11/19/09: Today’s Tips: Thursday

MUSIC: B3nson Family Funsgiving Celebration @ Valentine’s Music Hall, Albany: It’s a great big bountiful harvest o’ music with Scientific Maps, We Are Jeneric, Barons in the Attic, Pinguinos, Stacey Gets Drunk and newcomers to the B3nson label, Man Scouts and Secret Release. Which boils down to just a buck a band – and most of that is being donated to the Regional Food Bank. 7:30pm. $7; $5 with a non-perishable food item.

WORKSHOP: Intellectual Property and Copyright @ the Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy: As part of the Nuts & Bolts series of workshops aimed at artists and arts administrators, Nancy Delain leads a session on the topic of copyright. 7pm. Free.

MUSIC: NeedToBreathe @ Revolution Hall, Troy: South Carolina’s premiere band of contemporary Christian rockers rolls into Nippertown in support of their third album, “The Outsiders.” But do not overlook the one-two punch of the local openers, Railbird and Sean Rowe, who just might steal the show. Get there early. 8pm. $15. UPDATE: NeedToBreathe, etc. @ Revolution Hall tonight has been cancelled due to illness.

COMEDY: Artie Lange @ the Palace Theatre, Albany: It takes a big man to fill the shoes of never-at-a-loss-for-words comic Jackie “The Joke Man” Martling, but when the Joke Man left “The Howard Stern Show,” Lange got the call. Of course, Lange is, indeed, a big man. Now, hot on the heels of Tuesday’s release of his debut CD, “Jack and Coke,” Lange steps into the stand-up spotlight at the Palace. 8pm. $25, $45, $55, $95.

LECTURE : Hudson Valley Community College faculty member Gail Roberts discusses her work: painted explorations of a not-so-nostalgic vision of past American domestic life, currently on view in the Fine Arts Faculty Exhibit at The Teaching Gallery. Noon in the BTC Auditorium. Free

MUSIC: Colleen Pratt @ the Van Dyck, Schenectady: Jazz songbird Pratt returns for her monthly free performance at the venerable Van Dyck. 7pm. Free.

MUSIC: Luke Bryan @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park: Country singer Bryan’s sophomore album is titled “Doin’ My Thing,” but it’s hard to figure out exactly what his thing is on a disc that veers from a cover of OneRepublic’s “Apologize” to the good ole boy anthem “Drinkin’ Beer and Wastin’ Bullets.” Hopefully, he can sort it out in concert. With Fast Ryde. 8:30pm. $17.