Thursday, July 26, 2001

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #133: Möbius Endpoint

I don't know how many of you who read this actually go to anything on it, but I think I've got a grip on what I'm looking for when I pick what I'm going to put on the page for the week. Let me explain what I've seen bands, comics, and theater troupes go through.

Whenever someone or a group of people starts performing in front of the public, they are generally pretty bad at it. They've got some good traits and some bad ones, but--to put it politely--they suck. They might suck for a long time. Then, they either go away or some creative spark happens. For some time after that they get better with each show. They get a focus, they get to know what it's like to perform in front of an audience, and they get better. Fast.

Then they hit a peak ... rather a plateau. They practice more but don't get much better. They kind of stop at "pretty good." If they're not paying attention to this, they'll get complacent and bored. For most people, this is when they're "good" and people want to see them. After some time (again, maybe a long time) they either quit, regroup, or go up another creative climb and the cycle repeats.

I like to see acts that either suck-with-potential or are on that creative climb. I started adding entertainment to this page a while back and described it as "things I would like to see." I stick to that description, but to help the reader, I thought I'd clarify as far as I know myself.

You'll see The Bug Jar and Monty's Krown come up a lot. These two bars tend to draw in the up-and-comers more than other places I've been to. I'm not a fan of the clique-ness of The Bug Jar so I just want to see music and go, but Monty's Krown tends to draw in some of the members of the local garage bands and has an oddly welcoming atmosphere. Most places are looking for the crowd-friendly bands that have reached a plateau ... bands that will play consistently and have a following. Milestones, Richmonds and Acme tend to draw some decent acts sometimes but I think Milestones is virtually intolerable, Richmonds has been mean to bands before, and Acme tends to draw a crowd that really doesn't want a band. I usually avoid the "5-mile bars" too. These are places that are right around 5 miles from the center of Rochester and tend to draw people who aren't willing to go 5 miles to get good entertainment. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. I could go on about the venues, but I think I'll save that for a rainy day (yah, right.)

T H U R S D A Y

Betty Blowtorch, The Priests and The Faux will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45. Around 10:30, Joyfinger will be at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) Tonight is another of Freetime Magazine's Rochester's Most Popular Band Contest with Delusional Spell versus Dig starting around 9:30 at the intolerable Milestones (170 East Ave.) The show starts at 9 and ends around 12:30. Tonight at the Highland Bowl (South Ave. at Robinson Dr.) they'll be showing Chicken Run starting at "dark". Nuts and Bolts will again be at Johnny's Smoke Free Bar (1382 Culver Rd.) They didn't bother to have a show last month because they didn't think there were enough people. Hopefully they won't demonstrate such bad showmanship this month. 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

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (half-staff until sunset) 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. Tonight around 10 at Caffe Dell'Arte (187 St. Paul St.) is Latin Jazz & Salsa. Tonight and tomorrow at 8 at the Downstairs Cabaret (172 West Main St.) is the one-man play Eye of the Storm which, according to the Downstairs Cabaret website is about the extraordinary Federal Judge Frank Johnson, whose 44-year career took on racial civil rights, penal and mental health institutions, and voter's rights. Starting around 9:30 at the ever cool Roof Deck of The Centers at High Falls (60 Brown's Race) is the rock band Kingmixer. Should anyone stop by there, let me know how Paul Killion, Acoustic Warrior is at the relatively new Metropolitan Bar and Grill (384 East Ave.) from 8 to 11. He's described on their flier as "acoustic rock, folk, blues, Irish, and gospel."

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. For some reason the concept of a Corn & Sausage Roast has great appeal to me as I'm writing this. If the appeal continues through Saturday, I may just go to one at the Churchville Fire Department (25 E. Buffalo St.) from noon to 7. Today from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. is the Ten Ugly Men Event (north side of Ellison Park) It's a benefit for Unity Health System of St. Mary's Hospital and other charities. Advance donations are $20, $25 at the door. See the website for more information. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing 8 1/2 starting at 8. This is one of Federico Fellini's masterpieces and parallels the director's own life while searching for his next movie idea. In a really-oughtta-see-show is The Irving Klaws with Eddie Nebula and the Plague and White Cotton Panties starting around 10:45 at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) around 10:30 is Derelict Brew and Ned Pepper. Way up on the roof of The Centers at High Falls (60 Brown's Race) it's the really quite good modern rock cover band Better Days starting around 9:30.

S U N D A Y

Tonight at Drinks by Mary Dawn (535 S. Clinton) is the Freestyle Talent Show starting at 9. I asked Mary Dawn about it the other week and she said they have about 3 acts right now, but it's slowly building. Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Spirit Caravan, Mid-Air Collision and Snaggletooth for an all ages early show which theoretically starts around 7.

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. It all gets started a little after 9. If you're interested, 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 months ago, Java's (16 Gibb Street) still has open mic poetry downstairs starting around 9:30. Open Mic Comedy hosted by Dan Liberto (of the The Comedy Company) is tonight at Six Pockets (Ridge Hudson Plaza) starting around 10. The shows have been pretty good in the past.

W E D N E S D A Y

The Monroe County Fair will be at The Dome Center (E. Henrietta Rd. and Calkins Rd.) starting today. It runs through August 5 from about noon to 11 p.m. Check the events page for more information. 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.