Lionheart All Star Final Blowout
Lionheart, Thursday

After spending 11 long years on Albany’s Lark Street, nonsmoking blues club-cum-funky hipster joint the Lionheart is moving. Not far, mind you—the club will take up residence on Madison Avenue near the corner of Lark—but club owner Jerry Aumand is holding a going-away fiesta tonight (Thursday) replete with some of the area’s favorite local acts, all of whom have played many a show at the venue. The bill features roots-rockin’ knotworking, the Sifters and Wiley Dobbs; the porch-rockin’ Gaven Richard and Troy Pohl (of Kamikaze Hearts fame); soul-rockin’ Bryan Thomas; pop-rockin’ John Brodeur and the Suggestions; maximum-solo-rockin’ Michael Eck; frock-rockin’ Chip Fasciana and the Conspicuous Studyhall Boners; and frog-rockin’ Carl Smith (and friends). (Sorry about that, it’s hard to stop when we’re on a rockin’ roll.) The new Lionheart is expected to open in March. (Feb. 27, 8:30 PM, free, 436-9530)

Flogging Molly
Northern Lights, Thursday

March is officially month ’o the Irish, due to St. Pat’s day falling smack-dab in the middle (you’ve got to have ramp-up and cool-down time for that holiday), so make sure to keep your eyes out (figuratively) for Irish music of every variety. Flogging Molly will kick off Irish month a bit early, with a show tonight (Thursday) at Northern Lights— their first performance in the area—providing the pub-punk variety of Irish music (Pogues-meet-Dropkick Murphys). They’ve got a CD titled Swagger for the love of everything Irish, that allmusic.com claims “provides a brew of rowdy party music that’s perfect for any barroom brawl”—’cause what’s a bloody fistfight without a good soundtrack, we ask? The Los Angeles-based six-piece were created by Dublin-born singer-guitarist Dave King (formerly the singer and acoustic guitarist of the English heavy-metal supergroup Fastway), and he’s joined by players of fiddle, accordion, mandolin, whistles, and the old bass and drums. The band’s latest release, last year’s Drunken Lullabies, enlists the technical prowess of legendary underground producer Steve Albini. (Feb. 27, 8 PM, 371-0012)

John Menegon with Dewey Redman
The Van Dyck, Friday

Area jazz bassist-composer-arranger John Menegon initially made a name for himself in Montreal, where he worked with such greats as avant-garde jazz guitarist Sonny Greenwich and saxophonists Steve Grossman and Pat LaBarbara. He then made haste to the Big Apple, performing and recording with a slew of creative legendary jazz musicians—percussionist Jack DeJohnette, vocalist Sheila Jordan, guitarist Kenny Burrell, trombonist-arranger Slide Hampton and drummer Al Foster are but a few—before settling in the Woodstock area and teaming up with vocalist Teri Roiger, with whom Menegon performs as a bass-and-voice duo. When not performing with Roiger, Menegon can be found manning the bass with legendary Texas Tenors Dewey Redman (onetime member of Ornette Coleman’s group) and David Fathead Newman. Redman and Roiger are part of Menegon’s ensemble on Friday at the Van Dyck as he performs a show in conjunction with the release of his latest CD, Searchlight. (Feb. 28, 7 and 9:30 PM, 381-1111)

Tori Amos
Palace Theatre, Friday

Tori Amos has wrapped up the European leg of her new tour, On Scarlet’s Walk, and she’s now back performing in the United States. Recognized for her smooth piano compositions, anguished lyrics and soft, penetrating voice, Amos is also renowned for her activism in the realm of sexual abuse, openly speaking, writing and singing about her own experience of being sexually assaulted. Amos’ current tour is in support of her recent Epic Records debut, Scarlet’s Walk, her first set of completely new material since 1998’s From the Choirgirl Hotel, a transition from her long period with Atlantic. Amos’ CD appears to be receiving critics’ approval: According to Rolling Stone’s review of the new album, Amos “may be wandering the world by herself, but she’s never alone: There’s an army of voices inside Tori Amos, and the girl knows how to use them.” Catch her at the Palace tomorrow (Friday) night. (Feb. 28, 7:30 PM, $35, 465-4663)

COUNT THE STARS

Count the Stars
Valentine’s, Saturday

Albany-area natives Count the Stars have been working vigorously to promote themselves: They’ve sold 5,000 copies of their demo album using guerrilla marketing tactics and the Internet, and last year they booked themselves on a six-month national tour, connecting with current fans and making lots of new ones. Well, it seems that their determination and work ethic have paid off; Victory Records caught wind of the diligent young band and were so impressed that they signed them last summer. True to form, the Stars already had songs ready to be recorded, and record they did at Atlanta Tree Studios (home to studio sessions by the likes of Elton John and Billy Corgan). Now members Chris Kasarijan, Clarke Foley, Dave Shapiro and Adam Manning are back on home turf, ready to celebrate their debut release, Never Be Taken Alive, by performing a show at Valentine’s on Saturday night before running off to tour again with bands like Voodoo Glow Skulls and American Hi-Fi. Opening will be Endicott, F-Timmi, Third 2 None and the Goodwill. (March 1, 8 PM, $12, 432-6572)

Odetta
WAMC Performing Arts Studio, Saturday

Not many musicians have careers that span more than 50 years—and are still going—like Odetta. She has set a precedent for many artists throughout her career by being one of the first women to perform blues, folk, work and protest songs on stage. As a teenager, Odetta wanted to become an opera singer, but after finding folk music and receiving the gift of an old guitar, Odetta went on to become one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. The 73-year-old singer has been an inspiration to many artists, including Joan Baez, Janis Joplin and Joan Armatrading. Odetta’s latest album, Lookin’ for a Home (Thanks to Leadbelly), is a compilation of tracks written or made famous by the titular legend. Fitting, as Odetta is also known as “the female Leadbelly.” She’ll be performing Saturday at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio. (March 1, 7:30 PM, $22, 800-323-9262 ext. 169)

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