Cover Story
Burlesque confidential
The tundra-like temperature had pantsed the thermometer, and it was snowing sideways when I walked up to the Firehouse Saloon on the corner of Meigs and Clinton. The place was packed to the walls with an excitement that mixed with the steam heat wafting out to the street. The scene had a rock ‘n’ roll…
Invest in adult literacy
Between now and April 1, advocates for adult literacy are asking the State Legislature to consider increasing funding for the state’s Adult Literacy Education program. The lack of literacy skills is the thread that weaves through so many of today’s societal issues, including poverty, incarceration, and dropouts. To solve these socioeconomic problems, we must start…
Last call for Chopsie
Rochester institution and at one-time, the city’s longest running bartender Angelo “Chops” Speranza has died. Speranza, a veteran of D-Day, was also a veteran of the live music scene where shows at the Water Street Music Hall — when it was known as the Country Warehouse and later as the Horizontal Boogie Bar — went…
Theater Review: “Shakespeare’s R&J” at Blackfriars Theatre
Juliet and his Romeo
Week Ahead: McFadden’s future; Henrietta rental registry; UR-East info session
There may be news this week about Rochester City Council member Adam McFadden’s political future. McFadden has told local media that he will decide this week whether or not to seek re-election. His term is up this year. McFadden represents the South District on Council. He was also interim head of the Rochester Housing Authority…
XRIJF adds three more headliners to 2015 festival
Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and The Steep Canyon Rangers
I Scene It: The Barry Brothers, The Sadies, St. Phillip’s Escalator
Man, you should of heard those Sadies go, go, go. Water Street Music Hall (the club side) was packed with the wintery wounded and weary to hear these tenacious Toronto roots rockers lay it down with a matchless, venomous attack. I’ve seen The Sadies at least a half dozen times and have to say this…
The 2nd Annual “Lubies”
Forget the Oscars; City Film Critic Adam Lubitow weighs in on his favorite films and performances of 2014
Another waltz
Rochesterians remember accordion player Andy Hammond, a transient artist who became a staple of Gibbs Street.
AG wants to ban the beads
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is once again pushing for legislation that would ban the use of tiny plastic particles in cosmetics, facial scrubs, and other personal care items. Schneiderman announced this morning that he’s resubmitted the Microbead-Free Waters Act to state Assembly and Senate leadership. He first proposed legislation last year, and the Assembly passed…
KIDS | Discover the Animal Kingdom at RMSC
The Rochester Museum and Science Center is hosting a week of programs focused on various portions of the animal kingdom as part of its schedule for kids on school break. Events continue on Wednesday with “Insect Investigators,” which features cool crawlies from the Seneca Park Zoo and presenters from Cornell University. Thursday’s and Friday’s events are…
DINING REVIEW: Bad Apples Bistro
I’d say Bad Apples Bistro is worth the drive to Spencerport, even on these frigid winter days. And that’s saying something considering most people barely want to leave their driveways right now. The apple-themed, green-colored environment welcomed my dining party from the cold into a 50-seat dining area that felt cozy and pleasant. Executive chef…
DANCE | Shen Yun
During China’s “Cultural Revolution” (1966-76), a rich tradition that developed in isolation for millennia was nearly discarded, and its specific artifacts faded from view. Musical and performing arts group Shen Yun is in the business of re-creating and showcasing the “divine culture” of the ancient Chinese people that was all but lost. Shen Yun was…
Feedback 2/18
We welcome your comments. Send them to themail@rochester-citynews.com, or post them on our website, rochestercitynewspaper.com, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed, @roccitynews. Comments of fewer than 350 words have a greater chance of being published, and we do edit selections for publication in print. We don’t publish comments sent to other media. Invite was…
COMEDY | Ron White
Little is off-limits to Ron White, the scotch-drinking, cigar-smoking stand-up comic who has hardly mellowed with age. White got his mainstream break on the Blue Collar Comedy tour, with Jeff Foxworthy and “Larry the Cable Idiot” (as White affectionately refers to him), but has been fronting his own comedy tours for years since. His deadpan…
Wage wars
Donating food to a food cupboard is obviously a good thing, says longtime community organizer Alison Clarke, but it doesn’t do anything to address the root causes of poverty and hunger. “People want to do things for people who are poor,” Clarke says, “but they don’t really understand the depth of the issues, where the…
“Da Vinci — The Genius”
Humble beginnings don’t predict all there is to a life. Leonardo da Vinci was born out of wedlock to a peasant woman and a respected notary, but due to a precocious talent that exposed him to the movers and shakers of the day, he would go on to became one of the most celebrated figures…
Pittsford’s political shift
Republicans have historically been the dominant political force in the Village of Pittsford. They had the enrollment advantage and held most, if not all, of the elected offices. But when Pittsford voters go to the polls on March 18 to elect two village trustees, they won’t find any Republicans on the ballot. The Republican incumbent…
The gospel according to Serena Young
When Serena Young competed last year in the seventh season of Black Entertainment Television’s popular gospel show “Sunday Best,” the judges used words like “conviction” and “grace” to describe her performances. Young says it was heady praise coming from the gospel greats, including Yolanda Adams and Donnie McClurkin. “Out of maybe 20,000 contestants, I made…
CLASSICAL | “On the Road”
Pegasus Early Music’s first full concert of 2015 — the organization presented a Pegasus Rising concert last week — will take audiences on a string band tour of the 17th century. “On the Road” will feature music and styles from Germany, Austria, Italy, France and England. Of special interest is Biber’s Sonata for two viola…
Warren’s optimism
Rochester’s best days are ahead of it, said Mayor Lovely Warren in her first-ever State of the City address last week. Warren’s speech focused on three concepts: more jobs, safer streets, and better schools. It did not include any major new initiatives, but highlighted some of the projects happening around the city, including College Town…
GOSPEL | Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Male Chorus
Looking for a meaningful way to spend your Friday lunch break? The City of Rochester is hosting Gospel Fridays, an afternoon concert series, throughout Black History Month at City Hall. This Friday, the featured performers are Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Male Chorus. The performers for Friday, February 27, are Immaculate Conception and St. Bridget’s Church…
Urban Action 2/18
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Panel on stopping mass incarceration The League of Women Voters will hold a public forum concerning mass incarceration and youth of color at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 23. The forum is the…
ROOTS ROCK | The Sadies
The Sadies rock so hard with a trademark western swing-surf-blues-garage-roots-rock giddy-up that I don’t know what to do first whenever I see them play: jump up and down, scream, or applaud. I heard they were coming to town and started doing all three. This band is a modern incarnation of The Band, drawing influence from…
VARIETY | Coney Island Rock ‘n’ Roll Roadshow
A scaled down vaudeville spectacle that includes music, dancing girls, and freaks; but enough about the regulars at Abilene Bar & Lounge, this Coney Island Rock ‘n’ Roll Side Show sounds like a whole lotta fun and WTF. The show stars dancing tattooed Scarlett Storm, the cringe-worthy spectacle that is The Cut Throat Freak Show,…
JAZZ | Ensemble of Irreproducible Outcomes
EIO, or Ensemble of Irreproducible Outcomes, may seem to be a strange name for a trio, but it nicely captures the group’s mission. David D. McIntire (clarinet, ocarina, electronics), Ryan Oldham (trumpet, flugelhorn) and Brian Padavic (double bass) have vowed never to play a tune the same way twice. Their compositions tend toward the avant-garde…
JAZZ | Eastman Jazz Café with Andy Watson
Drummer Andy Watson can power a big band like the New York Nine Nonet or drive the smaller ensembles of greats like Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, and Tom Harrell. He’s also lent his talents in the studio, enlivening the recordings of Jim Hall, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Larry Goldings, and many more. He’ll be playing with future…
ALT-COUNTRY | Woody Dodge
It’s been nearly 20 years since Rochester-based foursome Woody Dodge began making music. The band’s alt-country sound is self-assured, as it decidedly dances the lines between rock, country, and Americana. Woody Dodge’s first two albums — “Emma’s Dance” and “Nature is Strange” — came out in the mid-1990’s. The former saw extensive play on local…
2015 Oscars Live Blog
Join City film critic Adam Lubitow for a live-blog during the 2015 Academy Awards broadcast on Sunday, February 22. The red carpet pre-show starts at 7pm, and the ceremony begins at approximately 8:30pm. Join our live blog commentary!, below! Live Blog The Oscars 2015 window.cilAsyncInit = function() {cilEmbedManager.init()};(function() {if (window.cilVwRand === undefined) { window.cilVwRand…
ART | “Perspectives”
Even the most beautiful spaces can become mundane with the passage of time. Fine art often tries to counter this by helping the observer to see ordinary life with new vision. Gallery 96’s newest exhibit seeks to provide that new sight. “Perspectives” displays the craftsmanship of husband and wife photographers Susan and Jerome Kaye, as…
Lo-fi guy
Sam Snyder is just as thoughtful and curious as his music. He’s widely known in Rochester for his overhand style of guitar-playing as well as for his multi-instrumental capacities and involvement in various bands — including Thunder Body and Maybird. Snyder has recorded two EPs as Overhand Sam (OHS), his solo project, which were released…
COMEDY | “The Implosion”
Several regular stand-up performers of the area’s comedy scene are congregating at Skylark lounge to deliver “The Implosion,” a night of humor headlined by Dario Joseph and featuring Woody Battaglia, Chris Thompson, Charlie Wildey, Kyle Baker, and Nate Clark. Dario Joseph earned some local recognition when he organized and pulled off the “140 characters or…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Lone on the Mountain”
Miles Wide “Lone on the Mountain” Self-released mileswide.bandcamp.com Miles Wide, the stage name for Rochester-native Kyle Donovan, threw his hat into the local singer-songwriter ring after moving back to town from Colorado. “Lone on the Mountain,” Miles Wide’s second album, contains live, acoustic renditions of original songs from his debut, “Moon Howls.” This seven-track…
FAMILY | Black History Month Family Day at the MAG
The Memorial Art Gallery is hosting a celebration of Black History Month, with a day of family-aimed festivities. This year’s theme is “Patterning Freedom,” and will include a poetry-fashion fusing event hosted by poets Lutonya Highsmith and Jahaka Mindstorm. Artwork by Ephraim Daniels, Frances Hare, Greg Rice, Shawn Dunwoody and Brittany Williams will be featured, and…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Köln”
Marshall Gilkes with the WDR Big Band “Köln” Alternate Side Records marshallgilkes.com In the minds of many jazz fans the German city of Köln will always be associated with “The Köln Concert” by Keith Jarrett. Marshall Gilkes and the WDR Big Band have just released “Köln,” an album so powerful it’s bound to claim some…
