Thursday, October 4, 2001

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #143: Rudolf Just Blows Up Under Pressure

The only sour note was the Driftwood Inn (7401 Wyers Point Rd., Ovid, N.Y.) Through an error in communication, we had reserved two too many rooms in the bed and breakfast building (they said the extra reservations under Jan's name would expire in a week if nobody claimed them but that wasn't true.) In the interest of keeping return customers, we were charged for the two rooms over the weekend even though nobody used them--Jan ceded after negotiating down to just half-price. Also, being named a "bed and breakfast," one would expect a bed and a breakfast for each night. However, the cottages do not include breakfast so you have to fend for yourself at the Big M in Ovid and use the kitchen in the cottage. The place itself was okay--it was like going to someone's camp on the lake, except it includes indoor plumbing--the cottages were bland and marginally maintained especially considering they're not exactly cheap. Too bad, really.

In other negative news, Snmnmnm did not show up at Milestones (170 East Ave.) last Monday. I'm not sure what the deal is (I couldn't get any info in time) but Milestones was locked up pretty darn tight at both 9:30 and at 11 when I tried to go there. They also weren't at their usual haunt, Java's (16 Gibb St.) nor around the corner at either Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) or Whiskey (315 Alexander St.)

In slightly positive (or neutral) news, I now have a guestbook using Dreambook. You can read it (in all its minimalist glory [in more ways than one for now]) and hopefully sign it. Watch it with the potty mouth, though!

Finally, on another positive note, Tuesday has become "Comedy Night" in Rochester. First, Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) has a "new material only" open-mic night from 8 to 10. Next, for the next five weeks, WCMF, 96.5FM is hosting a comedy contest starting at 9 at Frankie &Louie's Bayou Bar & Grill (The Centers at High Falls) The prize there is $200 each week with a grand prize of $500 in the last week. Finally, Dan Liberto hosts another comedy contest with at $50 prize at Six Pockets (Ridge Hudson Plaza) starting at 10:30. He's also got the same gig going a little closer to home (at least for me) at Nathaniels (251 Exchange Blvd.) on Wednesdays starting around 10:30--too bad the place isn't so hot.

T H U R S D A Y

Today at the Curtis Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be a lecture titled Early Optical Toys at 6:30 presented by Grant Romer, the director of the Advanced Residency Program in Photograph Conservation. The lecture is included in regular museum admission. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Death by Hanging starting at 8. I think the newsletter does a nice job describing this one: Oshima provides the narration for this irreverent indictment of racial prejudice and capital punishment in Japan. It is based on the actual case of a Korean high school student who was accused of raping and killing two girls and hanged when he reached maturity. Inspired by letters of the accused published after his death, the film is both a pseudo-documentary and a farce: deadly serious yet absurdly amusing at the same time. Tonight at 10:45 at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is the acoustic soloist Mary Simon acousticish-rockish band Velocity Mirror . The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Heroine Sheiks with This Sporting Life starting around 10:45. Tonight is another of Freetime Magazine's Rochester's Most Popular Band Contest with deepwaterdaze versus Roadkill Karma 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. 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

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Bread and Roses starting at 8. The theme of overcoming an unbearable workplace drew me to want to see this one. The nationally touring comic Kevin Meany will be with Dale Jones tonight and tomorrow at 8 and 10:45 at the terrible accident called Comix Cafe (3450 Winton Pl.) Tonight at Shipping Dock Theater (151 St. Paul St.) at 7:30 p.m. is the start of their first play of the season. WIT is about an English professor diagnosed with cancer who faces her mortality with depth and humor. Call 232-2250 for more information. The show is also being performed tomorrow at 8 and Sunday at 2 and runs through October 27. In an Arthritis Foundation Benefit at the College Arts Center at Nazareth College (4245 East Ave., campus map) is the local comedy improv troupe Some Assembly Required at 8. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Call 388-2864 for more information.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. If you're up for some decent modern rock covers, Three Flights Up will be at Curley's Saloon (511 E. Ridge Rd.) tonight ... probably starting around 9:30 or so. Lords of the Highway with the rockin' rockabillies Krypton 88 will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45. Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) it's Liqwid starting around 10:30.

S U N D A Y

Today from 2 to 7 at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) is a benefit show for one of Rochester's sister cities: El Sauce, Nicaragua. The primarily latin-music performers include Sweet Life Mambo Kings Sal Morejo and Salsa Dance Lessons with Frances Hare. Tonight at the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) is Shock Value: An Evening With Filmmaker John Waters as part of the ImageOut Film Festival. It's at 8 and costs $22 for anyone. For those uninformed, John Waters directed films such as Pink Flamingos, Polyester, Hairspray and Pecker and was dubbed by William Burroughs "The Pope of Trash." Open Jar Jam at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight and every Sunday. Just like on Thursdays, you can see/do/avoid Karaoke with Sugar Bear at Drinks by Mary Dawn (535 S. Clinton) starting around 9.

M O N D A Y

Columbus Day (observed) If you've got something to get off your chest (or want to see others get stuff off theirs [...not what you're thinking, pervert]) check out the Open Mic Poetry at Earthtones Coffee House (1217 Bay Rd.) from 7 to 9. 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

WCMF, 96.5FM is sponsoring a Comedy Contest at Frankie &Louie's Bayou Bar & Grill (The Centers at High Falls) starting at 9. First prize for the night is $200; they'll be there for five weeks, culminating in a final show worth $500. Tonight at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is the first night of House, a humorous play about a couple marriages among the upper-class in the midst of dramatic changes. As a follow-up (albeit a standalone play as well) is Garden at Nextstage which follows the same characters around the gardens of the house in House. Call 232-4382 for additional details and information. The plays run until November 11. Shows start 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 and he's still offering a $50 prize for the best comic each evening. Tonight from 8 to 10 is an interesting "new-material-only" Open-Mic Comedy Night at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) I think they're making it into a workshop type of environment.

W E D N E S D A Y

The magical comedians Penn and Teller will be at Auditorium Center (875 Main St E.) tonight at 8 for one show only. If you don't have tickets by now, well, I think you're out of luck. If you want to get away from it for a while ... Acme Bar & Pizza (495 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting the groove rock band Slinky Trip starting around 9:30. I haven't seen them, but if the name "Slinky Trip" isn't an epitome of stoner groove rock, I don't know what is. 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. Open Mic Comedy hosted by Dan Liberto (of the The Comedy Company) is tonight at Nathaniels (251 Exchange Blvd.) starting around 10. There's a $50 prize for the best comic each evening.