Comin’ Soon…

Nippertown’s veteran pop-parodyists Blotto will be reuniting once again to team up with Alta Mira (and two bands to be named later) for EXIT 97.7 FM’s third Local 518 benefit bash at the Exit Dome (aka, the WMHT-TV studios) in North Greenbush at 7:30pm on Saturday, February 13. Tickets are currently available by making a donation to the radio station.

American Idol and country music queen Carrie Underwood brings her upcoming tour to the Times Union Center in Albany on Friday, March 12. Priced at $35, $45 and $55, tickets are currently on sale.

The rafters will be rattling at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany on Friday, February 5, when Three Days Grace rolls into town. Sharing the bill will be Flyleaf and Chevelle.

In recent weeks, there have been quite a few changes on The Egg‘s upcoming concert season. Shows by pianist Christopher O’Riley, singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin and the twosome of guitarist Sharon Isbin and violin virtuoso Mark O’Connor have all changed dates. Now the latest postponement at The Egg – the blues double bill of James Cotton and Johnny Winter was originally slated for Friday, April 16, but it has now been postponed ’til Friday, June 25.

But there are also a batch of new shows that have been just added to The Egg‘s calendar, including Celtic rockers Carbon Leaf (Thursday, February 25), John Hiatt and his band (Thursday, March 4), mandolin master Sam Bush (Friday, March 12) and Man at Work Colin Hay (Saturday, May 8). Tix for those shows go on sale to the public on Monday, January 4. Also, comedian Bob Marley returns on Thursday, February 4. And Nippertown prog-rock vets Fear of Flying have been added as the opening act for the Musical Box – who will be recreating Genesis’ “A Trick of the Tail” – on Thursday, January 14.

Up in Saratoga Springs, Caffe Lena kicks off its year-long 50th anniversary celebration with a top-notch slate of upcoming shows in early 2010, including Christine Lavin (Sunday, January 3), Bearfoot (Friday, January 8), the double-bill of Jackie Washington and Bill Staines (Friday, January 22), James Keelaghan (Sunday, February 7), John Doyle & Karan Casey (Sunday, February 14), Jonathan Edwards (Sunday, February 21) and Livingston Taylor (Saturday, February 27).

Northern Lights in Clifton Park has added a batch of new shows to its 2010 calendar, including the Alkaline Trio (with Cursive) on Monday, March 8 and the loop-happy Keller Williams on Saturday, March 13. The AP Tour with headliners Never Shout Never lands on Saturday, May 1, with the Cab, Every Avenue and the Summer Set rounding out the bill. Also coming up at Northern Lights on Friday, April 9 is Bernard Fowler, a sensational vocalist whose recording resume includes the Rolling Stones, Public Image Ltd., Yoko Ono, Herbie Hancock, Bootsy Collins, Philip Glass and Sly & Robbie.

Jazz-soul trio Soulive invades the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on Saturday, January 30 in support of their latest CD/DVD set, “Up Here.” Also at Bearsville, the Grace Potter & the Nocturnals concert originally slated for Friday, January 8 has been postponed til Friday, January 22.

Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Mass. will host a concert by veteran folk-and-cabaret singer Judy Collins at 7pm Monday, July 26. Tickets for the concert are $45; seniors $40; youth $35. VIP tickets – including premium seating and a post-show reception – are also available for $65.

Barrington Stage Company is also presenting a Brazilian Carnivale celebration at Jae’s Spice in Pittsfield, Mass. at 8pm on Saturday, February 6, featuring the multi-culti Latin band Los Sugar Kings. Tickets are $35 in advance; $40 at the door. Tickets are also available in a package with a special pre-party dinner beginningwill be held a at 6pm.

And over at Valentine’s Music Hall in Albany, there’s some serious headbanging on tap when Skeletonwitch lands there on Thursday, February 18, with Iron Age and Howl in support. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Thursday, December 24) – for all of us last-minute shoppers.