Performance Venues

Please note: Clubs with live entertainment are listed under “Bars & Clubs.” In addition to the information below, keep in mind that area churches often host classical-music concerts, and that clubs and coffeehouses present poetry readings and, on occasion, theater. The Capital Region also boasts a number of community theaters, including Albany Civic Theater (462-1297), the Schenectady Civic Players (382-2081), the Schenectady Light Opera Company (393-5732) and Saratoga’s Home Made Theatre (587-4427). Finally, a major attraction each summer is the free Park Playhouse (434-0776) musical production that takes place in Albany’s Washington Park. (Boldface type indicates that a venue is home to a significant local orchestra, theater company, dance troupe, or other performance organization.)

Large venues

Calvin Theatre 19 King St., Northampton, Mass., (413) 586-8686, iheg.com. A beautifully restored theater in downtown Northampton, the Calvin offers an eclectic season of concerts, theater, ballet and kids’ shows.

The Egg Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845, theegg.org. Home of the Empire Center, the Egg presents an impressive and varied schedule of music, dance, theater and children’s performances from touring artists and companies. Also home to resident company the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company.

EMPAC, 110 8 th St., Troy, 276-4135, empac.rpi.edu. Experimental media and performing arts center.

Glens Falls Civic Center 1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls, 798-0366, glens fallscc.com. This versatile sports and entertainment complex boasts a seating capacity of up to 7,800. The civic center hosts everything from the Ice Capades to giant rock acts, and offers banquet facilities as well.

Palace Theatre 19 Clinton Ave., Albany, 465-3334, palacealbany.com. One of Albany’s prized downtown venues, a beautiful former movie house with a capacity of about 2,900. It’s home to the Albany Symphony Orchestra as well as music and comedy concerts.

Times Union Center 51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 487-2000, timesunioncenter-albany.com. This 15,000-seat facility is the largest Capital Region venue by far. In addition to sports (see “Sports Venues”), the Times Union Center (formerly known as Pepsi Arena, and Knickerbocker Arena before that) hosts such events as kids’ shows, circuses, ice shows and some of the largest pop-music tours to pass through these parts.

Proctors Theatre 432 State St., Schenectady, 382-3884, proctors.org. This 2,700-seat theater-in-the-grand-manner hosts one of the area’s most substantial and eclectic seasons of theater, dance, music and comedy. This is where the Broadway touring shows stop, where classical and Cajun music come to the big stage and where the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra hangs its hat. Home of Goldie, “the Mighty Wurlitzer” (organ), and Northeast Ballet’s annual productions of The Nutcracker. The venue, which occasionally hosts pop, country and oldies concerts, also has an excellent ongoing second-run film series.

RPI’s Houston Field House Peoples and Burdett avenues, Troy, 276-6262. Best known as the home of RPI’s Division I ECAC hockey team (see “Sports Venues”), the Field House is also a popular midsize (seats 6,500) venue for pop and rock shows. RPI also books pop music shows into the MacNeil Room and Mother’s.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Spa State Park, Route 9, Saratoga Springs, 587-3330, spac.org. Each and every summer, this indoor-outdoor amphitheater becomes the home of the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra. And there’s always a full schedule of “Special Events”—concerts by top jazz, pop and rock & roll artists.

Tanglewood West Street, Lenox, Mass., (413) 637-1600. The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, this revered indoor-outdoor amphitheater features a comprehensive schedule of classical concerts, as well as occasional jazz and pop shows, during the warm-weather months.

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall 2nd Avenue and State Street, Troy, 273-0038, troymusichall.org. From symphony orchestras to jazz greats, this hall, renowned for its acoustic splendor, is the first choice of many artists for performance and recordings. Regularly presents subscription concerts by the Albany Symphony Orchestra. The annual season boasts the Troy Chromatics Concerts (a classical music series), a jazz series and an acoustic music series, plus an assortment of acoustic, folk and world music events.

Smaller Venues

The Arts Center of the Capital Region 265 River St., Troy, 273-0552. This versatile facility boasts a state-of-the-art black-box theater suited to all-manner of intimate performances.

Bogie’s 297 Ontario St., Albany, 482-4393. Albany’s illustrious music venue is back on the map.

Capital Repertory Theatre 111 N. Pearl St., Albany, 445-7469, capitalrep.org. Home of Capital Repertory Company, the Capital Region’s equity theater company.

Cohoes Music Hall, 58 Remsen St., Cohoes, 237-7999, crproductions.com. Resident theatre company C-R Productions produces family-oriented musicals and plays.

Colonial Theatre 111 South St., Pittsfield, Mass., (413) 997-4444. Go to see anything here, but leave ample time to have your breath quietly stolen as the meticulously restored theater transports you back to the 19th century in all of its architectural splendor, gilt elegance and artisan’s pride.

Curtain Call Theatre 210 Old Loudon Road, Latham, 877-7529, curtain calltheatre.com. This former church is named after its year-round tenant, a professional theater company.

Dance Theater, Filene Recital Hall and Bernhard Theater Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, 580-5000, skid more.edu. As the name indicates, Skidmore’s Dance Theater regularly hosts performances of dance—by students and national troupes and artists. The recital hall features faculty showcase concerts as well as an interesting mix of classical, jazz and avant-garde music. The Bernhard Theater hosts mostly campus productions.

eba Dance Theatre 351 Hudson Ave., Albany, 465-9916, eba-arts.org.. Home of Maude Baum & Company Dance Theatre.

Foy Campus Center Theater, St. Mary of the Angels Chapel and Alumni Recreation Center Siena College, 515 Loudon Road (Route 9), Loudonville, 783-2527. The theater often hosts a slate of performances by the drama department, while many a classical ensemble fills the chapel with heavenly sounds. Look for the occasional pop-music concert in the ARC.

Hudson Opera House 327 Warren St., Hudson, 822-1438, hudsonopera house.org. This space hosts art exhibitions, concerts, readings, workshops and other events.

Kiggins Hall Emma Willard School, 285 Pawling Ave., Troy, 833-1300, emmawillard.org. Troy’s Friends of Chamber Music presents a first-rate classical concert series here.

The Linda, WAMC’S Performing Arts Studio 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233, ext. 4. Renovated former bank building hosts classical, jazz, pop, and folk performances. Many of these shows are broadcast on public radio station WAMC. Also, movies.

MASS MoCA 87 Marshall St., North Adams, Mass., (413) 664-4481, massmoca.org. In addition to gallery space, this sprawling former factory complex includes performances spaces for music, dance and film. They have recently hosted everything from avant-garde opera and modern dance to silent film.

Northern Lights 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012, northernlights live.com. The biggest regional concert club, with top national acts performing up to seven nights a week.

North Pointe Cultural Arts Center Route 9, Kinderhook, 758-9234. A pleasant space that presents musical offerings, theater productions and the like.

Page Hall 135 Western Ave., downtown University at Albany campus, Albany; and the University at Albany Performing Arts Center 1400 Washington Ave., uptown campus, Albany, 442-3995, albany.edu/pac. Both locations concentrate on campus-related music, theater, readings and more. Several pop concerts are usually presented at Page Hall annually, as is the New York State Writers Institute Film Series. In addition, the UAlbany Concert Board often books popular musical acts into the Recreation and Convocation Center, also at the uptown campus.

Revolution Hall 425 River St., Troy, 274-0553, revolutionhall.com. A renovated warehouse on River Street is downtown Troy’s best concert club. An expertly tweaked sound system, hardwood floors, and a big ol’ balcony are among the attractions—not to mention the big, high stage, perfect for everything from indie-rock to cabaret.

Schacht Fine Arts Center Theater Russell Sage College, Troy, 274-3256, nysti.org. Home to the New York State Theater Institute, a professional company presenting theater for family audiences. Also at Sage, the James L. Meader Little Theater.

Spa Little Theater Saratoga Spa State Park, Route 9, Saratoga Springs, 587-4427. This intimate space hosts seasons by community theater troupe Home Made Theatre, the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival and, more recently, the Lake George Opera Festival.

Steamer No. 10 Theatre 500 Western Ave. (near intersection of Madison and Western avenues), Albany, 438-5503, steamer10theatre.org. The restored firehouse is home to acclaimed productions of children’s theater, as well as special events—puppet shows, storytellers, magicians—throughout the year.

Time & Space Limited 434 Columbia St., Hudson, 822-8448, timeand space.org. Theater, film, art, and literary events are all presented in this one neat space. There are premieres as well as classics in their movie series, and the live performances range from avant garde to children’s fare.

Union College Memorial Chapel Union College, Union Street, Schenectady, 388-6000. Regularly features an impressive classical music series, and though it’s been a while, pop and rock bands have performed there in the past as well. Union also boasts the Yulman Theater, which is home to college theater productions.

Valentine’s Music Hall 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572, valentinesalbany.com. A die-hard among Albany nightspots, Valentine’s offers live bands (local and national) up to seven nights a week on two stages, plus poetry and the popular Original Sin goth-punk dance night.

The Van Dyck, 237 Union St., Schenectady, 348-7999, vandycklounge.com. The classic jazz joint, recently refurbished and reopened.

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