Thursday, September 20, 2001

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #141: Barrie's Works Panned

Oh, one last little thing: I had been trying to keep the flag on my car from fraying so I put some stuff on it to seal it. Unfortunately that made it whip around even more ferociously in the wind on the front of the car, and on Wednesday it broke free and flew away.

We got out there around midnight and I asked the hot dog vendor where to find some live music. He suggested Armory High (which used to be Styleen's) around the corner at 314 S Franklin St. Indeed they did have live music ... the place was about the same size as Milestones except with Genny on tap (I had a Genny Cream Ale on tap) and without all the "we hate our customers" crap. It turned out Doctor Pocket was playing. I think I saw them a year ago at Richmond's ... my impression was vague and fairly neutral. After having seen them again, my impression is vague and fairly neutral ... they're a modern rock band with a groove rock bent. I asked the bouncer if there was anyplace else and he suggested a place which was 10 minutes by car but required more than two turns so I couldn't remember. Since it was only a half-hour until two, he suggested The Blue Tusk at 165 Walton St.

That place is pretty cool. They play good music and they probably have a hundred beers on tap. The bouncer (this gigantic bald guy wearing sunglasses, a worn leather jacket with spikes, skulls and chains) kept reminding people that he was on vacation as of closing time so he was pretty gung-ho about getting out of there. All this while sipping a raspberry wine from some curvy stemware glass.

Prior to the weekend, on Thursday (the 13th--of September--of 2001 ...) I joined the Single Volunteers of Rochester at Foodlink (936 Exchange St .) to volunteer to sort food. Foodlink has a pretty efficient system there ... a couple people at the head of the conveyor take items from unsorted boxes. Along the sides, five to ten people sort the items into boxes by category and when one of the boxes gets full, they put it on the conveyor. When it gets to the end, someone is there to label it and put it on the scale to be weighed (that was my job.) There's someone with a list at the scale who notes the weight by category and puts it on a palette which is moved to another part of the warehouse. They have one truck they take to the west side and east side of the city and cover nine counties, bringing the food to soup kitchens and such.

The singles there were mostly women from about 23 to 35. We went to Nathaniels (251 Exchange Blvd., formerly Boston Brew Company) afterward for some wings and drinks. In all it was quite a good time.

T H U R S D A Y

If you're looking for a Red Cross benefit show, look no further than The Centers at High Falls (60 Brown's Race) starting at 5:30 with John Akers, Boys Lie, Uncle Plum , Perfect World and a special performance by Lou Gramm. I stumbled upon this on the ComputerCompatibles website ... Singles for Charity. Apparently they're a bunch of single people who get together to do stuff for local charities. It sounds like a good idea, anyway. Their meetings are tonight and every third Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Al Sigl Center (1000 Elmwood Ave.) Go to Door #5 at the Staff Lounge. This is new to me and I haven't called, but if this rocks your world, the number for inforamtion is 234-0187. Note that this is different from the group I worked with last week. I heard that the people in this group are generally a few years older. Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) it's The Shams with Manplanet starting around 10:45. Timmy Beideck's band Burning Snella will be at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30. Tonight is another of Freetime Magazine's Rochester's Most Popular Band Contest with Mr. Magoo versus Random Order starting around 9:30 at the intolerable Milestones (170 East Ave.) The doors open at 9 and and close around 12:30. 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

POW/MIA Recognition Day Bitter Flesh Thing, The Lucys and Meghan Taylor's new band (of White Cotton Panties fame) CandyDammit will be playing at Red (171 St. Paul) I'd imagine they'll start around 10. Tonight at 8 p.m. at the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) visiting film archivist Richard P. May presents The Race to Save 100 Years a discussion on attempting to save the deteriorating condition of the history of film. Admission is $6 for members and $8 for everyone else. Tonight at Milestones (170 East Ave.) is the groove-rock and funk bands Freebeerandchicken, The Niche and Mountain Mojo Authority starting at 10. Way down at the Clark Gymnasium at RIT (One Lomb Memorial Dr.) is comedian Lewis Black with Jimmy'S Chicken Shack starting at 8. I don't know what the status of tickets is nor even if the show will happen [based slightly on the terrorist attacks last week and mostly on the consistent incompetence of the College Activities Board.]

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. In a relatively early show (at 7) at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is the two Sarah's: Sarah Harmer with Sarah Slean for an all-ages show. Today and tomorrow during the day is the Naples Grape Festival all over Naples but primarily on Main St. Packed with festival stuff, there's an overt grape theme for some reason. You can get grape pie, grape ice cream, grapeburgers, grape fries, Grape Ape, and grape crêpes. It's about an hour and a half drive from Rochester, and it's fun to go with a group of friends. Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Nod with Visionstain and Beef starting around 10:45. Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is The Thundergods with Bloody Hollies starting around 10:30. Tonight at Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) is the modern-rock band Junction Five starting around 10:45. Tonight at Monty's Korner (363 East Ave.) is the new-to-me Ken Vandermark 5 starting around 9:30.

S U N D A Y

Today at the Rochester Public Market (280 Union St. N.) is another Community Garage Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you're interested in getting a booth, it's $25 for a 10 by 30 foot space. Call 428-6907 for more information. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Elephant Man starting at 8. This time, David Lynch takes a crack at it. Open Jar Jam at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight and every Sunday.

M O N D A Y

Trivia Quiz continues at The Old Toad (277 Alexander St.) My interest is waning, but 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

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing several Lumiére and Georges Méliès films starting at 8: Workers Leaving the Factory - The title literally says it all ... but this is supposedly the first movie with a paid admission. The Trip to the Moon - Jules Verne-esque voyage of flying to the moon. The Impossible Voyage - A group sets out using every known means of transportation to go to the sun. The Skipping Cheeses - Some sort of effects comedy involving cheese ... The modern-acoustic band Martha's Trouble will be at Spot Coffee (East Ave. and Mathews St.) around 9. Their songs on MP3.com sound pretty good. 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

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.