Posts Tagged ‘Troy’

Live: Harptallica @ the Judge’s Inn, 9/1/10

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Usually if someone mentions the classical harp, one of two visions immediately springs to mind – winged angels or the mischievous Harpo Marx.

But when two lovely young blond women in little black dresses walk up onto the stage and each nestle a towering harp in the crook of their neck, you definitely don’t expect to hear them launch into the Metallica songbook.

Not in a recital hall. And not in a bar. But that’s what happened on Wednesday evening at the Judge’s Inn in Troy. Ashley Toman and Mollie Marcuson are either the baddest girls in the classical music world, or they’re the most sophisticated headbangers around.

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Be Here Now: Harptallica @ the Judge’s Inn, 9/1/10

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

HarptallicaYes, there are a lot of cool shows on tap this week, but when it comes to just plain strange – and you know how much we here at Nippertown.com love all things strange – this one is the hands-down winner.

Harptallica – just in case you haven’t already guessed – is a pair of lovely young women who play harp. Not the blues harp. Or the jaw harp. They play the harp – the classical harp.

Ah, yes, but they don’t play classical music. Instead, they perform selections from the Metallica songbook. That’s right, Metallica songs as performed on two classical harps.

Harptallica started in early 2006 when Ashley Toman – a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music – decided to arrange the Metallica song “Fade to Black” for two harps. Somehow, this turned into nine Metallica songs, which were recorded on their self-titled debut CD in 2007.

Since then, the duo – which features Mollie Marcuson in the second harp chair – has branched out and now also covers works by Black Sabbath, Megadeth and Iron Maiden.

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Belly Dance With Habiba @ Arts Center of the Capital Region, 8/27/10

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Just last month, Nippertown’s premier belly dancer Habiba was strutting her stuff onstage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, shaking her hips with Sting during his encore of “Desert Rose.”

At 6:30pm on Friday in conjunction with this month’s Troy Night Out arts walk, Habiba will be conducting a free introductory workshop in the fine art of belly dancing at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy.

Who knows? Maybe you could get good enough to cozy up to Sting the next time he passes through Albany…

The Biggest Nippertown Sporting Event of the Summer

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Liz Bishop Bobblehead

This weekend is, of course, the biggest Nippertown sporting event of the summer.

What’s that? The Travers, you say?

Travers, schmavers!

At 5pm on Sunday at the Joe in Troy, the Tri-City Valleycats face off against the Hudson Valley Renegades in the penultimate home game of the season.

Not so important, you say? Well, maybe not all by itself. But because last Sunday’s game was rained out, this Sunday’s game is now… wait for it… wait for it… OK, here it comes now… LIZ BISHOP BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAY DAY!

Boy, if it wasn’t the same day as Rest Fest, I’d be in line at 6am…

Real Good for Free: The Uncle Sam Jam @ Troy’s Riverfront Park, 8/28

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Crank up those amps, and let’s rock!

The fifth annual Uncle Sam Jam takes place from 2-8pm on Saturday (August 28) at Riverfront Park in Troy.

Here’s the schedule of music:

2pm: The John Morse Band
4pm: The Chris Busone Band
6pm: Killer B featuring Frank Daley, Joe Mele, Tony Perrino & 13-year-old guitar phenom Jared Alpern

Admission is free.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED: REAL GOOD FOR FREE:

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Happy Waffle Week!

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Brown's Waffle WeekWelcome to Waffle Week, a five-day celebration commemorating the patent of the first waffle iron right here in Troy.

Yes, on August 24, 1869, the heretofore unheralded Cornelius Swarthout of Troy was awarded the very first patent for the waffle iron. (For more information on the history of waffles, please consult Mr. Breakfast or JitterBuzz, who also explains the connection between waffles and swing dancing.)

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Congrats to the Gibson Brothers!

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

The Gibson Brothers

This morning when the International Bluegrass Music Association announced the nominees for its annual awards show, there were plenty of familiar names on the list – including Nippertown’s own premier band of bluegrass boys – the Gibson Brothers.

Brothers Leigh and Eric Gibson and the rest of the band were honored with a nomination for Vocal Group of the Year, but that’s not all.

Their latest album, “Ring the Bell” on Compass Records, earned a spot on the list for Album of the Year, and the title track earned nods in two more prestigious categories – Gospel Performance of the Year and Song of the Year.

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New Shows @ EMPAC at RPI

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Laurie Anderson: Delusion

Laurie Anderson: Delusion


EMPAC at RPI in Troy has announced its fall season of performances, concerts, films, exhibits, discussions, workshops and, well, whatever. Sometimes you just don’t have any idea of what you’re going to see until after you’ve seen it.

But of course at EMPAC, you probably haven’t seen anything like it before.

Here’s a rundown of EMPAC events sure to intrigue adventurous minds and free thinkers:

Friday, September 10, 8pm: Brent Green’s “Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then” (Theater) A stop-action film accompanied by musical narrative telling the poignant and darkly humorous true story of a man who built a bizarre “healing house” in an attempt to cure his wife’s terminal cancer.

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Live: Super 400 @ Rockin’ On the River, 8/11/10

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Super 400 shares a laugh

Super 400 shares a laugh


Talent is an asset, and Super 400 has it spades!

Super 400 hit the Rockin’ on the River stage running, with the apropos “Blast the Message,” and clearly singer-guitarslinger Kenny Hohman was in rare form. The real fulcrum of the set featured a trio of songs – the hard rocking “Needle Down” into the dreamy “Green Grass End” which segued into the powerful pop of “Flashlight” – where Super 400 shifted to a gear found only on a Pagani Zonda supercar!

The Troy trio was nailing ’70s influences effortlessly on the hometown stage, from the big swing and perfect groove of drummer Joe Daley to the monster bass lines of Lori Friday, who also served up breathtakingly beautiful vocals along with feather-dancer stage moves. Playing well after sunset, the band went out on the heavy “Emergency,” with its King Crimson-meets-Masters of Reality blend and enlisted the vocal talent of opener John Powhida for a cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” A truly deserved encore then found J-Po rejoining Super 400 for a bang-on cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain.”

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Real Good For Free: Outdoor Films @ CAC Woodside, Troy

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Every second Saturday in July, August and September, the Contemporary Artist Center, Woodside is offering up free films on the outside lawn. Tomorrow evening, the film is the 1986 classic Labyrinth. Directed by the late Jim Henson, the film chronicles the quest of one girl (Jennifer Connelly) to navigate a giant maze to rescue her little brother from the Goblin King (David Bowie).

Local artists Blair Neal and Dan Masucci will be showcased prior to the feature, and don’t forget to bring your own popcorn and a blanket to sit on.

(As far as we can tell, it’s not a Labyrinth Sing-Along.)

Films on the Lawn @ CAC Woodside (Facebook)
Where: Contemporary Artists Center, Woodside
Address: 71 Mill St, Troy
When: Saturday, August 14th at 9 pm
Cost: FREE!

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED: REAL GOOD FOR FREE:

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