Weekly Rochester Events #424: Quite a Ways to Antares

Thursday, February 22, 2007

So I had a nice little Valentine's Day with Ali — albeit a day late due to snow hiding anything shorter than a foot-and-a-half on Wednesday. On Friday night I decided to stop by The Little Theatre Café (240 East Ave.) and check out Autumn In Halifax. This time Dave was playing with a couple other folks (Autumn in Halifax originated as Dave and his electronic effects pedals and digital loops).

There was something in the trio that I didn't like and I finally figured out what was nagging at me: the band members would follow the harmony of the mechanized loops rather than improvising. See Dave "owns the machine" in Autumn in Halifax — he is in full control of the digital loops and effects and uses them as a means to an end. When he brings others on as harmony and rhythm, they are subordinate to the machine — exactly what his music otherwise defies. I talked with him about it and, well, I was trying to show some humility about it — after all, I'm just sitting there listening and have no part in making the music.

I guess that since I won't be out there trying it myself, I thought I'd put the thought out there to see if I could convince somebody else it was an interesting idea. That is, I don't believe [that is, "now", whereas in the past I thought *ahem* differently about it] in telling performers what they should or shouldn't do — that's up to them — but I would like to try to communicate my experience as an observer in case they're interested.

Anyway, just to move the narrative along, I left a bit early, stopping at Mark's Texas Hots (487 Monroe Ave.) for a plate which I was to deliver on Saturday. Thus, Saturday morning I got up very early and drove the station wagon to pick up Ali and we were on the road to Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania by 7:30 a.m. The purpose was to visit Ali's brother, sister-in-law, and 5-month-old nephew along with Ali's mother and half-brother (got it?) and to deliver the garbage plate to her brother. Anyway, we arrived around 3:30 and settled in. The baby's one of the best behaved babies I've ever seen — he's mostly happy and he rarely cries — only when he's either hungry or pooping/post-poop.

Sunday we went to The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Restaurant (13600 Wolfe Rd., Hopewell Township, PA). Several years ago when The Cracker Barrel (Hylan Dr. and Leahman Dr., Henrietta) first opened I went with my family and I really didn't like it all that much — I remember it being bland and loaded with fat. This time it was no different. I started off a little disappointed that they didn't have waffles — not a particularly unusual item, but then they had no omelets either. What kind of breakfast is this? And what's up with my coffee staying empty for 15 minutes? And what's with getting a combo breakfast deal then having to remember whether I'm supposed to get biscuits and gravy when the server brings individual items around? And what's with breakfast costing $10 each (with tip)? Especially a breakfast that's one-star below Denny's grade.

I don't really get the appeal at all.

Anyway, we spent the afternoon lounging around and being on vacation. Around 4 we dropped off Ali's mom and step-brother at the airport and continued into Baltimore to get some chicken pot pies and macaroni-and-cheese from that great Sobo Café (6 W. Cross St., Baltimore, MD) Ali and I visited in October. We got back and had a nice double-date dinner — the baby was with his grandparents for the night. Monday we got up a bit early to make sure we got on the road before all the homeowners left for work. On the way back we stopped at The 4 Seasons Family Diner (303 Susquehanna Tr., Selinsgrove, PA) for breakfast. Although it wasn't spectacular, at least the waffle was tasty and breakfast only cost half-as-much as the Cracker Barrel.

We also had a chance to check the highway gas mileage in the station wagon ... well, first I was playing with the GPS and noticed that the speedometer reads almost 10% fast, explaining why it seemed we were going so slow and why everyone was passing us all the time. Compensating for the odometer error, the actual mileage is about 21.7 miles per gallon — I assume it'll be a little higher when it's warmer out, but pretty much expensive all around, albeit pretty much what I expected.

Monday night I basically stayed on the phone with friends and family for hours on end. I got up on Tuesday and chopped ice off the sidewalk ... I had a chance to think a bit and decided I'd fall back on the old "6 drinks a week" plan since the "drink whenever" plan leads to some troubling drink-and-dial episodes.

Tuesday night Ali and I went to First Taste Grill (653 Park Ave.) for dinner. It's quite a treat ... a little expensive, but everything was very good. Afterward we stopped by The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) to check out The Blood and Bone Orchestra playing there. Listening to the guys in the band discuss the performance afterward, I gather they largely improvise their whole set. I think it's funny that I sometimes feel reluctant to go see Blood and Bone yet they consistently surprise me with exactly the kind of spontaneous musical composition I so enjoy.

T H U R S D A Y

George Washington born 1732 Today's Thursday Thinkers from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is titled Why Does Genocide Still Occur? by Michael Dobkowski. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] [all ages] This evening at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is an Archaeology Lecture titled High Tech and High Stakes about "naval warfare in Hellenistic times" by Dr. William M. Murray. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] This evening at 8 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall at Eastman Theatre (60 Gibbs St.) is a performance by Ossia New Music. [source: Ossia New Music calendar] [all ages] Rock-influenced experimental from Primordial Undermind, (usually) semi-melodic fast-paced noise from Pengo, and The Bloody Feathers will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] The rockin' rockabilly of Krypton 88 will be at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) starting around 10 p.m. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Tonight at 8 p.m. at Bodhi's Cafe & Lounge (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate) is an Open Mic. [source: the proverbial grapevine] 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] This evening at 5:30 p.m. is a free public Food Tasting in The Atrium at City Hall (30 Church St.) featuring dishes "from secret family recipes of city employees." [source: City Hall press release] This evening at 6:30 p.m. at Genesee Pottery at The Genesee Center for the Arts (713 Monroe Ave.) is the opening reception for Parallel Dimensions featuring works by Richard Aerni, and Jamie Kozlowski. The exhibit runs through March 23. [source: Genesee Center for the Arts calendar] Kilbourn Hall at Eastman Theatre (60 Gibbs St.) will be hosting The Eastman Wind Ensemble starting around 8 p.m. [source: Eastman School of Music calendar] [all ages] Tonight at 8 p.m. is the opening performance of The Goat or Who is Sylvia at Shipping Dock Theatre (31 Prince St., new location at Visual Studies Workshop) The play runs through March 25 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. This coming Sunday, February 25 is a "Pay What You Can" performance. [source: Shipping Dock Theatre website] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing A/V Geeks Greatest Hits starting at 8 p.m. Ephemeral film archivist Skip Elsheimer will be on hand to introduce some bizarre films from his collection including (from the Eastman calendar) "Telezonia, an infomercial hosted by a dandy in white tights who teaches children about the wonders of the telephone; VD is for Everybody, a cautionary hygiene film that uses an infectious theme song to talk about an infectious disease; Malakapalakadoo, Skip Two, which is everybody's favorite claymation about two children who turn themselves into singing beanbags; Shake Hands with Danger, an industrial film that illustrates the hazards of heavy machinery with an absurd amount of fake gore and a catchy country tune; and as a grand finale, Ro-Revus Talks About Worms!, a film where a frog puppet (who sounds a lot like Mr. T) cautions children about the dangers of intestinal parasites." [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Updated: Tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. at New Life Presbyterian Church (243 Rosedale St.) is a performance of Romeo and Juliet by Burning Barn Theatre. [source: Burning Barn Theatre e-mail] Tonight at The Little Theatre Café (240 East Ave.) is Autumn In Halifax starting around 8:30 p.m. [source: band e-mail] Over at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) starting around 9 p.m. is funny guitar and ukulele soloist The Bicycats. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages] Tonight and tomorrow at 10:30 p.m. at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is another Geva Comedy Improv show. [source: Geva Theatre website] Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is The Sisters of Murphy starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+]

S A T U R D A Y

This evening, presumably at 7 p.m. at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) is a Rent Party — Harlem Renaissance Style where your $25-or-more donation gets you in the door to help Baobab continue exploring culture. [source: Baobab website] Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is John Sacheli, and innovative acoustic soloist Gregory Paul starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] Over at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 8 p.m. is Steve Roth. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] From These Eyes will be at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] This evening at 8 p.m. at Kilbourn Hall at Eastman Theatre (60 Gibbs St.) is another performance by Ossia New Music as part of the 25th Anniversary Celebration for The Eastman Computer Music Center (ECMC). [source: Ossia New Music calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Citizen Kane starting at 8 p.m. An impressive classic indeed, even though the copying of its originally innovative techniques have muted its treasures to modern audiences. By today's standards, I find it to be a pretty good story about a newspaper man's rise and fall. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at The Montage Live Music Hall (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) is the Psyopus CD Release Party with very good metal from Sulaco, Achilles, cello-and-drums heavy rock from Break of Reality, and good head-banging, gimmicky heavy metal from Blüdwülf starting around 10 p.m. [source: band e-mail] Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Burning II Entyce, Skinbound, and Abdicate starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+] This evening starting at 11 p.m. at Mohawk Place (47 E. Mohawk St., Buffalo) is the 4th annual The Smiths Vs. the Cure Party featuring tracks alternating from the respective bands and no repeated songs all night. [source: Buffalo Rising website] 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

This afternoon at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Herdle Fountain Court at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is another performance on the Italian Baroque organ with Bogna McGarrigle. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] Today from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. is a Libraries' Tea Talk in the Welles-Brown Room of The Rush Rhees Library at The University of Rochester (Library Rd. at Intercampus Dr., details on River Campus Map.) Dr. Stephanie Brown Clark will discuss The Art of Observation by inviting the audience to deduce the goings-on in various paintings. [source: University of Rochester Events Calendar] The Miles Brown Quartet will be at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) starting around 9 p.m. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages] Tonight and every Sunday at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is a Comedy Open Mic with Matt Rohr at 7:30 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine] [all ages]

M O N D A Y

This evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) is a discussion of the video The Secret. It professes to help people achieve their dreams by positive affirmations. As I noted two weeks ago when the first part of this program came up, it plays like an infomercial for a cult of people who believe that they can attract "good" into their lives through affirmations (which I agree with) but also blames negative thoughts on attracting "bad" (which I think is crap.) [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] Today at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. is The Latter Day Playwrights celebrating short plays by writers who don't consider themselves professional playwrights. [source: Writers and Books calendar] [all ages] Tonight at 9:15 p.m. is another in The Emerging Filmmakers Series at The Little (240 East Ave.) Tonight's program includes Perceptions by Paul Rapalee, The South Africa Stand by Adrian Esposito, Drop Kick Uterus by Sean Cunningham, Twitch by Leah Meyerhoff, H.P. Lovecraft's The Other Gods by Mike Boas, I Named Her Angel by Nefin Dinç, and Lila Shue, L.I. by Beth Bailey. [source: Little Theatre calendar] 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

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. Today from 12:12 p.m. to 12:52 p.m. in the Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is another Tuesday Topics titled Why a Downtown Canal?: Re-using the Broad Street Aqueduct by Thomas Grasso. [source: Friends of the Public Library e-mail] [all ages] This evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Flint Street Community Center (271 Flint St.), Mayor Robert J. Duffy will be on hand for a town hall-style meeting to discuss recreation and community centers. [source: City Hall press release] This evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Brighton Town Hall (2300 Elmwood Ave.) is a lecture on spirit animals and animal totems by Karen L. Scholler titled Ye: Awi Noohgwa — She Who Carries Love [source: Craigslist Rochester events] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Young in Heart starting at 8 p.m. in which a comedy about a daughter of con artists out to get rich off a widow. Plus they'll be showing rare screen tests that the Eastman House recently preserved. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) is Melissa Gardiner starting around 9 p.m. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) at 9:30 p.m. is a Singer/Songwriter Showcase with the performing artists yet to be announced. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

W E D N E S D A Y

Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Nate Hanks starting around 6 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] Tonight at 7 p.m. at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) is a screening of A Great Day in Harlem — a terrific movie about a 1958 photograph featuring dozens of jazz legends. [source: Baobab website] Over at The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) starting around 8 p.m. is The Michael Vlatkovich Quartet. [source: Bop Shop calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Goonies starting at 8 p.m. A bunch of suburban kids try to find where One-Eyed Willy stuck his treasure. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is excellent high-energy classic synth-rock from The Charms, and high-energy rock from Bee Eater starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] 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] Tonight at Café Underground Railroad (480 W. Main St.) is a Spoken Word/Poetry night starting around 9 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

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