Dragonforce

Northern Lights, Friday

Have you ever seen someone play air-Guitar Hero? This might be your chance. English “Nintendo metal” band Dragonforce come to town this week on the strength of their latest disc, the aptly titled Ultra Beatdown. And the Grammy-nominated globetrotters are reaching a much larger audience than any logical person could have imagined—thanks in part to a placement in the latest installment of the ubiquitous plastic-guitar game, the shred-metal act’s record sales have gone through the roof. Seems everybody wants a piece of—please excuse us—the dorkiest band we’ve heard in years. I mean, we like dorky stuff too but this is like Dream Theater times 100. Seriously—it’s like a whole band of that Korean kid on YouTube who plays the Super Mario Bros. theme on two (Ibanez) guitars. It’s borderline comedy. Aaand . . . we’ll see you there. (May 8, PM, $23, 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)

The Musical Box

Proctors Theatre, Friday

You brought ’em back, Capital Region, and they’re coming with a double dose of PHIL! Canada’s the Musical Box are the world’s foremost Genesis re-creation—not tribute—act. So when they decided to perform the entirety of 1976’s A Trick of the Tail on tour, they were faced with a problem: Tail was the first post-Peter Gabriel Genesis album; drummer Phil Collins was now on vocals. For the 1976 tour, Yes drummer Bill Bruford was recruited to fill in when Collins stepped forward; for TMB’s production former Phil Gregg Bendian will play Bruford, while two new Phils have been added to the band—one to handle lead vocals, the other to play Collins’ part in a drum duel. The theatrics are matched with visuals licensed from the original tour. Collins fans: Sorry, no “Abacab” this time. But they might play “Supper’s Ready.” We’re stoked. (May 8, 8 PM, $42.50-$50, 432 State St., Schenectady, 346-6204)

Tulip Festival: Saturday

WASHINGTON PARK, SATURDAY

Albany is closing in on being the official destination for late-’90s alternative-rock bands. Third Eye Blind released their multi-platinum self-titled debut 12 years ago and had a string of hits that can be found on many a jukebox nationwide. Famous for catchy hooks that counter darker lyrics, Third Eye Blind are the band who had middle-schoolers singing doo-doo-doo about crystal meth. (Nice.) Their first full-length album in more than six years is due in June; first, they’ll headline the main stage at Tulip Festival on Saturday. Also performing Saturday on the main stage are New York-based art-pop band Stellastarr*,and Wild Light. Railbird, Chris Dukes, Erin Harkes, and Bourbon Renewal will be in the Lakehouse amphitheatre. (May 9, 11 AM, free, Washington Park, Albany, 434-2032)

Tulip Festival: Sunday

Washington Park, Sunday

There are just so many options: Fried dough or funnel cake; kielbasa or corndogs; a legendary jazz big band sans their clarinet-playing leader or that guy from the band who played “Send Me on My Way.” If you can handle that much tulip-dom, Sunday, the third and final day of Tulip Fest, will have no shortage of events. On the Mother’s Day Main Stage, there’s blues and jazz courtesy of the Benny Goodman Big Band, the Boogie Woogie Kid, and the Lee Russo Quartet. On the Amp Stage there’s Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, the Takeover UK, Maggie Mayday, and Kirsten Thien. (May 10, 11 AM, free, Washington Park, Albany, 434-2032)

Wildwood Flower

Wildwood Flower: Songs of the Original Carter Family

Caffe Lena, Sunday

This is some Mother’s Day programming we can get behind! Michael Eck and Tom Lindsay, collaboratively known as the Gospel Train, are presenting this special evening of old-time harmony and kickass home cooking. To mark the 100th birthday of Mother Maybelle Carter, Eck and Lindsay will form a Voltron-like folk supergroup by teaming up with singer-songwriter Ashley Pond, and Ryan Dunham and Joe Gumpper from Red Haired Strangers. Together, they’ll play music from the early period of the Carter Family legacy, such treasured standards as “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “No Depression.” So there’s your sweet harmony. As for the home cooking, there’ll be a Hattie’s-catered buffet at the venue prior to the show (costs extra, natch) so you and mom can get your fried-chicken fix. (May 10, 7 PM, $15, $7.50 under age 13, add $15 for 6 PM buffet, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, 583-0022)

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