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Ted
Leo and the Pharmacists, Georgie James
Revolution
Hall, Thursday
In the closing moments of “Sons of Cain,” the first song on
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists’ fifth album Living with the
Living, Leo expels a series of hair-raising, throat-thrashing
screams, summing up the album’s main gist in just 20 seconds:
Ted Leo is pissed. Living is a more overtly political
album than Pharmacists records past, and rightly so—one of
our time’s most economical lyricists, Leo has the goods to
voice dissent without coming off the least bit trite. Musically,
the album is a logical step forward after 2004’s lean, mean
Shake the Sheets; and Leo and his impressive rhythm
section sound more than ever like a time capsule straight
outta 1977. See Leo bare his punk-rock soul tonight at Revolution
Hall along with the garage-y Georgie James, featuring ex-Q
and Not U drummer John Davis. (Oct. 4, 8 PM, $15, 425 River
St., Troy, 274-0553)
Mariza
Proctor’s
Theatre, Friday
In a recent poll in Portugal, fado singer Mariza came in at
No. 61 in the top 100 Portuguese of all time. Considering
that Portugal has been around for quite a while, this is no
mean feat. The 34-year-old sings this traditional style of
music with just a trace of her background in gospel and jazz
showing; most of the similarities reside in the passion of
her performances. Born in the former Portuguese colony Mozambique
(where her African mother met her European father), she was
raised in “one of the most traditional quarters” of Lisbon,
where she learned the songs and dramatic technique of fado
singing. After her 2001 debut, Mariza’s fame spread quickly.
In no time she was singing a duet with Sting at the 2004 Olympics
and being featured at Live 8. And now, after conquering the
world, Mariza comes to Schenectady. (Oct. 5, 8 PM, $20-$35,
432 State St., Schenectady, 346-6204)
Sontiago
Tess’
Lark Tavern, Friday
Hip-hop! From Portland, Maine of all places! One of Urb
magazine’s Next 100 up-and-coming artists of 2007, Sontiago
is an eclectic poet-singer-MC and songwriter with a diversity
of influences from hip-hop to jazz to indie rock. In addition
to her musical accomplishments, Sontiago has a luminous resume
of volunteer work and awards, and is widely active in a variety
of youth programs aimed at introducing young men and women
to hip-hop music. She’s hugely popular in her native city—a
CD-release party for 2004’s Abuse my Adoration sold
out, leaving a crowd of fans to listen on the sidewalk—and
her upcoming album, Steel Yourself, due in November,
deals with some heavy issues, from Hurricane Katrina to domestic
violence. Sontiago performs at Tess’ Lark Tavern Friday night,
joined by collaborator and friend Dilly Dilly, plus a host
of local hip-hop talent. (Oct. 5, 10 PM, $5, 453 Madison
Ave., Albany, 463-9779)
Bob
Dylan, Elvis Costello
Times
Union Center, Saturday
Q: What can we say about Bob Dylan that hasn’t already been
said? A: Nothing, really. We can say that we’re still astounded
by the legions of new fans this living legend picks up year
after year. There is no stereotypical age or type for a Dylan
fan; his appeal is as broad-ranging as his catalog. That catalog,
by the way, has been given the full-on greatest-hits treatment
for a new collection called Dylan, which is available
in one- and three-CD versions, and is the first such collection
to span the man’s entire 40-odd-year career. So bone up and
get ready for some “Sylvio.” We’re also excited to see another
living legend, Elvis Costello, warm up with a solo set that
should draw from his own extensive catalog, one that’s even
broader-ranging than Dylan’s. (To wit: Dylan never cut a record
with Burt Bacharach.) Amos Lee opens. (Oct. 6, 7 PM, $39.50-$69.50,
51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 800-30-EVENT)
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| Foo
Fighters |
Foo
Fighters
Glens
Falls Civic Center, Tuesday
We
love Dave Grohl, but we’re not so sure about the title of
his band’s latest album: Echoes, Silence, Patience &
Grace. For a band that traffics in the loud-soft-loud
dynamics of alternative rock, the title’s a bit misleading—where’s
the thunder, the bombast? That said, this latest album is
a solid addition to the Foo Fighters catalog, easily (and
by-design) more concise and focused than the 2005 double-disc
In Your Honor. The Foos, a reliably powerful live act,
just celebrated their 10th anniversary, marked by a deluxe
reissue of their 1997 disc The Colour and the Shape;
now, if they’d only give the same treatment to the far-superior
self-titled disc . . . (Oct. 9, 7:30 PM, $38.50, 1 Civic
Center Plaza, Glens Falls, 798-0202)
Kasey
Anderson
Valentine’s,
Tuesday
The Valentine’s Web site calls Washington-based singer and
alt-country standout Kasey Anderson “part Tom Waits/part dirt
floor in a cabin. Good shit you should hear.” We might try
to pare that down, but why mess with Anderson’s flavor? Anderson’s
third full-length release, The Reckoning, is described
as unflinchingly personal and unapologetically political,
with characters that resonate the hope, rage and fear across
the invisible lines created by culture and geography. It is,
in a word, Americana: a blend of solidly arranged folk-based
melodies and driven lyrics which a San Francisco Examiner
critic described as the melancholy sound of gravel roads and
broken-down love.” Anderson’s storytelling ability and strut
may be reminiscent of a Whiskeytown-era Adams in, but you
really shouldn’t hold that against him. (Oct. 9, 8 PM,
$5, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
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| Also
Noted |
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| Avett
Brothers |
Tonight
(Thursday), Patty Larkin returns to the
Caffe Lena stage (7 PM, $25, 583-0022). . . .
Also tonight, Oregon-based folksters Horse
Feathers return for an intimate show at Amrose
Sable Gallery; Seattle’s Johanna Kunin
and Albany’s own Swamp Baby open (7 PM,
$5 donation, amrosesablegallery.com). . . . Newgrass
poster boys the Avett Brothers headline
Revolution Hall this Friday; local faves Ramblin
Jug Stompers and Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo
Banned open (8 PM, $15, 274-0553). . . . For
the children: Family faves the Laurie Berkner
Band are at the Palace Theatre Saturday morning
(11 AM, $25-$35, 465-3334). . . . You say jump,
we say: Mighty High is the new dub album
from Gov’t Mule; the band plays Proctor’s
this Sunday night, with Grace Potter and the
Nocturnals opening (7 PM, $28-$29, 346-6204).
. . . Prepare to have your ass torn out . . .
by metal! The always guttural Cannibal
Corpse headline a bill that includes Massachusetts-based
deathcore act the Red Chord at Northern
Lights on Sunday (7 PM, $23, 371-0012). . . .
Tom Brosseau, whose John Parish-produced
Cavalier comes out next month, plays Valentine’s
this Monday, with area singer-songwriter (and
part-time Grainbelter) Chris Blackwell
opening (9 PM, $5, 432-6572). . . . We’ve already
reserved our hotel room: Clive Davis’ best buddy
Kelly Clarkson comes to the Event Center
at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona on
Wednesday (8 PM, $75, 877-833-SHOW). . . . In
the other direction, indie-mope-rock critical
darlings the National play Pearl Street
in Northampton, Mass. on Wednesday night (8:30
PM, $18, 413-584-7771).
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