Weekly Rochester Events #251: The Scottsville-Mendon Expressway

Thursday, October 30, 2003

Er ... well, yeah, I guess they are, but coming up soon—next week to be exact—is The High Falls Film Festival. There's a bunch of events starting on Wednesday ... check the site for the details. I got my tickets to the opening ceremonies the other day. Thankfully for you, I'm amazingly anal retentive (sometimes) and I decided to put all the films and events into my Palm Pilot along with all the movie descriptions. Well, to do that, I had to make a file to import, and I opted for tab-separated format. As a favor to my readers, I set up three versions of each file for the line-break format on particular operating systems, so the schedule is available in Macintosh, UNIX, and Windows/DOS format and the movie descriptions are also available as Macintosh, UNIX, and Windows/DOS.

I didn't bother asking the festival people if it was cool to do this, so they may find it someday and tell me to take it down. Oh, and it might be out of date because it's based on their update from a few days ago. Let me know if anything is incorrect if you find it. To use the files, the short instructions are to right-click on the appropriate link, save it somewhere, then open the Palm desktop software, import it as Tab-Separated Format (to the schedule or to the memo pad, depending on which file) and then adjust the descriptions, times, dates, and categories so they import correctly ... the same can be done in a spreadsheet (like Microsoft Excel) or a database if you want. If you have any trouble, get a paper copy and carry that around instead: I'm not doing technical support.

Anyway, this Friday I'm going to a Halloween party out of town and I might not make it to O'Bagelo's on Saturday. More important, though, I don't want to miss anything while I'm out of town, but I'm going to have to. My solution is to go to everything I can this past week so I'll be all burned out and not want to see anything. It doesn't seem to be working, though, as I keep seeing good stuff.

Mostly for bragging rights, here's what I did last week:

On Thursday I went to Java Wally's and got to see (and meet) Silandara Bartlett. I thought she did fine, but almost everyone there was playing "Go" as part of the RIT Go Club, so she didn't get much response from the audience. Next, I went to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) and saw The End who were high-energy metal to me (but I guess it's "techincal metal") and Bongzilla who—not surprisingly—do 1970's stoner rock. From there it was off to Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) where I got to see the last couple songs of Low Ton, heavy modern rock with Throttlerod and Quintaine Americana who also play hard rock.

On Friday, I caught Nuts and Bolts Improv Troupe (see their site at ImprovAmerica too) at German House (315 Gregory St.) which will be known as the show that Frank messed up his ankle. Batman will never be the same. From there it was off to Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) to see John Akers who did as expected and played covers of popular songs.

Saturday, I got out to the The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) to see that Clear Housing and Clearing House installation. I thought it was pretty good (but certainly not for everyone.) A primarily orchestral composer, Brad Lubman, did some experimental work adding "found" samples onto one another in an interesting composite. It's presented as a CD played on a loop ... a somewhat odd choice, I guess, but it's effective. I got lost in the sound-field manipulations in the "K.O.M. 2" segment, toward the end of the show. Anyway, I went to Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) after that and got to see Vienna Teng. I thought she was okay—certainly techincally perfect—unfortunately, she seemed to limit her emotional range which I thought detracted from her performance quite a bit. After that I went to Acme Bar & Pizza (495 Monroe Ave.) for The Filthy Funk. I stayed for a few songs ... they were pretty good. I still like their drummer's unique style derived from DJ house music. From there I was off to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) to see The Franks do some fast rock-and-roll, and then the Fertility Rite Brothers who proved that you can't really pull off the sloppy, teenage, garage-band sound if you're over 40.

On Sunday, I got out to First Rate Foods & Deli (127 East Ave.) with the crew and had a great sandwich. Late that night, I went to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) to see The Purrs continue to improve their punk-influenced hard-edged rock and The Hentchmen who do high-energy power-pop.

Monday, it was off to St. Anne Church (1600 Mt. Hope Ave.) for the The Upper Mount Hope Neighborhood Association meeting. After that, I headed to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) ... again ... to see Turn Pale with their nearly non-describable gritty, eclectic rock, The Retreads who are honing their punk-rock style, and Kaito who do rock-based music with the staccato style of punk.

Tuesday, I headed to Java's (16 Gibb St.) and saw Oshe who are actually pretty good ... they do this jazzy groove-funk with elements of experimentation. From there it was off to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) for another late night with The Flipsides who do straight-forward punk-rock, The QUiTTERS driving home the punk-rock theme, and finally The Groovie Ghoulies who do this humor-filled, high-energy classic-style punk.

Wednesday I was starting to get tired and only went to see the experimental band show with Sauce at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.)

All told, I made it to 14 of the events of the 36 unique things I listed last week. Like I said, I'm feeling like this is a lot of fun like the good old days and not really working to get me to not want to see any more music. I guess it's like my dad's idea to feed a stray cat to see if it'll go away.

T H U R S D A Y

Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is eclectic tuba-bass'ed, accordian fronted rock with Snmnmnm, and The Model Sons starting around 8:30 p.m. The installation sound-and-visual artwork titled Clear Housing and Clearing House will be at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) starting around 7 p.m. Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) is sponsoring the last of A Survey Of Civil Disobedience: The Fall Film Series tonight at Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) starting around 7:30 (I'm guessing) with Jang Aur Aman (War and Peace). It was filmed in India, Pakistan, Japan and the United States, after the 1998 nuclear tests on the Indian sub-continent documenting peace activism. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Raw Meat starting at 8. Oh boy ... a police officer discovers that a society of cannibals have been living beneath the subway under London for over a hundred years. Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is having one of their LITalk events from 7 to 8:30. Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) instructor Ken Wilson will be on hand for a discussion titled "How Can You be in Two Places at Once When You're Really Nowhere at All?" referring to the fact that we spend so much time in artificial constructs. Wren will be at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting around 9 p.m. Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting randomly eccentric ... umm ... music from GAD, good modern rock from The Tyrones, and powerful rockers The Irthlings starting around 10:30 p.m. Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. Open mic poetry and music of Soulstice Lounge is at Studio 1 Café (40 St. Paul St., at the Marquee) starting around 7.

F R I D A Y

Halloween Over at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Nicola. Rochester Rocky Horror Picture Show will be presenting the The Rocky Horror Picture Show at German House (315 Gregory St.) starting at 8. The Priests will open up the show and should get things going nicely with their dark stage show and brash punk-rock. Oh, and they're having a costume contest tonight as well where the winner gets a prize donated by Naughty and Nice (669 Monroe Ave.) Tonight and tomorrow night at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is Geva Comedy Improv starting at 10:30 for just $5. Over at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting around 9 p.m. is their Halloween Bash 3 with Psyopus (aren't they a metal band?) Gym Class 5, and excellent funk/rock with Astronomical Unit including a food buffet at midnight. Ordinarily I wouldn't mention DJ stuff, but the The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) Halloween show is a sight to be seen ... Skye High DJ's doing the tunes starting around 10 (and it's free.) Over at Millennium (2235 Empire Blvd.) starting around 10 p.m. is having their Halloween Party with modern rock and cover songs of Uncle Plum

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Over at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) starting around 7 p.m. is the last day of the installation sound-and-visual artwork titled Clear Housing and Clearing House. Rochester Rocky Horror Picture Show is back again tonight to show The Rocky Horror Picture Show at German House (315 Gregory St.) ... this time with rock band Bird Circuit opening and it's a character costume contest. Hitchcock's (881 Merchants Rd.) will be hosting a Halloween Rock Show with heavier modern rock of Defenbombed, five-star punk-rock of The Blast-Off's, up-and-coming punk-rock of Whatever Mary, and excellent rock of The Retreads starting around 10 p.m. Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. is DJ and beloved bartender Herman's Birthday Celebration with The Sadies, and excellent rockers The Hirisers. Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting punk-rock-groove band The Edge of Jupiter starting around 10:30 p.m. Over at Acme Bar & Pizza (495 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10 p.m. is excellent funk-and-rock band Astronomical Unit Modern rock and covers with Better Days (or click here to skip their irritating Flash intro) will be at Spenders (1600 Lyell Ave.) starting around 10 p.m. Tonight at Studio 46 (146 W Commercial St., East Rochester) is Rochester Brass and Electric starting around 10 p.m. I keep meaning to go see them again ... I think I remember that they were a pretty good modern rock/cover band but it's been years. If you've got a lot of money laying around and are a big fan of Kim Novak, you might want to kick a couple hundred the way of George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see her in person when they pay homage to her career.

T U E S D A Y

Election Day Today at Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is their 7th Annual Tuesday's Treasures from 10 to 6 where you can buy used pretty things. The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Kilowatt Hours, and The Chris Danforths starting around 10:45 p.m. Over at Downstairs Cabaret (20 Windsor St.) starting around 7:30 p.m. is Funny Underground, tonight featuring all-female comics from Rochester. 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. Over at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) tonight is the 2,000 Word Club Open Mike starting around 7 for free. Anyone can show up and read up to 2,000 words.

W E D N E S D A Y

Updated: Tonight is the start of the The High Falls Film Festival with some movies earlier on, and the opening night event is at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting at 9. Music will be provided by Anything but Love star and singer Isabel Rose and expert jazzy swing from Bobby Henrie and The Goners. Tonight at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) is The Lotus with Chad Oliveiri, Joe Tunis (of Joe+n) and Will Veeder (of Hinkley) starting around 7 p.m. Over at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) tonight is the Abundance Co-op Book Discussion starting around 7. Tonight they'll discuss Immunization: Reality Behind the Myth by Walene James. Like beer? Like Catholicism? Check out Theology On Tap with Jamie Fazio and Alice Miller-Nation at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) starting around 8. 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.