Be Here Now: “Celebrating 10 Years of American Roots & Branches Concerts” @ The Egg, 3/24/11

The New York State budget is due in less than two weeks now, but one thing is certain – the arts are going to take a big, big hit. And that means that The Egg, the Capital Region’s best performing arts venue, is going to lose a whole lot – if not all – of its funding.

So for the first time, The Egg and its executive director Peter Lesser are mounting a fundraising event on Thursday evening, in conjunction with the tenth anniversary of the American Roots & Branches concert series.

The evening kicks off with a buffet reception at 5pm on Thursday. At 6:30pm, the festivities move into The Egg’s Swyer Theatre for performances by many of the writers who have reviewed the concerts series over the years. Fortunately, many of them double as working musicians. The concert will feature guitarist David Malachowski (of The Times Union) and the Acoustic Woodstock All-Stars; Ramblin Jug Stompers, including Michael Eck (The Times Union), Bowtie (Nippertown.com) and Greg Haymes (Nippertown.com); Clarinet Marmalade including drummer Tim Coakley (The Daily Gazette) and guitarist Glenn Weiser (Metroland).

Between performances, the audience will be treated to a photographic retrospective of the American Roots & Branches series featuring the work of Martin Benjamin (Metroland), Albert Brooks (AlbanyJazz.com), Andrzej Pilarczyk (Nippertown.com) and Joe Putrock (Metroland).

Tix to the fundraiser are $45, $75 and $125 and are available at The Egg Box Office at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, by phone at 518-473-1845 or online. The Egg is also accepting donations over the phone, online or by mail at PO Box 2065, Albany, NY, 12220.

Nippertown.com is proud to be part of this very worthwhile event to benefit one of Albany’s finest arts organizations. Please help keep the arts alive…