COMIN’ SOON: New Concert Announcements

By Greg Haymes

The great Texas tunesmith Alejandro Escovedo returns to Club Helsinki in Hudson on Friday, January 6, in support of his new album, Burn Something Beautiful. And he’ll be backed by the Burn Something Beautiful Band – an all-star combo featuring Peter Buck of R.E.M., Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, Kurt Block of Fastbacks and Linda Pitmon of the Baseball Project. Opening the show at 8pm will be the Minus 5, the personnel of which bears a remarkable resemblance to the Burn Something Beautiful Band. Tickets are $25 & $30.

Also upcoming at Helsinki, the quirky Nellie McKay takes the stage at 8pm on Sunday, January 22 with her show, “A Girl Named Bill: The Life and Times of Billy Tipton,” a revue-with-dialogue about the little-known mid-century jazz bandleader, who was assumed to be a man but was discovered at his death to be a woman ($TBA). More new shows at Helsinki include Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams on Saturday, February 25 ($TBA) and Chuck Prophet & the Mission Express with the Bottle Rockets on Friday, March 31 ($20 & $25).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Comedian Mike Birbiglia is slated to take the stage at Funny Bone at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland for four shows next month. Priced at $25, tickets are on sale now… and they’ll probably go fast.

Up in Clifton Park, Upstate Concert Hall welcomes the Killthrax Tour on Saturday, May 6. That’s right, co-headliners Killswitch Engage and Anthrax will be rattling the rafters. And if that’s not enough, the Devil Wears Prada opens the show at 7pm. Tickets are $32.50 in advance; $35 at the door. And hometown heroes State Champs take the stage on Saturday, May 13 with support bands Against the Current, With Confidence, Don Broco and Young Culture. Tickets are $19.99 in advance; $23 at the door.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Avett Brothers are returning to Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown to kick off the brewery’s outdoor summer concert series.

Peter Case is not involved, but the Plimsouls Re-Souled – led by original Plimsouls guitarist Eddie Munoz – will make a tour stop at the Hangar on the Hudson on Sunday, January 29. The Lawn Sausages open the show at 3pm. Yes, that’s right – 3pm. Meanwhile moe. drummer Vinnie Amico joins the Stone Revival Band for a set of Allman Brothers tunes on Saturday, January 14. They’ll be joined by Grateful Dead tribute band The Wheel. And led by Ralph Renna, Troy rockers Let Go Daylight take the stage on Saturday, February 11 with Smittix, Sly Fox & the Hustlers, Bad Mothers and Mark Slavin in support. The show starts at 7:30pm, and tickets are $10. Finally, singer-songwriter-actress Lolo (aka Lauren Pritchard) drops into The Hangar at 6pm on Sunday, February 26. Tickets are $12.

Brigades head into the Low Beat on Saturday, February 11 with In Her Own Words, Mirror Eyes, Young Culture, Viewpoints and Parallel in support. Tix for the 6:30pm show are $12 in advance.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: In addition to the originally announced Times Union Center concert date of Saturday, March 11, country music superstar Garth Brooks has added two more concerts at Albany’s downtown arena. Tickets for all three shows are now on sale.

Lucky Strike Social’s Jupiter Hall in Guilderland is playing host to Red Sun Rising with Badflower at 8pm on Friday, February 17 ($10.30 in advance; $12 at the door), as well as the Chicago electronic music duo Louis the Child at 7pm on Sunday, March 12 ($17 in advance; $20 at the door).

Down in Woodstock, Levon Helm Studios will host a Leon Russell tribute concert on Saturday, February 11. Jay Collins – the Gregg Allman Band’s saxman – is helming the show, featuring Amy Helm, Scott Sharrard, Randy Ciarlante, Tracy Bonham, Bruce Katz, Bill Sims and other surprise guests. Tickets are $35 & $45.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Blue Collar comedy star Bill Engvall is bringing the laughs to Proctors in Schenectady. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday (December 23).

SOLD OUT: The Suitcase Junket concert on Friday, December 30 marks the grand re-opening of the newly renovated Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. So it’s no surprise that the show is now officially sold out…

The Upper Room in Albany plays host to the Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumours at 8pm on Saturday, April 8 ($15 & $35), as well as Six Strings Down featuring blues guitarslingers Mike Zito and Tommy Castro & the Painkillers at 8pm on Wednesday, April 26 ($25 & $35).

And speaking of the blues, the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock has just added Cajun blues singer-guitarist Tab Benoit and his band to the calendar for a concert at 8pm on Friday, March 10. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $20, $30 & $40.

OPENERS: We Are Scientists have been added as the opening act for Phantogram at the Upstate Concert Hall on Saturday, January 14. But, of course, that show is still completely sold out… Also at UCH, Sick Puppies and Devour the Day have been named as the support acts for Skillet at 7pm on Wednesday, February 8.