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Don
Caballero
Valentine’s,
Thursday
Let’s get our terms straight now. “Don” is an honorific Spanish
title akin to sir. “Caballero” is the Spanish word for knight.
Don Caballero, on the other hand, are an acclaimed instrumental
rock band from Pittsburgh, and a Punkgasm, the title
of their latest album, is what happens when the band and their
fans love each other enough to gather in a small dark room
and engage in musical union. When local stoner-rockers Ironweed
and no-wavers Severe Severe enter into such a gathering, it’s
called a “Punkorgy.” (Dec. 11, 8 PM, $8, 17 New Scotland
Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
The
Shirelles
Clark
Art Institute, Friday
As of the past decade or so, when most people hear the term
“girl group,” a variety of spices come to mind: baby, sporty,
posh, ginger, and scary. Fifty years ago, though, the term
referred to a very different type of music. Along with the
Chantels, the Shirelles pioneered the classic girl-group sound
by mixing doo-wop harmonies with pop and R&B. The Shirelles
have the sole distinction, though, of being the first group
of their kind to become popular with both a white and European
audience. This one’s sold out, but if you’ve already got a
ticket, you can come catch a piece of history at their special
holiday show. (Dec. 12, 8 PM, sold out, 225 South St.,
Williamstown, Mass., 413-458-2303)
Donna
the Buffalo
Revolution
Hall, Friday
We haven’t brought your attention to a Donna the Buffalo show
in some time, perhaps because they seemed all to frequent
for some time. But that’s not exactly true—it’s been quite
a while since the herd rolled into town. So let us remind
you why you love Donna the Buffalo: They are among the foremost
purveyors of a wide-ranging grassroots sound that incorporates
elements of jam-rock, country, zydeco, folk, and about everything
else they can fit under their roof. They do all of it very,
very well. And they have a fine new release called Silverlined
out, from which they’ll draw for this week’s show. Remind
yourself why you love Donna the Buffalo when they drop into
Rev Hall on Friday. (Dec. 12, 8 PM, $20, 425 River St.,
Troy, 274-0553)
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| Elliott
Murphy |
Elliott
Murphy
Valentine’s,
Saturday
We pointed out recently that Valentine’s is the place to go
to catch intimate performances by minor legends, and sure
enough, here comes another one. Folk-rock singer-songwriter,
short-story author, would-be actor—all of these terms describe
Elliott Murphy. The Paris-based American has enjoyed a career
spanning four decades, with 30 albums to his credit, from
his debut Aquashow, which Uncut magazine recently dubbed
an “Album Classic,” through his latest, Notes From the
Underground. And he’s more than just a minor legend in
Europe, where folks like Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel
have relied on his stature to help sell concert tickets. (OK,
not really, but they’ve performed with him.) This is Murphy’s
first U.S. tour in eight years. He’ll be joined this week
by Jann Klose and the Gutter Saints. (Dec. 13, 8 PM, $10,
17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
Spyro
Gyra
Troy
Savings Bank Music Hall , Sunday
For an act who have lived on the fringe of jazz for as long
as they have, Spyro Gyra have made quite a good run of things.
But after pushing boundaries for 30 years, the band got reflective
on their latest release, A Night Before Christmas,
on which the quintet apply their familiar sound to a bunch
of seasonal classics. Of course they don’t play it straight—for
instance, “O Tannenbaum” is given a jam treatment—but for
the most part these are the songs you know and love. It sounds
like a cash-in, and in a way it is: The band was rewarded
last week with a Grammy nomination in the Best Pop Instrumental
Album category, where they’ll face off against a holiday release
from Bela Fleck. The band will bring the holiday to life this
Sunday. (Dec. 14, 7 PM, $15-$32, 2nd and State streets,
Troy, 273-0038)
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| Also
Noted |
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| Trophy
Scars |
The
raindrops, they keep falling: Tonight’s concert
by B.J. Thomas at Vapor Nightclub is sold
out (7 PM, 584-2110). . . . The first syllable
in “Christmas” is “X”—celebrate the spirit of
Xmas tonight at the Times Union Center with happily
married country folks Vince Gill and Amy
Grant (7:30 PM, $31-$65, 800-30-EVENT). .
. . Or, you can catch a more irreverent take on
the holidays tomorrow (Friday) night when Aimee
Mann brings her third annual Christmas tour
to Smith College in Northampton, Mass.; this year’s
guests include Nellie McKay, Grant-Lee
Phillips and comedian Morgan Murphy
(8 PM, $32, 413-584-2700). . . . Dar Williams
returns to the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock—where
she filmed a live DVD last year—on Saturday, with
guest Jennifer O’Connor, whose Here
With Me disc was one of the year’s most pleasant
surprises (8 PM, $25-$35, 845-679-4406). . . .
Celebrate “A Saratoga Christmas” with the McKrells
at the Spa Little Theater on Saturday (7:30 PM,
$15, 587-4427). . . . Live music returns to the
Shelter Skate Park in Albany on Saturday after
a lengthy hiatus, with New Jersey band Trophy
Scars, Connecticut’s Jacobi Wichita,
and local acts Vessels, Caleb Lionheart,
and Crunk Masters of the Universe (7 PM,
$13, 438-2228). . . . At Wallabee’s in Glens Falls
on Saturday, it’s a benefit for the Open Door
Mission; Cory Avon, Mark Elmendorf,
Saint Ukraine and the Woodshed Boys
will perform, and all proceeds—money and food—benefit
the mission (9 PM, $3 or two food items, 792-8282).
. . . It’s like 2002 all over again: Knotworking
and the Sifters play Saturday at the Ale
House in Troy; Sumac is also on the bill
(9 PM, $5, 272-9740). . . . That’s not the reaper—it’s
Santa Claus! Blue Öyster Cult are back
this Saturday at Northern Lights (7 PM, $20, 371-0012).
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