7/18/13: Today’s Tips: Thursday

MUSIC: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas @ Jennings Landing, Albany. “We Built This City”! “We Built This City”! “We Built This City”! An expanded Alive at Five in tribute to Mayor Jerry Jennings’ 20 years of service with a special dedication ceremony at the newly re-named Jennings Landing (formerly Riverfront Park), as well as t-shirt giveaways, a photo booth and a fireworks display at 9pm. Featuring Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra (5pm) and Wild Adriatic (6:15pm) and Starship (7:30-9pm). FREE.

FESTIVAL/MUSIC: Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival @ Walsh Farm, Oak Hill. Day One of the biggest and best bluegrass festival of the northeast features the Duhks, Keller Williams & the Travelin’ McCourys, the Devil Makes Three, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Deadly Gentlemen and lots more… Music starts at 2pm. More info here…

FESTIVAL/MUSIC: Bellstock @ 1459 Route 23c, East Jewett. It’s the 20th anniversary of Greg Bell’s annual music festival, and today’s Day One line-up features Olivia Quillio, Dan Johnson & His Expert Sidemen, Bear Bones Project and Rebel Darling. 7pm. More info here…

CIRCUS: Zoppé Italian Family Circus @ the Big Top at Broadway & Hamilton streets, Schenectady. Old school European circus for the 21st century. Thrill to the daring young men on the flying trapeze. Be dazzled by the beautiful girl walking the tightrope. And experience the elegance of the equestrian ballet. Nino the Clown, jugglers, aerialists, dancing dogs and so much more. It’s all under the big top… 7pm. $25 & $35. Through Sunday.

MUSIC: Hey Jude… The Tribute @ Dutchman’s Landing, Catskill. Beatles tribute band. 7pm. FREE. More info here…

PANEL DISCUSSION: “Talking Images” @ Skidmore College’s Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs. A panel discussion about words as image, and words that make images with Rick Moody, Jonathan Santlofer, James Esber and April Bernard. Moderated by Tang director Ian Berry. Reception at 5:30pm; talk at 6pm. FREE.

THEATER: “Seagull (Thinking of you)” @ the Daniel Arts Center at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Great Barrington. Mass Live Arts, a new experimental theater festival in the Berkshires, launches its inaugural season with Obie-Award winning, Brooklyn-based company Half Straddle and writer-director Tina Satter’s beautiful and dark variation on Chekhov’s classic. 8pm. $35. Through Saturday.

MUSIC: Enter the Haggis @ Club Helsinki, Hudson. The Canadian Celtic rockers are touring in support of their innovative new album, The Modest Revolution, all songs on which were drawn from the pages of a single day’s issue of The Toronto Globe and Mail. 8pm. $22.

MUSIC: The El Dorados @ McGeary’s Pub, Albany. 8pm.

MUSIC: Music by McIntosh @ Jay Street, Schenectady. 12noon. FREE.

READINGS: Mark Strand @ Skidmore College’s Davis Auditorium, Saratoga Springs. The NYS Summer Writers Institute’s reading series continues with the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. With Peg Boyers. 8pm. FREE.

DANCE: The National Ballet of Canada @ SPAC, Saratoga Springs. Performing “Giselle.” 2 & 8pm.

THEATER: “This” @ Henry Hudson Studios, Hudson. The Proprietors Theatre Company presents Melissa James Gibson’s crackling comedy about friends, marriage, kids, and all of … “This.” 8pm. $20. Also at 8pm on Friday and Saturday.

ARTS WALK: 3rd Thursday @ various locations, Pittsfield. This month’s theme is “Under the Sea,” and featured performers include Trio Candela, Ras Moon & Monsoon, the Tropical Beat Steel Drum Band and more. 5-8pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Three Quarter North @ Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa. In support of their new CD, Back Home. 6pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Colleen Pratt @ the Stockade Inn, Schenectady. 7pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Guilderland Town Band @ Guilderland Performing Arts Center at Tawasentha Park, Guilderland. Kathleen Ehlinger conducts. 7:30pm. FREE.

THEATER: “Mr. Madoff Meets the Crawfish Queen” @ Whitney Center for the Arts, Pittsfield. The Town Players of Pittsfield present a short staged reading of local playwright, Yvette “Jamuna” Sirker’s comedy about a young southern woman who is sent to interview Bernie Madoff in prison as her first assignment as a reporter. Directed by Melanie Rivers. 5:30 & 7pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Foster McGinty @ Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 8pm. $10.

READING: Third Thursday Reading @ the Social Justice Center, Albany. Dan Wilcox hosts. Featured poet is Bob Elmendorf. 7pm sign-up; 7:30pm reading. $3.

MUSIC: Peaceful Country @ Coeymans Landing Park Gazebo, Coeymans. 6:30pm. FREE.

MUSIC: The New York Players @ the Crossings, Colonie. 6:30pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Wicked @ Taste, Albany. 7pm. $5.

FILM: “Not My Life” @ WAMC-FM’s The Linda, Albany. Filmed on five continents in a dozen countries, this film examines the cruel and dehumanizing practices of human trafficking and modern slavery on a global scale. 7pm. $8.