Terry Adams Rock & Roll Quartet

WAMC Performing Arts Studio, Friday

Terry Adams founded acclaim ed rock-pop-jazz quartet NRBQ in 1967, and the band have been purveying their omnipop sound ever since. Adams’ keyboard chops span from rockabilly to Thelonius Monk and everything in between. NRBQ even were the unofficial house band for The Simpsons during seasons 10 through 12—an animated version thereof, anyway. Adams recently launched a solo career, and he hits the road this month with an altogether different quartet to promote his new CD, Rhythm Spell. Joining Adams on tour are Chicago-based guitarist Scott Ligon, Figgs bassist Pete Donnelly, and Austin all-star Conrad Choucroun on drums. Should be a damn good time. (Nov. 2, 8 PM, $23, 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233 ext. 4)

Brown Bird

Brown Bird

Red Square, Saturday

New England-based Americana act Brown Bird quietly released their first full-length album, Such Unrest, this year, and now they’re quietly making their way across the land on tour. The repetition of a certain adverb in that first sentence is not without merit—Brown Bird practice in the same kind of thumb-strummed bedroom folk as genre heroes Iron and Wine; although they share a good amount of instrumental talent among them, they claim to work at “adding only what is needed in any given song.” Joining the trio on this Saturday’s stop—it’s an early show, by the way—will be Michigan-based performer Annie Palmer and Albany’s own Ashley Pond. (Nov. 3, 6 PM, $5, 388 Broadway, Albany, 465-0444)

Tour Couture

Washington Avenue Armory, Saturday

We were a little confused by one description of this Saturday’s debut of Tour Couture, included in the press release for same event, which called the event “a celebrity music concert mixed with an approachable fashion element.” It’s the word “approachable” that gets us—is that to say that nobody will be wearing six-inch metal spikes on their designer suits? Because that would be hard to approach, if you know what we’re saying. Hammy jokes aside, the event looks to be a good one, with scheduled musical acts including hip-hop hitmaker Juelz Santana, rap-rock band Game Rebellion, reggaeton star Tony Dize, former Digable Planets rapper Doodlebug and the Cosmic Funk All-Stars, plus the winner of a student battle of the bands contest, sponsored by Co-Ed Lounge. And the fashion element, which by all appearances will be very much approachable, is represented by show sponsors Lot29 and Gino Green Global. (Nov. 3, 6 PM, $35, $25 with college ID, 195 Washington Ave., Albany, 694-7160)

Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists

The Egg, Saturday

King Crimson’s Robert Fripp has assembled guitarists from around the world and schooled them in the ancient art of “Guitar Craft.” Together they form the League of Crafty Guitarists, and with their special talents they combine to thwart evildoers and right injustices around the globe. OK, they don’t. They can do some pretty amazing things with acoustic guitars, though. Fripp began teaching his Guitar Craft course for the American Society for Continuous Education in 1985, and the League followed one year later as the class’ performance wing. Representatives from Japan, Italy, Mexico, North and South America, Spain and Great Britain join Fripp in the ensemble and add their own improvisations to the group’s diverse repertoire. Former members from the LCG went on to form the California Guitar Trio and Gitbox Rebellion. Check out the latest roster at the Egg this Saturday. (Nov. 3, 8 PM, $27, Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845)

Thursday

Revolution Hall, Saturday

Thursday are the emo band who never were. Originally critically praised as “worthwhile emo,” the band lost their critical-darling status the moment they tried to switch up their formula. And suddenly the same publications that were heralding the band were bashing them as formulaic emo tripe. Of course, if you ask Thursday, they will tell you they are “post-hardcore” and might inquire, “What is this emo you speak of?” And they deserve to ignore such labels, as they’ve been heralded over and over as one of the best live acts playing today. So if you’re looking for a good show, labels be damned, you might want to head to Revolution Hall this Saturday. Also on the bill are critical darlings Portugal. The Man and Circle Takes the Square. (Nov.3, 8 PM, $10, 425 River St., Troy, 274-0553)

East Hundred

Valentine’s, Sunday

Female-fronted guitar-based alt-pop bands find themselves with a tough row to hoe in 2007. Gone are the gravy days when a group like Garbage could turn a million discs and PJ Harvey could score a radio hit (btw, has anybody even heard White Chalk?). The best the genre has to offer today is Rilo Kiley, and we’re not sure anybody actually likes them anymore. We’ll give Philadelphia’s East Hundred a handicap in the rat race for their Copper Street Performer EP, on which the five-piece band run plays from the early Radiohead playbook while singer Beryl Guceri makes pretty over the top of it. They’ll roll through town this Sunday, on a bill that also includes Beware! The Other Head of Science, Astronauts, and Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned. (Nov. 4, 7 PM, $5, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)

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