2010: The Nippertown Year in Review

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8: Firlefanz Puppets kick off the Nippertown year in arts with a production of Alfred Jarry’s “Ubu Rex” adapted by Oakley Hall III, performed at Steamer No. 10 Theater in Albany. Hmmmm, looks like this might be a pretty absurd year…

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12: An earthquake wreaks havoc in Haiti, prompting a multitude of benefit concerts, including Hearts 4 Haiti at the Palace Theatre in Albany headlined by David Malachowski & the Woodstock All-Stars on February 11.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9: Barsuk Records releases Phantogram’s debut album, “Eyelid Movies.”

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13: Blotto reunites to headline Exit Dome III, a benefit concert for radio station WEXT-FM, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of their debut recording, “Hello! My Name Is Blotto. What’s Yours?” Surprising enough, the band actually remembers most of the lyrics to “I Wanna Be a Lifeguard”…

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24: Snow storm blankets the Capital Region forcing the cancellation of concerts at the Palace Theatre, The Egg, Northern Lights, the Eighth Step and more.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2: Laura Glazer hosts her final broadcast of “Hello Pretty City” on radio station WRPI-FM.

MONDAY, MARCH 8: John Walker Black releases his debut single, “Theme to Nippertown,” the Driving Rain Music label.

TUESDAY, MARCH 23: Sirsy signs a record deal with Funzalo Records.

SATURDAY, MARCH 27: The Fleshtones headline the final performance at Positively Fourth Street in Troy. It is, as they say, a mighty wild party…

SUNDAY, APRIL 4: Laura Glazer’s “Hello Pretty City” is resurrected – appropriately enough on Easter Sunday – making its debut on WEXT-FM.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7: Erin Harkes makes her network television debut singing with a pick-up band, the Fallon Angels, on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.”

FRIDAY, APRIL 30: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dino Danelli of the Rascals opens his first solo art exhibition, “Mean Streets,” at Feast Gallery in Saratoga Springs.

SATURDAY, MAY 1: In the works for years, Club Helsinki Hudson finally opens its doors for its first public performance with Spottiswoode & His Enemies. The club doesn’t have a liquor license.

THURSDAY, MAY 6: An early morning fire destroys Tess’ Lark Tavern in Albany.

FRIDAY, MAY 7: Patricia Snyder, founder and producing artistic director of the New York State Theatre Institute, retires in the wake of an April report charging that she had engaged in improper spending, serial nepotism and self-dealing.

FRIDAY, MAY 21: Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs celebrates its 50th anniversary.

SATURDAY, MAY 22: A benefit for Tess’ Lark Tavern is held in Albany’s Washington Park featuring Mirk & the New Familiars, MotherJudge & Friends, a reunion of Rocky Velvet, more.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9: Troy artist and RPI professor Nao Bustamente makes her debut as one of the 14 artist-competitors on “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist,” a new “reality” show on the Bravo cable channel. No, she didn’t win, but, as they say, it’s an honor just to compete.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11: Sirsy plays the final show at Revolution Hall in Troy.

SATURDAY, JUNE 12: Jazz guitarist, teacher and DJ Sam Farkas dies at age 56.

THURSDAY, JUNE 24: Boyz II Men attracts the largest crowd in the history of the Alive at Five concert series.

SATURDAY, JULY 3: Albany’s Pearl Street businesses join forces to host the first PearlPalooza, an outdoor street festival similar to LarkFest. Rusted Root headlines the fest.

FRIDAY, JULY 16: Jake Sassville, host of the television show “Late Night Republic,” comes to the Empire State Plaza in Albany in an attempt to crack the Guinness Book of World Records in the category of the Largest Number of People to Simultaneously Bang on Empty Potato Chip Cans.

THURSDAY, JULY 22: Saltmania! The movie “Salt” – partially filmed in Albany – has its pre-opening premiere at the Palace Theatre. Tix are free. The theater is jam-packed. And an Angelina Jolie impersonator is in attendance!

FRIDAY, JULY 23: Heavy, a festival of music and art opens at St. Joseph’s Church in Albany to help raise funds to restore the building.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13: The Solid Sound Festival – a three-day marathon of music, film, art, comedy and more curated by Wilco – opens at MASS MoCA in North Adams.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28: Opening day of the Restoration Funstival (also known as Rest Fest), another multi-day fest of music and art at St. Joseph’s Church in Albany to help raise funds to restore the building.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29: After a dozen years on the radio, Willie Colon broadcasts the final installment of his weekly Latin music show, “La Mega,” on UAlbany’s radio station WCDB-FM.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: Tess Collins – owner of Tess’ Lark Tavern – takes over as manager of McGeary’s and re-opens the downtown pub.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: Sal Prizio closes the doors on Bread & Jam Cafe in Cohoes for the last time.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24: Latham’s Yacub Addy – Ghanaian drum master, leader of the African drum and dance performance group Odadaa! and music teacher at Skidmore College – is awarded a National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24: The Eighth Step at Proctors inaugurates its new Indie 8th Step concert series with Lost in the Trees.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25: LarkFest! Now complete with Silent Disco!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: The Gibson Brothers are two-time winners at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s awards show in Nashville, as the title track of their latest album, “Ring the Bell,” earned top honors as Best Gospel Recorded Performance as well as Song of the Year.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1: EMPAC at RPI launches “Filament,” a sprawling three-day festival of art, music and performance.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19: Rock and roll radio pioneer Boom Boom Brannigan dies.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23: After numerous delays, “All Utopias Fell,” a massively ambitious three-part installation by Troy artist Michael Oatman finally opens at MASS MoCA in North Adams.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23: At the age of 69, veteran acoustic folk-blues singer-songwriter Tom Winslow dies from complications after suffering a stroke.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3: The Vienna Vegetable Orchestra makes their American concert debut at Proctors in Schenectady, performing an hour-long concert of music on nothing but vegetables.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que opens its doors in Troy.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10: The Penny Knight Band plays their first gig in 25 years at Savannah’s.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15: Sean Rowe announces that he’s signed a record deal with Anti- Records, who will be re-releasing his 2009 album, “Magic,” on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.