Weekly Rochester Events #283: From Middle English Etimologie

Thursday, June 10, 2004

Cripes ... experiment with alternate concepts of commerce at a piddling little garage sale, and people freak out.

On Sunday I switched modes to "take whatever you want; donations accepted." If people asked me for a price I'd give one to them, and if they'd balk, I'd cut it in half until they were happy. I was using a casual, non-confrontational tone similar to Ron Livingston's character, Peter in Office Space. I'd echo the sentiment of the sign I put up and say, "Take whatever you want. If you want to give me some money, that's cool too." Most people would just ask "how much," though so I'd tell them $10 and see what they did.

As for Synaesthesia, I'm pretty far behind, I guess. I need to get over there to do some handyman-related stuff to get the show set up in the next couple days, and I've also got to put up some pictures. I finally got my photo website set up with the new images and I also expanded the "About" page. To make things even more challenging, I'm also taking down the The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) pictures on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, next week will be a bit more subdued when I can get back to more ordinary things that I've been putting off.

I had little time to think about anything so I don't really have any philosophical insights this week. I also started getting to know this woman living in Connecticut who I met through Match.com. I'm going to see if I can't scare this one off ... er ... see if I can scare this one off. No wait, that's not right ... I'm going to see if I can avoid scaring her off. I don't think I belong in relationships, either.

Anyway, on Thursday I got to The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) for a couple bands. I don't remember what they had named it, but Otto and Ian's band did what I had noted as "an egomaniacal masturbatory jam session." They're both very good and innovative musicians, but guys, remember Mr. McMahon's advice: "keep your feet on the ground and keep reachin' for the stars"—don't forget that grounded-feet part. The Black Lung Brass Ensemble was very cool ... although the claim was a 10-piece brass band, I think there were actually 8 people, and only 5 brass. Nonetheless they reminded me a lot of Jerseyband. They played an interesting blend of bluegrass and show-tune. Something like that, anyway.

On Friday, I got to the Dryden at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see Ishtar which was actually a pretty good movie. I'd fault it most for editing problems and some terribly bad continuity problems. However, it played out really strange in a funny/not-funny kind of way. It's basically like Tom Clancy meets Dumb and Dumber—it was a classic road movie structure where a couple low-grade lounge singers get caught up in a CIA plot to prevent the overthrow of the Moroccan president/dictator.

Author and Chicago Reader film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum was there to answer questions, and I asked if he thought the extremely negative media response to Ishtar when it was released was due to its bipolar nature: both as a silly buddy-movie comedy and as a serious political satire, but he thought otherwise. His thoughts were that it was unpopular in part because Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty were kind of goofing around, and because there was so much attention paid to the budgetary overruns because it was shot in the Middle East. Regardless, I think that's a factor, and I've seen that kind of thing since: basically if a movie does not fit into a predefined genre, it is declared "unmarketable" and will generally do poorly. Consider something like Adaptation. which is a somewhat humorous movie about a quirky writer, an introspective look at the writing process, a character study, an exploration of literary devices literally transcribed to film, and a satire of the Hollywood moviemaking process. I'm sure there were marketing meetings where someone piped up and said, "So ... it's a comedy, right?" In the end, the movie was poorly explained to people who then ended up feeling exploited and tended to dislike the movie, influencing public perception through reviews based on incorrect expectations.

Anyway, I wanted to mention that what I felt would be an ideal fit finally happened: Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 are being shown as a double-feature at The Cinema Theatre (957 South Clinton Ave.) I had hoped they'd contact Tarantino and see if they could show it/them without the intervening closing- and opening-credits. Maybe I can spare the $3, but I'm not sure about the 4 hours.

Coming up, I'm not mind-blowingly thrilled about anything. I guess if you're into the mellower side of things, The Rochester International Jazz Festival shows are a good deal at The Jazz Stage (Gibbs St.) ... in part because they're free, and in part because it'll be good music. If you haven't seen her, Mary Monroe with her harp makes for a good show at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) Dissimilarly, The BuddhaHood in Pittsford would be fun to see as they are inspiring enough to get even me to move a bit.

As far as everything else, there's the two plays opening this week, both of which look pretty good. I'd lean toward the Shipping Dock Theatre (31 Prince St., new location at Visual Studies Workshop) show of Love In The Title as it's a bit edgier, but Five Course Love at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) may be right up the alley of fans of traditional comedic musicals.

In all, I think these two plays are serendipitous in their arrival, and some would say some form of a sign from the universe hinting towards one particular ... umm ... "Connecticutian" I guess. The question is, what sign is it?—because I swear—if it's mockery again, I'm gonna have to ask the universe to step outside.

T H U R S D A Y

Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 8:30 p.m. is The High Strung and more. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Over at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) starting around 7 p.m. is the fairly odd group, The Bertrand Russell Society. Tonight, David White will discuss God's Defenders: What They Believe and Why They Are Wrong by S. T. Joshi. [source: Writers and Books calendar] Around 6:30 p.m. at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) is a photography discussion led by Leo Nealon in the garden titled Garden Photography. They'll be outside to shoot garden photos. I give it about a 30% chance of getting rained out to next week. [source: Eastman House calendar] Over at Element (123 Liberty Pole Way, formerly Star Bar, Tilt, and Velocity) starting around 10 p.m. is the solidly good rock band with strong groove rock influences, Dudley Dawson. [source: JamBase calendar for Rochester] The relatively recently formed reggae band Bear Bones will be at Tonic (East Avenue near Alexander) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: band e-mail] Power-pop trio The Earl Cram Revue will be at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) tonight at 10 p.m. after the Hedwig show. [source: band e-mail] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

F R I D A Y

The first night of Synaesthesia will be at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) starting around 8 p.m. featuring audio by Alpha Flight, Aural Surgery, Dielectric Lull, Electrik Vesuvius, The Neighborhood Konspiracy, Surface, and The Wills Wilde, and visuals by Bleu Cease, Christine Victoria Dunn, M.P.H., and PETE. [source: Carbon Records calendar] Jeanne Sozio's Jungle Gym Dreams opens tonight at The Community Darkroom at The Genesee Center for the Arts (713 Monroe Ave.) and runs through August 29. There is an opening reception tonight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. [source: Genesee Center for the Arts calendar] In theory, Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) will be having an Art Auction Gala from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] Shipping Dock Theatre (31 Prince St., new location at Visual Studies Workshop) will be closing out their first year in their new location with the play Love in the Title by Hugh Leonard, directed by Barbara K. Biddy which begins tonight at 8 p.m. and will repeat through July 3 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 and on Sundays at 2 p.m. In it, a young woman takes a journey through her family history and beliefs via young personifications of her mother and grandmother. Note that Sunday, June 13 is a "Pay-What-You-Can" performance. [source: Shipping Dock Theatre website] Tonight's lineup for The Rochester International Jazz Festival at The Jazz Stage (Gibbs St.) features Uneeda Birkenstock High School Jazz Bands Showcase at 4 p.m., then Dawn Thomson at 6 p.m., and Melvin Sparks Band at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. [source: Rochester Jazz Festival website] The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) will be hosting some great rock-and-roll with The VEiNS, and Bee Eater starting around 10 p.m. after the Hedwig show. [source: Water Street calendar] Acoustic folk rock harpist Mary Monroe will be at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 9 p.m. [source: Freetime] Tonight at Fat Moe's (4419 Dewey Ave.) is what will strangely be a good fit for the venue, the rockabily band Krypton 88 starting around 10 p.m. [source: Freetime]

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. This afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. is The Great Tree Tour at Mt. Hope Cemetery (North Gate, 791 Mt. Hope Ave.) [source: Freetime] The second night of Synaesthesia will be at The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) starting around 8 p.m. featuring audio acts Sheet, Solipsistic Babyhead, Static Electricians, and The Ready Mades with visual works from Jason Olshefsky, Kellie Tinney, Raphael, and The Robot and Her Wild Ass. [source: Carbon Records calendar] Tonight's free performances of The Rochester International Jazz Festival at The Jazz Stage (Gibbs St.) will consist of Uneeda Birkenstock High School Jazz Bands Showcase at 4 p.m., Lukas Ligeti / Raoul Björkenheim Duo at 6 p.m., and the seventeen-member jazz orchestra, Latin Giants of Jazz at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. [source: Rochester Jazz Festival website] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing One From the Heart starting at 8 p.m. Another in the "Beautiful Losers" series, this is Francis Ford Coppola's fantasy Las Vegas love story. [source: Eastman House calendar] The ambient/power-pop band Hinkley, odd 3-piece rock from Nod, The IOs, Autumn In Halifax, and synth-driven band The Vixo Sound System will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Village Rock Cafe (213 Main St., East Rochester) will be hosting FMGreen starting around 10 p.m. [source: band calendar] Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is the impossible-to-predict The Peachy Neachys , and The Slumlords starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] Over at Alexander Street Pub (291 Alexander St.) starting around 10 p.m. is modern rock and covers from Uncle Plum [source: Freetime] More modern rock and covers with Better Days will be at Spenders (1600 Lyell Ave.) starting around 10 p.m. [source: Freetime]

S U N D A Y

This afternoon at 1 p.m. is another of the City's Sunday Serenades at Washington Square Park (across Woodbury from Geva Theater) featuring the The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra String Quartet. The rain location is The Dugan Center at St. Mary's Church (15 Saint Marys Pl.) across the street. [source: City Hall press release] The Positively Pittsford event in Pittsford (Main St.) will be hosting wicked fun percussive groove-rock from The BuddhaHood starting around 2 p.m. [source: band calendar] Today at The Rochester Public Market (280 Union St. N.) is another Community Garage Sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you're interested in getting a booth, call 428-6907 for more information. [source: City Hall press release] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Mini-Band, Vox Humana, and tight modern rock band Veluxe starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Dan Liberto (of the The Comedy Company) hosts Open Mic Comedy Night at Duels Café (17 E. Main St.) starting around 7:30 (theoretically.) [source: Duel's Café] Open Mic Night at On the Rocks (1551 Mount Hope Ave., formerly Michael's and before that Trios.) [source: Freetime]

M O N D A Y

Flag Day Excellent experimental jazz band TatYana will be playing tonight at Alexandria Mediterranean Cuisine (120 East Ave., formerly Aria) starting at 10. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

T U E S D A Y

Tonight is a Tuesday Nature Nights Guided Bike Ride along Rochester's trail system starting at 6:15 p.m. (helmets required, weather cancellations will be made on site at the start time ... I guess unless it's obvious.) Tonight's ride is along the Genesee Riverway Trail starting at Fauver Stadium (Wilson Blvd. at Library Rd., University of Rochester Campus). [source: City Hall press release] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Breaking the Sound Barrier starting at 8 p.m. The fictionalized story of breaking the sound barrier in jet airplanes (which occurred in 1947 to save you the research.) [source: Eastman House calendar] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Chris McFarland, and The Atomic Forces starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Over at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) starting around 10 p.m. is blues-charged rock-and-roll/groove-rock from Buford and the Smoking Section. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar] 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. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

W E D N E S D A Y

Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) will be opening the musical, Five Course Love (by Gregg Coffin, directed by Emma Griffin, and choreographed by Terry Berliner) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Shows continue through July 11 weekdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. If it wasn't clear, it combines restaurant settings, thematically appropriate music, and humorous views of dating. [source: Geva Theatre website] It's one of the last Big Drum: Songwriters in the Round for this year tonight at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) at 6:30 p.m. with John Cianciola, Jimmy Gombato, Tim Clark, and Doug Waterman. [source: Freetime] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Blowup starting at 8 p.m. Just how real is the information on a photograph? [source: Eastman House calendar] Poor People United meets tonight and every Wednesday at 7 at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality (402 South Ave.) [source: the proverbial grapevine] 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. [source: Daily Perks calendar]