Weekly Rochester Events #385: One Perfect Jewish Leap

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Well, just as I have in the past on holidays, I thought I'd mention right off the bat that O'Bagelo's (165 State St.) is closed on Saturday. I haven't made any plans to go to one place or another unless I hear other people have interest in getting together.

Last Thursday represented a month dating Ali. We went out to Feta Chinni (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate, formerly Mykonos) for some dinner and managed to miss the movie at the Dryden so we went to Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) to meet with the Drinking Liberally people. We stopped by The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) but the headlining acts had canceled leaving only Nate Hill who did some decent acoustic renditions of popular songs. In the end, our mensiversary was filled with more discussions that needed digestion than we expected and ended in introspection more than anything.

Friday, on the other hand, brought out the celebration — so much so that we considered changing the date we first met — and so much so that we half-forgot that we did change the date.

We went to the gallery opening/party at Door 7 (700 S. Clinton Ave.) The show featured works from Door 7 artists and guests — in all quite a good show. Starting off the musical entertainment was Que Pasa who I found to be a predictable variety of sort-of-emo rock. Gregory Paul was next and I liked him better than I had in the past. I still think he spends a lot of time thinking up new tricks for acoustic instruments, but I gave him more patience than I did before and ended up liking what he was going for.

Next was Screamin' Cyn-Cyn and the Pons from Madison, Wisconsin. They steered the night in a completely different direction with their gay punk-synth-pop. The lead singer looked like Richard Simmons' and Jack Black's love child and was the perfect centerpiece to the band. Finishing off the night was one of my personal favorites, The Mathematicians — they simply don't disappoint. With the crowd already worked up by Screamin' Cyn-Cyn, The Mathematicians' breed of nerdy-themed synth-pop/hip-hop drove things even further. As an added bonus, a spurious trigger made their computer think they should play "Binary Girl" which was fine by me — one of my favorite songs of theirs. A bribe of cups of water halfway through their set and a well-timed request got them to play my other favorite, "Subtract My Life" as their encore.

Afterward a lot of people there headed around the corner to Lux Lounge (666 South Ave.) and I got a chance to hang out with the bands. I haven't done that in a while, and I really enjoy making a band feel welcome. I ended up talking a while with Christian about smallish towns like Rochester or Madison, and about canal systems (by the way, he is Screamin' Cyn-Cyn's bass player who was decked out as a Smurf who failed his litmus test [okay, not really — it was just seriously pink, but my alcohol-addled mind beckoned from last week to include that joke.])

We were encouraged to get the hell out after the bar closed and eventually left around 2:30. It was raining lightly and Ali left an hour earlier for much-needed sleep. I had hoped to hang out with the bands (The Mathematicians and Screamin' Cyn-Cyn) who were both staying the night, but it turned out they weren't going to be staying up long, nor nearby, nor was I invited, nor were they going anywhere toward my house on the way — alas, I had to handle a bit of rain on the walk home.

Nonetheless it was an awesome night.

Saturday Ali and I headed to Canandaigua and got to see The Years at Blue Dahlia Coffee (92 S. Main St., Canandaigua.) Unlike their experimental jazz alter-ego The Blood and Bone Orchestra, The Years is a guitar-and-bass-based creative folk act. Of course, with the caliber of musicians in "BaBO," it's excellent. Afterward, a few of us headed to The Pickering Pub (170 S. Main St., Canandaigua) for a few pints.

Monday I went to the 29th event in The Emerging Filmmakers Series at The Little (240 East Ave.) The program was shorter than average, but all the entries were quite good. Homefront by Justin Bull was an excellent account of a couple who loses their son in the Iraq war — the mother protests the war but the central story is about the father who's a Vietnam veteran and who had encouraged his son to go to war. He's a teacher and a new student of Middle-Eastern descent acts as the lightning rod for his fears, frustrations, and anger. In Sticks & Stones by Rehema Imani Trimiew, parents of a young Rehema (based on a true story of the filmmaker) are visiting her kindergarten teacher who resists teaching "urban" students to read because they develop differently — despite proof to the contrary. In the question-and-answer afterward, Rehema said she made the unique choice to have the narrator address the audience — and instruct them to act — based on what she had experienced in churches and from her understanding of traditional storytelling techniques.

Since next month will be the 30th installment, there are plans for a "best-of" show. I think I should get some kind of award because this past month's show was the 21st I had seen (although I tried to make it to 22 if you count the one in January that wasn't.) Anyway, if you've been to the shows and want to vote, or if you want to do the American thing and pick stuff at random without any knowledge, The Emerging Filmmakers Series site has (or should shortly have) a list of all the films shown with brief descriptions for you to pick from.

T H U R S D A Y

Tonight is the opening reception for Curriculum Vitae, works by students of RIT Biomedical Photographic Communications at Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Ave.) from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The show runs through June 18. [source: Image City Photography Gallery flyer] Tonight at 7 p.m. is a special showing of the short film 4 Shadows Cast From Confusion at The Little (240 East Ave.) [source: Little Theatre calendar] In what looks like an interesting lecture, Merlin C. Dailey will discuss The Expressive Soul comparing views of spirituality in Eastern and Western art at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting power rock-and-roll with a strong metal edge from Dixie Witch, terrific rock-and-roll from The Grinders, and awesome female-sex-energy spewing rock from Yer Mom (formerly Your Mom) starting around 9:30 p.m. If you get there early the posters say there is a barbecue starting around 8. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) will be hosting Jeff Sherner starting around 8 p.m. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] Over at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) starting around 10 p.m. is great rocking rockabilly from Krypton 88 [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar] Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting The Sisters of Murphy starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] Drinking Liberally meets at 8 p.m. tonight at Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) [source: RocWiki calendar]

F R I D A Y

Apparently The Critical Mass Bike Ride is tonight starting at 5:30 p.m. at the clock tower near The Wilson Commons at The University of Rochester (Library Road, #39 on River Campus Map.) to The Liberty Pole (1 Liberty Pole Way) at 6 p.m. and heading through the city from there. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Aaron Maras starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) will be hosting very interesting digitally-enhanced, soothing marimba from Super Marimba starting around 8 p.m. [source: A|V Space website] Over at Smokin' Joe's Bar and Grill (425 Lyell Ave.) probably starting around 9 p.m. is really good blues-charged rock-and-roll/groove-rock from Buford and the Smoking Section. [source: Freetime] Tonight and tomorrow is another Geva Comedy Improv show at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) starting at 10:30 each night. [source: Geva Comedy Improv e-mail] Roots Rock at the Krown Part II featuring Blue Jimmy, and Dee and the Housecats will be at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+]

S A T U R D A Y

Today at 2:30 p.m. at The Hochstein School of Music and Dance (50 North Plymouth Ave.) is the Farewell Recital for 30-year violin instructor Betty Ellsworth. [source: Hochstein calendar] [all ages] Dave Hawkins will be at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Anatomy of a Murder starting at 8 p.m. in which "Small-town attorney [Paul Biegler played by] James Stewart chooses to defend a man ... for killing an officer who may or may not have assaulted his wife" (from the Eastman Calendar.) [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Over at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 9 p.m. is Southshore. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] Tonight at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) is Grandfather Clock, Albert Einstein and the Hopi, and Jon and the Whiteys starting around 9 p.m. [source: A|V Space website] This weekend is the return of the River of Light laser show at The High Falls Gorge (Pont De Rennes Bridge) — this weekend is the American Salute Memorial Day Show today, tomorrow, and Monday starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: City Hall press release] Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is okay technical hard-rock/metal instrumental band Moustache starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+] Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) will be hosting Room 30, and The Papercut Ninjas starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is surf rock with a hilarious stage act The Isotopes, excellent rock-and-roll/rockabilly band The Hi-Risers, and The Brokedown starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+] Tonight's another Betty's Sing-a-Long at Betty Meyer's Bullwinkle Café (622 Lake Ave., a.k.a. "Bullwinkle's") starting around 10.

S U N D A Y

Tonight at 6 p.m. at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is Battle of the Bands Part I featuring dozens of local acts. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Monkey Business starting at 7 p.m. with more goof ball antics from the Marx Brothers. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Angry, angry mosh-metal from The Hair Police, The Graveyards, The Heathen Shame, semi-melodic fast-paced noise (sometimes ... probably a bit harder this time) from Pengo, and John Schoen will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9 p.m. [source: Carbon Records calendar] Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is Spinning Zoo, and Deep Blue. [source: Freetime] [21+]

M O N D A Y

Memorial Day Observed (half-staff until noon) In case you're looking for something to do, George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be open today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] The U.S. Bombs, Grime Time, good and fun punk-rock band The Flour City Knuckleheads, and The Shitty Faggots will be at The Montage Live (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) starting around 6 p.m. [source: Montage calendar] Tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is Wide Open Mic with Norm Davis ... at least in theory since they might have written the calendar without realizing it's Memorial Day. [source: Writers and Books calendar] [all ages] Bored? Why not check out 1980's DJ night at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 11 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]

T U E S D A Y

Memorial Day This morning at 7:30 a.m. in the cafeteria overlooking the arboretum in Bausch and Lomb (140 Stone St.) is the Artists Breakfast Group meeting ... anyone interested in art or creativity is invited. Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 5 p.m. is the first Dentifit to raise funds for people to get dental work (regardless, it'll be a fun show.) Bands include well-balanced acoustic-rock from Owen Brimijoin, down-tempo, percussion-heavy rock band A Wonderful, Somolian Bonaparte, great effects-heavy synth and guitar from XLTieRack, Stolen Bigwheels, great classic-style punk from The Teenage Junkies, good drums-and-guitar punk-rock band Blue Spark and Flame, Electric Organic, Spoonful Of Vicodin, and gimmicky but good metal band Blüdwülf. [source: band e-mail] Tonight at City Hall (30 Church St.) is another Mayor's Night In with Mayor Robert J. Duffy from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. [source: City Hall press release] Tonight from 6:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the first of the Tuesday Nature Nights Guided Bike Ride this time in the High Falls Neighborhood, starting at The High Falls Gorge (Platt St at Browns Race, the Pont De Rennes Bridge). [source: City Hall press release] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing La séparation (The Separation) starting at 8 p.m. in which the romantic relationship between a man and a woman begins to fall apart when the woman admits to being in love with another man. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages]

W E D N E S D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Scanners starting at 8 p.m. A few people are given mutant psychic powers and begin to take over the world. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Poor People United meets tonight and every Wednesday at 7 at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality (402 South Ave.) [source: the proverbial grapevine] There's an Open Mic for Acoustic Music at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) tonight around 8. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

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