Metroland Online - Noteworthy

The name Greg Laswell might not ring a bell for just anyone in our readership; though he’s got three albums to his name, he hasn’t really scored what one would call a hit. But if you typically keep your ears open during your favorite prime-time drama, you’ve probably heard his music. The San Diego-based Laswell is part of a new breed of artist who seems to make a living entirely off synchronization rights—his music has appeared in shows on every TV network imaginable. He’s currently touring with fellow San Diegan, disc-jockey-turned-singer-songwriter Anya Marina in the opening slot, and co-headliner Jay Nash, an L.A. folk-rocker whose coffee-shop soul should sound translate well to the rock-club stage at Red Square. (March 5, 8 PM, $10, 388 Broadway, Albany, 465-0444)

Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets

Revolution Hall, Friday

We have to hand it to Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets; they’ve stood the test of time. Tomorrow (Friday) in Troy, the Capital Region institution will celebrate their 20th anniversary in the jam-band biz. That’s a feat in itself, and shows a level of stick-to-itiveness uncommon for folks that enjoy the kind of, um, recreational activities that these guys do. (They once played for the High Times Cannabis Cup. In Amsterdam. Holland.) But before we bend over congratulating them for being an exceptionally motivated bunch, we should point out that press materials trace the beginning of the band’s “journey” to 1986—which would make 2009 their 23rd year. Better late than never! (March 6, 8 PM, $10, 425 River St., Troy, 274-0553)

Bob Gibson Legacy Project

Caffe Lena, Friday

There are two legendary Bob Gibsons associated with the 1950s and ’60s. One was a Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. The other was one of the leaders in the great folk music revival; his songs were recorded by Simon and Garfunkel, the Byrds and the Smothers Brothers. Since this is a show at Saratoga’s legendary folk club, you’ve already guessed we’re referring to the latter Gibson, who was a self-styled “traveling troubadour” with a distinctive tenor voice and solid musical chops. Gibson passed a dozen years ago, and his daughter Meridian Green, performing with the Fare-Thee-Wells (Rick Grumbecker, John Heller), has put together this musical journey “through the heart of American folk music.” There will be “stories, medleys and sing-alongs.” Six- and 12-string instruments will be played. There will be banjo. (March 6, 8 PM, $15, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, 583-0022)

Shinedown

Northern Lights, Friday

Most bands learn early in their careers how to deal with unruly fans who yell for Lynyrd Skynyrd covers: Ignore them. Hard-rockers Shinedown went a different route. Before touring with Van Halen and Rob Zombie, placing songs in the opening credits of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge, the Terminator TV series, and three separate WWE events, as well as having American Idol contestants perform their material, the band went all in with a cover of Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.” That’s what we in the biz call “halfway-to-Freebird ballsy.” The moral of this story: Be careful what you scream for tomorrow (Friday) night; irony is dead. (March 6, 8 PM, $20, 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)

The Books

Mass MoCA, Saturday

Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong, together known as the Books, are renowned for their mix of the tangible and the ethereal: Live acoustic instrumentation is paired with found sounds, samples of stuff like field recordings and radio broadcasts. Scores of acts have attempted mixing foreign elements in such a manner, but the Books arguably do it better than anyone. Books performances are, however, not a common occurrence. But this week Zammuto and de Jong, who both live in North Adams, are in residence at Mass MoCA as they develop new material, and on Saturday they’ll debut some of their new work at an ever-so-rare live show. (March 7, 8 PM, $22, $15 students, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, Mass., 413-662-2111)

Also Noted

That 1 Guy

Tonight (Thursday), NYC-based musical ensemble Asefa bring their blend of regional Jewish musics to the Crandall Public Library for a free concert (7 PM, free, 792-6508). . . . Doug Hen derson, Seth Cluett and Natasha Barrett will do their best to approximate the sound of a glacier—or something like that—at a program called Zeroth Channel II tomorrow (Friday) at EMPAC (8 PM, $15, 276-4135). . . . Jazz chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux is back at the Egg on Friday (473-1845). . . . At the Helm: Ollabelle returns to Club Helsinki in Great Barrington, Mass. on Saturday (9 PM, $25, 413-528-3394). . . . Veteran singer-songwriter Jeannie Gagne performs at Albany’s First Unitarian Universalist Society on Saturday (7:30 PM, $10, 463-7135). . . . Troubadour Vance Gilbert brings his unique twists on the writing styles of Van Morrison and Prince (from his latest album Up on Rockfield) to the Helping Hands concert at the Scoharie Presbyterian Church on Saturday (8 PM, $10, 827-4593). . . . Break out the green beer, because the Celtic rock of Enter the Haggis will be at Revolution Hall on Saturday; they’ll be joined by local lights Railbird (8 PM, $18, 274-0553). . . . The Swingtime Jazz Society presents the Jazz Factor at the Stockade Inn on Sunday (4 PM, $15, 346-3400). . . . Sunday at Valentine’s it’s a ska-punk bash with our favorite band name of the week, Taj Motel Trio; Smittix, No, and our other favorite band name—Robocock—are also on the bill (7:30 PM, call for price, 432-6572). . . . One-man band of the explanatory moniker, That 1 Guy is at Red Square on Wednesday (8 PM, $12, 465-0444).

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