DOPE JAM 2 at Upstate Concert Hall
Rap. With: DJ Rookie, DJ Static, DJ King Bully, DJ Show. 9 pm -- $25 ahead / $35 day of

Friday: Two Cow Garage at The Low Beat
Alt-country. With: Hot Cousin. 8 pm -- $10

Friday: Way Down Wanderers at Caffe Lena at The Grove
Roots. 7 pm -- $18

Friday: Swamp Baby at Upbeat on the Roof
Chamber pop. 7 pm -- free

Saturday: The Lumineers show at Brewery Ommegang is sold out.

Saturday: Bang on a Can Marathon at MASS MoCA
Annual closing to the Bang on a Can festival. 4-10 pm -- $12 ahead / $18 day of

Saturday: Shush Packet + Odd Body at Pauly's Hotel
Alt rock + folk/punk. 8 pm -- $5

Sunday: Best Coast at Upstate Concert Hall
Indie rock. With: The Stargazer Lillies. 8 pm -- $20 ahead / $22 day of

Sunday: Chick Corea Trio featuring Christian McBride and Brian Blade at Tanglewood
Jazz. 8 pm -- $19 and up

Sunday: Monty Alexander-Harlem Kingston Trio at Music Haven
Jazz pianist. With: Alfred St. John's Trinidad & Tobago Steelband. 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, Downtown Troy BID, and The Tang advertise on AOA.

photo: Eric Ryan Anderson