Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven

These two veteran bands can be considered as one seven-headed musical snark-beast. After all, the platinum-selling, in some ways archetypical ’90s indie rockers Cracker (pictured) immediately followed the thousands-selling, in some ways archetypical ’80s indie rockers Camper Van Beethoven. Both groups were, and are, fronted by master of revels David Lowery. Cracker snarked on their decade with the likes of “Happy Birthday to Me,” “Teen Angst,” and “Low.” Camper Van Beethoven implored their generation to “Take the Skinheads Bowling,” and had an out-of-left-field, oddball hit with a cover of Status Quo’s “Pictures of Matchstick Men.”

A later reformation of CVB found them recording their own version of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk, in its entirety. This is one definition of awesome.

Cracker were in Troy for an outdoor show last year that was very well received, but this double bill—just down the street inside Revolution Hall—should really be a treat.

Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven will perform Tuesday (Jan. 12) at 7 PM at Revolution Hall (421-425 River St., Troy). Tickets are $22. For more info, call 274-0553.

Landscape Forever

The Center for Photography at Woodstock starts the new year right with a show that’s the result of an ambitious collaboration between the Woodstock Land Conservancy and 10 photographers. Over a seven-month period, these artists (all selected by curator Dion Ogust) photographed the pristine lands protected by the WLC, with one eye on beauty and the other on preservation.

Over the course of the exhibit’s run (which ends Feb. 28), there will be guided walks and workshops, so check the CPW Web site often for details (cpw.org).

Pictured is Bill Miles’ Snake Rock. Other artists in the show are Richard Edelman, Gay Leonhardt, Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott, Fawn Potash, Peter Schoenberger, Carla Shapiro and Williams & Russ.

Landscape Forever opens Saturday (Jan. 8) with an opening reception from 5 to 8 PM at the Center for Photography at Woodstock (59 Tinker St., Woodstock). Also opening Saturday in the CPW Kodak Gallery is Vanitas, featuring still lifes by Justine Reyes; both shows run through Feb. 28. For more info, call (845) 679-9957.