All Over Albany

Tegan and Sara at Upstate Concert Hall; and a few other recently announced shows

Yep, they're identical twins.

The indie rock duo Tegan and Sara are playing a show at Upstate Concert Hall February 22. Tickets are $22.50 ahead / $25 day of -- they go on sale Friday (February 1).

The duo has a new album out this week. It's synthpoppy. The 'fork found it favorable.

A few other recently announced shows:

+ Black Francis at Helsinki Hudson February 8 -- you know, Frank Blank, from the Pixies. (We're not sure when this was announced, but it's happening soon.) $25

+ Willy Moon at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q February 15 -- as heard in the iPod commercial. A free show (21+) thanks to EQX and a beer company.

+ Frank Turner at Upstate Concert Hall March 3 -- punk rocker turned toward folk. $15 ahead / $17 day of - on sale February 1

+ Deerhoof at Valentine's April 14 -- influential noise rock band. $13

Earlier on AOA:
+ Some shows coming up, winter 2013
+ The Joy Formidable at Upstate Concert Hall

photo: Lindsey Byrnes

The Joy Formidable at Upstate Concert Hall

The Joy Formidable will be back in town for a show at Upstate Concert Hall April 14. Tickets are $13 ahead / $15 day of -- they go on sale this Friday (January 25).

The Welsh band has a grungy, shoegazy, quiet-loud-quiet, 90s-throwback kind of sound. They've also earned the rep of being a good live act. And this week they released a new album, their second (album stream). Reviews have been positive, if some were a little underwhelmed compared to the band's first album. They played one of the songs off the new album on on Jimmy Fallon last week.

Openers for the Upstate Concert Hall show are Teen Spirit (holy, 90s), and Ribs.

photo via The Joy Formidable

Lindsey Stirling at Upstate Concert Hall

Violinist Lindsey Stirling is playing a show at Upstate Concert Hall March 20. Tickets go on sale this Friday (December 7). They're $17 ahead / $20 day of.

Stirling's YouTube channel and her "signature violin-electronic-dubstep style" has racked up more than 183 million views. Her most popular video -- with 37 million views -- includes her dancing around an ice castle, playing a violin, with a schmear of dubstep (embedded above). See also: Stirling playing a medley of music from the Legend of Zelda (while dressed like Link, of course). Here's a Forbes article on how her "conquering" of YouTube.

Somewhere, the architects of PBS pledge drives -- planning for a day without Yanni and Celtic Woman -- are closely studying these videos.

The Lumineers at Upstate Concert Hall

Hats.

Things that can help make you a successful indie music act these days:

1. Folk rock.

2. A Vaudeville-inflected fashion style. Or, at least, those little fedoras.

3. A song that can be played as the soundtrack to a touching YouTube video. It helps if this song seems designed to prompt a crowd sing along.

As it happens, The Lumineers can check off all three of those items. As it also happens, they're playing the Upstate Concert Hall on December 17. Tickets are free (thanks to EQX and a beer company -- thus a 21 and over requirement). Show's at 8 pm. Update: There is no pre-ticketing for this show, according to its promoter -- it will all be done at the door.

You've probably heard this band -- if the song "Ho Hey" isn't everywhere yet, it will be soon (it is a good song). And their album is in the top 10 on iTunes. But, really, the sign that they've made it: they've been covered by PS 22.

Openers for the show are Swear and Shake, and local faves The Parlor.

photo via The Lumineers website

Ra Ra Riot at Upstate Concert Hall

Indie chamber pop (or whatever you call it) group Ra Ra Riot will be back in town for a show at Upstate Concert Hall December 11. Tickets are $14 ahead / $16 day of. They go on sale this Friday (October 12).

The opener for the show is Guards.

Ra Ra Riot started at Syracuse University in 2006, and found success pretty quickly (and with reason -- they were good). This year they've been working on a new album -- without cellist Alexandra Lawn, who left the band. That might not necessarily be a big thing for some acts, but strings have been a central part of their music (violinist Rebecca Zeller is still with them). So it'll be interesting to see how things have turned out.

Earlier on AOA: Some shows that are coming up, fall 2012

photo via Ra Ra Riot Facebook

De La Soul at Upstate Concert Hall

Update: This show has been moved to November 23.

Hip hop trio De La Soul is playing Upstate Concert Hall November 9 November 23. Tickets are $22.50 ahead / $25 day of. They go on sale this Friday.

De La Soul's been kicking for a long time -- their classic album 3 Feet High and Rising ("Me, Myself, and I") came out all the way back in 1989. (Among the many outlets that have hailed the album: The Library of Congress). During the last decade they got renewed attention for collaborating with Damon Albarn on a a Gorillaz song, and working with Nike on an album for runners.

photo: Matti Hillig via Wikipedia (cc)

Silversun Pickups at Upstate Concert Hall

Alt rock group Silversun Pickups will be playing Upstate Concert Hall October 20. Openers are Cloud Nothings, and Atlas Genius. Tickets go on sale this Friday (August 24) -- they're $25 ($27 day of).

You've probably heard Silversun Pickups, either specifically or as the background music in something. Their sound is kind of retro -- if you consider something that sounds like 15 years ago retro. (Modern culture has a faster metabolism for nostalgia, right?) The distortion. The loud-quiet-loud. The Smashing Pumpkinsness. It sounds like 1997. (See also: The Joy Formidable.)

The LA band is now on its third album. Neck of the Woods came out this past May. They've been touring this summer. The show is part of a new batch of dates out today.

Speaking of the 90s: Built to Spill is playing UCH August 29.

photo: Autumn Wilde