|
40
Foot Ringo
Northern
Lights, Friday
Two
of the more maligned pop-musical forms will be chronologically
telescoped and represented as one on Friday at Northern Lights:
40 Foot Ringo has drawn comparisons to recent hitmakers Blink
182 and Third Eye Blind (who themselves have drawn some pretty
unkind comparisons); what’s more, this new band’s lead vocalist-guitarist
and bassist both are former members of the ’80s-era hair-metal-lite
band Trixter—remember them? So, if you’ve got a yen for simple
pop melodies gussied up in power chords and Iron Maiden T-shirts,
this is the show for you. To make it even more interesting,
the show is billed as a reunion for the Shaker High class
of ’89, though it’s open to the public. So, show up and pretend
to know everyone: “Dude, remember that time, out at the spot,
with the keg? You were a wild man!” (Aug. 20, 8 PM, 1208
Route 146, Clifton Park, $10, 371-0012)
No
Outlet
Lark
Tavern, Friday
Armed
with steel guitar, tuneful bass and even a stomp board, local
blues outfit No Outlet will host an evening of boot-stompin’,
rootsy music at the Lark Tavern on Friday. This inordinately
talented trio—Kevin Maul, Tony Markellis and Dale Haskell—turn
out original tunes as well as adaptations of Beatles or even
Ellington songs, as well as blues standards, with authority
and affection. (Aug. 20, 10 PM, $3, 21+, 453 Madison Ave.,
Albany, 463-9779)
 Turbo
A.C.’s
Valentine’s,
Saturday
Saturday
finds punk bands from all over the country playing at Valentine’s,
all in the name of rock. NYC’s the Turbo A.C.’s top the bill,
supported by Boston’s Street Dogs, San Diego’s Cheap Sex,
and the 518’s own Plastic Jesus and Stand Up Citizen. The
Turbo A.C.’s blend of surf and punk has earned them a loyal
following in the cynical NYC punk scene (just check out the
page on their Web site devoted to fans’ tattoos of their logo).
The real event of the night, however, is the farewell gig
of Albany’s Plastic Jesus, whom Metroland named “Best
Punk Band” just weeks ago. After three years together, they’re
throwing in the towel. Be sure to catch their last set, and
flick your Bic into the air to let them know they will be
missed. (Aug. 8 PM, 18+, $10, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany,
432-6572)
Fat
Day
Valentine’s,
Sunday
Back
in the day, Boston’s hardcore punk scene was characterized
by its juvenile sense of humor as much as its attitude and
grit. That’s not to say that every Boston-based punk band
had their minds in the gutter, but bands like GangGreen and
early Lemonheads more often than not wrote and sang about
greasy kid stuff. So, along that line of thinking, Fat Day
is a very traditional Boston punk band, in that they are prone
to wearing Viking dress and animal costumes onstage; also
in that their forthcoming Unf! Unf! CD (on the band’s
own Load label) features titles like “If Humans had No Poops”
and “Adoration of the Crapass.” Their “Snarl of Pulchritude”
tour brings them to our fair city on Sunday night; Godings
Sawdoff, Friends in Need, and the Old God Is Dead will share
the bill. (Aug. 22, 7 PM, $5, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany,
432-6572)
The
Count Basie Orchestra
Iron
Horse Music Hall, Tuesday
This
year marks the 20th ann-iversary of Count Basie’s death, but
his band swings on. Led by trombonist Grover Mitchell since
1999, this Basie band still has players who worked for the
Count, including Mitchell himself. The musical emphasis is
on the kind of ensemble precision that made the Basie sound
so potent and commanding. While they will no doubt play classics
like (and we emphasize like, not wanting to promise
something the band won’t deliver) “One O’ Clock Jump,” “Lester
Leaps In” and “Li’l Darlin’,” they will play newer material
that fits smoothly in the Basie style. As one critic said,
“Led by Grover Mitchell, the Count Basie Orchestra lives up
to a monumental legacy by sticking with the swing of things.”
The only question left is, how are they all going to fit on
the Iron Horse stage? (Aug. 24, 7 PM, $20 advance, $23
door, 20 Center St., Northampton, Mass., 413-584-0610)
 |
| Also
Noted |
|
 After
all these years, Huey Lewis & the News
apparently still haven’t realized that they were
dead wrong—it’s really not all that hip to be
square. Heck, we figured that out after 10 minutes
of being locked inside our gym locker back in
’89. Regardless of their obvious obliviousness
to all things “hip,” the ’80s hitmakers are still
out there touring the land, and they’ll do their
best to prove that the heart of rock & roll
is still beating tonight (Thursday) at the Turning
Stone Casino Resort Showroom (8 PM, $70-$85, 877-833-SHOW).
. . . On the other end of the spectrum (sort of),
Testament and Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist
Alex Skolnick will shred the strip mall
tonight when he brings his trio to Northern Lights;
local axeslinger Mike Campese will open
(7:30 PM, $14, 371-0012). . . . On Friday, bluesman-cum-world-music-practitioner
Corey Harris plays the Iron Horse Music
Hall; no word on whether he’ll play ”Sunglasses
at Night”—wait, that’s Corey Hart. Our
bad. (7 PM, $, 413-584-0610). . . . Does she kiss
her mother with that mouth? Martha Wainwright—Rufus’
sister, Loudon and Kate’s daughter—has just released
a new EP entitled Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole
(!), and she may just perform the title track
(!) at MASS MoCA on Saturday night (8 PM, $16,
413-662-2111). . . . If you prefer to take your
vulgarity with some good old-fashioned noise,
head over to Valentine’s on Saturday night for
a set by the duo-de-spaz Lincoln Money Shot,
along with Brent Gorton, Miss Miss,
and the Ajax Orchestra (8 PM, $5, 432-6572).
. . . The gods have spoken, and the show has been
moved—Wednesday night’s show featuring Martyr
AD, Haste the Day, Dead to Fall,
and Beneath It All, originally scheduled
for Trinity Church, has been relocated to Saratoga
Winners (7 PM, $10, 783-1010).
|
|
|
Columns
& Opinions
