Be Here Now: Dana Fuchs @ the Van Dyck, 2/5/10

Soulful rock singer Dana Fuchs makes her Nippertown debut at the Van Dyck in Schenectady at 7pm on Friday (February 5).

I can hear the head-scratching already. Who’s Dana Fuchs?

Well, you may not know the name, but you can bet that she’s gonna be wailing.

The singer-songwriter is probably best known for her role in Julie Taymor’s wild, 2007 Beatles-centric film, “Across the Universe.” Fuchs played the role of Sadie, and she was most definitely sexy as she tore up the screen with her renditions of “Helter Skelter,” “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?,” “Dear Prudence” and “Oh, Darlin’.”

Fuchs also played Janis Joplin in the acclaimed off-Broadway production of Randall Myler’s rock musical “Love, Janis.”

She also co-wrote and performed songs on the soundtrack for Laurie Collyer’s gritty 2006 indie film “SherryBaby,” starring Maggie Gyllenhaal.

This winter, Fuchs has been in New Orleans, filming the upcoming 3-D thriller, “The Mortician,” with Method Man and Edward Furlong.

In addition, the Dana Fuchs Band has released two albums of their own – 2003’s “Lonely For A Lifetime” and 2008’s “Live in NYC” – on the indie label Antler King Records.

At the Van Dyck, Fuchs will be accompanied by her longtime guitarist Jon Diamond. “Live performance is the way I get to truly spill my soul and connect with an audience,” says Fuchs. “I love being in the studio, but in a live performance, every second is a new creation.”

Fuchs and her band have working in the studio recording a new album that’s slated for release later this year. “I’m excited to share these new songs with all of my fans,” says the singer. “Jon and I have been writing a lot during our tour over the past year, and this new record is going to be rocking.”

Tickets for Dana Fuchs’ performance at the Van Dyck are $15.