Thursday, November 21, 2002

JayceLand's Weekly Rochester Events #202: Good Year for Rubber

I got to go to the Thursday show and that was okay. Smoking Section was really talented ... blues-charged rock-and-roll/groove-rock and are really good. Also up was Mad Happy who were a really cool duo from New Jersey. They played a localized version of modern music, picking what they need from a number of genres including hip hop, rock, techno, and experimental.

Oh, and on Monday I went out and saw Michael Moore's new film, Bowling for Columbine. I was glad to see that it was much less Michael-Moore-like than some of his other films. In fact his only hard-core class-cistyle baiting was of Charlton Heston at the end with a picture of the girl who was shot and killed by her 6-year-old classmate. I guess I liked it because it starts with a premise of the absurdity of the love of guns in this country and ends asking why we kill so many more people with guns than other countries. It does a fair job of dispelling common myths, but doesn't go far enough, and doesn't really conclude with even a glimmer of an answer.

Coming up this week ... let's see ... the show at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) on Thursday with Jenova Union and bR0kEn L|nk looks pretty cool -- kind of a bit of borderline experimental stuff. The Tex Avery show at the Dryden on Sunday looks like a lot of fun and later that night the big show at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) and The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) Finally, the Nuts and Bolts show at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) on Wednesday might be better than average ... I don't know how their guests are, though, so it could just as likely suck.

I just wanted to finish up with two things. I don't think I ever wrote it down, but I wanted to take credit for the incredibly bad--dare I say worst--pick-up line ever: "Baby, you're so fine: if you were a mineral, you'd be finite." Second, just for Rob, Jan, and Shaw: I like bikes, but ... [sinister laugh.]

T H U R S D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Manhunter starting at 8. To hell with Red Dragon, this is the "real" story of Hannibal Lecter. Tonight at Monty's Korner (363 East Ave.) is another Songwriting Circle with Mary Simon, Kristine Martin, Suzanne Whitney and Sarah Purr starting around 8 or so. Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is bands and DJ's with House of Hellfira starting with drum-and-bass from Jenova Union at 9 then "drug music for perverts" (according to the their site) with bR0kEn L|nk at 10 then DJ Dangler later on starting around 11. Tonight at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) Tim Beideck (from the band Burning Snella and creator of the movie Drivers Wanted) will be again presenting his short film, Gertrude's Monster starting at 9:30 followed by another of his short films, the jukebox heroes. All movies will be available for purchase on VHS. I got to see them last week and Gertrude's Monster was the better of the two and worth checking out. Not to say there was anything wrong with the jukebox heroes. although I thought it was like watching one of those Kevin Smith films where all the characters are facets of his personality except that this one is about Tim instead. 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.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Tonight at 6 is a Collector's Choice Fine Art Auction at the really cool Artisan Works (565 Blossom Rd.) with a preview at 4. The Priests, The Bloody Hollies, The Mofos and The Vice Transmission will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight starting around 10:30 for Garage Pop the Kings of Garage! Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will have groove rock of The Foundry and South Central starting around 10:30. I guess Alexander Street Pub (291 Alexander St.) is trying to get some music in there ... tonight is The Taint probably starting around 9:30.

S U N D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing More Best of Tex Avery this afternoon starting at 3. It'll feature his cartoons: A Wild Hare Deputy Droopy Droopy's Good Deed Señor Droopy Little Rural Riding Hood Garden Gopher Ventriloquist Cat Screwball Squirrel Billy Boy Jerky Turkey Over at The Club at Water Street and Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is Texas-style punk-rock of The Riddlin' Kids with modern rock of Allister and emo pop-punk of Don't Look Down plus deltaforce 23, Third Estate, Seven Head Division, Murdock, and One Year Nothing all starting around 7. 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

Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight is the TigerBeat6 Tour! with Cex, Numbers, and Stars as Eyes starting around 10:30. 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.

W E D N E S D A Y

Tonight at the Vehicle Impound Auction Lot (330 Colfax St.) is the City of Rochester Impounded Vehicle Auction sponsored by Reynolds Auction Company starting at 12:30 p.m. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Planes, Trains, and Automobiles starting at 8. John Candy and Steve Martin in a funny movie, but much higher regarded by everyone but me. I thought the Dryden Film Calendar had a curious comment that it's essentially a remake of Homer's Odyssey. Over at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) tonight is another Nuts and Bolts show also featuring members of Scewed Humor from SUNY Brockport (350 New Campus Dr., Brockport) starting at 8. 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. The Starving Artist Art Show will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 6 or so. For something to do, the great acoustic cover soloist John Akers will be at Moonshine Barbeque (125 White Spruce Blvd., across from MCC) from 8 to midnight.