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Chris
Smither
Club
Helsinki, Friday
Chris Smither’s that uncle you have who lives in another part
of the state, may or may not have a job or a steady girlfriend,
who you only see once or twice a year, but every Thanksgiving
or Fourth of July he comes by the house with exotic candy,
magic tricks and endless stories. At least that’s the singer’s
charm—and the kind of character that might turn up in one
of his songs. Smither’s been a road warrior for four decades
and, as the “great blues poet” he’s often described as, he’s
best experienced up-close and in-person. (Feb. 11, 9 PM,
$25, 405 Columbia St., Hudson, 828-4800)
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| Laura
Stevenson and the Cans |
Laura
Stevenson and the Cans
Valentine’s,
Friday
Pedigree is everything in some schools of indie-rock, and
Long Island’s Laura Stevenson has a strong one: Her grandfather
composed the best Christmas song ever (“The Little Drummer
Boy”) and her grandmother sang for the Benny Goodman Orchestra.
Stevenson herself took the somewhat less traditional indie-folk
route, releasing her debut, A Record, in 2007. With
her band, the Cans, she’s just completed a follow-up, titled
Sit Resist (due in April) which comes stocked with
lush production and dreamy melodies. On Friday, Stevenson
and her band will be joined by a particularly aggressive bunch:
After the Fall, Iron Chic, Nightmares for a Week, and the
Wessles. (Feb. 11, 7 PM, $8, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany,
432-6572)
Dopapod
Putnam
Den, Friday
Boston band Dopapod identify as an “experimental funk” act.
We cross-referenced this in our musician-to-English dictionary
and found that it translates to “jam band.” (Perhaps the absence
of a vocalist should have been a tip.) We’re not even sure
we can fully endorse this band’s behavior. On their website,
the band claim to have made their recording engineers “soil
. . . themselves out of every orifice” with their recent
album sessions, going so far as to explain that a studio intern
“dribbled shmegma [sic] out of his bellybutton.” Juvenile!
Disgusting! And one of the many reasons we’re glad these guys
don’t have microphones. Rest assured, their music is a lot
less malicious than their prose. (Feb. 11, 9 PM, $6, 63A
Putnam St., Saratoga Springs, 584-8066)
Syd
Straw, Richard Buckner
Bearsville
Theater, Saturday
This terrific double bill is being called the Heartwrecked
Show, and if you have any familiarity with the performers
involved, you know exactly why. Straw is perhaps best known
as frontwoman for the Golden Palominos, but she’s also author
of a strong line of solo releases that document her trials
and travails in the world of romance. She brings a wild array
of talent with her, dubbed the Orchestraw Plankton, including
guitarist-producers Don Piper and Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, cellist
Jane Scarpantoni, and bass great Sara Lee. Richard Buckner
is also the author of a mostly indelible catalog; his voice
is one of the most evocative instruments in all of modern
music. This one’s worth the drive and then some. (Feb.
12, 9 PM, $25, 291 Tinker St., Woodstock, 845-679-4406)
John
Whelan and Donna Hébert
Old
Songs, Saturday
Billed as the “Irish-French Connection,” fiddler Donna Hébert
brings 40 years of experience in Franco-American folk music
to button-box (similar to an accordion) legend John Whelan’s
mastery of the Irish musical tradition for an exploration
of commonalities between the musical heritage of these two
immigrant communities. Joining them will be guitarist Max
Cohen and Hébert’s daughter Molly Hébert-Wilson, who sings
in English, French and Gaelic. This one promises to be an
evening of good music and cultural edification, not to mention
an early reason to get excited for this summer’s Old Songs
Festival. (Feb. 12, 8 PM, $20, 37 S. Main St., Voorheesville,
765-2815)
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| Also
Noted |
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| Rustic
Overtones |
Psychedelic,
horn-fueled rock & roll is on the menu when
the Rustic Overtones play Jillian’s tomorrow
(Friday) night; Black Taxi open the show
(8 PM, $15, 432-1997). . . . Saturday at Jillian’s,
it’s one of the more unlikely tribute bands we’ve
come across: Fatal Sting will pay tribute
to German hard-rock legends Scorpions (8 PM, $5,
432-1997). . . . Saturday brings the return of
former McKrell Sara Milonovich and her
band Daisycutter to the area, for a show
at Caffe Lena (8 PM, $18, 583-0022). . . . Enjoy
an evening of sweet gospel music at the Blessed
Hope Family Worship Center in Albany this Sunday,
featuring recording artist Jonathan Nelson
(4 PM, $25 donation, 257-2716). . . . Songstress
Jane Monheit is back for her annual Valentine’s
Day show at the Egg on Sunday (7:30 PM, $28, 473-1845).
. . . The doctor is in—Dr. Dog that is.
The harmonious indie-pop band play the Bearsville
Theater in Woodstock on Valentine’s Monday (8
PM, $20, 845-679-4406).
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