Cover Story
Pre-epiphany
A year into its current lineup, Rochester rock band Oh Manitou is preparing for a breakthrough
Rochester Fringe announces Friday and Saturday headliner
KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival today announced that French street theater company Plasticiens Volants will be a headliner during its upcoming September festival. The hour-long, family-friendly program, “Big Bang,” will be presented during Fringe’s annual, free Friday and Saturday on the Fringe program on September 15 and September 16 at downtown’s Parcel 5 (285 East Main…
The week ahead: May Day festival, workshop on Whole Foods Plaza
The Low Wage Worker Roundtable is holding a May Day celebration at 5:30 p.m. today at Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 111 North Chestnut Street. The event was originally to be held at the Liberty Pole, but organizers changed the location due to weather.
Film review: ‘Tommy’s Honour’
“Tommy’s Honour” tells the story of Tom Morris and Tommy Morris, Jr., the 19th century Scottish father-and-son duo who were undisputed pioneers of golf.
Irondequoit, Brighton sue county over maintenance fee policy
The towns of Brighton and Irondequoit are suing the county over a policy change that they say will limit their ability to address abandoned, neglected, and problem properties.
City Council prepares to investigate police handling of the Ricky Bryant case
City Council has taken the first step in what could be an extensive reassessment of how the city handles citizen complaints about police actions. In an 8-0 vote Tuesday night, Council authorized investigating how police handled an incident involving 18-year-old Ricky Bryant Jr. The teenager’s family says he was beaten and seriously injured by police…
THEATER | “Red Velvet Cake War”
You can almost hear the Texas twang when reading the synopsis to “Red Velvet Cake War,” which The Penfield Players will stage as its spring comedy. In the deep-Texas small town of Sweetgum, three Verdeen cousins — Gaynelle, Peaches, and Jimmy — are dead-set on throwing their family reunion, even as things spin out of…
Connie Deming takes flight
Connie Deming is like a warm smile personified. It’s a smile that lingers just this side of laughter. And although Deming is on a press junket for her beautiful new CD, “Fly,” she doesn’t stay focused on herself, her music, or her life. She’d rather talk about her son, David, who is autistic. Deming credits…
Feedback 4/26
Send comments to themail@rochester-citynews.com, or post them on our website, rochestercitynewspaper.com, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed, @roccitynews. Those 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. [This post was updated on May…
Urban Action 4/26
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Examining anti-poverty program The League of Women Voters will present a panel discussion May 1 on the topic: “Can Monroe County Reduce Poverty by 50 Percent in 15 Years?” Panelists will be Tori…
Interest in charters remains high
Even though the State Education Department has closed three charter schools in Rochester – the most recent being the Career Mentoring Charter School – the demand for charters doesn’t appear to be slowing one bit. The Rochester school district has lost about 5,200 city students who have enrolled in the 11 charter schools within the…
Report provides a snapshot of the Genesee River
Kodak and the Genesee River are icons of Rochester, and each, in its own way, is a symbol for strength, collapse, and rebirth. The Mighty Genesee’s waters carved gorges throughout its path, powered the region’s industries, and have provided generations of Rochesterians with recreation: boating, fishing, gazing at roaring waterfalls. Kodak helped the city prosper,…
Abundance opens new location in South Wedge
It was no coincidence that opening day for Abundance Food Co-op’s new location at 571 South Avenue happened to coincide with Earth Day: the grand opening of its Marshall Street building was held on the same day in 2001. Having grown to 2,500 co-owners, the need for a larger store and a more visible presence…
Faux-doc ‘Fritz’ examines what success means as an artist
Rochester-based filmmaker Ben Gonyo spent more than five years creating a convincing faux-documentary about a deaf, septuagenarian, undiscovered artist named Fritz. Gonyo placed himself in the story as the documentarian who urges Fritz out of the shadows. While the story follows one unique (fictional) life, the core themes — pursuit of recognition, rejection, bereavement, and…
SPECIAL EVENT | Rochester Music Hall of Fame
It’s the sixth episode of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the most Rochester-centric edition yet. This year’s inductees are Samuel Adler, Eastman School of Music professor of composition from 1966 to 1995; Joe Beard, blues guitar legend revered world-wide; Gary Lewis, the leader of Gary Lewis and The Playboys, which over…
CLASSICAL | “Star Wars and More: The Best of John Williams”
People loved when the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra performed John Williams’ classic score to “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and now guest conductor Stuart Chafetz will lead the RPO in “Star Wars and More: The Best of John Williams,” an evening of greatest hits from the composer’s esteemed six-decade career. On Friday, April 28, and Saturday,…
Album review: ‘Outra Coisa’ and ‘Rosa Dos Ventos’
Anat Cohen “Outra Coisa” and “Rosa Dos Ventos” Anzic Records anatcohen.com Having won DownBeat Critics and Readers Polls year after year, it’s safe to say that Anat Cohen is among the most brilliant and engaging clarinetists playing today. Her two new albums explore the Brazilian music she loves most. “Outra Coisa,” a collaboration with seven-string…
HIP-HOP | Emilio Rojas
Rochester-native rapper Emilio Rojas has already independently toured internationally twice, dropped eight mixtapes, and is even backed by Rochester hip-hop legend DJ Green Lantern. And outside of the city, Rojas is associated with artists like Killer Mike, Future, Hi-Rez, and N.O.R.E. His music is proudly controversial with reoccurring themes about racial identity, the abuse of…
Album review: ‘The Seasons’
Manuel Valera Trio “The Seasons” Mavo Records manuelvalera.com On his 12th recording as a leader, pianist Manuel Valera embarks on a grand, four-part suite inspired by Antonio Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Make no mistake, while these works follow the Baroque masterpiece with musical interpretations of each season, these are Valera’s compositions. “Summer” was never as propulsive…
CLASSICAL | “Just the Two of Us”
For the final concert in a season, concert organizations will often go for a big event. For its final concert, though, Pegasus Early Music is going back to basics — but still going out in style. “Just the Two of Us” simply consists of Deborah Fox and Lisa Terry, friends and musical partners (and Pegasus…
THEATER | “Cabaret”
Your troubles aren’t allowed through the doors at the Kit Kat Klub. Its final show of the 2016-17 season, the Rochester Broadway Theatre League will host Roundabout Theatre Company’s touring production of “Cabaret.” Roundabout produced an acclaimed version of “Cabaret” in 1998 at New York’s Studio 54, and decided to bring it back — co-directed…
BLUES | Jimmy Thackery and The Drivers
Known as one of the founding fathers of blues mainstay The Nighthawks, Jimmy Thackery is the strato-master of the Stratocaster as he waxes cool on stage. His use of effects — Leslie, chorus, delay — is purely a sparse spice; the majority of the wow is his fleet-fingered fretwork. Thackery’s current band, The Drivers, is…
DANCE | “Together We Dance, United We Soar”
The Borinquen Dance Theatre’s hopes to promote unity during its 36th anniversary community performance, “Together We Dance, United We Soar.” The dance company, rich in Puerto Rican culture, imbues its performances with traditional and authentic island moves, and channels the roots of each performer as Artistic Director Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez and Co-choreographer Christopher Morrison intertwine their…
JAZZ | B’s Bees
If the sound of Montreal jazz group B’s Bees reminds you of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, it might be because of the similar spirit. Blakey always filled his ranks with the best up-and-coming young players he could find. After drummer and bandleader Brandon Goodwin (another Blakey similarity) won a scholarship that included a gig at…
ART | “Conversations with a Stranger”
Through June 3, AXOM Gallery (176 Anderson Avenue) is presenting the debut fine art exhibition of photographer Stephen Reardon, “Conversations with a Stranger,” which includes a selection of portraits form an ongoing personal project Reardon uses to confront his own social anxiety. To create this body of work, Reardon chooses a place where he can…
FOLK | Reggie Harris
Reggie Harris is a songwriter, singer, and educator known for his more than 40 years as half of the duo Kim and Reggie Harris. He is also a well-traveled solo performer throughout the world. In the spirit of Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte and Bernice Johnson Reagon, Harris combines spirituals and roots music, historic inspiration, and…
LIT | Bae Suah
Open Letter Books will conclude the current season of its Reading the World Conversation Series on Monday, May 1, with two events that feature South Korean writer and translator Bae Suah. She will speak at the University of Rochester’s Humanities Center (Rush Rhees Library, 755 Library Road, River Campus) from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.,…
SPECIAL EVENT | Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble
The College at Brockport’s Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble will perform a program filled with passionate premieres this weekend during its annual series of concerts. Artistic Director Sarah Zehnder and Musical Director Khalid Abdul N’Faly Saleem lead the ensemble — which is dedicated to performing modern and traditional works of the African Diaspora. On…
JAZZ | Bill Dobbins
Pianist, jazz orchestra director, and Eastman School of Music Professor Bill Dobbins is turning 70, and he’s celebrating with a solo concert that will take a look back. Known for his interpretations of the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Dobbins will be focusing on his own compositions. While the first half of the…
Warren and her opponents square off
The list of accomplishments that Mayor Warren cited was a lengthy one, and she got plenty of applause from the audience of mostly invited guests. Her opponents in the September Democratic Primary, Jim Sheppard and Rachel Barnhart, are seeing something different.
Donald Trump’s America: just what voters wanted
A new poll suggests that if November’s voters had it to do over again, Donald Trump would win the popular vote.
Film review: ‘Colossal’
Everyone has issues. But in “Colossal,” one woman’s issues might be responsible for city-destroying giant monsters
Theater review: WallByrd’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
A societal farce written in 1895 might seem like a dusty, dull choice for a younger theater company’s season. But it aligns perfectly for Wallbyrd Theatre Co., whose mission is “Based in classics. Infused with art.” The company’s seasons often draw from Artistic Director Virginia Monte’s love of classics and extensive design experience, spicing up…
