Photo: John Whipple

IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, IT’S . . . PADDY?! Beloved local singer-songwriter Paddy Kilrain was hospitalized at Albany Medical Center on Friday night (March 31) with a broken leg and bumps and bruises after she was hit by a car and thrown as she crossed Madison Avenue between Lark and Willett streets (a block known for its dangerous intersections and speeding drivers). Kilrain was on her way to the Lark Tavern, where she was to perform as a headliner as part of the tavern’s songwriting contest. If any of you saw the windshield of the car that hit Kilrain on the news, you already know that she’s very lucky that her injuries were not much more serious. The driver, 29-year-old Matthew Atherholt, who sped from the scene, was later caught and arrested for leaving the scene of an accident and for driving under the influence. Though she’ll be laid up for a couple months, Kilrain’s spirits are high. She has said that she’ll spend her time recovering by doing what she does best: writing songs. There is a benefit already in the works to help with Kilrain’s medical and living expenses in case the insurance won’t cover everything. The benefit will be held at the Lark Tavern (453 Madison Ave., Albany) on Sunday, April 23, at 3 PM; suggested donation is $10. For more information about the benefit, or to get involved, call MotherJudge at 439-1216 or e-mail her at motherjudge@hotmail.com.

TIME TO TURN THE TV BACK ON: A new local- and regional-music television show called Groovin On debuted on March 7 on Time Warner Cable channel 18. The show, which already has featured bands like Somebody’s Closet, Oshe and Raisinhead, is produced by area promoter Billy LeRoux of Albany Stage. The next taping for Groovin On will be at the Flavour Café (228 4th St., Troy) on Saturday (April 8) at 3 PM. The show will feature area musicians Kev Brock, Maurizio, Adam Foster, Rob Guerin, and Matt Durfee; admission is free. You can catch Groovin On every Tuesday at 7 PM; this Tuesday (April 11), the featured band will be the Scarecrow Collection. For more information about Groovin On, to see performance and show schedules, or to get a sneak peak, visit www.albanystage.com.

Matt Durfee

FINGER-PICKIN’ GOOD: Singer-songwriter Matt Durfee, a young talent who’s somewhat new to the Albany music scene, won Tess’ Lark Tavern Open Mic Songwriting Contest on Saturday (April 1) after two nights of competition. His prize? A $500 demo recording. The winning song is called “A Full Head of Steam”—Durfee says that it was announced as “A Head Full of Steam,” but that he “was too nervous and anxious to correct it at the time.” “A Full Head of Steam” was written as a motivational tool, Durfee explains. “The verses are sort of my pep talk to myself: ‘You’ll need to believe in something bigger than yourself’, etc., while the choruses have darker lyrics which represent how doubt can sneak in on you: ‘I’ve come from the farthest reaches of your darkest dreams.’ ” Durfee says that he feels great about winning the contest. “There were a lot of great songs entered into it and a few that I’m surprised to have beaten out. It’s a good little self-esteem booster.” Other winners of the contest were Steve Candlen (second place) and Charmboy (third). They both received gift certificates to Guitar Center. The next Lark Tavern songwriting contest is slated for November, so potential competitors, get cracking! For more information, e-mail Lark Tavern open mic hostess MotherJudge at motherjudge@hot mail.com. For more information about Matt Durfee, or to listen to his songs (including the winner, and also my personal favorite, “Meet You There”), visit www.myspace.com/ mattdurfee.

LEAVING THE PORCH: The Kamikaze Hearts are about to embark on a 10-day Midwest/Southern U.S. tour, but not before they play a cluster of area dates, including their appearance tonight (Thursday, April 7) at the Washington Avenue Armory (corner of Washington Avenue and Lark Street, Albany) with Donna the Buffalo and Raisinhead. According to the Hearts’ press, the venues where they will play their upcoming shows “run the gamut from do-it-yourself art spaces to giant gym-sized rooms, from headlining shows in Chicago, to opening slots for Mark Mulcahy at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA.” During their tour, the Hearts will preview material from their upcoming album, Oneida Road, which will be released nationally this fall on Collar City Records. For a preview of Oneida Road, Hearts fans can visit Internet radio WOXY at www.woxy.com, which will be “spinning songs from it in lieu of an in-studio performance by the band” on May 1. For tour dates, or to find out more about the Hearts, visit www.kamikazehearts.com or www.myspace .com/kamikaze hearts.

—Kathryn Lurie