Weekly Rochester Events #253: À l'est de Lehigh

Thursday, November 13, 2003

Wednesday was the start of The High Falls Film Festival in which I tried to attend as much as I could. The first thing I saw was In America which was absolutely incredible ... the mostly true story of the real-life Sheridan family's arrival to America and the trials they go through. Afterward I got to talk with co-writer Naomi Sheridan for a while at the opening party at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) Unfortunately I had to take off early to see the first of the short film shows which I thought was okay.

Thursday, I got out to Strathallan (550 East Ave.) to chat with the filmmakers in the morning. Later that day I headed over to George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see Candice Bergen's photography which was okay ... pretty good for journalistic portraiture, and I was amused by Ms. Bergen's self-deprecating style of describing each picture. Oh, and I've got to remember to not bother to eat at the Eastman House Tea Room: I had a just-barely-okay sandwich for something as fancy sounding as turkey and brie on French bread.

Later that night I saw a trio of duo-movies. The first was Syostry (Sisters) which was about a pair of young daughters of a gangster who go on the run after escaping capture at the safe house. It was pretty good, but had some trappings of Hollywood films of a few years ago. Next was This is Not a Love Song which was the story of a couple stupid thieves who end up killing a farmer's daughter and go on the run in the woods. They end up bickering like an old couple, and spending time in close physical proximity for warmth, but there's no evidence of any true caring between them. Finally, I saw Nogo which was about a couple who run a gas station together and become progressively more neurotic and suspicious of their fellow man.

Then I was dumped out into the real world ... tired, late at night, and after three somewhat related movies. I thought it was funny that I came upon the intersection of Linden and Mount Vernon concurrently with two other cars—at 1:26 a.m. I probably saw two other cars on the whole trip home.

Friday morning I again got out to Strathallan (550 East Ave.) to chat with the filmmakers in the morning. I got back to The Little (240 East Ave.) in the evening and found that My Architect: A Son's Journey was sold out. I was so relieved ... after the past couple days, I could use a break. I got back to see Mark of Caïn. I had been talking with Alix Lambert (the creator of the film) and Sarah George (who made Catching Out which I didn't get to see yet) on and off and Sarah suggested I see Mark of Caïn because I wouldn't be able to see it any other time on the big screen. I'm glad I did—although it's about Russian prison tattooing, it gives the prisoners and guards to talk candidly about the conditions in the prisons. Finally that night I saw the second of the short films programs ... I only liked a couple of the films: The House, where the drawings of mentally ill women in a group home are animated to their stories, and My Josephine, about some of the hardships of a couple immigrants running a laundry in the United States and washing American flags on the side.

When I left the theater, it was late, and the streets by the Little are pretty deserted. I couldn't believe it when I found a $20 bill on the ground with nobody there to claim it. I picked it up and immediately felt this terrible feeling ... like the money was cursed and some awful thing would happen to me. I stopped by Lux Lounge (666 South Ave.) but didn't want to hang around so I went home ... I still felt a bit depressed on Saturday morning. Stupid money.

Saturday I got over to George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) and saw The Same River Twice. I thought it would make me more depressed, but it kind of didn't. It's footage from 1978 on the last river rafting trip of a group of friends, then footage from the last couple years—20 years later. It did amplify the idea that you've got to grow up because whether you do or not, you're going to get old and die someday. On the other hand, it was a bit more hopeful and organic than that.

After O'Bagelo's (165 State Street) I went to The Little (240 East Ave.) and saw a great panel discussion about The Cinematographer's Art. Next it was the RIT short film program. It was difficult to select a winning film because they varied from animation to abstract to documentary to live action and in duration from a couple minutes to half an hour. I ended up picking Perpetual Motion which was an animation theorizing about hovering cats by strapping toast and jam on their back so they could never land, mostly because of the chorus "meow" sound of the cat hover-train pulling out of the station. They all were really good, though.

Later I went to the great awards ceremony at the Dryden. Oh, and I got to see the lunar eclipse. I stayed for the closing film, The Company. Man ... what a marginally poor movie. I got done watching a bunch of great visionary movies only to be thrown this piece of Hollywood engineering. I think I was set off immediately by the unnecessary locker-room scene—included only to show women's breasts. I mean, this particulary scene didn't advance the non-plot at all.

The party at Max of Eastman Place (387 Main St. E.) was better than the opening party because the music was quieter, the food and drink were easier to get to, and there was plenty of space. I got to say goodbye to a few people and say hi to Kerry Washington. The little fanboy inside me was appeased when Kerry recognized me from the coffee chat last year where I was the only attendee due to a scheduling mishap. Afterward I stayed up late at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) seeing The Downbeat 5 who do really great country-influenced power rock.

Sunday I got up to see The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia which was an interesting discussion of the relationship of the photographer, the subjects, and the viewers. This was the end of the festival for me.

On Monday, I had to go into work. I decided to take a few months vacation and not go back. Well, by "I," I mean "they," by "vacation," I mean "severance," and by "not go back" I mean "lay me off." Finally I'll have the time to really work on the website. Really, though, I think it's a good thing overall because I've been meaning to pursue some self-employment opportunities. At least until the money runs out. (Oh, and I've got to get Jan back his spare answering machine.)

But here's the kicker: I've been working since I got out of college, never taking more than a few days between jobs. I got my first job on October 11, 1993—one day shy of ten years and one month ago. Or, you can consider that I got hired on 10/11/1993 and laid off on 11/10/2003.

All from that fucking $20.

T H U R S D A Y

Tonight at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is another of The Genesee Reading Series tonight featuring Nancy Kress, a science fiction and fantasy author, and Martin Naparsteck, a novelist and short fiction author. Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) will be hosting "live breakbeat house music" with The New Deal and DJ Logic starting around 8 p.m. George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will have the Wish You Were Here Lecture in the Dryden theater starting around 6 p.m. This is a travel photography lecture from photographer Susan Meiselas. Over at Kilbourn Hall at Eastman Theatre (60 Gibbs St.) is Eastman Virtuosi starting tonight at 8. This evening starting at 7:30 at Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is a lecture called The World in New York: A Survey of Recent International Art Seen in the City. from William Zimmer, a New York Times art critic. Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) tonight is the Animal Art Expo, a benefit the Seneca Park Zoo Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers starting around 7:30pm. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing La Ville Louvre (Louvre City) at 8 then Un animal, des animaux (Animals) at 9:30. The former is a behind-the-scenes documentary about the Louvre, and the latter is about the renovation and reopening of the National Natural History Museum. One price for the double feature! Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. is a rockin' rockabilly show with Those Legendary Shackshakers, and Krypton 88 Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting acoustic soloist Mary Simon, JJ Appleton, Lanky, and excellent acoustic soloist JoAnn Vaccaro starting around 10 p.m. Yet another open mic night ... this one's at The Ritskeller (One Lomb Memorial Dr., on RIT campus) starting around 9. 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

Over at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) starting around 7:30 p.m. is The United II Tour with Pigface, Professional Murder Music, and Rachel Stamp. Tonight at the Common Ground Café and Coffee House at The University of Rochester (River Campus Map) is acoustic soloist Mary Simon starting around 8 p.m. Strong Auditorium at The University of Rochester (River Campus Map) will be hosting After Hours A Cappella Group starting around 8 p.m. Updated: Dang .. I forgot about this one: there's Arouse: A Visual and Sound Awakening "artshow" at 6 Atlas St. from 7 to 11 tonight. This will include works from over 20 artists. Updated: Dream Engine will be performing their poetry-over-music at St. John Fisher College (3690 East Ave.) in Wilson Hall starting around 7. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Chihwaseon starting at 8. This biopic follows the life of 19th-century Korean painter Ohwon—the title, Chiwaseon reportedly translates roughly to "drunken painting master". Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is eclectic rock with Nod, and seven gate. Over at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 9 p.m. is acoustic soloist Silandara Bartlett. Tonight at the intolerable Milestones (170 East Ave.) is One Sweet World and the incredible beat-based groove-rock of The BuddhaHood, featuring Jorge Alabe starting around 10 p.m. Over at Froggy's Bar & Grill (1129 Empire Blvd.) starting around 10 p.m. is modern rock and cover songs with Better Days (or click here to skip their irritating Flash intro).

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Strong Auditorium at The University of Rochester (River Campus Map) will be hosting After Hours A Cappella Group for a show titled Dude, Where's My Remote? where they parody popular television shows starting around 8 p.m. Over at The Penny Arcade (4785 Lake Ave.) starting around 3 p.m. is 4th Definition, Clear Motive, Joey Vicious, and (I think) Numm. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Être et avoir (To Be and to Have) starting at 8. Here's a French documentary (French with English subtitles) about the peculiar musings of a dozen school-aged children. Grinding punk-rockers The Modey Lemon, Mid-Air Collision, and Bee Eater will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. Over at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) starting around 9 p.m. is a Jimmy T's Music World production of John Brown's Body, and groove-rock/zydeco band Sunny Weather. Tonight at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) is Greater Rochester Jazz Orchestra doing jazz in the style of Count Basie starting around 9:30 p.m. Starting tonight at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) is photography by Christopher Dennis and Clint Baclawski from 7 to 11. Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is Irish-slanted punk with Tom Foolery and the Shenanigans. Big-Eyed Fish (presumably a Dave Matthews cover band) will be at Toasted Head (187 St. Paul St., formerly Café Dell'Arte) starting around 10 p.m. Tonight at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) is Better Days (or click here to skip their irritating Flash intro) starting around 10 p.m.

S U N D A Y

The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) will be hosting Pengo, Mike Shiflet, and Burning Star Core starting around 7:30 p.m. The Faculty Artist Series with Robert Swensen, tenor, Nicholas Goluses, guitar, and Benton Hess on piano will be at Kilbourn Hall at Eastman Theatre (60 Gibbs St.) starting around 8 p.m. Acoustic soloist Silandara Bartlett will be at Spot Coffee (East Ave. and Mathews St.) starting around 8 p.m. Updated: In case you missed the Friday showing, the Arouse: A Visual and Sound Awakening "artshow" will be at 6 Atlas St. today from noon to 4. Dan Liberto (of the The Comedy Company) hosts Open Mic Comedy Night at Duels Café (17 E. Main St.) starting around 7:30 (theoretically.)

T U E S D A Y

Tonight at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) is a presentation from Boost Records of the many-headed mature rock of Don Anonymous and the Jessica Han Dynasty Superstars, hard-working rock of The Irthlings, power eclectic rock from The Earl Cram Revue, Cheezus, and The J.J.J. in a tribute to Elliott Smith starting around 8:30 p.m. Over at Downstairs Cabaret (20 Windsor St.) starting around 7:30 p.m. is Funny Underground, tonight featuring sketch comedy from The Comedy Project. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Potseluj Meri Pikford (A Kiss from Mary Pickford) starting at 8. In this silent Russian film, a fictional story intertwines reality—actress Mary Pickford actually went to Russia in 1926 on a goodwill visit and was filmed kissing an actor. This is the story of that man. Updated: Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Weedeater, Rue, Withered Earth, and the all-new Colossus starting around 10 p.m. 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

The Greater Rochester Jaycees (which you may have found by accident ... count those e's) will be having their Membership Night 2003 at Barrister's (36 West Main St.) starting at 7 p.m. They say you should RSVP if you're interested, Frenchy. Over at Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) is a lecture titled Currents in Visual Studies about new research in the field of Visual Studies ... apparently starting at 6, but with no further details. 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.