The Bad Plus at The Egg — June 23, 2026
The Bad Plus is one of those bands that makes jazz fans argue about what jazz even is — and that’s exactly what makes them worth seeing. The avant-garde trio rolls into The Egg on June 23 for an 8:00 PM set, and if you’ve never heard them tear apart a Nirvana song and reassemble it into something that sounds like it belongs in a smoky downtown club and a concert hall simultaneously, you’re overdue.
About The Bad Plus
Since forming in 2000, The Bad Plus has built a reputation as jazz’s most fearless demolition crew. They’ve deconstructed everything from Black Sabbath to Aphex Twin, filtering rock and pop through a lens of acoustic piano, upright bass, and drums — no electronics, no gimmicks. Their originals are just as compelling, full of odd time signatures and dynamic shifts that reward close listening. Albums like their catalog on Amazon showcase a band that refuses to sit still musically.
What sets The Bad Plus apart is the sheer physicality of their playing. This isn’t background dinner music. The piano gets hammered, the bass throbs, the drums hit hard. It’s jazz with the volume and intensity of a rock show — which makes a mid-size venue like The Egg the ideal setting.
Venue Info
The Egg is one of Albany’s most distinctive buildings — that weird, beautiful concrete pod sitting in the Empire State Plaza. The Hart Theatre seats 982 and wraps around the stage in a way that makes every seat feel connected to the performance. For a trio like The Bad Plus, where dynamics and interplay are everything, the room’s acoustics will do the heavy lifting. The Swyer Theatre downstairs is even smaller, but the Hart is where most music acts land, and it’s perfectly sized for this kind of show. Parking is available in the Empire State Plaza garages — arrive early if you’re not familiar with the layout, because the Plaza can be a maze the first time.
Tickets & Pricing
Tickets are available through The Egg’s website. Visit theegg.org for pricing and availability. Shows at The Egg tend to sell steadily rather than in a rush, but a 982-seat room for a nationally touring act doesn’t leave a lot of margin — don’t sit on this one if you’re interested.
A Tuesday night jazz show in a room this good is one of those Capital Region experiences that reminds you why living here has its perks. The Bad Plus doesn’t play upstate often. Take advantage.