Metroland Online - Noteworthy

Saratoga Springs band Secret Secret Dino Club (usually written as simply Dino Club) identify themselves as a hip-hop/indie-rock band, but from the sound of their latest batch of tunes (you can hear them on MySpace) they’ve fully embraced the punk-rock lineage of their label, SoCal’s Drive-Thru Records. And that’s a good thing: They pack enough hooks into the barely-two-minute grooves of “Albany Punk” and “Hood Life” to fuel an entire career. The band will play a homecoming show for the Albany punks this evening, with help from Lauren Rossi, the Late Shift, No Tag Backs, and Carry the Tradition. (Jan. 6, 7 PM, $10, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)

Johnny Society, the Mommyheads

Club Helsinki, Friday

Geffen Records signed a lot of bands in the mid-1990s—like a whole lot—a great many of which were never heard from again, if even in the first place. Kenny Siegal and Brian Geltner started their band life as Hunk, but had already seen their one Geffen album bunted by the label by the time they changed their moniker to Johnny Society. Since, their four albums of melodic pop-rock have drawn the attention of critics and fans all over the country. The Mommyheads, led by singer-songwriter Adam Elk, had a tougher road: They were signed to Geffen after four well-received independent releases, only to see their major-label debut go straight to the cut-out bin. Reformed after a 10-year break, the band today sound as harmonious as ever. (Jan. 7, 9 PM, $10, 405 Columbia St., Hudson, 828-4800)

Silverstein

Northern Lights, Friday

The crowd will have been pretty well softened-up by a monster lineup when Canadian “post-hardcore” heroes Silverstein take the stage tomorrow night. The crowd will have been pummeled by Texas-based Christian “ambient hardcore” enthusiasts A Bullet for Pretty Boy, Georgia metalcore band the Chariot, notorious post-hardcore thumpers Pierce the Veil (from California), and Troy (Ohio) metalcore stompers Miss May I. Fear not: We’ve been assured that the headliners are still a refreshing punch in the face. Their major-label debut EP Transitions has succeeded, according to one critic, in reassuring fans that “Silverstein [are] still Silverstein,” and “screaming will remain an integral part of” their sound. (Jan. 7, 6:45 PM, $17, 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)

Beaucoup Blue

Caffe Lena, Friday

Beaucoup Blue don’t technically fit into the up-and-coming new artist category, but they’ll take it. The Philadelphia-based father-son duo of David and Adrian Mowry have been playing soul-infused acoustic blues since the younger was old enough to hold a guitar and sing a high harmony, but it’s a handful of recent recordings that have moved the veterans in front of an ever wider audience. The Mowrys are no strangers to the Caffe Lena stage, in part because director Sarah Craig swears by their ability to get an audience “lost in reverie with arrestingly soulful blues-based music.” (Jan. 7, 8 PM, $17, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, 583-0022)

Patti Rothberg

Badass Burrito, Saturday

The powers that be have nothing on Patti Rothberg—neither the postponement of a November date nor the closing of a venue (au revoir, Judge’s Inn) could stop her from bringing her city-girl alt-folk to the Capital Region this week. A true survivor of the New York scene, Rothberg is best known for her 1995 album Between the 1 and the 9, which took her from playing on subway platforms to touring the world with the Wallflowers and the Black Crowes. Her newest release is Overnite Sensation, which reunites Rothberg with producer Dave Greenberg for a set that’s equal parts melodic pop and dark rock & roll—just like old times. (Jan. 8, 9 PM, call for price, 443 5th Ave., Troy, 237-1177)

Also Noted

Aficionado

They may never get top Google ranking (thanks a lot, Cigar Aficionado), but they’re No. 1 in our postpunk hearts: Albany’s own Aficionado headline a show tomorrow (Friday) at Putnam Den, along with Tiger Flowers, Whiskey and the Devil, Captain of Compliments, and Decades (8 PM, $7, 584-8066). . . . The Frank Vignola Trio kick off the 2011 Eighth Step at Proctors concert series on Friday; Vignola is joined by guitarist Vinny Raniolo and bassist Gary Mazzaroppi (7 PM, $24, 434-1703). . . . Hubbard Hall kicks off its new Freight Depot Coffeehouse series with a set from the Deena Chappell Project on Friday; Chappell is gearing up for her second release, The Continuing Story of Roses in Crazyland, due later this month (8 PM, $10, 677-2495).

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