Weekly Rochester Events #381: MacGregor's Number

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Last Wednesday I got out to The Little (240 East Ave.) to see The Real Dirt on Farmer John. Prior, I was anticipating some mushroom ravioli at the Café but had to settle for the alternative pasta of linguini with clam sauce — quite good in itself, and with a quite tasty pinot noir. Anyway, the movie — I liked it for a while, but ultimately found it exceedingly narcissistic. It documents the life of John Peterson, a Midwest farmer and a family's only son who takes over the farm and tries to keep it alive through the decimation of American farming in the past 50 years. On the one hand, it tries to highlight Peterson's personal quirks which don't seem all that important. On the other hand, it spends a lot of time on his tenacity after recurring failures. I spoke with a friend of mine on it and I think it could have used a non-Midwestern set of eyes to check it out: for instance, I found the resolution of the personal insinuations by his neighbor to be inadequate, yet I can conceive that it's simply a reflection of the way things are done out there — a bit of further explanation would have helped.

On Thursday I stopped by Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) to meet with the Drinking Liberally people again. Among the points of interest from my personal perspective is that a friend of mine had an extra ticket to see Al Franken at The Little (240 East Ave.) on April 27. Fortunately my hippie-good-time lifestyle offers me the flexibility to stop in mid-day.

Friday I actually got out to do things like mow the lawn and swap the snow-tires on the car for summer tires. I stopped by Door 7 (299 Gregory St.) in the evening to see the RIT Senior Glass Show. Shows like this — those of formally trained artists demonstrating what they learned — often come off skewed with far too much demonstration of technique and far too little creativity. This particular show was graced with above-average creativity to go with good skills, so it was pretty good.

I went to the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) for the show titled Tampering with the Image about experimental uses of "found" footage (that is, the source materials frequently came from Hollywood films or other common materials.) They started off with a bit of an Internet amusement: the now-famous trailer for Shining which makes The Shining seem like a family comedy. Next was Daylight Moon which used clipart-style images to tell a strange tale of a robbery. Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine was a wild distortion of Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) which made it into a film where a character was trying to escape the terror of being a character in a film. Passage à l'Acte converted a scene in To Kill a Mockingbird into a stuttering sequence of repeated actions making it both humorous and tense. In Alone. Life Wastes Andy Hardy, Mickey Rooney is a man in love with his mother who can't seem to quite love another woman. Rose Hobart took obscure footage of actress Rose Hobart and made into a montage about her alone. Fast Film was a wild amalgam of hundreds of scenes from popular films, paying homage to the standard Hollywood chase formula.

In all, I was alarmed to think I had selected this as one of three "#1" picks last week. I was finding each of the films to be dreadfully long — perhaps I was preoccupied with other things, but I couldn't get into the twisted cinematic realities. In retrospect, however, it was like getting too much of something goodoatmealtequilachocolateBidwell all at once and I couldn't choke it down fast enough: I look back and find I liked everything I saw.

Natalie Frigo was there as well to introduce her films. First was November 22, 1963 in which she digitally removed Kennedy's presence from the infamous Zapruder film of his assassination making for a rather anti-real experience. I may have or may not have contacted her directly by this point, but the thought crosses my mind to go further and digitally remove the First Lady as well because it might make an even more ... umm ... more of what it is already. (And this time, keep backups.) She had also tampered with a scene from North by Northwest in North by Northwest: A Conversation in which she creates video channels for each character — allowing them both to occupy the screen through the entire scene. It's on display in the Dryden lobby on two monitors for a while if you'd like to check it out. If I contact her about her other film, I'll also suggest she play with morphing: each character is given screen time for actions or reactions, so instead of looping existing footage, consider morphing their expressions from one shot to the next — at least for reactions. She's also experimenting with a dinner scene from The Stranger in which all 8 (I think) characters are given their own exclusive piece of screen real estate.

I had another lousy consumerism experience on Saturday. First I needed to get some flour so I headed to Abundance Cooperative Market (62 Marshall St.) Well, actually first I went to Mr. Second's Bargain Outlet (2715 W. Henrietta Rd.) to see if they had a rust scaler [a pneumatic hammer with hardened steel fingers to chip away rust and clean up loose welds, obviously] but they didn't. Nor did Home Depot (770 Jefferson Rd.) and by the time I got to Harbor Freight (1040 East Ridge Rd., in Georgetown Plaza) it was after 6 p.m. and they were closed. Oh well. I took Hudson back through the city to Chestnut and got to Abundance around 7:05 p.m: 5 minutes after they closed for the day. Crap.

I actually ended up at Tops Friendly Market (1900 Clinton Ave. S., #1) which thankfully had organic flour. However, since I rarely get to conventional stores, I like to stock up on the few things for which I've found no appealing substitutes ... aspirin, bandages, etc., yet they only had two kinds of 3M bandages and the style I prefer had pictures of Disney characters which I support only slightly more than I do Nazism (in the former case, the absurd extension of copyright protection for a state-supported monopoly on crappy entertainment; the latter I'll leave as an exercise for the student.) So once again my foray into consumerism fails. Ironically, on the way home, I spied some cool junk a neighbor was throwing out and scored a sweet sleeping bag.

Now, in light of the passing of Robert B. Wegman, I should probably again address my continued dislike for Wegmans. See, it's not the exceptional things that they do — for those things they do a bang-up job and are an asset to the community. It's when they fall on conventional practices that their de facto status as a monopoly becomes apparent. It's when they add a condition to the sale of their property that no other grocery store is allowed to operate on the site [which I technically can't hold against them until I formally confirm it concerning the Mt. Hope store site], or when they operate their egg farms to barely meet state standards (see Wegmans Cruelty.) These are not the principles that Mr. Wegman built his empire. If it were up to me, any Wegmans employee should be fired for rationalizing any action with, "that's the way it's done everywhere else." The status quo may be the best thing, but if "that's the way it's done everywhere else" conflicts with "it's best for the community" then there's a problem. It's no wonder I'm not CEO of anything.

Anyway, Saturday night I stopped by The Keg (315 Gregory St., behind German House where Rohrbach's used to be) to see if the people from RocWiki were still there celebrating 2,000 pages on the site. I met a bunch of my coeditors and had a couple beers before heading to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) I got in late and only had a chance to see The White Devils who do some solidly good white-boy blues-rock. By that I mean they have a good grasp of the blues sound — not that they bring any of the spirit, just the sound.

On Monday I made it out to the Emerging Filmmakers Series at The Little (240 East Ave.) Equilibrium by Adrean Mangiardi was a fascinating film about what it's like to get cochlear implants to be able to hear. Dave Holland by Ulli Gruber was an excellent documentary about jazz bassist Dave Holland, painting a personal and human picture of the guy. Dr. Zond Controls the Weather by Johnny Robinson was a clever and amusing stop-motion animation about a guy who makes a machine to control the weather and save the world, only to have it abused. Dein Feld (Your Field) by Ulli Gruber was a very good film about a girl trying to break away from her family — it concludes with a beautiful and touching metaphoric scene with her father hunting rabbits. In all a very respectable set of films.

After the movie, however, the lights took a full minute to come up. I figured the projectionist was asleep at the switch and stayed that way barring the whistle of an approaching train. Watching the Samsung video projector screen-saver added another point of data to my theory that the Little no longer cares much about movies.

On Tuesday I headed to A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room.) First up was A Wonderful which, this time, consisted of just one guy singing some light, bright, and airy vocals over air-powered organ. Owen Brimijoin did some well-balanced acoustic-rock for the most part, and concluded his set with an experimental technique of re-recording the amplifier output and room tone in a loop that allowed the music to fade to oblivion while the native noise of the room took over. Not surprisingly, the 11-foot-ish-wide room degraded to an 80-hertz-ish tone (you do the math.) Finishing up was Autumn In Halifax who delivered a good set of electronically-enhanced low-key acoustic, although I didn't think it was one of his best performances.

Finally, on Wednesday I stopped by German House (315 Gregory St.) First up was Snailhouse — now not a duo but a single guy who did some great mellow acoustic. Finishing up the evening was The Bell Orchestre who were great. They played an unbelievable amalgam of the precision and beauty of orchestral composition and the vibrancy, presence, and energy of rock — with a touch of Celtic; given the presence of violin and absence of guitar. My only lament for the evening was that in one of their songs their drummer used a mechanical typewriter for percussion and the piece was finished by crumpling up the resulting page; I was way in front and wanted to grab the page, bring it outside, and burn it but someone else grabbed it as a souvenir before the show was over — alas, my idea of the anticipation of Christmas morning forever was dashed.

T H U R S D A Y

Over at The Little (240 East Ave.) starting around 11:30 a.m. is Al Franken for a live radio broadcast. [source: Little Theatre e-mail] Today at 12 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. is another Geva 101 at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) featuring artistic director Mark Cuddy. [source: Geva Theatre e-mail] Tonight at 6 p.m. at Irondequoit Town Hall (1280 Titus Ave.) is another Customer Town Meeting with The Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) (1372 E. Main St.) Note that going from Norton's Pub (1730 Goodman St.) to the meeting requires that you start at 5:34 p.m. for the 14-minute, 1.7 mile trip. [source: Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) website] A Flock of Seagulls will be at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) starting around 7 p.m. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages] This evening at 8 p.m. is the opening of the play Die Stunde, da wir nichts voneinander wußten (The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other) by Peter Handke in the Todd Theatre at The University of Rochester (Elmwood Ave. at Intercampus Dr., details on River Campus Map). The play runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. through May 6 with a matinée on Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m. [source: University of Rochester website] Tonight at 8 p.m. in the Welles-Brown Room in The Rush Rhees Library in The University of Rochester (Library Rd. at Intercampus Dr., details on River Campus Map) is Dan Beachy-Quick, and Matthea Harvey reading their selections from their poetry. [source: University of Rochester website] Over at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) starting around 9 p.m. is The Blank Tapes, Garuda, stylized and really good acoustic rock from Seth Faergolzia, a disorienting blend of spoken word, electronic effects, and repetition from Gaybot, and Matt McCluer. [source: A|V Space website] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Blizarro, and Trees Are Down starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Ellery will be at The Montage Live (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) starting around 10 p.m. [source: Montage calendar] 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

Arbor Day This afternoon from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. is the Opening Reception for Bill Bernbeck's Colorado Odyssey at Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Ave.) The show runs through May 21. [source: Image City Photography Gallery flyer] 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 The Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) is another Video Screening and Artist Talk at 7 p.m. featuring Geoffrey Alan Rhodes and his excellent short film Tesseract which documents the life of Eadweard Muybridge (the guy who's known for proving that a horse leaves the ground in a gallop through sequenced photographs). See also the weekly update when I talked about when I saw it last year. [source: Rochester Contemporary e-mail] [all ages] Over at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) starting around 7:30 p.m. is The Band of Brothers. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is modern acoustic rock with a strong groove-rock influence and a strong folk influence from Cole Gockley starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee website] [all ages] Tonight is the opening of the new musical Baby at Blackfriars Theatre (28 Lawn St.) which runs through May 20. Showtimes are 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, and 3 p.m. on Sunday. [source: Blackfriars Theatre website] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Workingman's Death starting at 8 p.m. which is a documentary about six of the most dangerous professions in the world. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. is A Night of One-Acts by The Bread and Water Theatre at The Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) [source: Bread and Water Theatre website] Tonight at The Montage Live (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) is Jeff Cosco starting around 10 p.m. [source: Montage calendar] 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]

S A T U R D A Y

The Montage Live (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) will be hosting Lauren Faggiano starting around 6 p.m. [source: Montage calendar] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) will be hosting The Jazz Ladies starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Shichinin no samurai (The Seven Samurai) starting at 8 p.m. I guess it's a pretty cool film or something. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) is Audrey Ryan starting around 9 p.m. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages] Jeff Sherner will be at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 9 p.m. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Slammers Bar and Grill (4650 Dewey Ave.) is great modern-rock band The Meddling Kids starting around 10 p.m. I haven't been back to Slammers in years ... I'm almost curious enough to consider checking it out. [source: Freetime] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is high-energy hard rock from Bee Eater, 1960's-style rock from St. Phillip's Escalator, really good rock-punk/rockbilly band Rocko Dorsey and the Individuals, and The Fashionistas starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Tonight's another Betty's Sing-a-Long at Betty Meyer's Bullwinkle Café (622 Lake Ave.) starting around 10.

S U N D A Y

Today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) is Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. In my opinion, $25 is too expensive, but I'd still like to go (just not for $25.) [source: Visual Studies Workshop calendar] [all ages] Over at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) starting around 6:30 p.m. is a'tris, Captia, and Between Home and Heaven. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Unforgiven starting at 7 p.m. in which Clint Eastwood takes one more go around playing the kind of character upon which he made a career. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Over at The Little Theatre Café (240 East Ave.) starting around 8 p.m. is the koto duet consisting of Juliet Grabowski and Ryuko Mizutani. [source: Freetime]

M O N D A Y

May Day Tonight at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) is the first of The Regional Playwrights Festival featuring The Okapi by Rahn S. D'Agostino. [source: Geva Theatre website] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing My Dad is 100 Years Old starting at 7 p.m. Isabella Rossellini will be on hand to present her short film about her father{roberto rossellini}'s life followed by a screening of his film, Stromboli. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] The Upper Mount Hope Neighborhood Association will be having their General Meeting for all neighborhood residents tonight at St. Anne Church (1600 Mt. Hope Ave.) starting around 7 p.m. [source: Upper Mount Hope Neighborhood Association flyer] [all ages] Geva Comedy Improv will be hosting FIASCO! Season 2: The Hospital, an improvised soap opera performed at The Drama House at The University of Rochester (Fraternity Rd. at Alumni Rd., east corner of the Fraternity Quad, details on River Campus Map) tonight at 8 p.m. [source: Geva Comedy Improv e-mail] Tonight at 8 p.m. at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is The Big Shot consisting of a long-exposure picture with light provided by portable lights and flashes. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] Elf Power, and The Instruments will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] There's also Open Mic Poetry at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) starting around 9 p.m. [source: Java's 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

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. The 50th Anniversary of Books Sandwiched-In continues today from 12:12 p.m. to 12:52 p.m. in the Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) with Reverend Garth Brokaw discussing Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson. [source: Friends of the Public Library e-mail] [all ages] Tonight at 8 p.m. in the{strong auditorium}at The University of Rochester (Elmwood Ave. at Intercampus Dr., details on River Campus Map) is a concert by The Chamber Orchestra of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra with director David Harman. [source: University of Rochester Events Calendar] Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9 p.m. is The Giraffes, classic-styled punk from The Teenage Junkies, and The Headi Nugz. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] 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 Nobody Waved Good-Bye starting at 8 p.m. This is essentially Canada's first fictional feature film about a teenager who moves from the suburbs to the heart of Toronto to try and find somewhere he fits in. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Rumor has it EcoHouse (1201 Genesee St., see also their RocWiki page) is having a Clothing Exchange Party tonight around 9 p.m. "Wear as many or as little [sic] clothes as you want and exchange them!" [source: RocWiki 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] 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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