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 words, to baseball, to gardens, to strawberries, to music festivals...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Rain, thunderstorms. Mid 80s.

Tuesday: Some sun, low 80s.

Wednesday: Sunny and 80.

Thursday: Sunny and low 80s.

Friday: Some sun, maybe some showers. Mid 80s.

Summery.

Words

Front Parlor
Monday: The Front Parlor storytelling series is back at the Olde English in Albany. This month's theme is: "great expectations." (corrected) Monday 7:30 pm

Nitty Gritty
Tuesday: The Nitty Gritty poetry slam series is back at The Low Beat. Tuesday 7 pm

Film

Fiddler
Monday: Proctors is showing the 1971 version of Fiddler on the Roof. Monday various times -- $5

Fury Road: Black & Chrome
Thursday: Proctors is screening a black-and-white version of Mad Max: Fury Road. Thursday 7 pm -- $9 / $6 students with ID

Baseball

Wednesday: The ValleyCats open their 2017 home season with a six-game home stand, beginning with a three-game series versus Lowell. There will be fireworks following Wednesday's game. Wednesday 7 pm -- $5.75 and up

Hidden City House & Garden Tour

Thursday: The annual Hidden City House & Garden Tour is in Albany's Center Square neighborhood (and adjacent areas). "Every year, this tour brings the neighborhood to life as homeowners open their doors and gardens to the public. Guests are able to tour, at their leisure, the beautiful and historic homes and hidden gardens that make up the Center Square & Hudson/Park neighborhoods." Thursday 5-8 pm -- $20

Swimming

Pool season is here. Some public pools and spray pads are open for the season already, and more will be opening this week and next.

Strawberries

Strawberry season just started around the Capital Region. Here are a bunch of farms where you can pick your own.

Free summer concert series

Free summer concert season continues...

Freedom Park
Wednesday: The summer concert series at Freedom Park in Scotia opens with Sawyer Fredericks. Wednesday 7 pm -- free admission

Rockin' on the River
Wednesday: The Rockin' on the River series in Troy's Riverfront Park has Skeeter Creek with Anthony Fallacaro. Wednesday 5 pm -- free admission

Made in the Shade
Wednesday: The Made in the Shade series of lunchtime shows outside The Egg has Orkesta Mendoza. Wednesday at noon -- free admission

Alive at Five
Thursday: The Alive at Five series at Jennings Landing on the Albany riverfront has Naughty By Nature with Paul Nice, DJ Trumastr, JB AKA Dirty Moses. Thursday 5 pm -- free admission

Brown's Summer Sessions
Thursday: The Brown's Summer Sessions series behind the brewpub in Troy continues with Rustic Overtones, Angels on the Fourth, and Candy Ambulance. Thursday 5 pm -- free admission

Music festivals

Looking ahead to the weekend...

Solid Sound Festival
Friday-Sunday: The Solid Sound Festival returns to MASS MoCA. This year's lineup includes Wilco (of course), Television, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Robert Glasper Experiment, Dawn of Midi, Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin with the Guilty Ones, Kevin Morby, Joan Shelley, and Big Thief. And the comedy lineup includes John Hodgman (of course), Michelle Buteau, Hari Kondabolu, Eugene Mirman, Nick Offerman, Jean Grae's The Show Show with DJ Quelle Chris. Friday-Sunday various times -- weekend pass $159

Saratoga Jazz Festival
Saturday-Sunday: The annual Saratoga Jazz Festival is at SPAC this Saturday and Sunday. Headliners include Chaka Khan, Gipsy Kings, Jacob Collier, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Maceo Parker. Saturday and Sunday various times -- $65 and up (kids free on the lawn)

Old Songs Festival
Friday-Sunday: The Old Songs Festival will be at the Altamont Fairgrounds. "Old Songs is a family-friendly festival of folk, traditional, Celtic and world music and dance, known for its relaxed atmosphere, interactive sessions and workshops, hands-on experience and participatory nature." Friday-Sunday various times -- single session tickets $40/ $35 seniors / $25 student or youth | festival passes $135 / $130 seniors / $70 students / $60 youth

Music

Tuesday: Dead & Company at SPAC
Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, and Bob Weir -- plus John Mayer, with bassist Oteil Burbridge and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. 7 pm -- $40 and up

Tuesday: Mozart in Havana at the Zankel Center
Pianist Simone Dinnerstein + Havana Lyceum Orchestra. 7 pm -- $30 / $25 seniors

Wednesday: MISSIO at The Hollow
Electronic. 9 pm -- $12

Thursday: Parkway Drive at Upstate Concert Hall
Metal. With: The Word Alive, Wage War. 7:30 pm -- $25 ahead / $28 day of

Thursday: Kaia Kater at Caffe Lena
Bluegrass. 7 pm -- $18

Friday: NRBQ at The Hangar
Rock. 8 pm -- $25

Friday: The Sea The Sea at Caffe Lena
Folk pop. 8 pm -- $18

Friday: The Florists + Skinny Pill at The Low Beat
Post-punk. With: Recorduroys, Haley Moley. 8 pm

Friday: The Mighty Nautilus at The Hollow
"Ranging from sultry funk songs to sophisticated compositions, 70's jazz fusion standards to hip-hop beats..." With: Harley's Encore. 8 pm -- $12

Saturday: John Paul White at Helsinki Hudson
From The Civil Wars. With: Lera Lynn. 9 pm -- $25 and up

Saturday: Big Mean Sound Machine at The Hollow
"A polyrhythmic monster with a crisp, constant, unrelenting groove..." With: Hannah Gill and The Hours. 8 pm -- $12

Saturday: International Blues Challenge at The Linda
"The International Blues Challenge is an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations (of which our own Capital Region Blues Network is one) for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to perform on a national stage, but just need that extra break." 7 pm -- $12

Sunday: Brazilian Girls at Helsinki Hudson
"[A] singular, sophisticated, and catchy fusion of electronic dance music and world-beat styles..." 8 pm -- $25 and up

Sunday: MaryLeigh Roohan at Caffe Lena
Back for a hometown show. 7 pm -- $14
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These are a just a few things for this week, not a comprehensive list. Look for out "Stuff to do this weekend" list for the upcoming weekend on Friday.

Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

AOA is a media sponsor of the Hidden City House & Garden Tour.

photo via Dead and Company FB page