Cover Story
Deaf theater sees growth in Rochester
Spurred on in part by NTID, the deaf theater community, both in Rochester and nationally, has taken off in the last few years.
Week Ahead: Events for the week of Monday, August 15
County Clerk Adam Bello’s task force on vacant and abandoned properties – zombie properties – will hold a public forum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday in the Rochester City Hall’s City Council Chambers, 30 Church Street. Bello assembled the task force to examine how the houses become vacant and why they stay unoccupied,…
Film review: “Pete’s Dragon”
With its gentle tone, “Pete’s Dragon” would make a pretty spectacular first movie-going experience for any young child (though adults will get plenty out of it as well — it’s probably a good idea to bring tissues).
Despite promises, politics creeps into schools overhaul project
Mayor Lovely Warren has repeatedly said that she would not pursue mayoral control of the city’s school system. But yesterday she scored a major victory concerning control of the Rochester Joint Schools Construction Board and the $1.3 billion project to overhaul the city’s aging school buildings. Former Mayor Tom Richards, who was appointed in 2014…
Ginna owner taking over additional Upstate nuclear plant
Exelon, which owns the Ginna nuclear power plant, has agreed to buy the FitzPatrick plant in Oswego for $110 million. That means that Exelon will own all three of Upstate New York’s nuclear power generators. And all three are struggling. In recent years, each of the plants has been flagged by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission…
Preserving gay Rochester
The Landmark Society of Western New York is identifying sites that are important to the history of Rochester’s LGBTQ community for recognition and possibly preservation. The organization has developed a list of more than two dozen potential sites. And it will hold a public meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 16,…
Stoneyard’s new location finds a good fit in Webster
By all accounts, the property at 1517 Empire Boulevard seemed to be prime real estate. Located at the top of the hill on Empire Boulevard and tucked between highly trafficked areas like Baytowne Plaza and the restaurants Bazil and MacGregor’s, it would seem an ideal location to open a restaurant. Over the years, however, at…
LO-FI ROOTS ROCK | Grey Watson
This is flat out nasty, good, and trashy. There’s a cat responsible for this chaos swimming in the lo-fidelity and funky back beat. His name is Grey Watson, and I’ve been a fan for a week now. Formerly a member of the Killer Drones, he reminds me of the work Mikey James did with The…
ART | “Engaging the Gamut”
Gallery 384 continues its summer season with “Engaging the Gamut.” The exhibit features oil paintings of animals and people in everyday situations by Elisa Root, who is known to create scenes of nature and moments of everyday life in bold color. Philippe Faraut, creator of classical-style portrait sculptures, will also have works on display, including…
THEATER | “Rounding Third”
The comedy “Rounding Third,” directed by Donald Bartalo, will jog some memories of your little league days. In the play, written by Richard Dresser, two men — the veteran “win-at-all-costs” little league coach, Don, and the new “just have fun, guys” assistant coach, Mike — battle it out while directly addressing the audience as if…
SPECIAL EVENT | Walnut Hill Carriage Driving Competition
The Walnut Hill Carriage Driving Competition is back for its 45th long weekend of friendly matches and costumes in a 19th century Victorian Country Fair setting. More than 200 competitors from 20 states and Canada will participate in more than 100 classes in varying divisions. Walnut Hill is recreating this historic setting to help educate…
FESTIVAL | German Festival
Rochester’s Federation of German-American Societies is celebrating its 112th German Festival in Spencerport with music — from local bands Die Lustigen Almdudler, The Frankfurters, and Die Auslanders — homemade German food, and traditional German beverages (i.e. beer). There will be a variety of kids and family events going on throughout the weekend, along with a…
SPORTS | Rochester Twilight Criterium
The Rochester Twilight Criterium, produced by Full Moon Vista bike shop, is expecting around 350 bicycle racers and another big spectator turn-out for this year’s crit, a US national event on the Professional Road Tour. The day starts in the early afternoon with amateur racing events for anyone who registers. Later in the day, the…
OPERA | Finger Lakes Opera
This is only its third year, but the Finger Lakes Opera has already become a go-to summer music place in our area. FLO’s 2015 production of Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’Amore” was a treat, and the organization has expanded its summer bill by adding a revue of songs by a musical theater great (last year’s saluted Rodgers…
Feedback 8/10
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. Be creative…
Urban Action 8/10
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. All are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. What to do in case of an overdose City Council member Molly Clifford will sponsor a free community training session regarding heroin and opioid overdoses. The training will teach people how to identify…
Results mixed for neighborhood revival program
The City of Rochester’s Focused Investment program has made visible, tangible changes in its target neighborhoods, but the gains are fragile, and significant challenges remain, says a recently released evaluation of the city’s high-profile revitalization effort. And in addition to questions about the program’s accomplishments are questions about whether or not there is the money…
The next stages of the Sanders revolution
Bernie started a revolution, and the Democratic Party will need to enthusiastically support the progressive platform or miss out.
Film review: “Suicide Squad”
It gives me no pleasure to report that DC’s supervillain team-up flick, “Suicide Squad,” isn’t a good movie. I take no joy in further stoking the flames of rivalry between DC and Marvel; as a fan of many in DC’s stable of characters, I want nothing more than to see good films based on the…
Art exhibit preview: “Hoarders of Cool”
Though plans for the proposed Roc City Skatepark have met a series of frustrating hiccups over the past decade, the board is far from ready to give up its efforts. This weekend, you can learn about the status of its plans while you check out some rad art from the personal collections of five prominent…
Hot Club of Cowtown plays Western swing with swagger
The band is the pistol-packin’ ruler of Western swing and all the genres that lead up to it.
REGGAE | The Wailers
Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Bob Marley’s long-time bass player from the original Wailers, has spent more than 40 years in the band and remains the rock-steady anchor of today’s Wailers lineup. I caught The Wailers at Party in the Park a couple of years ago, and it was one of my favorite concerts that summer. You can’t…
ROCK | See Through Dresses
How can you not love a band that slips in a “Home Alone” reference a minute into its latest EP? It also helps that See Through Dresses makes superb fuzzy, lo-fi rock — the kind that builds on the noisy indie rock and shoegaze of the 90’s. The Omaha, Nebraska, quartet is built around the…
ALBUM REVIEW: “New York Connections”
Mike Melito “New York Connections” Weebop Records mikemelito.com Drummer Mike Melito is on everyone’s short list of the top jazz players on the Rochester scene. But on his sixth album as a leader, he decided on a change of pace and a change of location. “New York Connections” was recorded with a band made up…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Head Honcho”
Harmonica Lewinski “Head Honcho” Self-released harmonicalewinski.bandcamp.com Harmonica Lewinski has put forth a fabulous new release with “Head Honcho.” This rockin’ slab of greasy goodness mixes the elements of first generation rock ‘n’ roll, surf-a-go-go (think The Trashmen, or better yet Rochester’s landlocked surf legends, The Tempests), and psychedelic freak-out. With “Head Honcho,” Harmonica Lewinski has…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Inner Soul”
Vince Ercolamento “Inner Soul” Self-released vinceercolamento.com It’s been 11 years since saxophonist Vince Ercolamento released “Delightful Eyes,” his excellent first album as a leader. With his new release, “Inner Soul,” Ercolamento firmly establishes himself as not only a fantastic saxophone player, but also a top composer of funky fusion. I don’t know if it’s all…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Forty-One Seconds”
The Rita Collective “Forty-One Seconds” Allora Records ritacollective.com The Rita Collective creates music that is impossible to classify. Start with the instrumentation: group leader Dean Keller plays bass clarinet; Kristen Shiner McGuire, marimba; Kyle Vock, bass; and Matt Bevan-Perkins, percussion. On their debut album, they’re joined on one cut by Mark Collins on flugelhorn. The…
JAZZ | The Rita Collective with Maury Rosenberg
Maury Rosenberg is best known locally for his exuberant accordion playing and vocals in Hypnotic Clambake, but that’s not all he’s done. Rosenberg has performed with Yo-Yo Ma, his tunes have been produced by David Lindley, and his keyboard performances with the Shirim Klezmer Orchestra were included in Woody Allen’s “Deconstructing Harry.” At Lovin’ Cup,…
CLASSICAL | Skaneateles Chamber Music Festival
Luscious French chamber music performed on a summer evening near a beautiful central New York lake? Sounds like an ideal Friday evening to me. You can experience it this Friday at the Skaneateles Chamber Music Festival’s concert “Paris 1900,” featuring the Parker Quartet. The program will be irresistible to any Francophile. The two big works…
ROCK | Don Henley
The original boy of summer, and founding Eagle, Don Henley has gone country, working with the likes of Martina McBride, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard — and Mick Jagger — on his latest album, “Cass County.” It’s a rootsy dose of Americana, full of sepia-toned ghosts of the music’s and the artist’s storied past. It’s…
HARD ROCK | Brimstone Coven
A little too accelerated and aggressive to be considered straight up stoner rock, West Virginia heavies Brimstone Coven slug out the jams, revealing some heavy, yet melodic muscle. Amid the thunder, they manage to squeeze some harmony in there, and a ballad or two, before returning to the swing of the hammer. Watch your head.…
