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This show serves as a CD-release party for New York pop band Martly, a group who toured as part of 1999’s MP3 Music and Technology Tour. Having played such esteemed New York clubs as CBGBs, the Mercury Lounge and Arlene Grocery, Martly will have something of a homecoming, as they originally were based in Albany. Adding to the festivities will be the Rosenbergs, a Weezeresque power-pop group who were sponsored by Napster on their spring 2001 tour. Making Friday a night full of new music, songwriter John Brodeur also will be performing and recording a batch of new songs with his band the Suggestions for possible release as a live album. Rounding out the evening will be indie-rockers Delta Clutch. (April 19, 8 PM, $7, 432-6572)

Alison Krauss and Union Station
The Palace Theatre, Friday

It’s a been a banner year for Alison Krauss and Union Station: Between their own album New Favorite and the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?, on which they featured prominently (the band’s guitarist, vocalist and mandolinist Dan Tyminski provided the singing voice for George Clooney, and they all pitched in instrumentally), the crossover bluegrass superstars earned five Grammy awards. Quite a haul. But that’s nothing new to Krauss. Since her critically lauded debut in 1987, Krauss has racked up—with her band or on her own—10 Grammys, four Country Music Association awards and four International Bluegrass Music Association awards for Female Vocalist of the Year, among others. As if that weren’t enough, she also produced the best selling new-bluegrass group Nickel Creek’s debut album. Of course, unless you’re Krauss’ housekeeper, you’re probably less interested in the statues lining her mantle than the reasons behind them. And on Friday, you’ll have an opportunity to sample the constant sorrow firsthand when Alison Krauss and Union Station play the Egg. (April 19, 8 PM, $34.50-$24.50, 473-1845)

Sum 41, H2O, Autopilot Off
Siena College, Saturday

Combining fast, hard guitar riffs and catchy melodies, Sum 41 are well-schooled in the art of pop-punk. Having toured with Blink 182, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the Offspring, Sum 41 are well aware that the marraige of punk and pop is MTV-approved. Hailing from Toronto, Sum 41 describe themselves as “uneducated, untalented, and unattractive dorks” and pride themselves or their short, catchy and bratty songs. Cementing their punk-pop roots, the group enlisted Blink 182’s engineer and Green Day’s and Blink 182’s producer to help craft their breakthrough LP All Killer, No Filler. The album was released in May 2001, the track “Fat Lip” has received considerable radio play, and the group’s videos have been staples on music television. On Saturday, Albany will get a taste of Sum 41’s bad attitude when the quartet headline a show at Siena College. Joining the fast-paced festivities will be New York hardcore darlings H20, who some predict will be the next New York-based band to bring punk into the mainstream. New Yorkers Autopilot Off also will appear. (April 20, 7 PM doors, $18, 476-1000)

The Gentlemen, Tiger Mountain, Hed 1st
Valentine’s, Saturday

Figgs co-frontman Mike Gent has had a side project, the Gentlemen, for three years, give or take. He took the Gravel Pit minus Jed Parish—Lucky Jackson (guitar), Ed Valauskas (bass) and Pete Caldes (drums)—and made himself a bluesy guitar-based (snotty guitar at that) rock outfit. The natural frontman can’t sit still, apparently, and the band released their first CD, Ladies and Gentlemen . . . The Gentlemen (Hearbox/Q Division Records), sporting gems like “When We Broke in Two” and “Top Heavy,” to critical acclaim in 2000. Entertainment Weekly said of the record, “one minute they’re crushing hearts with the catchiest skinny-tie songs Graham Parker never wrote, the next they’re stumbling around like Johnny Thunders fronting the Stones,” Well, the supergroup have a new release, Blondes Prefer the Gentlemen, on Boston-based Soda Pop Records, and they’re coming to Valentine’s on Saturday to show you what it’s made of. Also on the bill are Tiger Mountain and Hed 1st. (April 20, 8 PM, $8, 432-6572)

John Prine, Greg Trooper
The Palace Theatre, Saturday

John Prine has never had quite as much popular success as he has had respect: The critics dug him from the get-go, and his fellow songwriters have paid him the great compliment of rushing in clusters to cover his songs. His tune “Angel From Montgomery,” for instance, has been performed by Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon and Tanya Tucker; “Hello in There” has been picked up by 10,000 Maniacs, Eddi Reader, Joan Baez and Bette Midler—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Since the late ’60s, Prine’s been quietly and consistently cranking out humorous and richly human folk- and blues-based songs of the type you wish you had written yourself. Even the titles are winning enough to inspire professional envy: “Jesus, the Missing Years,” “Humidity Built the Snowman,” “The Late John Garfield Blues,” “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven,” “Yes, I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You,” and the philosophical “Big Ol’ Goofy World,” are just samples from an extensive catalog. Why didn’t we think of those? Opening for Prine when he performs at the Palace Theatre on Saturday will be another wry and literate “songwriter’s songwriter,” Nashville’s Greg Trooper. (April 20, 8 PM, $26.50-$32.50, 476-1000)

also noted

Tonight (Thursday), musicians would do well to head over to Mars Music for their Bands Night Out, where they can receive some things for free; food, drinks, coupons, info and more (7 PM, 456-4422). . . . Tomorrow (Friday), the Spring Blues and Roots Festival at Columbia-Greene Community College will feature the music of Odetta, Leon Redbone, Michael Burks and Alberta Adams (7 PM, $22, 828-4181). . . . Addison Groove Project and the Lo Faber Band will perform tomorrow at Northern Lights (7:30 PM doors, $10, $8 advance, 371-0012). . . . Also tomorrow, Caffe Lena will host Austin-based country-folk singer-songwriter Slaid Cleeves, with special guest Cindy Kalmenson (8 PM, $12, $10 members, 583-0022). . . . We’re still at Caffe Lena, which on Saturday will host Word Jazz with poet Cara Benson and guitarist Chuck D’Aloia (9 PM, $12, $10 members, 583-0022). . . . Deicide, Traumaside, Wasteform, Burial, Sheol and Desolation provide a much-needed metal vibe for all the heavy hitters on Saturday at Northern Lights. The show is 16-and-up (7:30 PM, $15, 371-0012). . . . Also Saturday, there will be something for punk fans: Downstairs at Valentine’s you will find Rory Breaker, Downfall, Raheem is Rad, the Beatings and Always Is not Forever (8 PM, $6, 432-6572). . . . The Larkin will be host an evening of jazz with the Lee Shaw Trio on Saturday (8 PM, $10, 463-5225). . . . Back at Caffe Lena on Sunday, English folk-rock institution Fairport Convention will take the stage (5 PM and 8 PM, $25, $20 members, 583-0022). . . . Wednesday, Caffe Lena will present Dana Montieth, formally of the Ominous Seapods (7 PM, $5, 583-0022). . . . Also Wednesday, iEAR presents the McLean Mix and Nicole Peyrafitte in a performance of new works created at iEAR Studios at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy (8 PM, $8, $3 students and seniors, 276-4829).

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