Cover Story
Winter Guide 2016
Up until this week, the winter season has been relatively calm. But there’s still plenty of time for cold weather, warm fires, and snowy activities. Our Winter Guide will give you some ideas about how to make the most of the days until spring.
Wiesner pleads guilty in bid-rigging case
Robert Wiesner has pleaded guilty to a felony criminal charge, but under his agreement with the state Attorney General’s Office, won’t serve any jail time. He will have to pay a $5,000 fine forfeit $3,000 in illegal gains. Wiesner, the husband of former Monroe County executive Maggie Brooks, is one of four men the AG’s…
Dems say proposed integrity office lacks independence
The office’s director would be appointed by the county exec and confirmed by the Legislature.
Jazz Fest announces four headliners
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival this morning announced four headliners for its 15th edition. The 2016 festival will take place across nine days, June 24 to July 2. Singer-songwriter and Nocturnals frontperson Grace Potter will headline the festival’s opening night. Neo-soul icon Erykah Badu will perform Saturday, June 25. Jazz pianist and 22-time Grammy…
Residents making second attempt at Brockport dissolution
A group of Brockport residents is once again trying to dissolve the village government. Resident Rhett King sent out a press release this morning announcing that the group has submitted dissolution petitions with 429 signatures to the village clerk. The petitions will trigger a village-wide dissolution vote, as long as they stand up to scrutiny…
Commissioner Elia checks on RCSD
Considering the recent flurry of leadership changes at the Rochester City School District, it’s not surprising that New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia made a trip here last week. Elia asked for a meeting with school board President Van White and Regents Wade Norwood and T. Andrew Brown. White assured Elia, he says, that…
Week ahead: For the week of Monday, January 25
The city’s board of ethics meets at 6:30 p.m. today to decide whether former mayor Bill Johnson’s company can study a city program created during his administration. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren wants to hire Strategic Community Intervention to review the city’s nuisance points system, which gives businesses points for bad behavior. The points can lead…
The City Seen: January 23
Last Saturday, City checked out the Blue Cross Arena to see the Monster Jam trucks up close during the pre-show Pit Party. Fans lined up to take pictures with the drivers and see how big these trucks, like the “Bounty Hunter” and “Zombie,” really were as kids compared themselves to the six-foot-tall tires. You can…
![[UPDATED] Alliance fights proposed apartment complex](https://i0.wp.com/www.roccitymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/img_3284-scaled.webp?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
[UPDATED] Alliance fights proposed apartment complex
Hillside Family of Agencies and developer Home Leasing Services want to build an apartment complex at 1337 East Main Street.
I Scene It: 1349 at Bug Jar
“It really sucks outside,” says a hooded man standing behind 1349’s merch table as I curiously examined an “Aural Hellfire” t-shirt. “I would move far away from here if I were you.” Putting aside the fact that the more masochistic side of me does enjoy Rochester’s frigid winters, the evening’s dreadful weather actually seemed fitting…
Theater review: “The Amen Corner” at MuCCC
James Baldwin’s “The Amen Corner,” performed by the North Star Players under the direction of David Shakes, opened at MuCCC (142 Atlantic Avenue) on Tuesday evening. Between moving monologues, well-navigated layers of moral ambiguity, and singing that will give you goosebumps, this production is community theater at its finest. Through the course of the play,…
What’s Medley’s worth? Apparently, $100k
The property, assessed at $7 million, sold for $100,000 to Angelo Ingrassia of “Vinnie and Angelo” Irondequoit Dodge fame.
Garth Fagan Dance appoints leadership team
Garth Fagan Dance announced yesterday the creation and appointment of two new administrative positions. Karen Brown was named the company’s executive director, and Stephanie Harris is now its development director. The two positions will help “sustain the legacy of GFD, expand the strong foundation built over the last 45 years, and shepherd the company into…
Concert review: Wooden Cities with Greece Olympia students
On Friday, January 15, the Greece Olympia School cafeteria doubled as an informal music venue when the Buffalo-based ensemble Wooden Cities along with Olympia students — led by their teacher, Aaron Staebell — presented “an evening of experimental music.” And yet the experiment started long before the performance itself. The student musicians learned how to…
Council decides on operation of marina, soccer stadium
Council members also approve a vendor for police body cameras and conditionally approve a nuisance points study done by Bill Johnson’s firm.
Guns on campus
Rochester Institute of Technology’s announcement late last year that some of its security officers will have access to firearms raised a few eyebrows. Maybe that’s because college campuses, despite some recent eruptions of violence, still conjure up tranquil images of students hunkered down in libraries. The thought of guns on campuses makes many people shudder.…
Doc Severinsen keeps busy at 88
When he was 7 years old, Carl Severinsen asked his dad for a musical instrument. His father, a violin-playing frontier dentist (hence Carl’s nickname, “Little Doc”), wanted his son to play fiddle. But Carl insisted on a trombone. Just one problem: there were no trombones in Arlington, Oregon’s small-town music store, so they settled on…
The Cub Room goes for old-school NYC charm
The growth that the South Wedge has seen in the last few years hasn’t slowed down; in fact that momentum has carried over to the bordering Swillburg neighborhood. The new interest has brought the opening of three businesses each trying to establish their identity in this transitioning area: The Playhouse/Swillburger, and the parking-lot-sharing duo of…
Bradley Brothers add bossa nova charm to Rochester
It was another cold winter night in Rochester as the little band occupied the little stage in the Little Theatre’s Cafe. The band was giving sweet sway to the room with its bossa nova beat. A couple of dancers in front of the stage swayed, oblivious to the band. If they had danced any closer…
Exhibit at Main Street Arts gazes toward nature
A swoony show of works by Emily Glass and Kristen T. Woodward is currently on view at Main Street Arts. Through their art, each answers the call of the wild differently, meditating and reflecting upon the fierce beauty that surrounds us. While stunning bits of nature are the active ingredient in both artists’ work, it…
ALBUM REVIEW: “On The Bus”
Subsoil “On The Bus” Self-released subsoilmusic.com Hip-hop with real instruments is so much cooler, don’t you think? That’s not to decry the talents of turntablists in the world, but guitars, bass, and drums makes it more real to me. Now Subsoil is about as real as it gets — but it uses turntables, however. They…
ART | “Refuge”
On Thursday, January 21, Hartnett Gallery (Wilson Commons, University of Rochester) will present “Refuge,” an immersive environment of silkscreen prints, alternative photography, and installation elements by Ellie Honl. “Refuge” is informed by psychological theories surrounding coping strategies, Honl’s interest in architecture, and the literary genre of science fiction. It deals in imagery of swarms and…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Song Without Singing”
Fred Randolph “Song Without Singing” Creative Spirit Records fredrandolph.com In the world of jazz, barriers are breaking down fast. The new album by San Francisco Bay Area bassist Fred Randolph is a case in point. Randolph has already crossed genres, playing in the bands of jazz artists like Akira Tana and folk stars like Maria…
SPECIAL EVENT | Rhythmic Circus
The name is spot on: Rhythmic Circus is a crew of dancers and musicians who produce swinging, funky performances full of tap shoes, costumes, and comedy. Backed by a seven-piece brass band, and sometimes a beatboxer, a group of dancers work out a percussive, entertaining routine filled with tap, stomps, and synchronization. Rhythmic Circus is…
COMEDY | Greg Morton
Greg Morton’s witty, pointed observations — and a silky smooth, rich voice — has made him a regular for comedy clubs across the country for a couple of decades. While his bits usually focus on the hidden humor of everyday life — the inconvenience of low-flow toilets, the hazards of lawn darts when he was…
Not so wild winter
This winter’s lack of snow has either been a Godsend or a mood killer, depending on who you ask — there are some backyard ice rink builders on page XX who aren’t thrilled about the mild weather. But whether you are enjoying the unusual weather or cursing the missed chances to go sledding, it’s still…
THEATER | “The Wizard of Oz”
The journey to find “somewhere over the rainbow” returns to the stage with a reconceived adaptation from Andrew Lloyd Webber (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats”) and Jeremy Sams (“Chitty the Musical”), which originally debuted in London’s West End in 2011. Tim Rice (“Evita,” Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”) and Webber also collaborated to create…
Bounce house
Trampolines add a twist to classic dodgeball With the new year, come those annual resolutions (whether we keep them or not) to get in better shape. But for those who can’t bear the bitter temperatures Mother Nature deals us and who hate the traditional gym, there is a familiar, yet extreme option: indoor trampoline dodgeball.…
SPECIAL EVENT | Owl Moon Nature Trail Tour
When it’s cold and dark in the early evenings, it’s easy to hole up and forget about the world outside of your couch. Catch some fresh air and witness some nature on Saturday, January 23, when one of the Owl Moon Nature Trail Tours will be offered at Genesee Country Village & Museum (1410 Flint…
Asian warmth
When a warm bowl of soup is needed to help fight off the cold, check out one of these Asian dishes While soups find a place at the table in all seasons, they can be particularly spirit-lifting during Rochester’s typically frigid winters. And really, there is no shortage of restaurants in our area that offer…
THEATER | “The Music Man”
In 1936 — the same year the Hoover Dam was completed and the Yankees won its fifth world series — Erva Smith and Reverend John Schott created the Webster Theatre Guild. Nearly 80 years later, the guild still exists to produce Broadway-style shows, bestow arts grants, and provide scholarships to high school students who aspire…
Rink people
Many Rochesterians make the most of the winter by building backyard skating rinks People who tiptoe out of the house after midnight might be up to no good, but during Rochester’s cold months a lot of them are just checking their ice. Last year was an excellent season for backyard rink builders, and they are…
CLASSICAL | Yarn/Wire
Yarn/Wire isn’t your typical quartet of classical musicians. Comprised of pianists Laura Barger and Ning Yu and percussionists Ian Antonio and Russell Greenberg, the chamber ensemble — now in its 10th anniversary season — has been a leading proponent of new compositions by living artists. Yarn/Wire’s upcoming performance at Eastman School of Music, as part…
Winter wonder fans
For some artists, winter makes the world come alive If you think winter can be summed up by the words “cold” and “dreary,” you’re not looking close enough. Overcast skies scatter light, which shows off the vibrancy of normally subdued hues. And through the talents of some of the area’s artists, we can re-learn how…
HIP-HOP | Malicious Intent
Despite a name that suggests deadly menace, Malicious Intent harbors no animosity toward man or beast. When the duo held a CD release party, it donated all proceeds from the event to a local animal shelter. Rappers Kount C and Resonate Roc drop lines about gun violence (“Metal Roses”), opiate abuse (“Oxymoron”), and working a…
16 for 2016
Can’t-miss events taking place this winter If your New Year’s resolution was to find some (mostly figurative, but possibly literal) hidden treasures in the area, or if it’s something as simple as “dance more,” City is here to help. Here’s our list of 16 fun, rockin’, awesome events happening in the first quarter of 2016.…
ROCK | Orodruin
Orodruin will melt your face. With influences from Candlemass, Witchfinder General, Trouble, and Solstice, Orodruin is steeped in the art of blistering guitar riffs and head-bobbing dirge. Its orchestration is unparalleled, weaving beautiful melodies among thick, heavy atmospheres. It’s a classic sound; epic foreboding riffs that chug along with slamming drums, creating tension that is…
Feedback 1/20
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. Dump Common…
CLASSICAL | “Two Trombonists Walk into a Bar”
Trombones and chamber music may not seem to be natural fit, but First Unitarian Church’s “First Muse” series will prove differently with this concert. It may be called “Two Trombonists Walk into a Bar,” but it’s no joke: Eastman School Professor Larry Zalkind and Mark Kellogg (who is also RPO principal trombone) with be joined…
Urban Action 1/20
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. All are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Event to honor unsung heroes of the Holocaust I Am Your Protector will commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day by honoring those who risked their lives protecting victims. On Wednesday, January 27, a public…
ROCK | Willie Nile
Singer-songwriter Willie Nile perfectly personifies the beauty of NYC with its worn and weary veneer. But unlike other more acoustically rooted troubadours Nile hammers out beautiful little vignettes in the confines of the rock ‘n’ roll song and its three chords and three-minute life span. Thinking man’s rock ‘n’ roll. Willie Nile plays Friday, January…
Clerk appointment is up to Cuomo
Monroe County doesn’t have a county clerk and the only person who can do anything about it is Governor Andrew Cuomo. The former clerk, Republican Cheryl Dinolfo, had to give up the seat when she became county executive in January. And under state law, the governor is responsible for appointing a temporary clerk to serve…
ROOTS-ROCK | Amy LaVere
Like Eddie Cochran said: “She’s somethin’ else.” Singer-songwriter and bassist Amy LaVere has been produced by Jim Dickinson (who produced The Replacements’ “Pleased To Meet Me,” among a billion others); worked at the rock ‘n’ roll Mecca, Memphis’s Sun Studios; slaps the doghouse bass as if it just pinched her ass; and has broken my…
More places to live, eat in the neighborhoods
More entertainment and housing options are coming to Rochester’s neighborhoods if current proposals go through. Neighborhood of the Arts may get a Mexican restaurant and there’s a proposal to convert the Cobblestone School in NOTA to housing. And there’s a plan for student housing on Mt. Hope Avenue. Developer Duncan Frame plans to build a…
FOLK | Olivia Quillio
The way Olivia Quillio’s voice weaves between a smooth, jazz purr and a sweet, folk whisper is enchanting and wonderful. Her words feel weightless as she croons, yet hold a heart that’s heavy and wise of someone decades older. There’s more soul here on a thin breath than I’ve heard in a while. This Troy,…
Film review: “Ride Along 2”
The first “Ride Along” was an enjoyable, if never particularly good, action-comedy that coasted on the considerable comedic chemistry between actors Ice Cube and Kevin Hart as mismatched buddy cops (though with Hart’s character a wannabe police officer to Ice Cube’s veteran detective). Picking up not long after the events of the original film, “Ride…
Animals on the carousel? Yes. Racist art, no
Landmarks can be altered. And removing a painted panel that mocks African Americans is a darned good reason to do it.
Film review: “13 Hours”
Best known as the auteur behind crass, cartoonishly over-the-top action films and feature-length Hasbro commercials, director Michael Bay takes a stab at “serious” filmmaking with “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.” Adapted by Chuck Hogan from the book by Mitchell Zuckoff, the film dramatizes the 2012 attack on a United States embassy outpost and…
Theater review: “Miracle on South Division Street”
Tom Dudzick is described as “one of the few playwrights who makes a living at it,” and after seeing one of his shows, the high success rate is obvious.
