Thursday, August 2, 2001

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #134: Home on the Grange

I'd like to take a moment to share how much trouble I go through sometimes for all you loyal readers. Consider tonight's Peachy Neachys show. It's at 7 at Kennelly Park on Main St. in Fairport at the canal. Click on the address link and note the exact location of the park. Now, I challenge you to find any other source that pinpoints it.

Freetime Magazine just says "Main Street." The online maps MapsOnUs and MapQuest don't know where it is. You can only tell the what the gazebo in the park is if you already know where to look on Microsoft's TerraServer (here's downtown Fairport in a USGS Aerial Photograph from April 22, 1994; the gazebo is in the center of the image right next to the canal about 50 meters from Main Street--the little dark gray round-ish thing with the light gray dot on top.) The area of interest is shown to the right. The AAA map and the one in the phone book are of no help--the park doesn't even exist. Kennelly Park isn't listed in the white pages. Searching for "Kennelly Park" Fairport on Google yields some old Freetime Magazine calendar entries and an article with an editorial comment that the park was named after Vincent Kennelly Jr., the mayor of Fairport in the 1980's.

I was having no luck, so I thought I'd just drive there from work in Victor on the way home on Tuesday. I took 251 to 96 then picked up Turk Hill Road by mistake. I intended to take 250 straight into Fairport. Oh well ... I just went down 31 instead and picked up 250. I parked on Railroad Street on the north side of the canal and walked around. I didn't see it so I asked went to the barber shop and asked the barber where the park was and he said it was on the other side of the canal. By now the second train was going by on the railroad tracks so Main Street (250) was all congested. I had to wait forever to get off Railroad Street because some asshole decided to block the side street and the sheepish minivan driver was just sitting there waiting to go left. We sat there for about 5 minutes.

When we finally got going again, I puttered down Main then took 31F to 490. Stupidly I picked up 490 East and headed the wrong way ... no problem, I'd just get off at Monroe Ave. Well, no. By now it was nearing 5:00 and traffic was backed up right onto the right lane of the expressway. Same with the first 96 exit. I figured I could turn around at the Thruway but couldn't so I took it west instead.

Eleven miles and $0.40 later and I was back on 390. I cruised easily on up, right to the 590 split. Traffic was backed up right through the entire ramp to 390 ... right back to the split. No big deal -- I'll just take Winton to Westfall to home. Well, so did everybody else ... there was apparently an accident on 590 near Monroe Avenue and traffic was backed up to Winton. No big deal ... I'll just go south to Winton Plaza, through it, and back up Edgewood. Crossing 590 I confirmed there was an accident right under the overpass. I finally made my way down a relatively uncongested Westfall Road to East Henrietta and home. All told: 48 miles in an hour and a half in a trip that could have been half the distance in a third the time.

So as they say in those MasterCard commercials,

Trying to find Kennelly Park in Fairport: 30 minutes. Eleven miles on the Thruway: 40 cents. Getting stuck in Rochester rush-hour traffic: one hour.

Being the only site anywhere that pinpoints the location of Kennelly Park in Fairport: not fucking worth it.

Well enough of that for now. In other local news, the Piranha nightclub at 204 N. Water St. is closing on Friday night. I kind of think it has to because the area is getting too nice around there and what fun is a dark goth and rave club in the middle of a yuppie district? Anyway they're having some big party with a bunch of DJ's and planning to stay open way past bedtime.

T H U R S D A Y

The Peachy Neachys will be playing tonight at 7 at the gazebo in Kennelly Park (Main St., Fairport at the canal.) The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing the rare Japanese release of Godzilla starting at 8. If you love the big green guy, you'll of course have to see this. The Monroe County Fair will be at The Dome Center (E. Henrietta Rd. and Calkins Rd.) starting yesterday. It runs through August 5 from about noon to 11 p.m. Check the events page for more information. Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is the excellent groove and funk combo of Astronomical Unit and Mountain Mojo Authority starting around 10:45. Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) they're having Freebeerandchicken starting around 10:30. Tonight is another of Freetime Magazine's Rochester's Most Popular Band Contest with Deltaforce 23 versus The Bootleggers 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 Muppet Movie starting at "dark". 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. Tonight Piranha (204 N. Water St.) is closing with a big bash with the following DJ's: Xotec (progressive house) Myke D (hard house) Virus (happy hardcore) Darkwave (electro-synth-tech) Dangler (acid-industrial) all hosted by emcee Jumper from 10:00 on. Cover is $3 ($5 under 21) before 11 and $5 and $8 respectively after. I'll mention this one more time ... 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.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Another festival is upon us already. This time, it's Park Avenue Festival (Park Ave. from Alexander St. to Culver Rd.) running today and tomorrow from 10 to 6 with assorted parties raging through the night. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Vertigo starting at 8. Hitchcock keeps us dizzyingly on the edge of our seats through this one. The band I didn't get a chance to see a few weeks ago, Unspun will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight starting around 10:45. Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is the Jimi Hendrix Tribute Band featuring Geoff Wilson of the Irthlings starting around 10:30.

S U N D A Y

For a super early show (around 4 p.m.) at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) check out American Nightmare, Count Me Out, Miles Between Us, Wrong The Oppressor and The Crimson Guard. If you want to see some cover bands and something a bit more contemporary in general, the five-mile-bar Froggy's Bar & Grill (1129 Empire Blvd.) is hosting Froggy Fest 2001 from 1 to 11 p.m. with Joey T and The Bubblegum Machine, Knockout, Prime Time Funk and East Coast Connection. Tonight at Drinks by Mary Dawn (535 S. Clinton) is the Freestyle Talent Show starting around 10. I stopped by recently and it now includes Karaoke with Sugar Bear. 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. 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

Tonight at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is Reverend Horton Heat with Frantic Flattops at 8. 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 Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing one of Woody Allen's few positively reviewed films, Annie Hall starting at 8. I'm not much of a fan of the guy but I haven't seen this and it sure looks interesting. Tonight at Whiskey (315 Alexander St.) it's Groove Brothers with Jeff Guilds. 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.