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George
Thorogood and the Destroyers
The
Egg, Friday
For more than 30 years, this former semi-pro baseball player
and blues slide guitarist has asked for only three things:
one bourbon, one scotch and one beer. Turn on just about any
classic-rock radio station in the country and you’ll hear
his pleading. That is, if the station isn’t already playing
“Bad to the Bone.” Or “Move It on Over.” Or “Who Do You Love?”
Thorogood has spent his career squeezing the pulp out of blues
rock, and his latest (23rd), The Dirty Dozen, is no
different. Last year it hit No. 1 on the Billboard blues
charts. And yet, the man remains thirsty. (Aug. 6, 8 PM,
$42.50-$50, Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845)
Interpol
Northern
Lights, Friday
Interpol,
the forthcoming fourth release from the New York rock band
of the same name, marks both a return to roots and a reinvention
of sorts. It’s their first record since the departure of infamous
founding bassist Carlos “D.” Dengler, and also their return
to Matador Records after one album for major label Capitol.
Newton’s Law must be at play, however, because despite all
the commotion, it ended up sounding a lot like Interpol. Indie-rock
fans will be doubly pleased to find Slint’s David Pajo has
replaced Dengler on bass for the tour that brings Interpol
to Northern Lights this week. (Aug. 6, 8 PM, $30, 1208
Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)
The
Figgs
The
Linda, Friday; Putnam Den, Saturday
Saratoga’s favorite rock & roll sons return to the nest
this weekend to celebrate another addition to their already
stunning catalog. The Man Who Fights Himself is another
short but sweet blast—10 songs in 32 minutes (actually a bit
on the long side by Figgs standards) with a cover photo shot
at Caffe Lena. Expect these shows to include not only music
from the new record but from any of their myriad LP and single
releases. The Charlie Watts Riots, our pick for Best Pop Band
(Guitars) in last week’s issue, will open the Saratoga show.
(Aug. 6, 8 PM, $12, 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233
ext. 4; Aug. 7, 10 PM, $10, 63A Putnam St., Saratoga Springs,
584-8066)
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Slayer
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Slayer,
Megadeth, Testament
Glens
Falls Civic Center, Wednesday
The American Carnage Tour rolls on . . . finally! We were
already stoked for this mighty threesome to come our way last
November when they hit a roadblock—namely, back surgery for
Slayer guitarist Tom Araya. Now that everything’s, er, back
on track, there’s nothing stopping three of thrash metal’s
greatest bands from laying waste to Glens Falls. Slayer’s
World Painted Blood and Megadeth’s Endgame were
two of 2009’s best metal records, high marks for the careers
of both bands. But if you’re showing up out of pure nostalgia,
Megadeth have been performing the entire Rust in Peace
album on recent dates. (Aug. 11, 7 PM, $29.50-$49.50,
1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls, 798-0366)
MGMT
Mountain
Park, Wednesday
When MGMT first penned the lyric “Let’s make some music, make
some money, find some models for wives” for the single “Time
to Pretend,” it was a send-up of the kind of rock-star success
the band would eventually find with their debut Oracular
Spectacular, widely regarded as one of the best records
of 2008. Since then, the duo have been jumping from one high-profile
project to the next, working with the Flaming Lips, Kid Cudi,
Beck and Devendra Banhart, not to mention recording their
follow-up Congratulations. The best indication of how
big these guys have gotten, though, might be the fact they
had to sue French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009 for illegally
using their song “Kids” for political purposes. Needless to
say, these guys are done pretending. (Aug. 11, 7 PM, $30,
Route 5, Holyoke, Mass., 413-586-8686)
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Noted |
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Pete
Seeger
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Play
hooky and fill your Thursday with music, starting
at Schenectady’s Jazz on Jay this noontime with
Keith Pray (noon, free, 382-3884). . . . Next,
touch base in Albany for the final Alive at Five
of the summer season, with music from former Boston
vocalist (from 1994 on) Fran Cosmo and
local act Crossfire (5 PM, free, 434-2032).
. . . After Alive at Five, shred your way to Saratoga
Springs where guitar whiz Mike Campese will
celebrate the release of his new CD, Electric
City, at Putnam Den (9 PM, $5, 584-8066).
. . . At Putnam Den tomorrow (Friday), it’s a
CD release from one of our Best Of picks, Saratoga’s
own Skeletons in the Piano (10 PM, $10,
584-8066). . . . The legendary force of nature
that is Pete Seeger will play a special
afternoon show this Sunday at Bearsville Theater
in Woodstock; Princess Wow and Roland
open (1 PM, $15, 845-679-4409). . . . If you can
honestly stand to hear “Hey, Soul Sister” ever
again, get to SPAC early on Sunday night where
Train will open for the un-shut-uppable
John Mayer (7 PM, $36-$69.50, 587-3330). .
. . On the other hand, you could do the honorable
thing and spend Sunday evening with Willie
Nelson and Family at Mountain Park in Holyoke,
Mass. (7 PM, $35-$75, 413-586-8686). . . . Since
we’re being all “old dudes rule,” here’s a few
more: Jazz legend Herbie Hancock plays
Tanglewood on Monday (7:30 PM, $21-$71, 888-266-1200),
and John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers team
up with Savoy Brown man Kim Simmonds at
the Egg on Wednesday (8 PM, $34.50, 473-1845).
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