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| Kelly
Clarkson |
Reba
McEntire, Kelly Clarkson
Times
Union Center, Thursday
This show might appear to carry less oomph than when it was
originally advertised, due in large part to what seemed like
a cold reception to Clarkson’s latest LP (2007’s My December).
But believe it or not, despite all the controversy surrounding
the album at the time of its release (the label wanted something
more commercial, yadda yadda), Clarkson came out on top: She
proved her commitment to being a career artist, hits be damned,
and she remains a big concert draw. And although the parallels
end there, Clarkson could certainly glean some career pointers
from Reba McEntire, the 7th-biggest-selling female artist
of all time. Now that her TV show’s off the air, the so-called
“Queen of Country” has returned to touring, and she’ll share
the stage with Clarkson tonight (Thursday) in Albany. (Nov.
6, 7:30 PM, $49.50-$59.50, 51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 800-30-EVENT)
Conor
Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Academy
of Music Theater, Thursday
We’re not sure which is more startling here: the fact that
Conor Oberst has parted ways (for the moment) with Bright
Eyes, the band with whom Oberst is virtually synonymous, or
the fact that he spent a month with his new band in Tepoztlán,
Mexico, recording a self-titled album. Either way, Oberst
just gets better with age. This time he’s scrapped the affected
emo thing for true-blue (occasionally) honky-tonking Americana.
For this you can be glad. Be also glad that Oberst is bringing
his band a stone’s throw from home. If you’re the giddy type,
then bring a moist towelette, because Ben Kweller opens. (Nov.
6, 7:30 PM, $28, 274 Main St., Northampton, Mass., 413-320-9132)
Maple
Mars
Savannah’s,
Friday
There was a time when great psychedelic bands, as a matter
of course, named themselves after one fairly mundane household
object and a flavor. While the planet Mars is hardly mundane
or household, L.A. psych-pop band Maple Mars definitely picked
up what the Strawberry Alarm Clock were throwing down. Lots
of musicians have scored commercials and TV shows to make
ends meet, but few bands can boast a songwriter, like this
one can, who penned tunes for both Sweet Valley High
and The Power Rangers. Albany’s croony power-poppers
the Crayons—not to be confused with the Red Krayola—are also
on the bill. (Nov. 7, 10 PM, $5, 1 S. Pearl St., Albany,
426-9647)
Chad
and Jeremy
Colonial
Theatre, Saturday
If you could play a guitar, were halfway good-looking and—most
importantly—you were British, you had a good shot at
pop stardom for a couple of years in the mid-’60s. Chad and
Jeremy fit all the aforementioned requirements, plus they
could sing—very well. As a result, they had a number of folk-rock
hits, including “A Summer Song,” a cover of “Willow Weep for
Me” and “Yesterday’s Gone,” and made amusing appearances on
American TV shows of the day: On The Patty Duke Show,
they charmed both Patty Dukes, and on Batman, Julie
Newmar’s amazonian Catwoman had ill designs on them. (Lucky
them.) The duo, coming to Pittsfield this weekend, have been
working steadily for the last few years, playing their hits
(and near misses), and charming audiences with stories and
witty banter. It’s a nostalgia trip well worth taking. (Nov.
8, 8 PM, $22-$40, 111 South St., Pittsfield, Mass, 413-997-4444)
DJ
Acucrack, Acumen Nation, Cyanotic
Red
Square, Monday
Old-school industrial-music fans from the QE2 might recall
the glory days of Acumen Nation. Acumen and local industrialites
the Clay People were at the forefront of the coldwave movement
that saw distorted, beat-heavy tracks covered with metal guitars.
Appropriately this night at Red Square is being billed as
“QE2 resurrection.” Since the old days of industrial, Acumen
Nation’s techno project DJ Acurack have in some ways eclipsed
the bands work with their more guitar-centric project, as
Acucrack album Sorted saw the group flirting with mainstream
success; as headliners, Acucrack should have you shaking your
ass after the noise-heads get their fix from Acumen Nation
and Cyanotic. (Nov. 10, 8 PM, call for prices, 388 Broadway,
Albany, 465-0444)
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| Also
Noted |
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|
Carolina
Liar |
We
really can’t stress it enough: Feedback,
Metroland’s Local Music Bash and Food Pantries
Benefit, happens tomorrow (Friday) at Valentine’s;
for more, check out this week’s Night & Day
page. . . . You could probably even catch the
second half of our show after seeing local light
(and Feedback alum) Sarah Pedinotti front Railbird
at the Egg on Friday; they’ll split the bill with
legendary songwriter Phil Roy (8 PM, $25,
473-1845). . . . Vermont-based folksters the Wood’s
Tea Company celebrate the addition of new
member Patti Casey this Friday at Caffe Lena (8
PM, $15, 583-0022). . . . Jazz chanteuse Karrin
Allyson closes out this season’s A Place For
Jazz series at the Whisperdome in Schenectady
on Friday; her latest CD is a collection of Brasilian
music (8 PM, $15, 393-4011). . . . Jam out with
U-Melt and the Brew this Saturday
night at Revolution Hall (8:30 PM, $16, 274-0553).
. . . Emo? Power-pop? Alternative? Bands like
The Academy Is, We the Kings and
Carolina Liar are blurring the lines, and
they’ll share a bill this Tuesday at Northern
Lights (7 PM, $22, 371-0012).
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