Weekly Rochester Events #232: Trevithick Gets Steamed

Thursday, June 19, 2003

There was something I wanted to say that was positive, but I can't remember what it was. Instead, I think I'm going to talk about something that's been pissing me off lately: date rape drugs. I cannot believe this gets treated so casually. I mean, if some guy were to literally club a woman over the head, drag her home, and rape her, he'd be considered the devil incarnate. However, take away the club and slip some date rape drug into a woman's drink and the excuses come pouring out—something about how she's already getting drunk, it's her own fault, and it's just another way for stupid girls to get guys in trouble because they made a bad decision. Well, let's just see how being hit over the head with a club compares to being drugged: Victim's point of view Clubbed over the head Drugged Gets raped yes yes Could die yes yes Is in control of her body no no Would have slept with the guy anyway irrelevant irrelevant Is considered a normal risk of going out on the town no yes Hmm. So we spend all this money preventing hippies from getting their precious pot so they can't get high and sit around at home, but I've never heard of a single person getting arrested for possession of a date rape drug. I guess it does happen, though. I did some searches on Google.com just to see how many hits I'd get. For the phrase, "possession of marijuana"? About 54,300. And "possession of date rape"? 42.

The Earl Cram Revue at the Bug Jar

Here's the deal. If I catch someone slipping shit in someone's drink, I'll give the cops one chance. I'll get them over and have the guy arrested and see what happens. If I'm not satisfied with the results, the next time I'll just take the guy out back and beat him to death. Literally. Then I'll go to jail, but damn it, it'll be worth it.

Anyway, I've been not going to see too much stuff because I've been cleaning my house out from top to bottom. This isn't just normal spring cleaning, but pack-rat backlash, I guess. I'm planning on having the sale on the 28th and I think I might just need one day: I'll have three prices: $1, $0.10, and $0. Each sale will be contingent on the purchaser promising that they won't throw away the stuff they get.

I figure I'll call it the Almost Buddhist Garage Sale because, first, it'll be $1 for anything (you know, like "one with everything") plus I'll be getting rid of my material possessions, almost. I'm also mashing in the environmentalist concept of reuse and recycle by making people promise not to throw stuff away. I suspect that all the cool things will go away really early with incredulous questions about price.

Anyway, I did get a chance to go see a couple shows. Like in the picture, I got to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) on Thursday to see The Earl Cram Revue (who have a drummer when they play in a bar) and they really rocked out. Next was The Eaves who were also really good ... they're a deceptively simple sounding rock band. Finally was The XXO's who play heavy-weight acoustic like Earl Cram.

I also went to Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) on Friday and saw Better Days (or skip their irritating Flash intro) for the first time in years and it was exactly the same as I remember, except not at some crappy bar in the middle of nowhere. In fact, they even did Barenaked Ladies' "The Old Apartment" which was like the signature song for that part of my life which was really really creepy to hear again.

See, I guess most people experience nostalgia as a balance between longing and loss. In my case, it's pretty much all loss and nausea. It seems every time I look back, I'm confronted with how much time I wasted doing all that stupid crap I was doing. So, really, I'm not so much of a progressive guy looking for something new—being drawn ahead by the promise of something new, but rather that I'm desperately running away from the horrors of my past—being shoved hard into the future.

Umm ... yeah ... anyway, I also got back to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) on Saturday and got to see The Shaveks, Defenbombed, and The Thundergods all of whom play some variety of punk rock. The Shaveks were really wild in that the lead singer took his belt off and unzipped his pants so they'd keep falling off, and otherwise put up this drug-induced act. Nobody—and I mean nobody, not even the hardcore rockers or guys who ordinarily start the mosh pits—nobody got within 8 feet of the stage. I couldn't tell if the guy was really nuts or if it was just an act.

Coming up, definitely go see Antigone Rising over at Manhattan Square Park (130 Chestnut St.) on Thursday. They're a really good rock band from New York and they'll be up here for free.

T H U R S D A Y

Over at Manhattan Square Park (130 Chestnut St.) starting around 5:30 p.m. is Chris Duarte Group, and the awesome New York rock band Antigone Rising. Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10 p.m. is Whole Lotta Shakin's Benefit Show / CD Release Party with McFadden's Parachute (featuring The QUiTTERS) low-key punk rock from The Franks, and surf-rock from The Isotopes. Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30.

F R I D A Y

Nuts and Bolts (see their site at ImprovAmerica too) will be at German House (315 Gregory St.) starting around 8 p.m. They're going to New York on the 30th if you want to follow them there ... The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Terminator 2: Judgement Day starting at 8. If I remember right, this one was even better than the first ... but not by much. Over at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) starting around 10 p.m. is the rapid-fire rock-and-roll of Bee Eater, .luca brazi., and the even-keel tight rock of Veluxe. The Hayseeds, Watkins and the Rapiers (buy their stuff on Amazon.com), and The New York Klezmer Orchestra will be at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting around 9 p.m. I'm pretty lukewarm on this one because it looks to be old-time rock and roll styles (except for the Klezmer.)

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. This morning at The City Surplus Yard (210 Colfax St.) is The Surplus Vehicle and Equipment Auction with The Reynolds Auction Company starting around 9 a.m. Preview starts at 8. It's heavy rock stuff all around with Black Nasa, Jumbos Killcrane, and Mid-Air Collision at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. Rockabilly of Krypton 88, and Pete Worden and the Hard Times will be at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. Get your fix of disco and more modern covers because Spenders (1600 Lyell Ave.) will be hosting The United Booty Foundation starting around 10 p.m.

T U E S D A Y

Midsummer Day Tonight at Downstairs Cabaret (20 Windsor St.) is Funny Underground with a bunch of local comics starting around 7:30 p.m. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Violent Saturday starting at 8. A group of bank robbers are thwarted by all the problems a town already has. Updated: Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is the witty acoustic rocker Joanna McNaney (but no Dresden Dolls) starting around 10:45 p.m. It looks like she'll be joined by the awesome funk of Astronomical Unit and the geek-rock sounds of Snmnmnm, though. Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. For this one, there's no microphones and it's pretty open ended.

W E D N E S D A Y

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, it's now more-or-less a regular open mic ... by default it's still a place to try out new stuff.