Thursday, August 1, 2002

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #186: Years of Mr. Reuter

As for the last week, well, things didn't generally work out too well. On Thursday I went to Nuts and Bolts at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) and had a good time there, then tried to catch some bands at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) but forgot that they had the bands play early and now it was just DJ's, then went to see QUiTTERS at Monty's Korner (363 East Ave.) but they were wholly inappropriate for the venue (they were playing to a somewhat disinterested crowd in their usual punk-rock-loud style) so I just said the heck with it and left.

Friday was band-free but okay. We actually tried to go see Alejandro Escovedo at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) but when we found it was $14 each, we thought shooting pool at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) would be better. On Saturday, Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) had no bands at all, but at least The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) saved the day. Slow Horse was an excellent 1970's jam-rock band, and the amusingly named Sofa King Killer did a similar style but with more of a modern twist.

Later, on Tuesday, I checked out comedy at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) and got to see some of the locals. Tom Mule was there and did some of his stand-up. I guess you already have to like him to like him. I'm fairly well versed in world news, but I can put some of that aside--however, his confusion over why we should care about Pakistan and India going to war left me smacking my head. (For those hiding in the same hole, there was a possibility they were going to have a nuclear war.)

Anyway, from there I headed up to Milestones (170 East Ave.) to see Isotopes play against Speakeasy . By the time we got there, though, I talked with Karl and they were just finishing up. Aaaargh! I missed them again. I just left and lost the $4 cover. I really wish they'd said something (like, "you missed one of the bands.")

From there we went to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) and I got a chance to see Juan Prophet Organization who are really talented. Each of the four of them plays a total of 7 instruments--guitar, bass, violin, drums, keyboard, glockenspiel, and accordian; and all of them sing. They play a variety of kinds of music but revolve around a blend of rock, ska, and eastern-European music. Bob Log III (whom I had listed as Bog Long III) was up next and he plays kick-drum, kick-cymbal, drum machine, slide guitar, and sings through a telephone receiver mounted in a motorcycle helmet. He does a punk-ish blues, I guess and if you get a chance to see him, it's well worth it. The whole one-man-band motif only shows itself in that the songs tend to sound a lot alike.

T H U R S D A Y

Antigone Rising (whom, upon seeing for the first time, I referred to as "Wilson Phillips minus the suck") will be opening for The Clarks starting around 8 at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing It's the Old Army Game starting at 8. I've got a generally nonplussed attitude toward W. C. Fields so I figured I might take the chance to see one of his movies. They'll also be showing clips from his other films and there'll be live piano by Philip C. Carli. The Ceramic Isles will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45. 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

Over at Shipping Dock Theatre (151 St. Paul St.) starting around 7:30 is Interplay Festival Of New Plays which is essentially staged readings of two new plays: Months on End by Craig Pospisil and The Princess of President Street by Adam Kraar. The show runs today at 7:30 and tomorrow at 8. In an early show tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) -- starting around 8 -- is the spacey-plus-punkish American Analog Set with the electronic-plus-guitar-pop Her Space Holiday. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Being There starting at 8. Peter Sellers as a simple gardner who is put into the media spotlight. Over at Mercury Star Lounge (171 St. Paul, formerly Red) is Andekrome, the modern rock band Article 9 and Lobby Bar starting around 10:30. In case you're shut in tonight (or tomorrow), check out I'm going to make a drug with my mind on cable public access (channel 15 on Time Warner) at 11:30 p.m. featuring Pisspot the Bunny interviewing local and out-of-town bands. In case you're curious, it's Alla Turca at Lola Bistro and Bar (630 Monroe Ave.) tonight and every Friday from 10:30 to 2.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Man, talk about sneaking up on you. The Park Avenue Festival (Park Ave. from Alexander St. to Culver Rd.; also see Rochseter Event's Park Avenue Festival Page) will be today from 10 to 6 . Some of today's entertainment highlights include: rock diva JoAnn Vaccaro at the Oxford Street Stage at 11 the beat-based groove-rock of The BuddhaHood (with West African belly dancers Sahara Shimmer) at Hogan's Hideaway (197 Park Ave.) at 2:15 acoustic folk artist Maria Gillard at the Oxford Street Stage at 3:30 The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Songs from the Second Floor starting at 8. Swedish with subtitles ... the Eastman House flyer said, "Monty Python meets Samuel Beckett, Kafka, Borges, and Terry Gilliam's Brazil in a stylish deadpan comedy on the apocalpyse of global society." Can this be missed? Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is surf-rock with Duke Galaxy and the Pipeliners, regular rock-and-roll with Thundergods and pop-rock with Muler Reunion starting around 10:45.

S U N D A Y

Tonight at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is a big 'ol ska night starting around 8 featuring The Pietasters with The Flour City Knuckleheads and The Blackouts . The Park Avenue Festival (Park Ave. from Alexander St. to Culver Rd.; also see Rochseter Event's Park Avenue Festival Page) continues today from 10 to 5. Some of today's entertainment highlights include: jazz piano trio Bob DiBaudo at the Kirkhaven Stage (bewtween Alexander and Meigs) at 10:45 the incredible funk-and-more of Astronomical Unit at the Oxford Street Stage at 2:15 Hayseeds (the countrified Peachy Neachys) at the Kirkhaven Stage (bewtween Alexander and Meigs) at 11:45. the beat-based groove-rock of The BuddhaHood (with West African belly dancers Sahara Shimmer) at Hogan's Hideaway (197 Park Ave.) at 2:15 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. Karaoke with Sugar Bear is back at The Blue Room (293 Alexander St.)

T U E S D A Y

Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is The Drapes with the metal band RWAKE starting around 10:45. Once again at Milestones (170 East Ave.) is another of Freetime Magazine's Rochester's Most Popular Band Contest with The Blackouts versus Shade starting around 9:30. The doors open at 9 and and close around 12:30. As of a few months ago, Java's (16 Gibb Street) still has open mic poetry downstairs starting around 9:30. 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, the comics now have to force that behavior ... by default it's a place to try out new stuff. Dan Liberto (of the The Comedy Company) is back with another Open Mic Comedy up at Penny Arcade (4785 Lake Ave.) starting probably around 10:30

W E D N E S D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Hannah and her Sisters starting at 8. This was the first (and only for a long time) Woody Allen movie I actually liked. 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.