Weekly Rochester Events #269: Carpet? You Must Be Kidderminstering Me.

Thursday, March 4, 2004

First, though, there was a ray of hope in the disposable society we've created. I've been trying to get the Black & Decker Leaf Hog I've got all fixed up, but in the process of testing a second cutting blade, I had a catastrophic failure in one of the motor brushes because the bushing in the back of the motor failed. I imagine it'd be more impressive at night, but visible sparks shot out of the blower hole as the brushes disintegrated. It was pretty cool.

My first thought was to just go to Chase Pitkin (650 Hylan Dr.) to buy a bushing and new brushes, but they don't sell them anymore. Neither does Home Depot (770 Jefferson Rd.), nor even Benfante Appliance Service (1286 Mount Hope Ave.) where they said most manufacturers don't sell replacement parts for motors anymore. Well, I got home all frustrated, but found DeWalt ServiceNET online. I could order brushes and the back housing for the motor. And for pretty cheap too. Hooray.

Oh yeah, also I got to check out The Gannett Rochester Insider which wasn't as bad as I thought. It still carries the flaw that it is never critical of anything—a major failing if you're going to try to discern what you might or might not want to go see. It reads like one of those in-flight airline magazines, and I imagine it will be right at home on the The Spirit of Ontario. Thankfully, ferry users will also have access to the Internet and can access a real source of information about what's going on in town.

So anyway, on Friday I went to the Atrium in City Hall (30 Church St.) for the Black Heritage Celebration Food Tasting which was great. All the foods were more-or-less African-American recipes, so there weren't any interesting Ethiopian dishes or anything. I tried several things I hadn't had before. Padukah corn pudding was great ... almost like a corn-based quiche, except much lighter. Sweet potato pie (really: I have actually never had it before) was like pumpkin pie except much sweeter and also very good. I tried a little bit of pigs feet, but I wasn't all that impressed with them—like oxtails, the small amount of meat on the bone is too fatty for my tastes. I also have to comment that both the macaroni and cheese from Dine-Oh-Might Family Restaurant (1415 N. Clinton Ave.) and the barbeque pork and turkey from Unkl Moes Barbeque and Catering were excellent.

After that I headed over to Monty's Korner (363 East Ave.) to see Dreamland Faces play their last Rochester show (I guess they're headed for Minnesota) with keyboardist and singer Roz from Bullwinkles Café (622 Lake Ave.) I had to poke around with the sound a bit, and I think I made it better, but it was a tough call ... I doubt I made it worse, it's just that playing a crosscut saw with a violin bow just isn't very loud and hard to put a microphone on. Anyway, Roz will be taking over for them at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) on Thursdays.

On Saturday, I gotta say that International House of Pancakes (556 Jefferson Rd., formerly Ciao) was a bit disappointing. The liter carafe of grapefruit juice was a more-than-adequate quantity of beverage, but the pancakes were just okay (and they didn't have blueberry) along with the service. Nothing too dramatically bad, but nothing too good either.

Later that night, I went to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) to see several bands. Well, it ended up being three four- or five-member bands drawn from seven or so performers from Chicago. Love of Everything was up first and they're "vaguely ethereal bouncy pop-rock" ... I liked them. Next was Make Believe who were somewhat similar but more rock-like. The third band was Joan Of Arc who do avante garde rock ... more so than the prior two bands. I guess I liked Make Believe the best, though, and most others agreed.

On Monday, I did make it to The Hochstein School of Music and Dance (50 North Plymouth Ave.) to see Mayor William A. Johnson, Jr. deliver the State of the City address. I recommend downloading it from the City Hall site and reading it. It contains a bit more than what the news says, and the message is much less condescending—particularly about the Mayor's comments about avoiding unproductive negativity about Rochester. I have to disagree with him on one point about it: the High Falls entertainment project wasn't well thought out and deserved most of the criticism it received.

On Tuesday I got out a little later than I wanted to, but made it to see Fog of War atThe Little (240 East Ave.) which was very good. Essentially it's a two-hour interview with Robert S. McNamara, the Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and Johnson during the Vietnam War (among other things.) I was a little surprised to find the film was not overly dire, despite its theme. McNamara was an interesting subject to interview because he's very candid about the hard choices he had to make in the positions he was in. He also dishes out a considerable amount of advice to others in similar roles concerning the rules of warfare and other nuggets of wisdom which are only really useful to someone in charge of lots of people ... at least not at face value.

Right afterward I headed over to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) and caught two bands. I missed the first, but I had seen them before. I came in just as Bishop Allen started. I thought they were great, but a certain Leilani who works at Lakeshore Record Exchange (370 Park Ave.) who shall remain nameless (shut up ... she shall) was not nearly as impressed. They play "real" high-energy rock-and-roll ... kinda like early Talking Heads or Kick Me Kate. The other band was Head of Femur who were just great. They're kind of like groove rock only double-tempo and with violin, trombone, and keyboard along with drums, bass, and guitar ... somewhat like Electric Light Orchestra, actually.

I was actually pleased to see that there were about 20 or so people who showed up. With only a couple exceptions, I think that's the most number of people I've seen show up on a Tuesday.

T H U R S D A Y

The Reynolds Auction Company is having an auction of the roofing equipment and trucks and tools from John Siddon Company (299 Gregory St.) starting at 10 a.m. today. Preview starts at 8:30, but you can see most of the stuff at the auction website. [source: Reynold's Auction website] In what appears to be the most fascinating (and last for the winter) of the Thursday Thinkers at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) with The Place of Oral Storytelling in a High Tech Society featuring Chairman of the Freedom Trail Commission, Dr. David Anderson. from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Hilkka's Tenth Anniversary show (give or take half a year.) The first set consists of new Hilkka material, the third set consists of very old Hilkka material, and the middle set is Hilkka songs covered by local performers including Duke Galaxy and the Pipeliners featuring Thundergod Jimmy, punk-rock legends The QUiTTERS, Visionstain, Chad Oliveiri, Otto Hauser (of Sneaky Dragons), Muler, metal band Sulaco, Anthony Ferrari, and peculiar 3-piece rock band Nod starting around 8:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Curtis Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) is a lecture by the Eastman House nitrate vault manager Deborah Stoiber titled The Nitrate Collections at George Eastman House to introduce the showing of some of their nitrate-based films in the coming months. [source: Eastman House calendar] This evening at 7:30 p.m. at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is a Black History Month Lecture (artists don't know the months, I guess) titled The Harlem Renaissance and the Black Body. New School University (66 W. 12th St., New York City) professor Julia Foulkes "explores how the black body became the focal point of debate during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s," to quote the MAG calendar. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] Women and Sports—Beyond Title IX: The Winter Film Series from Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) begins tonight at Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) at 7 with Changing Course, a film series produced by Robert Richter which looks at the effects of the Title IX Program on women's education [<breathe>]. Tonight's films are: In the Spirit of Title IX by Pat Powell about a Colorado Title IX coordinator's efforts at gender equality in education. See What We Can Be by Patricia Naggier about the problems of gender stereotyping and attempts to eliminate role-playing at an early age. The Heart of the Sea: Kapolioka'ehukai by Lisa Denker and Charlotte Lagarde about surfer Rell "Kapolioka'ehukai" Sunn who founded the Women's Professional Surfing Association. [source: Rochester Contemporary e-mail] At The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) tonight starting at 7 p.m. is a lecture and discussion about local poverty issues with members of Poor People United. [source: All-Purpose Room calendar] Did you miss The Animation Show the last few times it was at Eastman House? Well here is (what could be) your last chance: RIT (One Lomb Memorial Dr., campus map image) will be showing it in Ingle Auditorium at 8. It features: Katedra (The Cathedral) Mt. Head an excerpt from Mars and Beyond La course à l'abîme (The Ride to the Abyss) Parking Fifty Percent Grey Das Rad (The Rocks) Strange Invaders Rejected (which explains why the phrase "My anus is bleeding!" is so funny.) Billy's Balloon (which I assume is part of the package, although it may have been an Eastman House add-on) [source: CAB calendar] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Fallen Idol starting at 8. The film is a child's perspective on his friendship with the family butler who is charged with murder. This is a rare nitrate-based film, and Eastman House is one of the only places in the world with the proper equipment to show nitrate films. [source: Eastman House calendar] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Keyboardist and singer Roz from Bullwinkles Café (622 Lake Ave.) will be at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 8 or so. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

F R I D A Y

Lux Lounge (666 South Ave.) will be hosting an art opening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. featuring art from Dave Yager, Jay Lincoln, Linda Lizinski, Adam Francy, Jim Wehtje, Karrie Laughton. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is holding one of their Hibernatus Interruptus events. Tonight at 7 p.m. is an opportunity to Meet The Playwrights ... specifically Michele Lowe and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. [source: Geva Theatre website] The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) will be hosting jazz band The Glen Hall Trio in the atrium starting around 8 p.m. [source: Bop Shop calendar] Starting tonight at the gallery at Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) and running through May 15 is Lawrence Brose's De Profundis and CAGE: A Filmic Circus on Metaphors on Vision and Chris Burnett's Messages to Extinct Places in the Present Tense. [source: Visual Studies Workshop mailing] Tonight at 8 p.m. at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is the Urban-Suburban Slam Poetry. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Over at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) starting around 10 p.m. is British invasion and classic rock cover band The White Ravens. [source: Freetime] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Lyutuy (The Fierce One) starting at 8. A boy attempts to domesticate a wolf cub. Preceded by Eto loshadi (There Are Horses) which is just lots and lots of horses. [source: Eastman House calendar]

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Rochester Rocky Horror Picture Show will be making another appearance at German House (315 Gregory St.) tonight at 8:30 p.m. with opening musical act, eclectic rock-and-rollers My Penis [source: band e-mail] Today's the first of the City Living Sundays Bus Tours sponsored by The Landmark Society of Western New York (133 S. Fitzhugh St.) Today's tour runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will cover the southern part of the city including Corn Hill, Park Avenue, South Wedge, and the 19th Ward. [source: Landmark Society calendar] Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is holding one of their Hibernatus Interruptus new play events. Tonight at 7:30 and tomorrow at 4 p.m. is work-in-progress Dark Matters by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa where one family member is apparently replaced by someone else and speaks of strange visitors. [source: Geva Theatre website] Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. is Murphy's Law, very good metal/punk-rock band Fallguy, gimmicky heavy metal (i.e. okay to hear but worth seeing) Blüdwülf, and punk-rock/hard-rock with a little rockabilly from The UV Rays. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Artwork to support Poor People United at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) closes tonight. Your last chance to check it out is from 7 to 10. [source: All-Purpose Room calendar] DaJaiVu Presents DJ Elephant Man at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Water Street calendar] Tonight at Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) is jazzy groove funk with some experimentation from Oshe, and very good funk-rock (and probably the new front-runners since Astronomical Unit is regrouping) Mountain Mojo Authority (click here to skip their annoying flash intro) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] What's left of Andy Schmitz's tight rock band Low Ton, punkish rock band Piehole, and tight rock band The Retreads will be at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: band e-mail] Tonight at Alexander Street Pub (291 Alexander St.) is your fix of modern rock and cover songs from Better Days starting around 10 p.m. [source: Freetime] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing On the Waterfront starting at 8. Marlon Brando plays a longshoreman in the world of New York City's corrupt harbor unions. [source: Eastman House calendar]

M O N D A Y

In Carney Auditorium at St. John Fisher College (3690 East Ave.) there will be a Community Media Ownership Forum from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with Jonathan Adelstein of the Federal Communications Commission. [source: WITR calendar] Over at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting around 9 p.m. is Dave Rivello's 12-Piece Jazz Ensemble [source: Montage e-mail] Excellent experimental jazz band TatYana will be playing tonight at Alexandria Mediterranean Cuisine (120 East Ave., formerly Aria) starting at 10. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

T U E S D A Y

Tonight at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is another installment of The Genesee Reading Series tonight featuring pet and playwright M.J. Iuppa, speculative fiction author Marcos Donnelly, and playwright Len Messineo. [source: Writers and Books calendar] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is what appears to be a wild punk show with The Coachwhips, and The Teenage Junkies starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. For this one, there's no microphones and it's pretty open ended. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

W E D N E S D A Y

This afternoon starting at 12:10 p.m. in the Performance Hall at The Hochstein School of Music and Dance (50 North Plymouth Ave.) is another "Live From Hochstein" Concert and Broadcast featuring oboist Andréa Banke, bassoonist Michael Kroth, and pianist/harpsichordist Joseph Werner presenting The Oboe's Golden Ages with music from the Baroque period and the 20th Century. [source: Hochstein calendar] Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) will be hosting another Big Drum—Songwriters in the Round with Kate Silverman and Bob Stephenson, Jack Woods, excellent acoustic soloist Maria Gillard, and Scott Regan starting around 6:30 p.m. [source: Montage calendar] Tonight at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is a Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered Open Mike starting around 7. It's for both pros and amateurs, so if you feel the need to listen, support, or express yourself, head on down. [source: Writers and Books calendar] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Boom starting at 8. It's not clear to me why this film is part of the "Loathsome Films" series, but I guess I'll have to see it to find out. Liz Taylor plays the wealthy owner of an island home and rules over her servants. [source: Eastman House calendar] 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, it's now more-or-less a regular open mic ... by default it's still a place to try out new stuff. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Very cool jazz/jazz-rock band Margaret Explosion will be at The Little (240 East Ave.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Little Theatre e-mail] Poor People United meets tonight and every Wednesday at 7 at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality (402 South Ave.) [source: the proverbial grapevine]