Thursday, June 14, 2001

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #127: One Nasty Elephant

The first thing I thought about was a combination of disappointment and satisfaction. I was disappointed that it really didn't fix anything. I mean, what can you do -- there's no way to bring those people back, so all there is left is vengeance ... to which I derived a little satisfaction. I was glad he's dead. Serves him right. However, his lack of remorse right into the abyss stole from that. Also that it wasn't a poetic justice, but an act of human vengeance. Less satisfaction.

I thought about his last meal -- two pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream. I had some mint chocolate chip ice cream on Monday night after dinner and then I woke up on Tuesday morning. I thought that was weird. I had more on Tuesday and woke up on Wednesday. Ha.

Early on I considered the notion that there are now 169 deaths associated with the bombing. Put that way, the vengeance is even less palpable. On another tangent, aside from killing a bunch of otherwise good people, out of 168 people, you're bound to have some bad apples. He probably killed someone who wouldn't stop talking on his cell phone in a movie theater. Or someone who has a side job ripping off little old ladies. Or someone who beat their wife. Or a rapist. Or a murderer. Heck, what if he was inside the building and somebody else killed him? By no means is this a way to enact justice. Just more idle thinking.

I guess in the end this is how we make our society work. If you are behaving in a manner that violates the rules of humanity and respectfulness, you are beginning to drift outside the norm of society. If you do something that demonstrates that you are outside the rules, the society you reside in doesn't need to follow their own rules either. I guess I think that capital punishment isn't very useful at all, but in this case, we might have done right.

T H U R S D A Y

Flag Day The Mondo Exploito series of movies continues at the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) with The Cool and the Crazy starting at 8. Behold the glory of propaganda à la Reefer Madness and juvenile deliquency. Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Chris Connelly with The Bells, Suran Song in Stag and Darchitect. Tonight is another of Freetime Magazine's Rochester's Most Popular Band Contest with Once Again versus Shatterproof starting around 9:30 at the intolerable Milestones (170 East Ave.) Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is having a rockabilly night with The Blind Pharoahs and Krypton-88. Tonight at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is another performance of Quilters. This performance is sign-language interpreted, and the show itself has been extended through July 1. If worse comes to worse you can always see, hear, and/or otherwise participate in Karaoke with Sugar Bear at Drinks by Mary Dawn (535 S. Clinton) starting around 10:30.

F R I D A Y

I might be having dinner at California Rollin' at Village Gate Square (274 N. Goodman St.) Check out the Fish Mail for the special rolls this week. Today is the start of the Maplewood Rose Festival at The Maplewood Rose Garden (Driving Park and Lake Ave.) Opening ceremonies are at noon and the festial runs through the weekend. If you've got a thing for groove rock and a stomach for Milestones (170 East Ave.) check out Schleigho with Princes of Babylon starting around 10:30. If you want to get outdoors to see a show, one of the best places to do so is the roof deck at The Centers at High Falls (60 Brown's Race) Tonight will be Unlimited starting around 10. They're listed under "Top 40" in Freetime Magazine and I h'aint heard them before. Continuing the groove rock (well, really "world beat") theme is Babaloo at Empire Brewing Company (300 State St.) They don't list a time, and I don't know when Empire starts things. Heck, I haven't even seen the band before. [What good is this anyway?] Shipping Dock Theater (151 St. Paul St.) has a new play starting this weekend -- How I Learned to Drive. Freetime Magazine says Winner of the 1998 Pultzer Price, the show is a funny, surprising and devastating tale of survival as seen through the lens of a troubled relationship between a young girl and an older man. It is the story of a woman who learns the rules of the road (and life) from behind the wheel. Anyway, I haven't seen the show but the ones in the past have been quite good. Plus the venue is pretty nice and intimate. Tonights show is at 8 and there are shows in the evenings throughout the weekend. Call 232-2250 for more information.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Several times today, the hour-and-a-half walking drama, A Circle of Friends: An Abolitionists' Tour of Mt. Hope Cemetery in 1860 will be performed at Mt. Hope Cemetery (North Gate, 791 Mt. Hope Ave.) Call 271-4552 for reservations. I'll have to get down and check out the new exhibit at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.): In Praise of Nature: Ansel Adams and Photographers of the American West. I keep bringing myself back to giving Ansel Adams another chance -- he's very popular for a number of reasons, but I keep seeing sterile photographs of beautiful landscapes. Anyway, the exhibit runs through September 16 so I've got plenty of time. Astronomical Unit will be spreading their groovy funky sound all over the less-than-appreciative inhabitants of Acme Bar & Pizza (495 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 or 10. I'll have to give the Peachy Neachys another shot too since they get positive reviews in the local entertainment rags. Anyway, they're doing a double-cd release party at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight starting around 10:30. Updated 2001-Jun-14 Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is Milkhouse starting around 10:30. I can't remember if these folks are good or not ... oh well; worth a shot. If you caught them at the East End Fest, you'll know United Booty Foundation is a pretty decent party-rock / disco band. They'll be at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) tonight around 9 for an 18-and-over show. If you ever wanted to check it out but were afraid to ask, The Sugar Bear and Meghan will be at Elixir (938 South Clinton Ave.) doing their Karaoke thing. Again with the roof deck of The Centers at High Falls (60 Brown's Race) ... this time it's the locally acclaimed Brass Taxi staring around 10. The first of the Movies in the Bowl series begins today with Jaws at Ontario Beach Park (Beach Ave.) at dusk. There is supposedly a bigger screen and music beforehand to keep the crowd entertained.

S U N D A Y

Father's Day Today is the 2001 Young Writers Festival at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) for free at 2:30 p.m. Freetime Magazine describes it best: Three one-act plays, written by area teenage playwrights, will be performed by professional actors in an informal, script-in-hand reading. The works will be Unrequited Love? by Elizabeth Geuss, a recent graduate of Genesee Community College from Batavia; The Prettiest Voice of All by Kendra Hoblit Mittermeyer, an eighth grader from Brighton; and Jesus in a Teapot: A Belfast Story by Kathleen Dooley, a high school senior from Fairport. More information is available in the press release from Geva Theater. Tonight's another Open Jar Jam at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.)

M O N D A Y

Trivia Quiz continues at The Old Toad (277 Alexander St.) I keep going and we still haven't won -- whether we have a few people or a whole bunch.. We've been within a couple questions of winning, but so has everyone else. If you're up for it, Johnny's Smoke Free Bar (1382 Culver Rd.) will have a DJ playing Barenaked Ladies tunes.

T U E S D A Y

As of a few weeks ago, Java's (16 Gibb Street) still has open mic poetry downstairs starting around 9:30. Dan Liberto just won't quit ... now he's got another open mic comedy night way out at Six Pockets (Ridge Hudson Plaza) starting around 9. The shows have been alright in the past.

W E D N E S D A Y

If you'd like to keep up on the whole groove rock thing, Acme Bar & Pizza (495 Monroe Ave.) will have Psychedelic Breakfast starting around 9:30. A new arrival on the comedy front is another Open Mic Night -- this time at Caffe Dell'Arte (187 St. Paul St.) probably starting early. Weekly karaoke contest with Sugar Bear, at Comix Cafe (3450 Winton Pl.) Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Open Mic Night (for music) from 7 to 10.