Cover Story
Them fighting Dems
Local Democrats have a golden opportunity this year. Can they stop squabbling long enough to take advantage?
New dollar-store battle may be in store for West Main
Family Dollar is looking to move up West Main Street from the Bulls Head plaza to a free-standing building on the corner of West Main and Edgewood Park — not far from the site of an earlier controversy over a similar application. “Yeah, a cookie-cutter thing for West Main Street,” says Dawn Noto, president of…
About that Upstate Revitalization Competition…
Late Sunday, Governor Andrew Cuomo and state legislative leaders announced that they had a basic agreement around the 2015-16 state budget. And that agreement, they said, included the governor’s request for $1.5 billion to fund the Upstate Revitalization Competition. But yesterday, the whole matter got a little hazy. Senate Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos made…
Week Ahead: Events for the week of Monday, March 30
The Friends and Foundation of the Rochester Public Library will present a review of “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson at 12:12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. Stevenson’s book is a coming-of-age story involving a young attorney’s reflection on the lives of the individuals he has defended in the pursuit of justice. Monroe County Public Defender…
Your weekend in art
“Object Alchemy: New Sculptures by Lee Hoag” opens tonight, 5:30-9 p.m., at AXOM Gallery (176 Anderson Alley, 2nd floor). Hoag has crafted found objects into entirely new, handmade objects bearing simultaneous resemblance to many things and also nothing in particular. The show remains on view through April 25. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday, noon…
Police union, City Hall still divided over reorg
Without a physical presence in the neighborhoods, nothing will change, the union head says. The police chief disagrees.
Global climate emissions flat last year despite economic growth
The International Energy Agency says that the economy grew in 2014, but global greenhouse gas emissions did not. That’s the first time in 40 years that emissions stayed flat, the agency says, without an accompanying economic downtown. According to information released recently by the IEA, global carbon dioxide emissions totaled 32.3 billion metric tons in…
Vargas’s new budget mixes big ideas and some finger-crossing
Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas presented an $800 million proposed budget for the 2015-2016 school year Monday night. Vargas told school board members that he could close a $40.5 million budget gap with few layoffs, while investing more than $25 million in a lengthy list of priorities. But all that depends heavily on what happens in Albany…
I Scene It: Third Coast Percussion at Kilbourn Hall
Five blocks of wood, four thick dowels, and a mallet. If that sounds like the ingredients for a woodworking project from your 8th-grade shop class, you were not at Kilbourn Hall Tuesday night with Third Coast Percussion. The four members of the group — David Skidmore, Peter Martin, Robert Dillon, and Sean Conners — were…
AMERICANA | Robin and Linda Williams
Robin and Linda Williams have been plucking bluegrass and country tunes together since 1975. That year, they played on the budding public radio show “Prairie Home Companion” with Garrison Keillor. They have since become regulars on Keillor’s show — a fitting union for the duos’ comfortable and thoughtful storytelling. Based in Virginia, Robin and Linda…
HIP-HOP | Vicke Vyto
Hip-hop is often a narrative about a performer’s own personal struggles, but sometimes the best songs are just about having a good time. Local rapper Vicke Vyto delivers fluid verses on his new single, “Happy Hour,” a syncopated party starter that celebrates the moment of a night out. The 26-year-old rapper’s repertoire consists of…
Shop with your hart
Hart’s Local Grocers, a full-service grocery with a focus on locally-sourced products, opened in the East End in August 2014. The market has become a bustling place, so we wondered what a day in the life of Hart’s was like. Highlighted in the slideshow below, employees wrap and prepare a variety of local and imported…
ROCK/ALT-COUNTRY | The Chinchillas
The Chinchillas occupy the space located somewhere in between honky-tonk’s “Aww shucks” and rock ‘n’ roll’s “Aww f**k it.” The band is the alt to the nth degree and the bang to the American beer joint’s textbook twang. The Chinchillas are kinda, sorta like The Replacements without as big of a death wish. Hysterically deadpan…
Studio fit
Did you take ballet lessons as a child? Maybe some contemporary or jazz classes during your teenage years or early 20’s? Perhaps you’re looking to dive back into dance now, and try something new. Or maybe you’re simply searching for a fun alternative to the gym. Whatever your situation, Rochester offers an eclectic variety of…
JAZZ | Eastman Jazz Lab Band with John Nugent
When the Eastman Jazz Lab Band takes the stage at Kilbourn Hall Thursday, the top-notch student players will be joined by a special guest. John Nugent, who is best-known as a Producer and the Artistic Director of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, is also a monster sax player. He’ll join the band for several…
Drinking off the radar
We all have our favorite watering hole, our version of Cheers, where everyone knows our name and that we like our martinis with vodka, very cold, and very dirty. We are creatures of habit, but sometimes we crave someplace new, a place where we can see how the other half lives, but still feel welcome.…
JAZZ | Maria Zemantauski and Brian Melick
If ever there was a male-dominated genre of music, it’s flamenco guitar. But don’t tell that to Maria Zemantauski. When it comes to rhythmic strumming, breathtaking legato runs and clear, ringing tone, she’s as good as it gets. And, in addition to playing the traditional repertoire, Zemantauski is moving the genre forward with her own…
Get to know the Rochester skyline
Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Bridge Construction completed: 2007 Current “owner”: New York State Department of Transportation Interesting facts: Replaced the Troup-Howell Bridge, a multi-girder bridge that opened on December 1, 1954. Construction on a new bridge began in 2004, and it officially opened on June 18, 2007. The bridge was renamed The Frederick Douglass-Susan B.…
CLASSICAL | WindCraft
In its first concert of 2015, First Muse Chamber Music will present a program dedicated to the bassoon and flute. Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal bassoonist, Matt McDonald, and principal flutist, Rebecca Gilbert, will join pianist and composer Daniel Pesca, and RPO principal violist Melissa Matson, for works that combine those instruments in several variations. The…
ANNUAL MANUAL 2015
Read about authors, city architecture, neighborhoods, art, bars off the grid, local grocery stores,and more!
HIP-HOP | Buggin’ Out
The Lobby is putting its touch on the open mic night with Buggin’ Out. Hosted by Moses Rockwell, the open mic cypher will be backed by the Sound Principals — featuring Hassaan Mackey, Kae Biz, Thievin’ Stephen on live beats, and Nate Briggs on drums. Emcees and singers can jump on stage for a few…
The world on a shelf
The process of exploring some of Rochester’s ethnically diverse grocery stores and speaking with their respective owners reinforced the notion that we are still a community of immigrants. It’s perhaps not as distinct as it once was in the past, but among the aspects of any culture that pass on through generations, food is probably…
The late night nosh
When it comes to late-night food options in Rochester, your choices are typically limited to whether you want cheeseburgers or hot dogs on your garbage plate. Monroe Kabob (201 Monroe Avenue) is offering something different for those looking for the late-night nosh. Monroe Kabob is also open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, however,…
Writing in ROC
Rochester’s rich culture has provided inspiration for many literary works over the years. Local authors take our area’s distinct elements — heritage, geography, tones — and use them to tell stories, create imagery, and ultimately touch others. City spoke with five of Rochester’s need-to-know authors to find out how the city has affected their work.…
Glass class
The Corning Museum of Glass opened its new Contemporary Art + Design Wing to the public on Friday, March 20. Following remarks and a ribbon cutting, those in attendance were released to explore the bright and airy space, which adds 26,000 square feet of exhibition area as well as a 500-seat live glass demonstration facility…
Feedback 3/25
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. Planning the…
Know your neighborhoods
Swillburg The word in Swillburg is that when you go out of town, you have 20 sets of eyes watching your home. Swillburg comes about its neighborliness organically: it’s a relatively small neighborhood, and the homes tend to be close together and close to the street. “I think that’s kind of created a hamlet-like atmosphere…
ART | “A Mothering Blackness”
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Rochester Black Arts Council and many participating artists present “A Mothering Blackness: Emancipation Proclamation.” The multimedia exhibit challenges revisionist and biased perceptions of the “afrikan wombman,” and swirls together visual art, spoken-word pieces, musical performances, and films. On Tuesdays, continuing through May 19, the exhibit organizers will screen…
The better to hear you with
The music on singer-songwriter Kaylin Cervini’s new EP, “Breadcrumbs,” floats on the healing end of hurt. Hurt from a tragic loss (that served as the kick start to her career) and whatever hurt her audience learns to confront by this young lady’s fearless example. Cervini’s music also circumvents the everyday humdrum of songs steeped in…
Rochester clicks for young professionals
The Rochester region is home to about 20 colleges, universities, and technical schools, which is impressive for a mid-size metro. But despite those offerings, the area’s loss of young professionals continues to concern many business and community leaders in Upstate New York. A Brookings Institute report on education, which is based on data from 2007…
DANCE | Movement and Dance Weekend
Serious dancers are always on the look-out for noteworthy instructors and inexpensive classes; Rochester dancers, take note. Thursday, March 26, through Sunday, March 29, is Movement and Dance Weekend by Nazareth College Department of Theatre and Dance, a huge part of which consists of an exciting array of master classes taught by accomplished dancers, choreographers,…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Tossing & Turning”
Talking Under Water “Tossing & Turning” Self-released talkingunderwater.bandcamp.com Somehow the word “epic” feels inadequate in describing Rochester band Talking Under Water’s EP, “Tossing & Turning.” The album gets off to a gentle start: all peaceful and harmonious like The Shangri-Las on methadone. It’s at this point you say to yourself, “Gosh, this sure is all…
Design matters: Vignelli Center for Design Studies
Even if you’re unfamiliar with the name “Vignelli,” you’ve certainly encountered multiple things designed by Massimo and Lella Vignelli. The New York-based, Italian power couple had their stylish fingers in every piece of the design pie for six decades, creating everything from brand identity, books, maps, tableware, clothing, furniture, to architectural design for companies as…
FILM | Reel Paddlers Film Festival
On Tuesday, March 31, the Reel Paddlers Film Festival comes to Rochester’s Swiftwater Brewing Company. The touring festival’s stop is hosted by the Finger Lakes Ontario Watershed Paddler’s Club. The films explore the world of paddle sports in all its iterations, from whitewater kayaking, and transcontinental canoe trips across Canada, to the drama of dam…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Arrival”
Kire Najdovski “Arrival” Self-released Multi-dimensional guitarist, Kire Najdovski occupies an unparalleled stratospheric level of technical skill and power, like a less noodly Jeff Beck. Having lent his guitar to more limited settings — like his work with David Letterman’s Al Chez — “Arrival” marks the arrival of the sonic shriek and fusion found in this…
FASHION | Peppermint: Sewn Seeds
Peppermint teams up with World Hair and Restaurant Good Luck for this third annual showcase displaying the fashion expertise of local Rochester designers. Tanvi Asher, who created the show, will be showing her spring ready-to-wear designs and latest couture bridal gowns. Designs by Josean Vargas and Katrina Elliott will also be shown. A raffle with…
Down the road
As city residents, we tend to constantly be on the hunt for the hot new shops, restaurants, and entertainment. It’s great to be on the cutting edge when it comes to what’s new and hip in Rochester, but in our pursuit of the next new thing, we sometimes overlook what’s right under our noses. Every…
SPECIAL EVENT | Greater Rochester Peep Show
Calm down, it’s not that kind of peep show. This show will feature submitted works of art made with Marshmallow Peeps or variations on that theme. More than 50 works are expected to be displayed at the Webster Community Center, ranging from colored dioramas, to peep-themed art and marshmallow sculptures. The various submissions will be…
Rochester group explores cohousing
A volunteer group is working to create a co-housing development — a multigenerational community located on one to two acres within the City of Rochester limits. Co-housing is essentially a planned community where residents have their own homes or apartments, but there are shared spaces, too, including a common house for residents to eat together…
THEATER | “Mary Poppins”
A genuinely homegrown production, RAPA Family Theatre’s “Mary Poppins” stars more than 40 Rochester-based professional performers, including Kaitlyn Baldwin as Mary Poppins, Brynn Tyszka as Winifred Banks, and Jeff Andrews as Bert. The show is directed by Eric Vaughn Johnson, and continues through this weekend. Flying, magical nannies, while uncommon in everyday life, have been…
Chili looks at the big picture
Each year on the Fourth of July, Chili residents are treated to a taste of a truly walkable community. That’s when the town closes off a section of Chili Avenue for its annual summer festival, the Chil-E Fest, which pulls residents from the surrounding neighborhoods into the center of town. Many residents arrive at the…
CLASSICAL | Stephanie Blythe
Called “a once-in-a-generation opera singer” by the New York Times, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe will perform works by Poulenc, Ferre, Brel, Britten, and Coward as part of the Eastman School of Music’s Kilbourn Concert Series. Blythe has performed with companies around the world, including the Royal Opera in London, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Opera National de…
Urban Action 3/25
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Young Latina’s memoir discussed Moving Beyond Racism Book Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 6, to discuss the memoir, “When I Was Puerto Rican,” by Esmeralda Santiago. Born in Puerto…
XRIJF announces full 2015 lineup
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival today announced the full lineup for its 2015 festival, which will run June 19 through June 27. More than 1500 artists will perform during the festival’s 14th edition, including The Steve Gadd Band, which was announced as the final headliner show. Drummer Steve Gadd is a Rochester native and…
Theater Review: “The Field” at MuCCC
Anti-heroes are all the rage. But before Tony Soprano, Walter White, and Frank Underwood, there was Bull McCabe. He is the definitive 20th-century anti-hero: a rugged farmer, a loving father, a brutish bully who stops at nothing to establish his empire of acreage. McCabe is the force behind John B. Keane’s 1965 rural Irish drama,…
Film Review: “Reflections Unheard: Black Women in Civil Rights”
Closing out The Little Theatre’s Women’s History Month film series, “Reflections Unheard: Black Women in Civil Rights” examines the crucial role of African-American women in the fight for civil rights. Director Nevline Nnaji uses archival footage and interviews with many of the activists, sitting down with female former members of groups like Student Nonviolent Coordinating…
Film Review: “Insurgent”
Another in the line of adaptations of dystopian Young-Audlt novels hastily greenlit by studios hoping to capitalize on the success of the “Hunger Games” franchise, the “Divergent” series is precisely the variety that gives the genre a bad name. More than just hopelessly generic, the basic premise of this world — that in a post-apocalyptic…
Film Review: “Wild Tales”
An exhilarating, wickedly funny anthology film, the Oscar-nominated “Wild Tales” presents six separate tales centered around acts of unbridled revenge. Each story follows a protagonist who takes their desire for vengeance against the injustices of life (both large and small) to outrageous extremes: from its opening, about passengers aboard a plane realizing they all have…
Killing public schools: Do critics realize what’s ahead?
Public schools are in trouble, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. But do critics know what their attacks will do?
Film Review: “The Gunman”
It’s beyond heartbreaking when wealthy, middle-aged white men can’t find work as action heroes, so cheers to French filmmaker Pierre Morel for singlehandedly doing something to address their plight. After announcing his arrival with 2004’s entertainingly dumb “District B13,” Morel went on to reinvent Liam Neeson’s career (2008’s “Taken”), then — well, he kept John…
