The Egg, Empire State Plaza Concourse Level (tel. 518/473-1845; www.theegg.org), is the funky spherical half-egg on the plaza; its two theaters inside are nearly as cool as the exterior. It hosts a diverse range of entertainment, from the modern dance of Mark Morris and classical music to comedy, theater, and the guitar riffs of rock bands like Cheap Trick. The Palace Performing Arts Center, 19 Clinton Ave. (tel. 518/465-3664; www.palacealbany.com), is a gorgeously restored grand 1931 movie theater that now hosts top-level talent, including pop concerts (such as Billy Joel and Sum 41), comedy (Jerry Seinfeld), and the Albany Symphony Orchestra and the Albany Berkshire Ballet. It also handles a number of children's theater performances during the school year. The Pepsi Arena, 51 S. Pearl St. (tel. 518/487-2000; www.pepsiarena.com), is the big place in town for large rock and country-music concerts in addition to sporting events. The Capital Repertory Theatre, 111 N. Pearl St. (tel. 518/462-4531; www.capitalrep.org), features Broadway and Off-Broadway touring musicals and dramatic theater. Outside of town, the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall [ST], 7 State St., Troy (tel. 518/273-0038; www.troymusichall.org), a wonderfully preserved concert hall in a former 1823 bank, hosts some of the area's best jazz concerts as well as chamber music and other performances; there's almost always something interesting scheduled, and it's just 8 miles from downtown Albany. Past performers have included Ella Fitzgerald and Yo-Yo Ma.
Bars and pubs worth dropping in on include Albany Pump Station, 19 Quackenbush Sq. (tel. 518/447-9000), a brewpub within a historic pump station; Riverfront Bar & Grill, Corning Riverfront Park (tel. 518/426-4738), which you can get to by crossing the Hudson River Way pedestrian bridge; and the Waterworks Pub, 76 Central Ave. (tel. 518/465-9079), which has a large dance floor and DJs spinning tunes. Movie theaters include Hoyt's at Crossgates Mall (tel. 518/452-6440) and Spectrum 7 Theaters, 290 Delaware Ave. (tel. 518/449-8995).
