11/21/13: Today’s Tips: Thursday

MUSIC: Three Dog Night @ the Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield. They racked up 21 Top 40 hits during their glory days (1969-75), and two of the band’s three lead vocalists – Cory Wells and Danny Hutton, but not Chuck Negron – are still at the helm, as well as original members keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon and guitarist Michael Allsup. Bassist Paul Kingery and drummer Pat Bautz round out the current line-up. 8pm. $50, $75, $95 & $125.

MUSIC: Advance Base @ Valentine’s Music Hall, Albany. The the new music project of Owen Ashworth – formerly of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone – whose songs have been described as “depressed,” “lo-fi” and “pop.” Owen plays a Rhodes 54 electric piano. With Hello Shark and Funfetti.

MUSIC: The Stray Birds @ Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs. The signature power of the Stray Birds’ sound lies in outstanding songwriting that soars in three-part harmony. No matter where they’re playing, from NPR’s “Mountain Stage” to tiny clubs, their performances speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs… With Dietrich Strause. 7pm. $16 in advance; $18 at the door.

THEATER: “50 Shades! The Musical” @ Proctors, Schenectady. A musical parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy featuring dance, a live band and 11 original songs, including “They Get Nasty,” “I Don’t Make Love, I F#*!” and “There’s a Hole Inside of Me”. 8pm. Also 8pm on Friday.

MUSIC: The Andrew & Noah Band @ Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls. The brothers VanNorstrand bring their Appalachian groove to town for the final concert of the fall’s Live Folklife Concert Series. 7pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Paper Castles @ the Half Moon, Hudson. Burlington trio fronted by Paddy Reagan. With Many Trails and Maryse Smith. 9pm. $5.

READING: David Treuer @ UAlbany Science Library’s Standish Room, Albany. The prize-winning Native American author and critic reads from his latest nonfiction work, 2012’s acclaimed “Rez Life: An Indian’s Journey Through Reservation Life.” 8pm. FREE. Also a free seminar at 4:15pm.

MUSIC: The Bombadils @ Marketplace Cafe, Pittsfield. Based in Montreal, the Bombadils are a ridiculous and kind-hearted bunch of rascals – Anh Phung (Irish whistles/flute), kooky and happy-go-lucky fiddler-vocalist Sarah Frank, Luke Fraser (guitar-mandolin-vocalist) and bassist Evan Stewart – disguised as a four-piece folk band. 6:30pm. FREE.

MUSIC: John Esposito & Friends @ Stockade Tavern, Kingston. Jazz with special guest saxman Charles Frommer. 7:30pm. FREE.

THEATER: “[title of show]” @ the College of Saint Rose, Albany. It’s opening night for the one-act musical comedy about a pair of young NYC writers attempting to create a play. Directed by Angela Ledtke. 7pm. $10. Through Sunday.

MUSIC: Great Big Sea @ the Calvin Theatre, Northampton. Newfoundland folk-rockers Alan Doyle, Sean McCann and Bob Hallett have somehow managed to keep the dysfunctional-family-bar-room-brawl-student-art-project-musical-pirate-crew known as Great Big Sea going for two decades. 8pm. $28.50 & $38.50.

THEATER: “Back County Crimes” @ Skidmore College’s Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, Saratoga Springs. Dave Demke directs Lanie Robertson’s small-town tale full of forbidden love affairs, black comedy, sordid murders, music and tragic misunderstandings. 8pm. $12; $8 students & seniors. Through Sunday, November 24.

MUSIC: Peg Delaney Trio @ the Stockade Inn, Schenectady. 7pm. FREE.

MUSIC: SPIV:UK @ Bearsville Theater, Woodstock. 8pm. $10.

SPOKEN WORD: Third Thursday Poetry Reading @ the Social Justice Center, Albany. Dan Wilcox hosts the monthly open mic for poets with this month’s featured reader Alex Sherman-Cross. 7pm sign-up; 7:30pm reading. $3.

MUSIC: Erin Harkes @ Footsy Magoo’s, Troy. 9pm. FREE.

MUSIC: Saint Rose Percussion Ensemble @ College of St. Rose’s Massry Center, Albany. 7:30pm. FREE.

FILM: “In the Mood for Love” @ EMPAC at RPI, Troy. Starring Tony Leung (Mr. Chow) and Maggie Cheung (Mrs. Chen), Wong Kar-wai’s hauntingly beautiful 2000 film tells a story of unfulfilled relationships, the fallibility of memory and endings without resolution. 7:30pm. $6.

FILM: “Stopping For Death: The Nurses of Wells House Hospice” @ WAMC-FM’s The Linda, Albany. The film follows four people working a job few Americans would want: tending to a house full of dying people. They are nurses, but they are also therapists, entertainers, disciplinarians, and, perhaps most importantly, family, to these patients. 7pm. $8.

FILM: “Blackfish” @ the Saratoga Arts Center, Saratoga Springs. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s documentary examines the horrors of what can happen when orcas are bred and kept in captivity. 7:30pm.