Metroland Online - Noteworthy

One-minute songs. Through- the-ceiling BPM counts. Pure, unfiltered aggression. These are the things we love to love about old-school hardcore, and consequently the things we love to love about hard-to-the-core Los Angeles band Internal Affairs. The band carry on the spirit of head-crushers like Madball and Youth of Today—if you ever spent your hard-earned dollars at a QE2 hardcore matinee show back in the 1990s, you’ll go batshit for this. And they have a sense of humor, too: Just check out the ad for tonight’s (Thursday) show at their MySpace page (myspace.com/internalxaffairs). This is the band’s final tour, so get it while it’s hot. (Jan. 29, 8 PM, $10, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)

Who’s Bad

Revolution Hall, Friday

“Your butt is wide, well mine is too/Just watch your mouth or I’ll sit on you/The word is out, better treat me right/’Cause I’m the king of cellulite/Ham on, ham on/Ham on whole wheat, all right/My zippers bust, my buckles break/I’m too much man for you to take/The pavement cracks when I fall down/I’ve got more chins than Chinatown/I’ve never used a phone booth/And I’ve never seen my toes/When I’m going to the movies/I take up seven rows/Because I’m fat, I’m fat/You know it/Don’t you call me pudgy, portly or stout/Just now tell me once again who’s fat.” Who’s Bad, a live tribute to the man who sorta-kinda inspired those heart-rendering lyrics—namely, Michael Bubbles Elephant Man Neverland One-Glove Jackson—will moonwalk onto the Revolution Hall stage tomorrow (Friday) night. (Jan. 30, 8 PM, $16, 425 River St., Troy, 274-0553)

Ernie Williams Birthday Party

The Linda, Saturday

For those of you who have been around anywhere near as long as local blues viceroy Ernie Williams, then the guitarist’s biography is common knowledge. For those of you who don’t know, the man’s done all but sell his soul to the devil to live the dream. His is the real deal, tobacco-picking, bus-hopping, nickel-and-dime-scrounging, low-down, working man’s blues. After eight decades of doing his thing, he and his wife Kathy have stopped counting the years, so we’re not going to tell you how old Ernie’s going to be Saturday night; just remember that blues can only get better the older it grows. (Jan. 31, 8 PM, $18, 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233 ext. 4)

Empire State Troopers, Circle of Buzzards, the Mitchells

Valentine’s, Sunday

While everyone else is home watching the Cardinals spank the Steelers (it could happen!), the metal faithful among you should be here. We’ve sung the praises of the Empire State Troopers before, but let’s do it again: With a sound that’s something like Grace Slick fronting the Melvins, the Troopers are one of our favorite regional rock acts. They’re about to drop a new full-length album, produced by Jason Loewenstein (Sebadoh, Fiery Furnaces); conveniently, Loewenstein himself will be on hand for Sunday’s show as part of bass-and-drums duo Circle of Buzzards. Northampton, Mass.-based indie-rockers the Mitchells are also on the bill. (Feb. 1, 7 PM, $6, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)

Tom Rush

Eighth Step at Proctor’s, Sunday

For lovers of heart-on-your-sleeve ballads and the gritty passion of folk, you have Tom Rush to thank. Rush, credited by Rolling Stone with ushering in the singer-songwriter era, has influenced artists from James Taylor to Garth Brooks and introduced the world to a number of folk artists through his music. Throughout his 40-plus-year career, he has amassed quite the catalog of folk-blues originals, as well as covering some classic tunes like Jackson Browne’s “These Days.” A true storyteller in classic folk fashion, Rush is known for live performances full of humor, passion, and emotion. Attendees most likely will be able to hear songs from What I Know, Rush’s first studio album in more than 30 years. (Feb. 1, 7:30 PM, $28, 432 State St., Schenectady, 346-6204)

Also Noted

Gay Blades

Hotshot piano virtuoso William Joseph brings his mixed bag of classical chops and rock & roll attitude to the Egg tomorrow (Friday, 8 PM, $24, 473-1845). . . . Savoy Brown man Kim Simmonds goes it alone at Caffe Lena Friday night (8 PM, $18, 583-0022). . . . At Valentine’s on Friday, spaztastic New York band Kiss Kiss and their fellow New Yorkers, pop-rocktastic duo the Gay Blades, bring the good times to Valentine’s (8 PM, $10, 432-6572). . . . Tess’ Lark Tavern offers two girltastic evenings of rock this weekend: Friday, Sirsy and special guests Skidmore take the state (10 PM, $5, 463-9779); Saturday, it’s Railbird and Maggie Mayday (10 PM, $5, 463-9779). . . . Saturday’s show at the Eighth Step, featuring Lou and Peter Berryman and Mustard’s Retreat, has been postponed; stay tuned for a rescheduled date (434-1703). . . . Get your weekly dose of old-time bluegrass at Old Songs in Voorheesville on Saturday, when Kentucky fiddler and banjo ace Jimmy McCown joins forces with local act Red Hen (8 PM, $15, 765-2815). . . . Lights, camera, giant inflatable pig: The Pink Floyd Experience will bring weird things to life at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, Mass. this Tuesday (8 PM, $25-$35, 413-586-8686).

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