Weekly Rochester Events #248: Addressing a Woody

Thursday, October 9, 2003

Needful to say, I didn't get out much because I've been a bit distracted by anxiety and lack of sleep from anxiety, et al.

The amusing story, though, stems from last Friday. I was feeling luke-warm about going out. I wanted to ride my bike, but it looked like rain, and I didn't want to be rained on at all that night. I flipped a coin and I called it heads to drive and it came up tails.

So I drove to German House (315 Gregory St.) to check out their Southwedge weekend thing. I get there and it's $7 to get in ... no big deal. I pay with a $20 and get $23 back. Now I'm someone who easily gets a guilty conscience, so after contemplating the extra $10, I give it back. There's some smug part of me expecting a fucking medal, but all I get is a polite "thanks" and the absence of a guilty conscience. I did get a coupon for a free drink at the bar, but that was with the original $7.

I was all right, for a while. I guess I was in a mood or something. No, not that kind of mood ... it was like everything was water and I was a duck's back, so to speak. I asked for a "glass of merlot" but got a "plastic cup of chemicals vaguely tasting like wine." No big deal. Ruby Shooz was playing ... they were doing fine with Chuck Berry stuff and Beach Boys and other things that are relatively simple. Dion and the Belmonts's Why Must I be a Teenager in Love included a crowd participation for the chorus which was a bit fun, but I think playing the song was just an excuse for the lead singer to get his shot from the bar.

I was a bit hungry, too, and they claimed that their "excellent chef" would be preparing all the food. Well, I had never tried sauerkraut before (I think I had a Reuben once ... heck, I'm friggin' half German, so there was enough of the stinky stuff around Grandpa's house) so I got a German sausage with sauerkraut. I ended up paying $5 for a glorified hot dog, served luke-warm. Still, I could smile ... for a while.

I left when Ruby Shooz began their soulless butchering of Roy Orbison's Crying. Let me tell you ... if Roy could hear them, he'd be cry-i-i-i-i-ing his fucking i-i-eyes out. For those who are familiar with the song, that vague nausea, eye-rolling, and groaning noise coming from reading these paragraphs is pretty much what I felt like.

Oh, and naturally: it didn't rain. Shoulda trusted that toonie.

Coming up ... let's see ... well, if I get back exactly on time at 9:24 p.m. Thursday, I'll be able to get to see what has consistently been one of my favorite bands, Jerseyband at what has consistently been one of my least favorite venues, Milestones (170 East Ave.) ... well except for when I was going there to flirt with Monica, who made Milestones tolerable, but that was like five years ago. See I figure I'll leave it up to the airline gods ... they can punish me by getting in on time and then I'll have to suffer with Milestones, or punish me by getting in late and then I'll miss Jerseyband.

Think I'm a pessimist? Wrong: just a sarcastic optimist. What's the difference anyway?

No matter ... I'm curious to see the big show at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) on Friday and that jazz stuff at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) on Monday. Heck, I'll be on comp for Friday (i.e. compensation for putting up with the bullshit of traveling for work) so I might even go to the Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) to renew my membership and check out the tour.

T H U R S D A Y

Ben Karetnick, Joe McPhee, Joe Fonda, and Chris White will be at The Bop Shop Atrium (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) starting around 8:30 p.m. Awesome jazz-like band Jerseyband, and Miles Brown Quintet will be at the craphole Milestones (170 East Ave.) starting around 9 p.m. Victory at Sea, and tight punk-rock band 5 Watt Bulb will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9 p.m. Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30.

F R I D A Y

Tonight at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is Third Estate, Garage Door Rodeo, 5 Star Riot, Thatcher, acoustic rockers Burning Snella, The Hoodies, 8 Point Blank, One Year Nothing, London Hate, and Bromine, Renouf starting around 7:30 p.m. Over at Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) starting around 2 p.m. is MAG Highlights Tour. Tonight and tomorrow at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is Geva Comedy Improv starting at 10:30 for just $5. Froggy's Bar & Grill (1129 Empire Blvd.) will be hosting modern rock and covers with Better Days (or click here to skip their irritating Flash intro) starting around 10 p.m.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Starting around noon today at Blue Cross Arena (Exchange Blvd and Broad St., preferrably The War Memorial) is Future River Developement Plans—Talk and Visual Presentation which is presumably about what its title is. Fall Foliage Tour Of Mount Hope Cemetery will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery (North Gate, 791 Mt. Hope Ave.) starting around 1 p.m. Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is super duper punk-rock with The QUiTTERS, New Dehli Monkey, and The Grinders Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Red Giant, superpowered rock with Low Ton, Mid-Air Collision, and Low Road Revival starting around 10:45 p.m. Over at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting around 10 p.m. is well-executed jazzy swing with Bobby Henrie and The Goners.

M O N D A Y

Columbus Day (observed) The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Boxcar Satan, and The Isotopes starting around 10:45 p.m. Tonight at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) is Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and excellent funk with The Filthy Funk starting around 9 p.m. Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Slick 57 starting around 10:45 p.m.

T U E S D A Y

Columbus Day Over at Downstairs Cabaret (20 Windsor St.) starting around 7:30 p.m. is Funny Underground Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. is Children's Hour, Scout, and ambient/power-pop/something else band Hinkley Tonight at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) is Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and excellent funk with The Filthy Funk starting around 9 p.m. Yeah, again. Monty's Korner (363 East Ave.) will be hosting Slick 57 starting around 10:45 p.m. Yeah, again ... this time it's the Korner, 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.