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Mental illness: Roads to wellness
This is the second installment of a two-part series on mental health attitudes, research, and available services in the Rochester region. The first part appeared in our December 11-17 issue. Jim Eckberg spent much of the 90’s in and out of hospitals. Sometimes hospital personnel strapped him with a belt in a chair in his…
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 6, Episode 2: Meet the REST of the Queens
Monday night we got the second part of the Season 6 premiere, and it was worth the wait. While I absolutely enjoyed the seven queens in Group 1, the 10-minute preview of Group 2 that aired last week made it clear that most of the exciting queens (with the exception of Ben Delacreme and Laganja…
Film Review: “The Wind Rises”
When legendary Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki announced in September of last year that “The Wind Rises” was to be his final film, it was hard not to feel a sadness at what audiences would be losing without any more of his imaginative, lushly animated films. True, the director has promised retirement several times in the…
![[UPDATED] Senecas show they’re serious by buying land in Henrietta for a casino](https://i0.wp.com/www.roccitymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/slotmachines_sidebar.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
[UPDATED] Senecas show they’re serious by buying land in Henrietta for a casino
The Seneca Gaming Corporation has acquired a 32-acre property on Clay Road, which runs between Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road and Hylan Drive, in Henrietta for a possible casino. A press release did not disclose what the company, an affiliate of the Seneca Nation of Indians, paid for the property. It did say that the property is…
Concert Review: Jessy Carolina and the Hot Mess at Abilene
Talk about a buzz; there was a big one coming from the Abilene hive Saturday night. I made the scene and wiped the steam off my cheaters to the dulcet tones of the Charlie Mitchell Quartet as it wound up its set by cruising through a creamy rendition of “Autumn Leaves.” The group added a…
WEEK AHEAD: High-speed rail, county charter review, improving city schools
On Friday, the State Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration will hold a public hearing on an environmental review of potential high-speed rail projects in the Empire Corridor. The hearing is at 6 p.m. at The Strong National Museum of Play, 1 Manhattan Square. A public information session starts at 4 p.m. and will continue…
Film Review: “Non-Stop”
Although it fits quite obviously into that broad, vague category of the cinematic thriller, the new movie “Non-Stop” actually contains an unusual combination of elements. It takes place almost entirely inside an airplane flying across the Atlantic from New York to London, establishing a setting and situation naturally fraught with a certain tension, even before…
Charter committee gets input on redistricting, road patrol costs
The last time the county’s Charter Review Committee held a public input meeting, the public didn’t show up. Last night, however, a few speakers addressed the committee and offered substantial comments. The committee is reviewing the county charter, a collection of laws that say how county government is organized and how it operates. Ultimately, any…
Kodak and EPA agree on clean-up plan for Eastman Business Park
When a bankruptcy court decided that Kodak could emerge from Chapter 11, its permission was contingent on the company’s ability to reach a deal with the federal Environmental Protection Agency regarding pollution at the site. Kodak and the EPA have made that deal. Specifically, the EPA has endorsed the 2013 settlement between the New York…
Cuomo’s plan to educate inmates makes sense
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to give state prison inmates access to college degree programs has got critics sharpening their knives. A trio of Republican Congress members are behind the latest move against Cuomo’s plan. House Representatives Chris Collins, Tom Reed, and Chris Gibson have introduced legislation, the Kids before Cons Act, that would prohibit the…
City students speak out about improving schools
Rochester school board President Van White began a town hall-style meeting yesterday with this message: the district is the lowest performing in the state. And he asked the adults in the room to give the nearly 60 students in attendance the front seats because he wanted to hear from the young people. The students, mostly…
FILM: The 1st Annual “Lubies”
Years ago, my esteemed predecessor, Ms. Dayna Papaleo, founded her very own award ceremony to rival the Oscars, and to acknowledge the films and filmmakers she deemed worthy of honoring for their cinematic achievements over the previous year. These prestigious awards came to be known as “The Daynas.” Tragically, over the intervening years, Ms. Papaleo…
“American Idol” 2014: Top 13 Perform
Ohhhhhhhhh, dear… I went into Wednesday night’s performance episode debating whether or not to bother with this season of “Idol.” On the “pro” side, I like the judging panel. I liked most of the talent I was seeing before I took a few weeks off to watch the Olympics. And the line-up for the Top…
Refusing Arizona: What’s Brewer waiting for?
Updated Thursday, February 27 at 12:10 p.m. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed a bill that would have permitted business owners to use religious beliefs as a reason to refuse service to gay couples. In defense of her decision, Brewer said she hasn’t heard of a single instance in Arizona where a business owner’s religious liberty…
Urban Action 2/26
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Israel 2014 lecture The second lecture in the Israel 2014 series features intelligence analyst Avi Melamed at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 27. Melamed will discuss Arab affairs and their impact on Israel…
POP | Caveman
Brooklyn-based band Caveman creates atmospheric, synth-based indie-pop that calls to mind prominent contemporary bands like The Shins, Fleet Foxes, and Bon Iver. Since the release of the 2011 album “Coco Beware,” Caveman has garnered much positive attention from the press, in addition to performing alongside some major indie-pop acts. In 2013, Caveman released its latest,…
Tax cuts vs. schools
Governor Andrew Cuomo is sticking by his pitch that his 2014-15 budget proposal will leave the state with a $2 billion surplus in two years. And when he came to Rochester last week to sell local officials on his budget plan, he said the surplus would allow the state to cut some taxes for businesses…
ROCK | Alvin Ray Jr.
As an acoustic performer, Miche Fambro hadn’t played an electric guitar in ages; the jazz troubadour even considered selling his amplifier. So when Fambro finally plugged in last year, he channeled his inner Jimi Hendrix and Alvin Ray Jr. was born. Fambro reached out to fellow local scene veterans Roy Stein (formerly of New Math,…
Vargas seeking discipline plan
Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas is seeking a new community-wide effort to improve school safety and student behavior. Vargas says he wants to increase efforts to prevent fights like the one that recently broke out on the Frederick Douglass campus. In that incident, police used pepper spray to quell the melee between students at Northeast…
CLASSICAL | Rochester Lyric Opera Chamber Opera Festival
Not one but three productions will highlight the 3rd Annual Chamber Opera Festival, presented this weekend by Rochester Lyric Opera: “The Apothecary” (by Haydn), “Gallantry” (by Douglas Moore), and “The Happy Prince” (setting by Malcolm Williamson). “Gallantry” is a parody of the television soap opera “General Hospital,” which makes it a modern compliment to “The…
PAC fever
Just what role Monroe County would play in terms of a downtown performing arts center is unclear. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren says she has spoken to Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks about helping fund a downtown arts center, and that Brooks is open to the possibility. But a Brooks spokesperson says that without an actual…
CLASSICAL | Pacifica Quartet
Haydn, Britten, and Brahms. For a certain segment of the classical music audience, this is all that I need to say to signal a concert of interest. When I add “quartet” to the word play, another segment gets in line. And before we know it, Kilbourn Hall will be packed for the upcoming performance by…
JAZZ | Juanito Pascual New Flamenco Trio
There is no doubt that Juanito Pascual is a master of the wing-spread strums, percussive taps, and gorgeous melodic runs that characterize Flamenco guitar. And you can count on him to explore every facet of the repertoire. But that’s not enough for Pascual and his New Flamenco Trio. The group expands the genre with some…
FILM | Philip Seymour Hoffman Tribute Series
After the tragic death of Fairport native Philip Seymour Hoffman earlier this month, The Little Theatre (240 East Ave.) decided to provide an opportunity for Rochesterians to come together and remember the actor through his art. The Little put a call out through social media for suggestions of which films to screen, and from hundreds…
FOLK | Joe Crookston
Ithaca-based singer-songwriter Joe Crookston writes heartfelt story-songs that transport his listeners to a variety of different worlds. The topics of his stories range from personal to fictional to historical, all of which are delivered in a pleasing folk-music setting. His music is reminiscent of the folk revival of the 60’s, calling to mind artists such…
DANCE | 46Live: New Voices Bold Moves
Geneseo’s Department of Theatre and Dance will showcase an evening of diverse and dynamic dance performed by more than 50 student artists. “46Live: New Voices Bold Moves,” directed and produced by Professor of Dance Jonette Lancos, will feature works choreographed by Geneseo faculty and guest artists including Adrienne Hawkins, Nathan Lee Graham, Melanie Aceto, and…
ROOTS ROCK | JD McPherson
JD McPherson is one no-nonsense, no-frills rock ‘n’ roller. Don’t get me wrong; I dig the frills — the Chuck Berry duck walk, the Pete Townshend windmill, the Eddie Angel invisible twang, the Wendy O Williams chainsaw, and so on. But sometimes it’s nice to see a guitar player bite his lip, lean into his…
KIDS | Royal Ball Weekend
The queen requests your presence at the Royal Ball at The National Museum of Play (1 Manhattan Square). On Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, come suited in your most majestic attire for a weekend of pageantry, dancing, and live music from Nonesuch Early Music Ensemble. Other events include enjoying a “feast” at the…
LECTURE | “Humans of New York” creator
Brandon Stanton has the kind of deft talent that not only tells him who’s carrying a heavy tale or a buoyant truth, but also enables him to pull them out of his chosen subjects. After being fired from his job as a bond trader in Chicago, Stanton moved to New York City with an idea…
THEATER | “American Idiot”
Winner of two Tony Awards, “American Idiot” is a stage-musical adaptation of pop-punk band Green Day’s rock opera of the same name, which follows the story of three childhood friends in the wastes of suburbia, searching for elusive meaning in a post 9-11 world. The show features the music of Green Day, including “Boulevard of…
SPECIAL EVENT | Rochester Auto Show
Pop the hood, check the engine, and imagine yourself driving off in your dream vehicle at the 29th Annual Greater Rochester International Auto Show, held Thursday-Sunday, February 27-March 2, at Riverside Convention Center (123 E Main St.). The even will display an array of Maseratis, Jaguars, Ranger Rovers, Lexus, and other major car brands. And…
“Insight: The Inner Nature of Things”
Though each of us may know we are not the center of the universe, we cannot shake the fact that we experience this world in terms of how everything relates to the self. This whirling, messy, and perfect dance of (hopefully) ever-increasing awareness and growth is explored in “Insight, The Inner Nature of Things,” an…
19th Ward group talks Chili Avenue triple homicide, gang violence
Once again, a small group of neighbors gathered after a shattering act of violence to talk about how to save their children. The Public Safety Committee of the 19th Ward Community Association met last night — two days after a triple homicide on Chili Avenue. The Rochester Police Department has been uncharacteristically reserved about the…
2014 Rochester Fringe Festival accepting submissions
Want to put on a show? The First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival is now accepting submissions for the 2014 edition of the festival, which will take place September 18-27 in Downtown Rochester. Festival events run the gamut from music, visual art, theater, dance, comedy, film, multidisciplinary works, and kids’ events. And YOUR show could be…
MUSIC FEATURE: Being Bob Greco
Bob Greco can’t help it. He is what he is: a musician, a comedian, a father. He has had brushes with triumph and brushes with death. He’s lived the high life, he’s been down and out. He’s seen the world while singing and performing with party band to the stars, Nik and the Nice Guys.…
The real solution to Rochester’s poverty
“Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” – Nelson Mandela Perhaps there is no place in which this insight is truer than Rochester, New York. As community leaders discuss yet another exhaustive study of our region’s poverty, and how our…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Searching Game”
Teagan and the Tweeds “Searching Game” Self-released teaganandthetweeds.com I’ve witnessed Teagan and the Tweeds’ ballsy onstage bombast enough to know that it’s got to be hard to saddle this pony in the studio. The band’s new album, aptly titled “Searching Game,” finds the group exploring outside of its hammer-down, soul-shaking bailiwick. The varied songs —…
ROUND-UP: Raw materials
You don’t need me to tell you that sushi ain’t all that cheap, which is why it’s easy to get stuck in a comfortable rut with regular visits to restaurants at which you’re certain that your money will be wisely spent. That’s where I come in. Between the professional writing and the amateur eating, I…
“Nothin’ But Blood”
Scott H. Biram “Nothin’ But Blood” Bloodshot Records scottbiram.com Scott H. Biram is salaciously sanctified, resolute in his damnation. That’s no joke — Biram does not cop to that can-I-get-an-amen shtick. And on “Nothin’ But Blood” he extends his 11th invitation to join him on the ride. On this album Biram is slightly more acoustified…
