Weekly Rochester Events #386: The Real Jean Picard Begins

Thursday, June 1, 2006

Well it's been another busy week although one without many words. Starting on Thursday I got out a bit early to get to the opening reception at Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Ave.) featuring work from RIT medical imaging students and gallery members. It was a fascinating collection — I commented that shows with lots of artists exhibiting only a few works each are often quite good because not everyone has a bulging portfolio to select from. That said, the work was all very good.

From there it was off to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) a bit earlier than usual. As far as I could tell, Dixie Witch makes their own barbecue sauce and sells it at the shows — at this show, they had barbecue chicken. The sauce is very good, reminding me of Cajun food I had years ago in New Orleans in that the spice sort-of sneaks up on you: "oh, this isn't very spicy at all ... is it hot in here? I'm sweating balls."

As for music, first up was Yer Mom (formerly Your Mom) who rocked the hell out of the place. I've found that it's in their third song that they really hit their stride and go completely organic. For you mega-nerds, it's like watching a PLL lock — only hot and on fire — and for you lesser nerds, it's like tuning a manual radio until the stereo light kicks on and rocks you out.

Next was The Grinders who have been around, well, a long time ... and they still bring out some great rock-and-roll. Finishing off the evening was Dixie Witch who play this great hard, rich power-rock with a metal flair. The show was awesome.

On Friday I headed to Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) with some friends who wanted to see Blue Jimmy play. The band is pretty good ... bar-rock with a country twang. Their repertoire of Paul Simon songs was peculiarly centered around the Graceland album, but that's all right. Preceding them was Dee and the Housecats who I didn't get a chance to hear much — I got the impression it was pretty similar to Dee Adams solo work only with a band.

Saturday night I got to see Anatomy of a Murder at the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) It was stellar. It's rather long but you don't even notice because it's so well paced. The plot has quite a few twists and turns but none go ninety-degrees like mystery-thrillers today. After that I headed to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) for the big show. It was a zoo, so I pretty much skipped trying to fight my way in to see the bands, missing The Brokedown, The Hi-Risers, and The Isotopes all but in passing.

Sunday I went with Ali to do a winery tour of Keuka Lake. We hit Bully Hill Vineyards (8843 GHT Memorial Dr., Pulteney) to start with which is a bad idea: you really need a few tastings in you already to tolerate the amateur comedy. Next was Chateau Renaissance (7494 Hatchery Rd., Hammondsport) and McGregor Vineyard and Winery (5503 Dutch St., Dundee), both of which I've been to before. It was a great day and a fun trip.

On Tuesday I was having a pretty crummy day but headed out to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) anyway. I caught the tail end of Stolen Bigwheels and got to see Yer Mom (formerly Your Mom) play again. The two of them got together with Brian afterward to approximate Gaybot — ironically, it was much more structured than Gaybot usually is (ironic if you know Joey, Aimee, and Brian, I guess.)

Wednesday night I headed to Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) once again to see Scanners. It's a weird ass movie, that's for sure. I'm not sure if there's a political statement behind it in any concrete sense, but the special effects are still quite remarkable.

T H U R S D A Y

This afternoon at 5:30 p.m. is a discussion in the 17th Century Gallery at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) by Thea Tweet about Pietro Paolini's Portrait of a Young Man. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is the opening reception for art by Lisa Wagner featuring music from Chea at 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee website] [all ages] In the auditorium at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) at 7 p.m. is an artist lecture from Robert E. Marx about his portfolio Considering the Voluntary Absence of God currently on display in the gallery. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) is Al Biles, and his computerized "generic jamming" assistant GenJam starting around 8 p.m. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] Tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday at 8 p.m. Bush Mango Drum & Dance (34 Elton St.) will perform Spirit and Dreams [source: Bush Mango e-mail] Tonight at The Cinema Theatre (957 South Clinton Ave.) will be a brief ceremony between the first and second feature (around 9 p.m. or so, I'd wager) in which they'll celebrate the Cinema's birthday and turn on the recently repaired marquee lights and neon accents. [source: Friends of the Cinema Yahoo! Group] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is competent, familiar but somewhat captivating rock from Breakerbox starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Over at Lounge 11 (60 Browns Race, in the Centers at High Falls) starting around 10 p.m. is Sleeping Giant for the official kickoff of the bar. [source: JamBase calendar for Rochester] [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

Today at 6 a.m. is the start of the Rochester Hamfest at the The Dome Center (Rt. 15A at Calkins Rd., Henrietta) running through 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] Tonight starting around 5 is The East End Fest (East Ave. at Scio St.) If you want to see anything, check out the mature (musically, perverts) funk of Prime Time Funk at 8:30 at the #5 stage at East and Gibbs. [source: Freetime] Tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) is the opening reception for Sweet Dreams, artwork by Mike Moncibaiz. [source: Rochester Contemporary e-mail] [all ages] Tonight at 8 p.m. is the opening of the play Amy's View at Shipping Dock Theatre (31 Prince St., new location at Visual Studies Workshop) about a woman dealing with the clashing egos of her parents. The play runs through July 1 with Friday and Saturday shows at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. The June 4 performance is a "Pay What You Can Performance." [source: Shipping Dock Theatre mailing] Over at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Teagan Ward, and Katy Wright. [source: Boulder Coffee website] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing What's Happening! The Beatles In The U.S.A. preceded by the short documentary A Visit With Truman Capote at 8 p.m. Both are self-explanatory by their titles but it may not be so obvious that both are rarely seen — "Beatles" was filmed during their first trip to the U.S., and "Capote" was filmed a few years after he wrote In Cold Blood. The screenings will be introduced by the cinematographer of both films, Albert Maysles. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] The Orange Alert Summer Jump Off with good dub band Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, complex, hard-hitting, off-balance, mid-tempo rock from Kill Myself on Monday, Meek, and DiscoLobos will be at The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) starting around 10 p.m. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages] Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is Electro Quarterstaff, tight, technical hard-rock three-piece BML, and Salt This Earth. [source: Freetime] [21+] Tonight at Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) is Fishbone Soup, solidly good rock/groove-rock band Dudley Dawson, and The Cousin Touchers starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] [21+] Grandfather Clock, Brian Wheat, and good down-tempo, percussion-heavy rock band A Wonderful will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Rochester Gay Men's Chorus will have its "Gayrage" Sale at 38 Riverside St. [source: Gay Alliance website] Today and tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Village Gate Square (274 N. Goodman St.) is Art Shake Down '06 from The Onondaga School Of Therapeutic Massage (OSTM) (302 Goodman St. N., #200) to benefit cancer sufferers Barry and Carol Harrnacker. [source: WITR calendar] Over at The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) starting early this afternoon at 2 p.m. is Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys. [source: Bop Shop 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 an installation titled Sound:Art featuring works by Daniel Mikesell, Edward Ruchalski, and R. Scott Oliver starting around 7 p.m. The show runs through June 24. [source: A|V Space website] Over at The Montage Live (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) starting around 8 p.m. is a benefit for Alternatives for Battered Women with tight, technical hard-rock three-piece BML, Astropimp, The 8th Day, P-spot, and The Heaviest Thing on Earth. [source: Montage calendar] Dave Pronko will be at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee website] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Bringing Up Baby starting at 8 p.m. Still my favorite screwball comedy — with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is good, fun punk-rock band The Flour City Knuckleheads, and The Stabones starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: WBER calendar] [21+] Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. is The Coffin Lids, high-power rock from The Earl Cram Revue, Saint Bastard, and Los Fadeaways. [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

A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) will be hosting Scream! Hello, Helmsley, A Voice Like Rhetoric, and Where's Alaska starting this afternoon around 5 p.m. [source: A|V Space website] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Twelve Chairs starting at 7 p.m. Incompetent treasure hunters race to find 12 chairs loaded with valuable jewels. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Today at 7:30 p.m. on the roof of the East End Parking Garage (475 E. Main St.) is The Rochester Rooftop Noise Fest. [source: WBER calendar] Updated: Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is another Hip Hop Haven starting around 8 p.m. Lava will be giving a performance at 9:30 between open sets. [source: band e-mail]

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. Tonight from 6:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the another of the Tuesday Nature Nights Guided Bike Ride this time in the Southwest Neighborhood and the Erie Canal starting at The Genesee Waterways Center (149 Elmwood Ave., in Genesee Valley Park). [source: City Hall press release] This evening at The Flat Iron Café (561 State St.) from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the opening reception for All Works Original by Gretchen Lee Carletta. An open mic follows the reception and the artwork will be on display until June 25. [source: City Newspaper] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing the short films Meet Marlon Brando and Showman starting at 8 p.m. The former is a rare interview with Brando, and the latter is a documentary about Joseph E. Levine's tour to promote La Ciociara (Two Women) with Sophia Loren. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting powerful rock-and-roll of various styles from Electric Eel Shock, and excellent rock-and-roll from The Grinders starting around 9:30 p.m. [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]

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