Weekly Rochester Events #313: There Once Was a New York Island of Nantucket ...

Thursday, January 6, 2005

On Thursday I went to the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see the 3-D Shorts Festival. There were a couple that were excellent. Motor Rhythm documented the construction of an automobile — and in reasonably good detail. Although made for the 1939 World's Fair, it was a remarkable feat of filmmaking, not to mention that it's in 3-D. Actual car parts "dance" onto the screen and move until they are in the right position on the car. Next was Boo Moon which can be best described as being a "not very insipid Casper cartoon," but the 3-D effects are pretty good with rich color and third-dimension positioning that is easy on the eyes. The highlight for me was Doom Town, USA which documents a reporter's trip to see an atomic bomb blast. The footage of the blast itself was more eerie than I've ever seen — especially in 3-D — and they even showed the buildings, cars, and livestock from the titular simulated town being destroyed.

It wasn't all good, though, as Stardust in Your Eyes is probably the dumbest thing put to film — it's just this guy 1950's rock star guy, Slick Slaven, standing in front of a sloppy cloth backdrop with a grid and doing his impressions of various movie stars from the 1940's "in 3-D." Even he comments on the non-3-D shot of a flying airplane edited in for no reason.

Later that night I went to The Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) First up was Gillard and Coulter — a.k.a. Maria Gillard and Rita Coulter — two great soloists brought together. Next was The Franks whom I've always found to be good, but I don't seek them out ... they do very tight rock-and-roll, but it's kinda standard to my ear. Finishing up the night, though was The Earl Cram Revue who kept me and the dozen or so fans happy for an hour or so.

Friday — New Year's Eve — I saw these guys at the bus stop on South at Elmwood trying to hitchhike. I stopped just to apologize because I didn't have space in the car for them, but they were pretty insistent in a nondescript but crazy way. I got a little further and decided to call it in ... either they had some legitimate emergency and needed help, were just being a nuisance, or had some malicious intent. I figured this would set the tone for the evening.

Fortunately, I got off that train-track of reality by getting a really good dinner at California Rollin' at Village Gate Square (274 N. Goodman St.) From there it was off to a party with some of the local Burning Man people. Things were looking pretty good there, but I figured I'd move on at around 11:15 and try to catch something else. As a little bit of foreshadowing (as real writers say) by now I'd had a couple glasses of sake with dinner, a couple Cosmopolitans, a gin martini, and a glass of wine ... in all, I'm drinking pretty steadily at a little more than a drink an hour.

I headed to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) but my friend Kevin was having a party around the corner so I stopped in. I'm glad I did because the crowd of 15 or so people were pretty cool to hang out with, and as an added bonus, most of the women were really attractive. Anyway, after a couple or three hours there, a beer and some highfalutin gin, an approximated New Year's countdown (and, no: no 1/1 kiss-kiss) I decided to finally get around the corner to the Bug Jar.

I think it must have been around 2:30 or so, but the Bug Jar was open 'till 4. By this time, the "not remembering stuff" part of drinking was kicking in ... I remember getting a shot of Jägermeister (which I don't often drink.) Then I went in because Rockstars (with Joey on drums from Yer Mom) was just starting. I think I yelled things at the band, I bought them all shots (including another for myself) and I remember stumbling backward from the stage and falling down hard — I seem to think I lost my balance, but I think I might have been pushed or kicked or something.

Let's see ... Matty from the band was sober and he drove my car over to Aimee and Joey's place. I remember the air horn compressor running a lot, so I think he honked the horn ... then again, maybe I was doing it. I got there around 4 or so and vaguely recall blundering through the house lingering around people I knew. I followed this poor girl around all night until she finally told me, "remember when you told me to tell you when you were getting annoying ..." I crashed in a chair for a couple hours.

I got up around 6:30 in the midst of more revelry and, although still very tired, was okay to drive home. I slept until 2:30 in the afternoon. In theory, it was a good New Year's. In practice, I'm quitting drinking for January to attempt to heal any liver damage. Ugh ...

Anyway, I got back out on Sunday night to A|V Art Sound Space (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St., formerly The All-Purpose Room.) I got there a little too late and only got to see Birchville Cat Motel who's this guy from New Zealand who loops experimental drone and adds in vocals to produce an effect somewhere between a crowded restaurant (only more evil) and souls screaming in hell (only more subtle.)

Monday night I went to the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) for the first of their "Surprise Cinema" screenings. After taunting us for a while, assistant curator Jim Healy let us know that we were about to see the original 1992 version of Meet the Parents. Apparently, writer/director/star Greg Glienna got funding to shoot the film in the Chicago area, in part through Emo Philips who also stars as the scene-stealing video clerk (with the great line, "Ishtar?! That's my favorite movie!") It was shot on 16mm color film and had a short run in one or two independent theaters in Chicago (which is where Jim Healy saw it.) In the last 12 years, the original negative has been lost and all the rights were sold to Universal to make the 2000 version of Meet the Parents. We got to see one of two known theatrical prints, and, according to Jim, it's unlikely we'll ever be able to see this movie in any format ever again. Ever.

The movie itself was okay. I vaguely remember the 2000 version ... lots of flashy sight gags and such with something about the dad being in the CIA. Well, the earlier version is much darker and more subtle. The disastrous weekend builds so steadily that you really don't realize just how absurd the final problems become. It's like the thing about frogs and boiling water — if you put a frog in boiling water, it tries to leap right out, but if you put a frog in water and slowly raise the temperature, it'll sit there and die because it can't sense the gradual change ... or so folk wisdom dictates (and we know how reliable that can be.) I mean, you wouldn't think that poking the mom's eye with a fishing pole could ever seem commonplace, but after breaking the dad's Victorola, flooding the toilet, killing the dog, and several other disasters in Greg's descent, it really doesn't seem out of place at all. Not to say that it's a great movie by any stretch — you couldn't convince anyone it's anything but an early 1990's independent film based on production values, directorial skill, and acting ability — but it's still fun to watch.

I pretty much wrapped up the week on Tuesday with another trip to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) First, Otto Hauser played his low-key ambient-acoustic with a drummer which was good, but I felt bad for the drummer because he was way outclassed by Otto ... either that or they need to practice together more ... or he was just having a bad night. Next was Drekka who's one guy who does some really interesting acoustic with experimental effects and loops. Kelli Hicks once again captivated everyone with her combination of subtly complex lyrics and minimalist acoustic performance. Unfortunately, only a few people stayed on through the entirety of Autumn In Halifax who's also a solo performer who looped guitar work with some electronic effects as a foundation to play off of — and way more interesting than most one-man-bands.

Oh yeah, and on the way home, I broke the pedal off my bike. Welcome to 2005.

T H U R S D A Y

Yah! Thursday Thinkers is back at Gleason Auditorium in The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. Today, Emeritus Professor of American Politics at RIT, Dr. William Daniels will present Is it Time to Graduate from the Electoral College and Amend the Constitution? about the possibility of alternative voting schemes for elections in the United States. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] [all ages] This afternoon at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) at 5:30 p.m., Rachael Baldanza will discuss Lyonel Feiniger's 1916 painting Zirchow VI. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is an early show starting around 9 p.m. is tight, great modern-rock band (albeit more of a cover band than what's typical at the Bug Jar) The Meddling Kids, Mad Sumo, and Enter Eden. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing 12 Angry Men starting at 8 p.m. This is the "definitive" version of the script as presented in film form, in itself the definitive description of prejudice in the American justice system. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] 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

There will be a Family Fun Night at the ice rink at Manhattan Square Park (130 Chestnut St.) tonight from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. featuring a figure skating demo and clinic. [source: City Hall press release] [all ages] Tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is The Battle of the High School Bands. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages] This evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the opening reception for Jim Patton's Faces of Indochina photography exhibition on display in the Link Gallery at City Hall (30 Church St.) The exhibition will be on display until February 7. [source: City Hall press release] [all ages] Tonight at Smokin' Joe's Bar and Grill (425 Lyell Ave.) is Thornwood Jazz starting around 10 p.m. [source: band e-mail] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Secret Honor starting at 8 p.m. Only Robert Altman would even attempt a one-man movie about Richard Nixon. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Updated: Tonight at The Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) is a Tsunami Relief Show and Art Sale starting at 8 p.m. with all proceeds going to Rochester Red Cross (50 Prince St.) As of Friday, acoustic soloist Gregory Paul, Brandon from Kill Myself on Monday, rolling loops of noise and beats from Aural Surgery, Marcus McGowan, Mike Meek, Joe+n, electronic music from Chad Oliveiri, experimental, organic jazz The Blood and Bone Orchestra, DJ Water, Our Baby are scheduled to attend, along with art from Vincent Brown, Jay Lincoln, David Bleich, Kevin McFarland, Valerie Bronte, and Paul Burke with food and refreshments provided by Stummes Ding. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Over at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 9 p.m. is daring, bold acoustic soloist JoAnn Vaccaro. [source: band e-mail] Deepwaterdaze, good, "crowd-safe" modern rock band Bird Circuit, and not very good (as of a show last year) bluegrass/country/honky-tonk cover band Dang will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Apparently, there is no Rist Rocket reunion tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) and I'm not sure if anything has replaced that show ... [source: Freetime] [21+] 5 O'Clock Charlie will be at Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Apocalypse Now starting at 8 p.m. Gosh ... how crazy war can get. And by crazy, I mean like psychiatric crazy, not funny crazy. This is the 2001 "Redux" version with 50 extra minutes. Brace yourselves. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] RIT College Activities Board, will be hosting comic Demetri Martin starting around 11 p.m. in Ingle Auditorium at RIT (One Lomb Memorial Dr., campus map image.) [source: RIT Events Calendar site]

S U N D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing My Man Godfrey starting at 5 p.m. Ah yes, a screwball comedy of the screwballest kind. A woman hires a tramp as a butler ... comedy ensues. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

T U E S D A Y

Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Aloha, Hue of 2, Will Veeder, and Proud Simon starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] 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

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]

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JayceLand #312 is the updated I did on December 30 with the chain letter these links.

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