I love the variety of local theatre and entertainment we have in the Capital District.
There's the Cohoes Music Hall, Albany Symphony Orchestra, Capital Repertory, Proctor's, Comedy Works, the Troy Music Hall, Schenectady Light Opera Company, summer season at SPAC and the Palace (among smaller acting troupes, organizations and other entities that I probably am not even aware of).
And, given that we're only 2.5 hours from NYC for some of the best entertainment offered in the world, the local venues kinda have to step up their game. And they do.
Just wanted to share the two newest announcements for coming acts - Flogging Molly in June and Comedian Gabriel Iglesias in September, both at the Palace.

Further details on both from the respective press releases sent out today:

Flogging Molly, on Saturday, June 16 at 8pm, has never conformed to industry tastes; they’ve always been the outcasts who put their fans before commercial success, and they’ve always put their music before marketability. The rewards of such independence and integrity are undeniable in their songs. You feel it from the first note to the last, the pathos and the passion, the sweeping and rollicking electricity of inspiration.

Founded in Los Angeles in 1997, Flogging Molly has always defied categorization. The infectious originality of their songs is a badge of honor and key to the band’s creativity, their urgency. They infuse punk rock with Celtic instruments—violin, mandolin and the accordion—and they merge blues progressions with grinding guitars and traditional Irish music. “We're not a traditional band," explains vocalist, Dublin-born, Dave King. "We are influenced by traditional music and inspired by it, but without question we put our own twist on it." Theirs is music of exile and rebellion, of struggle and history and protest. It’s music of a country torn down the middle; a deeply beautiful and wounded country that knows no quit, and Flogging Molly pays homage to that resolve in every note. Whether it’s a driving anthem like “Black Friday Rule” or the upbeat duet with Lucinda Williams, “Factory Girls”, the band’s only criteria for its music is simple and bone-deep: that it matter.

Tickets are $29.50 & $24.50 and go On Sale FRIDAY, MAY 4 at 10AM at the Palace Theatre Box Office (located at 19 Clinton Ave). Box Office hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 5PM and Saturday 10AM – 2PM as well as special hours during performances. Tickets are also available for purchase via Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 800-745-3000 and all Ticketmaster outlets, local Wal-Mart Ticketmaster Centers or online at ticketmaster.com.

Gabriel Iglesias, in his Stand Up Revolution THE TOUR - Friday, Sept. 28 at 8pm, has been described as unbelievably witty, electrifying and a talented performer who has the ability to consistently deliver a uniquely hilarious comedy experience – from start to finish – in every venue he performs in. His high-octane show is a sure-fire hit, a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that bring all his personal experiences to life. Gabriel’s clean and animated comedy style has earned national crossover appeal, making him popular among fans of all ages. Ask anyone who has seen him in concert and you will probably hear the same thing, “Fluffy was SO funny!”

Gabriel’s mass appeal opened the door to a rare opportunity for a comic to film a second one-hour Comedy Central special and DVD. The newest special entitled “I’m Not Fat...
I’m Fluffy” features the comedian’s perfect blend of spot-on voice skills and an uncanny knack for hilarious storytelling. The special, shot live in front of a packed house in El Paso, TX is currently playing in rotation on Comedy Central and is now available on DVD. The new special is destined to top his previous highly successful special/DVD, “Hot & Fluffy.” With his huge touring and DVD success it was only a matter of time that Gabriel would be offered his own TV series.

On October 6, 2011, Comedy Central premiered “Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution.” In this new show, Gabriel hosts and performs stand-up material and features an array of hysterically diverse comedians that he has personally selected. This series is a delight for fans and newcomers alike. Now, more will be able to catch Gabriel live as he embarks on his national stand-up comedy tour, “Stand-Up Revolution – The Tour.”

Gabriel’s television credits include; “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Conan,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” FOX TV’s “The Family Guy.” “Good Morning America,” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” He has also headlined the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and Toronto. In 2009, Gabriel had the unique opportunity to be the headliner at the Amman Jordan Comedy Festival, the first of its kind in the Arab world – he recently returned to Amman Jordan for a second visit in 2010. Gabriel’s world tour performances include locations such as Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) and Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Khobar, Qatar, and Dubai.)

All Tickets are $42 and go On Sale FRIDAY, MAY 4 at 10AM at the Palace Theatre Box Office (located at 19 Clinton Ave). Box Office hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 5PM and Saturday 10AM – 2PM as well as special hours during performances. Tickets are also available for purchase via Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets, local Wal-Mart Ticketmaster Centers or online at ticketmaster.com.