Cover Story
Cocktail time!
Mrs. Kasha Davis will soon compete on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the third Rochester queen to do so.
Rochester People’s Climate Coalition moves ahead
Climate activism and action appear to be ramping up in the Rochester area, which is a very good thing. The City of Rochester is putting together a comprehensive plan to reduce its impact on climate change, governments and local businesses are leading by example on renewable energy, and new advocacy and activism groups are forming.…
Concert Review: Emerson String Quartet at Kilbourn Hall
The string quartet genre, like many other chamber music forms (the madrigal, various quintets, a solo song recitals, for instance) has always seemed to me more fun to perform than to listen to. Chamber works are limited by their own small gathering of musical forces. For many of us, if they have an effect it…
Film Review: “Mr. Turner”
The latest work from the great British director Mike Leigh (“Topsy-Turvy”), “Mr. Turner” focuses on the life of another masterful British artist: early 19th century Romantic landscape painter J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall). Leigh’s film runs counter to the other Great Man biopics that flooded this year’s Oscar season by taking a warts-and-all approach, which frequently…
Film Preview: “2015 Oscar Nominated Shorts”
Continuing their annual tradition of the past 10 years, Shorts HD has partnered with Magnolia Pictures to bring each of the Oscar-nominated short films to theaters around the country. And once again, The Little Theatre is one of the select venues to screen the programs. It’s great that these films get to be seen by…
CITY VOICES: Is NY government corrupt by design?
As if we needed it, Sheldon Silver’s downfall provides yet another confirmation that without effective oversight, power inevitably corrupts. But his arrest is a teachable moment for the voters of New York State. The lesson is this: If Albany is an ethical swamp, the dam that prevents the swamp from ever being drained is something…
WEEK AHEAD: Finger Lakes council meeting; Charlotte High School meeting; human trafficking talk
The Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council will hold its first meeting of 2015 at 10 a.m. on Thursday. It will be held at the Wegmans Corporate Conference Center at 200 Market Street in Gates. Each year, the council selects and advances economic development projects that are important to the community and that fit in…
Finger-pointing won’t solve youth fights
Here we go again. A video surfaced earlier this week showing young people fighting downtown near the newly opened transit center. This latest incident follows a stabbing of a young male at the center in December, and now the finger-pointing has begun. This seems like a typical case of passing the buck. More security is…
Morelle withdraws from Assembly speaker race
Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle has taken himself out of the running for the speaker position. Morelle is instead throwing his support behind Assembly member Carl Heastie, a Bronx Democrat who is now the front-runner for the job. Throughout the week, Heastie has had growing support within the Assembly’s Democratic conference, and has also picked…
Study says porches can pose significant lead threat
A new study out of the University of Rochester says that porches on older city homes could contain significant amounts of lead dust, which is a major source of lead poisoning in children. The problems comes from flaking lead paint on the porches, says the study, which was published in the journal Environmental Health. Children…
Concert Review: Dale Watson, Selwyn Birchwood, Rosie Flores, and The Reverend Horton Heat
I’m convinced Austin, Texas’ undisputed king of honky-tonk, Dale Watson had some of the diesel fumes from his tour bus siphoned into Abilene, Monday night. He wanted that packed little honky-tonk — in its own right — to have that authentic truck stop feel. Between sips of Lone Star — “The only beer Jesus drinks,”…
Art shows closing soon
Can’t wait until First Friday for your art fix? Here’s a little peek at a duo of shows worth seeing this week. For a quick, playful diversion, pop into Philadelphia-based artist Nichola Kinch’s exhibit, “Love Stories,” on view at Hartnett Gallery (University of Rochester, Wilson Commons) through Sunday, February 8. Optical illusions abound in the…
Muoio announces Legislature run
Democrat Mark Muoio today announced a bid for Monroe County Legislature. Muoio is running for the 21st District seat currently held by Democrat Carrie Andrews, who is termed-out. He lives on Wisconsin Street and is a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, handling housing and bankruptcy matters. “I have seen firsthand the hardships…
Concert Review: First Inversion’s “Harmonic Splendor”
Concert-goers got a chance to hear one of Rochester’s newest local choral organizations last weekend when First Inversion gave a strong performance of a demanding program at Downtown United Presbyterian Church. If the January 23 performance is any indication, First Inversion will be a strong addition to the musical culture of the city. The First…
Green wave
You may remember Tom Green from his show on MTV, or his roles in 2000’s “Road Trip” and 2001’s “Freddy Got Fingered,” but the zany Canadian has been up to so much more than just movies. Green started in stand-up while a teenager growing up in the Ottawa area, and by his early 20’s, had…
Theater Review: “Riding the Midnight Express” at Downstairs Cabaret
In the opening minute of Billy Hayes’ performance of “Riding the Midnight Express,” he talks about his crime of smuggling hashish out of Turkey in an almost joking manner, saying he knew it was an idiotic move. It seemed like a good idea at the time, he said. The aftermath of that decision, five years…
Webster eyes water project
In the late 1990’s, local officials and Xerox leaders explored the possibility of pumping cold water from Lake Ontario to Xerox’s Webster facility to use in place of the company’s air conditioning and manufacturing cooling systems. The system could have reduced the company’s energy use, officials say, and saved money. The complex and experimental project…
CHOW HOUND: Nerding out
Approaching Nox Craft Cocktails & Comfort Food in Village Gate, you may think you need a password to enter. The impressive, dungeonesque doorway has eye-level panels that can be opened from the inside to snoop on who is outside. When my friend and I stepped inside on our visit, she immediately gasped, “Oh my goodness,…
Moms mobilize against climate change
Andrea Wolff of Chili says that she loves nature and being in the woods. And as a mother of two boys, she says that she feels a sense of urgency about the environment. Wolff says that she knows something needs to be done about climate change, but that she’s struggled to figure out what she…
ART | 150 Ancestors
The City of Rochester has announced a schedule of events in celebration of Black Heritage Black Heritage Month. As 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History month, this year’s theme is “A Century of Black History, Life and Culture.” As part of this month-long program, City Hall Link Gallery (30 Church Street) will host…
Bike share closer?
A study has found that a bike-sharing program could work in the Rochester area. The Genesee Transportation Council initiated the study and will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, to discuss its findings. The meeting will be held in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at Rochester Public Library, 115 South Avenue. The…
FESTIVAL | HOC Loves ROC
Hochstein School of Music & Dance will present a new 10-day music and dance festival, HOC Loves ROC, on Friday, January 30, through Sunday, February 8. The program will highlight performances — ranging from classical, to jazz, to rock — involving hundreds of Hochstein students and faculty members, and will feature a world premiere as…
Urban Action 1/28
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) A talk on the school to jail pipeline The Rochester Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in partnership with the Diversity Council of Monroe Community College and Gamma Iota Boulé of…
COMEDY | Tom Green
Tom Green has changed mediums several times over the course of his career, but one thing has not changed: he continues to hook his audiences with his audacious brand of humor. Some will remember Green from his bizarre and envelope-pushing self-titled MTV show, or from his foray into film with the likes of “Freddie Got…
BLUES | Selwyn Birchwood
So many artists today enthusiastically skate the line between blues and soul. Sometimes this enthusiasm steamrolls the music. That’s not the case with the sunshine state guitar slinger Selwyn Birchwood. His music is soulful but has bite and it has sting. It boogies large and in charge. I’ve seen this cat wow ’em when there…
EXHIBIT | “To Travel is to Live”
Literature is non-tactile. Other than turning pages, it is an almost purely cognitive exercise. Kinetic learners may be pleased to hear of an opportunity to approach literature in a hands-on way. University of Rochester is hosting an ongoing exhibit with author and English professor Joanna Scott featuring many of the letters, diaries, and pictures that…
SKA | The Untouchables
Formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, The Untouchables breezed in on the wings of ska’s second wave and L.A.’s mod revival. Poor distribution and the confusion that they were a band by the same name in the UK, kept the band underground. But the band’s driving rock-steady shows with bands that were the who’s who…
FILM | Black History Month Film Series
In honor of Black History Month, The Little Theatre will host a series of powerful, thought-provoking films and discussions, held each Sunday throughout the month of February. The series kicks off on February 1 with the acclaimed music documentary “Finding Fela,” about the life of Nigerian singer and activist Fela Kuti. The next week, the…
ALT-ROCK | Alex G
Alex G has put out a handful of EP’s and five full-lengths since 2010. The band’s most recent project, “DSU” (2014), is lo-fi and emo, and as curious as it is captivating. These guys noodle a few genres. Guitars jangle dissonant while vocals float delicate, and keys add clear contrast to distorted strums and searching…
SPECIAL EVENT | First Person Singular
Through stories we tell and the stories we hear, our lives are built and meaning is discovered. Both personal and community narrative will be explored at First Person Singular, a new storytelling event series coming to Rochester. In five minute slices, attendees will have opportunities to share a story from their experiences, ranging anywhere from the…
ELECTRONIC | Eric Cloutier
Deep and atmospheric, the trance is magnetic. Berlin-based DJ Eric Cloutier has been carefully crafting techno sets and spinning them around the world since 1996. Raised in Detroit, Cloutier keeps a steady flow between the U.S. and Europe via the international nightclub circuit. Cloutier will be the first to participate in Signal > Noise, a…
THEATRE/KIDS | “Tarzan the Musical”
The cartoon version of Tarzan has been swinging through young imaginations for over a decade. Dealing with issues of belonging and identity, Disney’s “Tarzan” has remained popular for its messages of cross-cultural acceptance and its award-winning soundtrack by Phil Collins. Now, Stages’ youth theatre program brings Tarzan onstage for a performance that is sure to…
CLASSICAL | Emerson String Quartet
The Emerson String Quartet will present an afternoon recital in Kilbourn Hall featuring music from the early 17th-century to the masterworks of the 20th-century. The Emerson String Quartet has an unparalleled list of achievements across three decades: more than 30 acclaimed recordings, 9 Grammys, 3 Gramophone Awards, the Avery Fisher Prize, and collaborations with many…
JAZZ | Laura Dubin Trio
Laura Dubin is proud to play in the tradition of a long line of great jazz pianists. That’s why tributes to Horace Silver and Oscar Peterson (“Silver Lining” and “Ode to O.P.”) are two of the highlights of her debut album. The native Rochesterian, who has played at the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz…
CLASSICAL | Salon Series at Asbury First
This Sunday, Asbury First United Methodist Church’s Salon Series will offer something different for those looking to get away from the Super Bowl madness. Pianist Rebecca Penneys, violinist Mikhail Kopelman, and cellist Stefan Reuss, a trio of musicians from the Eastman School of Music faculty, will offer a program of two Romantic-era trios: the Brahms…
Alyssa Trahan
Alyssa Trahan sings as sweet and pretty as she looks. But despite the tow-headed pulchritude and innocence, Trahan swings it hard and is gunning for the majors. And she’s qualified, Jack. Already known in this region for her rockin’ country, and ready to prove that the talent matches the determination, the 19-year-old musician is hopping…
ALBUM REVIEW: “The Televisionaries”
The Televisionaries “The Televisionaries” Reel Time Records Facebook.com/thetelevisionaries Let me tell you about a typical day for me at City Newspaper. With a veritable avalanche of local releases coming in daily, I spend a decent amount of my day spinning submissions for review while downloading celebrity selfies and nip-slips. But I had to take The…
Feedback 1/28
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. Media must…
It had to be hue
The ubiquitous phrase “In Technicolor” was present throughout my youth on title cards at the beginning of favorite films, from the transporting “Wizard of Oz” to Disney’s animated hit, “Dumbo.” A fascinating new exhibit at Eastman House explores the history, technology, and artistry of Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation at its hundredth anniversary. The exhibit has…
Cuomo and teachers: it’s war
Governor Andrew Cuomo outlined a set of education reforms in his State of the State address last week that should remove any doubt that he sees teachers and their unions as the root cause of the state’s education problems. And that he’s ready to go to war to fix them. “Our education system needs dramatic…
“Children of a Lesser God”
When Mark Medoff’s “Children of a Lesser God” was produced on Broadway in the early 1980’s it won a Tony Award for Best Play, and was made into a movie soon afterward. It was also a pioneering work of theater, presenting current issues in the deaf community and the nascent movement for deaf rights and…
Shelly Silver’s sweet gig
The charges in the federal criminal complaint against Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver are just shocking. There is “probable cause,” the complaint says, to believe that through bribes, kickbacks, fraud, extortion, and conspiracy, Silver “used the power and influence of his official position to obtain for himself millions of dollars masked as legitimate income earned by…
