Mysteries in the jungle
Although presumably a mere accident of production and distribution schedules, the appearance of John McTiernan’s new film, Basic, demonstrates the American film industry’s uncanny penchant for seizing the moment. Just in time to jump on the war wagon, Hollywood once again releases a military flick. The movie, however, suggests another, not entirely unknown aspect of…
Let’s move to Cleveland
It’s probably just a coincidence that bombs started falling over Baghdad about 10 minutes after I checked into my hotel in Cleveland, where I was to cover their 27th annual International Film Festival. But there seems to be some unfortunate connection between me leaving town to watch movies and the occurrence of a horrible international…
A conversation with Wammo
The solo Spanker on his new record, rock ‘n’ roll, and how a certain rock star ripped him off. Dig Wammo. He’s one subversive, pot-smoking, beat poet, trouble-makin’ S.O.B. He’s a rocker, a roller. Wammo is a man for our time. From the arguments he starts with strangers in bars, to the poetry he slams,…
Blast furnace fever
Blast furnace fever New York City’s The Slackers are my favorite ska band. They rock steady without succumbing to the acne-pocked skate-punk homogenization so many ska bands adopt in feeble attempts to get laid. Their packed Milestones show was energetic, with a positive, palpable energy. It was a night full of music, including openers Amy…
Territory Band
Territory Band Atlas Okka Disc Atlas marks the second incarnation of Chicago-based saxophonist Ken Vandermark’s Territory Band. Originally conceived as a group of pairs (Jeb Bishop and Axel Doerner on brass; Dave Rempis and Vandermark on reeds; Kent Kessler and Fred Lonberg-Holm on strings; Paul Lytton and Tim Mulvenna on drums) plus pianist Jim Baker,…
Keep up the protests
OK: We’re all on edge about the war. And people on both sides are pretty emotional. But it’s troubling to see war supporters challenging the patriotism of opponents. According to a good number of war supporters, protesters had their chance to speak before the war began. Now it’s time to shut up and support…
News briefs 4.2.03
Staying human Despite mounting tensions between peaceniks and police officials concerned about the cost of containing anti-war protests, the March 28 peace rally at the Liberty Pole downtown (and subsequent march to the former Genesee Hospital) was a largely non-confrontational affair. A few passing motorists gave protesters the one-fingered salute; the protesters responded with two-fingered…
Reader Feedback 4.2.03
The RPO’s problems, Sacred Heart dialogue
Secrets and oversights
At first glance, it certainly seems like there could have been something nefarious about the Rochester City School Board’s superintendent search. For one thing, candidates were interviewed in secret and their names were not released, even as the search committee narrowed the pool down to five and, later, two finalists. (The board announced its pick…
Homeless in the countryside
“I had a fire, and I had an accident,” says the man on the phone. He’s not telling the half of it. He and his wife and two pre-school boys are newly homeless — and holed up in a room-by-the-week motel in the northern Finger Lakes. The family’s story is a classic “one thing…
Art is long
In 1914 Kathleen McEnery was a rising figure on the New York art scene when suddenly, at the age of 26, she disappeared. What happened? She got married and came to live in Rochester. A year earlier, in 1913, she had exhibited two paintings at the legendary Armory Show in New York. This was…
Howard Johnson’s gift to Pittsford
Did Ray Kroc of McDonald’s bring us the chain restaurant? More likely, it was Howard Dearing Johnson, who rose from his drugstore beginnings to create the Howard Johnson’s restaurant and motel empire. Johnson was a pioneer in franchise ownership and theme restaurants, and was a tycoon with 107 restaurants by 1939. Perhaps Johnson’s most…
