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The
Original Wailers, Bearin’ Peace
Alive
at Five, Thursday
You’re down with Jah, right? You know, Jah Rastafari, ever-living,
ever-fearful, conquering lion of the tribe of Judah? If so,
it’s probably on account of Robert Nesta Marley, the face
and voice synonymous with Rastafari and its musical embodiment,
roots reggae. Twenty-eight years after the singer’s death,
his band the Original Wailers still tour like it’s 1978. Fronted
by guitarists Junior Marvin and Al Anderson, the Wailers play
all the hits as best they can, minus their most recognizable
member (and core rhythm section). Reggae Night is rounded
out by New Jersey reggae/rock outfit Bearin’ Peace. To be
sure, there’ll be a “natural mystic” floating through the
river air at this one. (Aug. 13, 5 PM, free, Albany Riverfront
Park, Corning Preserve, Albany, 434-2032)
Zach
Deputy
Red
Square, Thursday
Oh, these kids and their loop pedals. First there was Keller
Williams, then Andrew Bird, Kaki King and a host of other
rugged individualists who decided to trade in the concept
of a backing band for a Loop Station and self-accompaniment.
And now there’s Zach Deputy. The South Carolina native with
the four-octave voice spins sunny acoustic beach tunes into
groovy little numbers with vocal beats, steel-drum guitar
effects, and enough cloned copies of himself to launch a campaign
for world domination. However, given his smiley demeanor,
and songs about peace and stuff, we shouldn’t have reason
to worry. Deputy makes for one likable army. (Aug. 13,
8 PM, $10, 388 Broadway, Albany, 465-0444)
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| Phish |
Phish
Saratoga
Performing Arts Center, Sunday
The sweet smell of grilled cheese and kindbud will waft over
the hills and into downtown Saratoga Springs on Sunday as
the godfathers of the modern jam-band scene return to their
rightful place onstage. And what a revelation the Phish reunion
has been: In a season where vaunted touring acts like Paul
McCartney and U2 are reportedly papering stadiums (handing
out free or discount tickets to create the appearance of better
sales), Phish have been scoring sellout after easy sellout,
with fans traveling for thousands of miles to get an earful
of their beloved four-headed hippy Ganesh. Just like old times!
Bow down and kiss the ring, concert industry; Phish own you.
(Aug. 16, 7:30 PM, sold out, Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga
Springs, 587-3330)
Howlies
Valentine’s,
Tuesday
Now, there are bands who sing about beating a former lover’s
boyfriend with an aluminum baseball bat, and there are bands
who sing about beating a former lover’s boyfriend with an
aluminum baseball bat—in the style of ’60s doo-wop. Somehow,
all those four-part harmonies make the proposition almost
charming, and charm is precisely what the Howlies deal in.
The lighthearted Atlanta quartet’s debut album Trippin’
With Howlies is a somewhat irreverent journey through
50 years’ worth of rock, during which no band is given preferential
treatment, especially their own. But a joke band they are
not. Howlies rock, but when they trip, it’s as much on a grain
of salt as it is on their egos. (Aug. 18, 8 PM, $5, 17
New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
American
Idols Live
Times
Union Center, Wednesday
To answer your one and only question: Yes, Adam Lambert will
be there. Bound to go down in American Idol
history as one of the show’s best-loved performers, the sometimes
over-the-top but inarguably talented “Glambert” has proven
to be a potentially massive pop-culture force. To wit: His
version of Gary Jules’ version of Tears For Fears’ “Mad World”
(a cover of a cover!) was such a smash that the’82 original
is getting airplay on metropolitan commercial radio. (No such
luck for Jules, sadly.) Lambert is so popular that, in shades
of Clay Aiken, he’s overshadowed the guy who actually won
the competition. That would be Kris Allen, who likely will
recycle his own recycling (he covered the Fray’s cover of
Kanye’s “Heartless”) when he and Lambert and the rest of the
Top 10 Idol finalists bring their song-and-screech
revue to town this week. (Aug. 19, 7 PM, $40.50-$69.50,
51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 800-30-EVENT)
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| Also
Noted |
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| Decemberists |
Two
strong triple bills on opposite sides of the Hudson
tonight (Thursday): At the Compound (the Troy
Bike Rescue space) it’s the “Russian psychedelic
hardcore” of San Francisco’s Di Di Mao,
plus locals the Killerados and My Survival
Kit (8 PM, $3, myspace.com/513rdstreet); and
at Valentine’s, it’s Massachusetts-based indie-pop
band Quixote with Aficionado and
Amanda Rogers (8 PM, $5, 432-6572). . .
. Tomorrow (Friday) at Valentine’s, the three
most beautiful words in the English language:
Two Cow Garage. They’ll be joined by the
Slaughterhouse Chorus, Austin Lucas,
and Mike Hale (9 PM, $7, 432-6572). . .
. Also Friday, two-man rock army 28N take
to the Savannah’s stage, along with Nashville
rocker Fred Shafer (9 PM, $5, 426-9647).
. . . The Bluegrass in Greenville music festival
is back for a fourth year; sponsored by Freehold
Aviation, the festival will be held Friday through
Sunday on a farm in Greenville, with 11 bluegrass
acts, including Smokey Greene and Vern
Young, scheduled to perform (times and prices
vary, freeholdaviation.com). . . . If you like
your listening easy, try the Chatham House in
Chatham (naturally) on Saturday, where pianist
Lincoln Mayorga and vocalist Franco
Spoto will present a program called “On the
Lighter Side” (8 PM, free, 392-6600). . . . Now
that Leno is (finally) off The Tonight Show,
jazz guitarist Kevin Eubanks is free to
take his show on the road whenever he pleases;
he’ll do just that, to the Belleayre Music Festival,
this Saturday (8 PM, $15-$55, 800-942-6904). .
. . Are you ready to rock-opera? The Decemberists
bring The Hazards of Love to Mountain Park
in Holyoke, Mass., on Sunday; Heartless Bastards
open (7 PM, $37.50, 413-586-8686).
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