As for the last week, well, things didn't generally work out too well. On Thursday I went to
Nuts and Bolts
at
Johnny's Irish Pub
(1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free)
and had a good time there, then tried to catch some bands at
The Bug Jar
(219 Monroe Ave.)
but forgot that they had the bands play early and now it was just DJ's, then went to see
QUiTTERS
at
Monty's Korner
(363 East Ave.)
but they were wholly inappropriate for the venue (they were playing to a somewhat disinterested crowd in their usual punk-rock-loud style) so I just said the heck with it and left.
Friday was band-free but okay. We actually tried to go see
Alejandro Escovedo
at
Montage Grille
(50 Chestnut St.)
but when we found it was $14 each, we thought shooting pool at
Monty's Krown
(875 Monroe Ave.)
would be better.
On Saturday,
Monty's Krown
(875 Monroe Ave.)
had no bands at all, but at least
The Bug Jar
(219 Monroe Ave.)
saved the day.
Slow Horse
was an excellent 1970's jam-rock band, and the amusingly named
Sofa King Killer
did a similar style but with more of a modern twist.
Later, on Tuesday, I checked out comedy at
Daily Perks
(389 Gregory St.)
and got to see some of the locals. Tom Mule was there and did some of his stand-up. I guess you already have to like him to like him. I'm fairly well versed in world news, but I can put some of that aside--however, his confusion over why we should care about Pakistan and India going to war left me smacking my head. (For those hiding in the same hole, there was a possibility they were going to have a nuclear war.)
Anyway, from there I headed up to
Milestones
(170 East Ave.)
to see
Isotopes
play against
Speakeasy.
By the time we got there, though, I talked with Karl and they were just finishing up. Aaaargh! I missed them again. I just left and lost the $4 cover. I really wish they'd said something (like, "you missed one of the bands.")
From there we went to
The Bug Jar
(219 Monroe Ave.)
and I got a chance to see
Juan Prophet Organization
who are really talented. Each of the four of them plays a total of 7 instruments--guitar, bass, violin, drums, keyboard, glockenspiel, and accordian; and all of them sing. They play a variety of kinds of music but revolve around a blend of rock, ska, and eastern-European music.
Bob Log III
(whom I had listed as Bog Long III) was up next and he plays kick-drum, kick-cymbal, drum machine, slide guitar, and sings through a telephone receiver mounted in a motorcycle helmet. He does a punk-ish blues, I guess and if you get a chance to see him, it's well worth it. The whole one-man-band motif only shows itself in that the songs tend to sound a lot alike.
M O V I E S
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat
- I'm betting this is a live performance by Martin Lawrence, only recorded on film and projected on a big screen.
The Master of Disguise
- Dana Carvey puts on a bunch of costumes and does stuff ... the point: unknown.
Antigone Rising
(whom, upon seeing for the first time, I referred to as "Wilson Phillips minus the suck") will be opening for
The Clarks
starting around 8 at
The Club at Water Street
(204 N. Water St.)
The Dryden Theater
at
George Eastman House
(900 East Ave.)
will be showing
It's the Old Army Game starting at 8.
I've got a generally nonplussed attitude toward W. C. Fields so I figured I might take the chance to see one of his movies. They'll also be showing clips from his other films and there'll be live piano by Philip C. Carli.
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.
Daily Perks
(389 Gregory St.)
is hosting an
Acoustic Open Jam
from 8 to 10. For this one, there's no microphones and it's designed to be more of a true jam.
F R I D A Y
Over at
Shipping Dock Theatre
(151 St. Paul St.)
starting around 7:30 is
Interplay Festival Of New Plays
which is essentially staged readings of two new plays:
Months on End
by
Craig Pospisil
and
The Princess of President Street
by
Adam Kraar.
The show runs today at 7:30 and tomorrow at 8.
In an early show tonight at
The Bug Jar
(219 Monroe Ave.)
-- starting around 8 -- is the spacey-plus-punkish
American Analog Set
with the electronic-plus-guitar-pop
Her Space Holiday.
Over at
Mercury Star Lounge
(171 St. Paul, formerly Red)
is
Andekrome,
the modern rock band
Article 9
and
Lobby Bar
starting around 10:30.
In case you're shut in tonight (or tomorrow), check out
I'm going to make a drug with my mind
on cable public access (channel 15 on Time Warner) at 11:30 p.m. featuring
Pisspot the Bunny
interviewing local and out-of-town bands.
In case you're curious, it's
Alla Turca
at
Lola Bistro and Bar
(630 Monroe Ave.)
tonight and every Friday from 10:30 to 2.
acoustic folk artist
Maria Gillard
at the Oxford Street Stage at 3:30
The Dryden Theater
at
George Eastman House
(900 East Ave.)
will be showing
Songs from the Second Floor starting at 8.
Swedish with subtitles ... the Eastman House flyer said, "Monty Python meets Samuel Beckett, Kafka, Borges, and Terry Gilliam's Brazil in a stylish deadpan comedy on the apocalpyse of global society." Can this be missed?
Tonight at
Water Street Music Hall
(204 N. Water St.)
is a big 'ol ska night starting around 8 featuring
The Pietasters
with
The Flour City Knuckleheads
and
The Blackouts
.
There's apparently a
Spoken Word Open Mic Poetry Night
at
Pythodd Jazz Room at the Heritage House
(130 Spring St.)
from around 6 to around 10. It used to be on Thursdays but I guess they moved it.
As of a few months ago,
Java's
(16 Gibb Street)
still has open mic poetry downstairs starting around 9:30.
Tonight from 8 to 10 is an
Open-Mic Comedy Night
at
Daily Perks
(389 Gregory St.)
While once it was a workshop type of environment, the comics now have to force that behavior ... by default it's a place to try out new stuff.
Dan Liberto
(of the The Comedy Company)
is back with another
Open Mic Comedy
up at
Penny Arcade
(4785 Lake Ave.)
starting probably around 10:30
Movie links courtesy The Internet Movie Database Map links courtesy MapsOnUs TV show synopses courtesy TVGrid Some movie synopses courtesy UpcomingMovies.com
Baron Paul Julius von Reuter was born 186 years ago in 1816 and later went on to found the Reuter's news agency.
is an event that has been confirmed either with the venue, the performers, or both.
links to a band's page on GarageBand.com which offers reviews and information about bands.
links to a band's page on MP3.com which offers music and entertainment downloads in MP3 format.
is an event that is "non-entertainment" for the masses such as practice sessions, open jams, etc.