11/1/13: Today’s Tips: Friday

THEATER: “Man at the Controls” @ the Sage Colleges’ Opalka Gallery, Albany. Puppeteer Ed Atkeson and his Firlefanz Puppets offer two live performances of his short, 15-minute production, “Man at the Controls.” It’s dark. It’s harrowing. It ain’t a kiddie show… 6 & 7pm. FREE.

DANCE: “Flames of Desire” @ The Egg, Albany. The Tango Fire Company of Buenos Aires brings this smoldering art form to the stage with 12 spectacular dancers and a quartet of brilliant musicians, tracing the history of the art form from its origin on the streets of Buenos Aires through its evolution into contemporary ballroom styles. A pre-performance talk in the lobby begins at 7:15pm. 8pm showtime. $28.

MUSIC: Brooks Williams @ Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs. Celebrating the release of his new CD, New Everything, the genre-defying guitarist-singer-songwriter walks the line between blues and Americana, but there’s a bit of jazz and rockabilly thrown in for good measure. It’s roots. It’s acoustic. It’s pretty amazing… Lauren Sheehan opens the show. 8pm. $16 in advance; $18 at the door. NOTE: Williams will also be offering a guitar workshop from 12noon-2:30pm on Saturday (November 2). GO HERE for more info…

MUSIC: Catherine Russell @ First Unitarian Society’s Whisperdome, Schenectady. The sublime jazz ‘n’ blues singer steps into the spotlight for the latest installment of A Place for Jazz’s concert series. 7:30pm. $15.

MUSIC: Blue Factory @ Valentine’s Music Hall, Albany. The Crawley brothers’ band – newly pared down to a power trio – celebrates the release of their third album, California on Kranepool Records. 6pm. $10 (includes a CD of the new album). GO HERE for more info…

MUSIC: Mike Gent @ Valentine’s Music Hall, Albany. The Figgs frontman brings his other band the Rapid Shave to celebrate the release of his fourth solo album, also titled The Rapid Shave. With the Amazon Debutantes. 8pm. GO HERE for more info…

MUSIC: Work o’ the Weavers @ the Eighth Step at Proctors, Schenectady. David Bernz (vocals, guitar, banjo); James Durst (vocals & guitar); Mark Murphy (bass & guitar); and Martha Sandefer (vocals & percussion) pay tribute to the Weavers, the pioneering folk group of the ’50s & ’60s. 7:30pm. $24 in advance; $35 Gold Circle.

MUSIC: Brian Dewan @ the Spotty Dog, Hudson. The musical eccentric’s repertoire includes an autoharp mounted on a walker, songs about wastepaper basket fires, unlikely distortion pedal usage and original and salvaged songs all showcasing a demented appreciation for the lesser-seen quirks of existence. With quirky popster Stephen Bluhm. 8pm. $5.

MUSIC: Taina Asili y la Bande Rebelde @ Rocks, Albany. It’s a high-energy Day of the Dead dance party. 10pm. $10.

ARTS WALK: First Friday @ various locations, Albany. Art exhibitions, music and even a puppet show… 5-9pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Meg Hutchinson @ Club Helsinki, Hudson. The nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter is a Berkshire native who got her musical start at the original Club Helsinki in Great Barrington. Tonight she takes the stage at the Hudson Club Helsinki in support of her new album, Beyond That on Red House Records. 9pm.

MUSIC: Mystic India @ Proctors, Schenectady. With 65 professional dancers, 1,000 opulent costumes and the dynamic music of Bollywood cinema, Mystic India takes the audience on a celebratory journey through the Bollywood film industry and Indian culture with a stunning visual display that fuses dance, theater and special effects. 8pm. $20-$65.

DANCE/SPOKEN WORD: “A Taste of India” @ Proctors, Schenectady. A performance by the Union College dance team Bhangra Union and a demonstration of Bollywood dance by Anna Rivelo and Layla Massoudi. A selection of Indian food from the Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant will be available for a $5 tasting fee. 6pm. FREE. Followed at 7pm by “Stories from India” by Nancy Marie Payne. FREE.

COMEDY: MOPCO’s Spontaneous Broadway @ Proctors, Schenectady. Improv comedy. 8pm. $14; $6 students & seniors.

MUSIC: John Roberts & Tony Barrand @ Old Songs, Voorheesville. The veteran folk duos serves up an evening of folk songs from the British isles – ballads and songs of the sea, of rural pursuits, of social and sociable situations, of industrial toil and strife, and much more. 8pm. $20; $5 children age 12 & under.

ARTS WALK: First Friday @ various locations, Pittsfield. 5-8pm. FREE.

MUSIC: The Stray Dogs @ the Parting Glass, Saratoga Springs. 9pm.

MUSIC: Tas Cru @ the Fuller Roadhouse Grille, Albany. Blues… 9pm.

MUSIC: Abraham & the Groove @ the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. Featuring Tony, Eric & Nick Parker. 9pm. $10. Also an art exhibition by Barry DeBaun.

COMEDY: Stand-Up Comedy Show @ The Linda, Albany. Local 518 laughmakers Russ Davignon, Shawn Gillie, Brendan Joseph, Luke Donovan, Frank Gentile, Mo Haskins and Dan Guerin are joined by New Jersey comedian Jerrold Benford and Boston comic Brian Holland. Jennifer McMullen hosts the bash. 8pm. $15.!

MUSIC: The Doornails @ Whiskey River Tavern, Waterford. 9pm.

MUSIC: The Terry Gordon Quartet @ 9 Maple Avenue, Saratoga Springs. Featuring guitarist Michael-Louis Smith, bassist Dylan Perrillo and drummer Bob Halek, in addition to bandleader-trumpeter Gordon. 9pm.

MUSIC: The Manhattan Project @ Red Square, Albany. With Dirty Paris. 9pm. $10.

MUSIC: The Brian Patneaude Duo @ Athos, Albany. 7pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Capital Zen @ Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs. With Groovestick. 9pm. $7 (+$5 if under 21).

PARTICIPATORY DANCE: Albany First Friday Capital Swing Dance @ the Albany Elks Lodge, Albany. Swing dance lesson by Evan McDonald at 7:30pm; dance to the music of the Alan Thomson Little Big Band at 8:30pm. $15; $10 students & seniors.

MUSIC: The Eagles Band @ the Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield. “Hotel California.” “Witchy Woman.” “Take It to the Limit.” Oh wait, not those Eagles… This is the 50-piece Eagles Band Wind Symphony and the 16-piece Eagles Big Band. 7pm. FREE.

FILM/DISCUSSION: “Exterminating Angel (El Angel Exterminador)” @ UAlbany’s Page Hall, Albany. Director Luis Bunuel’s award-winning 1962 surrealistic masterpiece about guests at a lavish dinner party who find that they are psychologically unable to leave the host’s mansion. Also featuring a discussion with novelist-screenwriter William Kennedy and Writers Institute Director Donald Faulkner. 7pm. FREE.

FILM: “King Corn” @ Rock Hill Bakehouse Cafe, Glens Falls. With the help of real farmers, powerful fertilizer, government aid and genetically modified seeds, two inquisitive film makers manage to grow one acre of corn and along the way unlock the hidden truths about America’s food system. 7pm. FREE.

FILM: “Gaslight” @ the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington. The classic 1944 film starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman. 7pm. $7.