Real Good for Free: At the Plaza Food Festival @ Empire State Plaza, 8/18/10

Yes, of course there’s plenty of food at the At the Plaza Food Festival, which takes place from 11am-9pm on Wednesday, August 18. Duh! There’s a famers’ market and more than 50 vendors serving up a wide variety of tasty treats for lunch and for dinner.

But there’s also plenty of great music on the menu as well. The fest kicks off with a lunchtime performance (11:30am-1:30pm) by veteran local rockers the Chris Busone Band.

The evening session will be headlined by ’80s power-popsters the Smithereens, who have served up such great tunes as “Blood & Roses,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep” and “Only a Memory.” Opening up the evening portion of the program is the pumped-up punk-folk band O’Death, followed by Troy’s own power-rock trio Super 400. (Related story: Our review of Super 400’s performance last week at Rockin’ On the River in Troy.)

This is gonna be a good one. Let’s hope for some decent weather.

THE AT THE PLAZA FOOD FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE SCHEDULE:

11:30am-1:30pm: The Chris Busone Band
5pm: O’Death
6:15pm: Super 400
7:45pm: The Smithereens

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED: REAL GOOD FOR FREE:

The Freedom Park Concert Series @ Freedom Park, Scotia (7pm various days)
Thurman Summer Concert Series @ Veterans’ Memorial Field, Athol (7pm Mondays)
[email protected] Concert Series @ Hanna Park, Utica (8pm Mondays)
Music in the Park @ Onderdonk Park, East Greenbush (6pm Tuesdays)
Tuesday Nights in the Park @ Cook Park, Colonie (6:30pm Tuesdays)
Niskayuna Free Concert Series @ the Town Gazebo, Niskayuna (7pm Tuesdays)
Music in the Park @ Stony Creek Park, Stony Creek (7pm Tuesdays)
Brunswick Summer Concert Series @ Brunswick Community Center, Troy (7pm Tuesdays)
Bolton Summer Concerts in the Park @ Rogers Memorial Park, Bolton Landing (7:15pm Tuesdays)
Rockin’ On the River @ River Street, Troy (5pm Wednesdays)
Halfmoon Summer Concert Series @ Town Hall Courtyard, Halfmoon (6pm Wednesdays)
Live On the Lake @ Burbank Park at Onata Lake, Pittsfield (6pm Wednesdays)
Sharon Springs Summer Concert Series @ Chalybeate Park, Sharon Springs (7pm Wednesdays)
Lake George Arts Project Summer Concerts @ Shepard Park, Lake George (7:30pm Wednesdays)
Jazz On Jay @ Jay Street, Schenectady (12noon Thursdays)
Tiki Thursdays @ the Piggy Bank, Beacon (6pm Thursdays)
Concerts in the Park @ Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa (6pm Thursdays)
Schaghticoke Summer Eve Concerts @ the Schaghticoke Town Hall Gazebo, Melrose (6:30pm Thursdays)
Summer Concert Series @ the Town Common, South Hadley (6:30pm Thursdays)
Sunset Concert Series @ Dynamite Hill Recreation Area, Chestertown (7pm Thursdays)
Music in the Park @ Dutchman’s Landing Park, Catskill (7pm Thursdays)
At the Pavilion in the Park @ Lake Luzerne Pavilion Park, Lake Luzerne (7pm Thursdays)
Guilderland Performing Arts Center @ Tawasentha Park, Guilderland (7:30pm Thursdays)
Garage Bands in the Garage @ the Albany Public Library, Albany (6pm Fridays)
Canal Square Concert Series @ Canal Square, Cohoes (6:30pm Fridays)
Upbeat on the Roof @ Skidmore College’s Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs (7pm Fridays)
Improv Records’ Free Fridays @ Shepard Park, Lake George (7pm Fridays)
Concerts in the Park @ Riverfront Park, Athens (7pm Fridays)
Music in the Park @ Smead Park, Hadley (7pm Fridays)
Summer Sounds of Salem @ Main Street Gazebo, Salem (11am Saturdays)
Powers Park Concert Series @ Powers Park, Troy (6pm Saturdays)
Hudson Harbor Fest @ Henry Hudson Riverfront Park, Hudson (6:30pm Saturdays)
The Riverlink Concerts @ Riverlink Park, Amsterdam (7pm Saturdays)
Music in the Park @ Grafton Lakes State Park, Grafton (5:30pm Sundays)
Music at the Gazebo @ the Town Hall Gazebo, North Greenbush (6pm Sundays)
Music in the Park @ Butler Park, Averill Park (6pm Sundays)
Music Haven Stage @ Central Park, Schenectady (7pm Sundays)
Lake George Jazz Weekend @ Shepard Park, Lake George (Saturday-Sunday, September 18-19)