Quality events for this weekend
Friday November 13
high 40º low 34º, snowy
Friday Fresh at The Pickle: With DJ AYO.
Crash Out for Tachycardia Benefit Show at No Fun: Benefit variety show by Bad Heart Burlesque: drag, gogo, burlesque, raffles, clowns, music, pie throwing, and a wet t-shirt contest.
Wyatt Flores, Shelby Stone at Empire: Country, red dirt, Americana.
Carnivore A.D., Alder Creek, Blindsided, Remnants of Nothing, Brainwasher at Empire Underground: Thrash, crossover, metalcore.
Maria Bamford at The Egg: Stand-up comedy.
Chris Botti at Troy Music Hall: Jazz.
Dark Star Orchestra at Palace Theatre: Psychedelic rock, jam band. Grateful Dead tribute recreating historic Dead setlists.
Lee Emi, Cal in Red at Lark Hall: Indie pop, indie rock.
Stella Rose at The Eleven: Jam band, folk rock. Performing the acoustic music of Jerry Garcia. Free.
Femininomenon Friendsgiving at Lost & Found Bar & Kitchen: With performances from Sydney Worthley, Julia Alsarraf, and DJ Fearless.
Light and Transient Causes at Opalka Gallery: A culinary experience with The Dishing: five artists each inspired a tasting, plus a welcome drink and exhibition access. Timed entry.
Flava Friday: Napkin Wars at Fuze Box: With DJs Kee, Lightshow, High Class, and Mehki.
Corey B at Funny Bone: Stand-up comedy.
Fortunate Sons at Cohoes Music Hall: Swamp rock, roots rock. The Ultimate Tribute to CCR and John Fogerty.
Sleep, Zombi, The Schizophonics at Basilica Hudson: Doom metal, progressive electronic, garage rock.
The Suitcase Junket at Caffè Lena: Folk, blues, old-time. Album release show for To Go On.
Sly Fox and The Hustlers, George Boone Blues Band at Putnam Place: Blues rock, soul, funk. Album release party for memento mori, with a food drive for the Franklin Community Center.
Ani DiFranco, Sweet Petunia at Universal Preservation Hall: Folk rock, punk.
Saturday November 14
high 42º low 34º, cloudy
Saturdayyee at The Pickle: With DJ Show.
Automelodi, Vick Vapors, Holy Water at No Fun: Coldwave, minimal synth, post-punk.
Leylines, Monarch, Against The Reign, Killing Connor, Strikedown at Empire Underground: Metalcore. Vetcore Benefit for the Veterans Miracle Center, with raffles and a silent auction.
Cranks-Giving Charity Bike Ride & Food Drive at Kha & Mel’s: 20th annual charity bike ride and food drive benefiting South End Children’s Cafe.
2000’s Rave at Empire: A night of 2000s music.
Gary Gulman at The Egg: Stand-up comedy.
Grand Kyiv Ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ at The Egg: Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker: Symphony of Lights,” with glowing costumes and world-class performers.
Corey B at Funny Bone: Stand-up comedy.
Don McLean at Troy Music Hall: Folk rock.
Bear Grass, Nathan Meltz and the House of Tomorrow, Pony in the Pancake, Front Biz at Hangar on the Hudson: Indie folk, dream pop, funk rock. Rock the Pantry, a benefit for the Oakwood Community Center. Bring a non-perishable food item.
Siena Saints Men’s Basketball vs Brown Bears at MVP Arena: Siena hosts Brown.
Annie in the Water, All Night Boogie Band at Lark Hall: Indie Americana, blues, rock and soul.
Monkey & The Crowbar at The Eleven: Folk, Americana.
Capital Region Wing Wars 21 at Franklin Terrace Ballroom: 20+ local restaurants compete for People’s Choice and judges’ awards. Proceeds benefit St. Jude the Apostle School Tuition Assistance Program.
A Big Gay Pre-Holiday Pop Up Market at Common Roots Brewing Company: LGBTQIA+ makers market with 30 vendors, benefiting The Pull Up Barber Project.
Water Justice Lab End of Season Celebration at The Sanctuary: End-of-season celebration with films on local ecology, including the premiere of “Source to Estuary: What the Water Remembers,” a short documentary by Media Lab fellows. Open house at NATURE Lab beforehand.
Power Unleashed at Mount Ida Preservation Hall: Hard dance, electronic. Hard-dance ritual with DJs Dentalwork, Riddick, v64, rX_LEON_X, and Julian Power, plus live visuals.
Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, The Doo Wop Project, Ron Dante, 1910 Fruitgum Company at Proctors: British Invasion, doo-wop, bubblegum pop. Four acts perform their biggest 60s hits.
Via Aquarium 10 Year Anniversary Party at Via Aquarium: Ten years of underwater adventures, with a shark touch tank, food truck, giveaways, and more.
Quartet by Candlelight at Via Aquarium: Classical. String quartet led by cellist Laura Melnicoff, paying tribute to John Williams. First-ever event.
Matt Cosgrove, Kirk Diehl at Putnam Place: Country rock. Intimate acoustic performance.
Professor Louie & The Crowmatix at Caffè Lena: Roots rock, blues, Americana. Grammy-nominated Woodstock band with deep ties to The Band.
Endea Owens & The Cookout at MASS MoCA: Jazz, soul, funk. One of jazz’s most vibrant emerging artists, with her band The Cookout.
Sunday November 15
high 44º low 37º, cloudy
Sunday Sessions at The Pickle: Pickle Arts & Crafts Club, 8pm.
Last Ride: GTA Video Game Night, DJ Tex at No Fun: Video game night. Free.
Pouya, Ramirez, Fat Nick, Black Smurf, Comehelpglo at Empire: Underground hip-hop, cloud rap, trap.
Motionless In White, Dayseeker, The Devil Wears Prada, Dark Divine at MVP Arena: Metalcore, gothic metal, post-hardcore.
Shelly Belly at Funny Bone: Stand-up comedy.
Andrea Gibson’s Love Letter from the Afterlife at The Egg: Film of Gibson’s final live performance with live orchestral score, poetry, and storytelling. With Megan Falley, Mary Lambert, Holly Miranda, and the Goosebump Orchestra.
Academy of St Martin in the Fields at Troy Music Hall: Classical chamber orchestra.
Off The Record at Lark Street Tavern: 60s-style lounge, rock and roll. Local Band Sunday.
Jupiter Ensemble, Lea Desandre at Union College Memorial Chapel: Baroque works of Vivaldi and others, led by lutenist Thomas Dunford.
Upstate Classic at Altamont Fairgrounds: Half marathon, 5K, and kids races.
Davin Youngs: The RESET at Universal Preservation Hall: Immersive sound healing experience. Sold out.
Carolyn Shapiro, Sweet Petunia, Great Aunt at Caffè Lena: Folk, old-time, bluegrass.
Farah Siraj at Caffè Lena: Arabian flamenco jazz. Jordan’s “Musical Ambassadress” presents her new album Miel y Limón.
All Weekend
Menopause – The Musical at GE Theatre at Proctors: The musical comedy about menopause, running November 12–15.
Albany ContraFest! 2026 at Albany Elks Lodge #49: Three contra dances over two days, plus waltzes Saturday evening. Live music by The Gaslight Tinkers, caller Liz Nelson.
Counter Culture at Arts Center of the Capital Region: Creative Action Unlimited mainstage play, an untraditional tragedy by KD McTeigue and Michael Kennedy.
Santa’s Playland at Quick Response: The free drive-through holiday lights display opens for the season, running through January 3.
Evergreen things to do
Go see a movie at the Spectrum Theater. Go see some some movies and be sure to grab a drink and snack and Delaware Supply before or after.
Classes at Honest Weight Food Co-Op: Free and low-cost community classes, events, and services.
Art Omi: 120 acres of large-scale sculpture. Free to roam.
Day trip to MASS MoCA: A whole factory complex of contemporary art. Make a day of it.
Olana State Historic Site in Hudson: Frederic Church’s hilltop mansion and 250 acres of carriage roads.
Opalka Gallery: Check out the latest exhibit at Sage’s Opalka Gallery (closed Sundays and Summers).
The NYS Museum: Bunch of great exhibits and it’s right in your backyard.
Go Hiking: You live in an amazing area for hiking. Touch grass!
Go for a Walk: I like the Columbia Land Conservancy and Hudson Mohawk Land Conservancy preserves.
Go Birding: There’s tons of great spots in and around Albany. Download eBird and Merlin on your phone, grab your binoculars, and hit the trails.
Farmer’s Markets: Saturday has Troy, Saratoga, Menands (year round), Albany (July thru Sept), Delmar (May through Oct), and Colonie (May thru Sept). Sunday has Schenectady (year round), and Waterford (May through Oct).
Did I miss something? Or get something wrong? Please let me know!
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