2/25/12: Today’s Tips: Saturday

FUNDRAISER/GALA: Upstate Artists Guild Gala @ Normanside Country Club, Delmar. The Back in the Black Gala will benefit the Upstate Artists Guild. Featuring entertainment by C. Ryder Cooley, Stompin Jug Ramblers, Matt Durfee, DJ OFI and emcee Corey Aldrich. With hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction of local artists’ artwork. 6pm. $20, $30, $35, $50, $100.

MUSIC/THEATER: Hamell On Trial @ Steamer No. 10 Theatre, Albany. The spitfire one-man punk band offers a work-in-progress performance of a new work that’s bound for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It’s based on his experiences as a bartender in Syracuse. 8pm. $15.

MUSIC: Robin & Linda Williams and Their Fine Group @ the Eighth Step at Proctors, Schenectady. The veteran folk and country favorites and “A Prairie Home Companion” regulars step into the spotlight in support of their new album “Stonewall Country,” a rollicking collection of songs from their popular folk/bluegrass musical about the the life and times of legendary Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. 7:30pm. $26.

MUSIC & MORE: Gustafer Yellowgold @ MASS MoCA’s Hunter Center, North Adams. Morgan Taylor delivers a music-and-animation kid’s show that’s a cross between “Yellow Submarine” and Dr. Seuss. 11:30am. $6; show & animation workshop at 1pm $10.

MUSIC: “Music of the Sun” @ the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. The pioneering avant garde string quartet ETHEL teams up with Native American flutist Robert Mirabal. 8pm. $25, $30, $35; students and children $15.

MUSIC: Amy Collins @ Happy Capuccino, Schenectady. Celtic American folk. 7pm.

FUNDRAISER/GALA: “Bond: Shaken Not Stirred” @ Saratoga Performaing Arts Center’s Hall of Springs, Saratoga Springs. All proceeds from the Winter Ball will benefit the classical performing arts at SPAC. $70, $100.

MUSIC: Gathering Time @ Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs. Folk-rock trio. With the Stray Birds. 8pm. $16.

OPERA ON FILM: The Met Opera: Live in HD: “Ernani” @ Time and Space, Hudson. Angela Meade takes center stage in Verdi’s thrilling early gem. Marcello Giordani is her mismatched lover, and all-star Verdians Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ferruccio Furlanetto round out the cast. 12:55pm. $25 & $15.

MUSIC: Hot Tuna @ The Egg, Albany. The original, acoustic duo – guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady – will be joined by mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff for an evening of country blues, folk and original music. 8pm. $34.50. NOTE: Sold out.

ART ON FILM: Live HD Simulcast: Leonardo Live @ Time and Space Limited, Hudson. A presentation of the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan,” captured at the UK National Gallery. 7:30pm. $12.50, $10 & $5.

MUSIC: The Saint Rose Orchestra @ the College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center, Albany. 8pm. FREE.

READING/MUSIC: Mike Doughty @ The Linda, Albany. The multi-talented Doughty plays his tunes and reads from his newly published memoirs, “The Book of Drugs,” before engaging in a Q&A with the fans. 8pm. $22.

FEST/MUSIC: Ridge Fest @ Maple Ski Ridge, Rotterdam. All-day activities and family fun featuring music by Flood Road, the Retrobilleze and 2Late at 12noon. FREE.

MUSIC: George Harrison Birthday Bash @ the Hudson River Music Hall, Hudson Falls. A musical tribute to the quiet Beatle featuring performances by the Dirty Harrys, Marc Clayton, Alan Dunham, Kevin Martindale, Jonathan Newell, Gisella Montanez-Case, Sara Adamson, Kim Skoll, Erin Harkes and more with Veena Chandra on sitar and Devesh Chandra on tabla. 7pm. $10; students & seniors $8.

MUSIC: The Kane Brothers Blues Band @ the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 9pm. $15.

THEATER: “Waiting for Lefty” @ Union College’s Yulman Theater, Schenectady. David Girard directs Clifford Odets’ classic American play based on the New York City taxi strike of February, 1934. 7:30pm. $10; seniors $7. Through Sunday.

MUSIC: Camille West @ Temple Beth El, Glens Falls. Singer, songwriter and acoustic comedian. With Bill Martin. 8pm. $20.

MUSIC: Life Among the Trees @ SwordPaw HQ, Troy. With Buffalo’s Patrons Of Sweet and Troy’s Panthyon & Thee Ark. 9pm. $3.

MUSIC: The Schmooze @ Jillian’s, Albany. 10:30pm.