1/28/11: Today’s Tips: Friday

MUSIC: Sweet Honey in the Rock @ the Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield. The Grammy award-winning African-American female a cappella ensemble raises their voices for empowerment and social justice. 8pm. $35, $55.

PERFORMANCE ART: “The Bathers” @ the Marketplace Gallery, Albany. The Estonian performance art ensemble Art Container presents an interactive, social and architectural experiment that examines Estonian sauna culture. Sandra Jogeva will also be delivering a lecture prior to the performance. 6:30pm.

MUSIC: Bill Staines @ Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs. One of the great folk troubadours of our time. 8pm. $18.

DANCE: Limón Dance Company @ Skidmore College’s Zankel Music Center, Saratoga Springs. Featuring a new commission by Jonathan Fredrickson, a revival of Jirí Kylián’s “La Cathedrale Engloutie,” and Limón’s 1956 classic “There is a Time.” 8pm. $15; students $7.

MUSIC: Joseph Arthur @ Club Helsinki Hudson, Hudson. The poetic singer-songwriter was the first American signed to Peter Gabriel’s record label. T Bone Burnett and Tchad Blake co-produced his 2000 sophomore album, “Come to Where I’m From.”.He’s recorded a duet with Michael Stipe. Coldplay’s Chris Martin recorded his song, “In the Sun.” He’s also a member of Ben Harper’s Fistful of Mercy. David Berkeley opens the show. 9pm. $15.

TELEVISION: “Local 518 TvFilm Festival” @ WMHT-TV. You don’t get much opportunity to see local music on your TV set these days, so make the most of it. Sean Rowe, Railbird, Super 400 and Eric Margan & the Red Lions will be featured, as well as Matisyahu and a batch of locally produced short films, too. 10pm. (Repeated at 11pm Saturday)

ARTS WALK: Troy Night Out @ various locations, Troy. After taking December off, Troy’s monthly arts walk returns. 5-9pm. FREE.

FILM: “March On!” @ Proctors, Schenectady. Q-Fest continues with a documentary centered on the 2009 National Equality March in Washington. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with two of the subjects of the film, Michael Sabatino and Robert Voorheis. 7:30pm. $9; students $7.

MUSIC: In Defense of Autumn @ Valentine’s Music Hall, Albany. A great night of Americana, also featuring the Rob Jonas Band, Tern Rounders and Blue Factory. 8pm.

MUSIC: American Babies @ Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs. Led by former Brothers Past frontman Tom Hamilton. With Sugarproof. Doors open at 8pm. $10.

MUSIC: The Jody Shayne Trio @ the Stockade Inn, Schenectady. Jazz singer Shayne and her band swing into the Stockade. 7pm. FREE.

THEATER: “Almost, Maine” @ the Schenectady Civic Players, Schenectady. Donald Mealy directs John Cariani’s magical, romantic comedy. 8pm. $15. (Through Sunday, February 6)

MUSIC: Exit 19 @ the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. Old school funk band fueled by Tony Parker on drums. 9pm. $15.

MUSIC: Kung Fu @ Jillian’s, Albany. The all-star band features members of the Breakfast, Jazz Is Dead, Deep Banana Blackout and more as they meld jazz, jam, funk and prog into one heady mix. With Timbre Coup. 10pm. $12.

MUSIC: Hair of the Dog @ the Parting Glass, Saratoga Springs. Rick Bedrosian and his band continue their annual January Hair-A-Thon residency in the Spa City. 8pm. $13.

FILM: “The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting” @ the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown. In this 1978 French film, an art collector hypothesizes the existence of a missing painting by a nineteenth-century academic painter by literally walking through tableau vivant representations of his paintings. 4pm.

MUSIC: The Brian Patneaude Trio @ the Blu Stone Bistro, Albany. The saxman is joined by pianist David Caldwell-Mason and bassist Mike DelPrete. 7pm. FREE.