Cover Story
A guide for all seasons
You might think you know all there is to know about your hometown, but you can live in a place your entire life and learn something new about it every day. That’s what CITY’s Annual Manual is all about. It is as much a guide for longtime residents of the Rochester region as it is…
The Hochstein School, 100 years in the making
As The Hochstein School prepares for a virtual celebration of its centennial on April 5, history shows that the Rochester institution has always had to adapt to survive.
Cannabis legalization up in smoke for 2020, governor says
Governor Andrew Cuomo said legalizing the recreational use of cannabis was “not likely” to be part of the 2020-21 budget, which is due April 1.
How to ethically use your coronavirus check
What should you do with your coronavirus ‘stimulus’ money? We didn’t ask a personal finance expert. We asked an ethicist.
Romantic distancing: Dating apps in the age of COVID
In the age of coronavirus, a screen-to-screen connection is all apps like Tinder and Bumble have to offer.
Rochester’s theater community remembers Herb Katz
Herb Katz, a local stage legend who was the first artistic director of the CenterStage at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester, died March 24 at the age of 82.
Pandemic-era portraits
Rochester photographers are taking “porch portraits” to document life during the COVID-19 pandemic — from a safe but social distance.
City closes playgrounds and basketball hoops, but not parks
Mayor Lovely Warren encouraged residents to go on walks, ride bikes, or engage in other forms of solitary exercise.
Other Half Brewing challenges breweries to get ‘All Together’
Other Half Brewing launches an initiative to benefit service workers whose jobs have been sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic.
Monroe County hospitals prepare for coronavirus ‘surge’
Officials have developed plans that would add 2,000 more hospital beds in Monroe County, if they are needed.
‘I’m pregnant in a pandemic and scared’
An expecting mother thought she was prepared for the birth of her first child. But nothing could have prepared her for COVID-19.
Rerouting of Rochester bus routes will be delayed
The coronavirus pandemic caused the bus service to pump the brakes on its Reimagine RTS plans.
RCSD superintendent proposes 236 layoffs, including 193 teachers
Rochester City School Superintendent Terry Dade’s proposed budget would cut 236 jobs and programs for vulnerable students.
The F Word: The uplifting side of live-streaming
The same internet that’s been blamed for driving a wedge between musicians and audiences may be the very thing that saves our sanity and our souls.
Crisis line calls soar as coronavirus spreads
Calls to 211 Life Line have more than doubled to 500 a day since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Streaming music online, from beyond the 585
There’s plenty of worthwhile music content being made available, free of charge, beyond the Rochester area. Here are several options to peruse, from pop and rock to classical and opera.
The Little launches ‘Virtual Little’ streaming and YouTube channel
CITY’s Adam Lubitow previews “And Then We Danced,” the first of The Virtual Little’s films to stream.
Yes, bikes are ‘essential,’ state says
Cycling enthusiasts see the declaration as affirmation that bikes are a legitimate form of transportation.
Rochester music runs up-‘stream’ during pandemic
The trend of online performances by local musicians continues as plans for a Rochester Livestream Music Festival take shape.
Lawmakers say they’re still on track for an April 1 budget
They face a daunting task of putting together a spending plan while a multibillion-dollar deficit grows each day.
RTS riders ditch the bus — and that’s OK
Ridership on Regional Transit Service buses has plummeted 53 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sites for sounds
Location is everything when it comes to seeing music performed live. Of course, the quality of the music is important, too. But the venue can make or break the concert experience. Here are the Rochester concert spots worth visiting. From superior acoustics to comfortable atmospheres to diverse stylistic options, these venues hit the mark. Abilene…
A sobering reality
This column is another reminder, and a sobering warning: not all small businesses will survive this. Many will permanently shutter their doors as a result of this stagnation, including local breweries. But patrons can still help support them.
Welcome to the neighborhood(s)
When we talk about “Rochester,” we’re not just talking about the city. Rochester, for all intents and purposes, is really Monroe County. Indeed, when traveling outside the region, most people who live in the city’s suburbs tell anyone who asks they live in Rochester. Monroe County is about as diverse a community as you’ll find…
Quaran-tea time
Combine a virtual hangout and check-in with one another while supporting the local bakeries and pastry shops that are still open for biz. Place your orders ahead of time, brew up your favorite Darjeeling, Earl Grey, or rooibos, and take a mid-afternoon work break with friends and fam.
Dive into the nightlife
As the old Willie Nelson song goes, “The nightlife ain’t no life, but it’s my life.” And if you’re someone in search of live music, bawdy burlesque, some tasty barbeque, or a place to dance and romance, well hell, it’s your life, too. Here’s just a choice selection of myriad Rochester nightlife options for you…
PUSH-ing back against loneliness amid social distancing
As we settle into an extended period of isolation, PUSH Physical Theatre is helping assuage loneliness by creating instructional videos about what they do best — using athleticism, simple gestures, and soulful artistry to tell a story.
A renters’ rights run-down
Some recent, high-profile cases of negligent landlords, along with an explosion of new high-end apartment complexes with equally high-end rents, have brought issues of housing and renters rights to the fore.
Geva announces 2020-21 season
On Monday Geva Theatre Center announced its upcoming 48th season, which includes a lighthearted play about the niche world of air guitar competitions, an immersive new take on “Frankenstein,” a tribute to Johnny Cash, and a Taliban-plot-centered drama.
Susan B.’s Big Year
Rochester has grand plans to celebrate its favorite daughter — Susan B. Anthony — and her accomplishments throughout 2020, a year that marks a trifecta of important anniversaries. The first is the 200th anniversary of Anthony’s birth. The second is the 100th anniversary of 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which recognized women’s right to…
INDIE POP | Boy Jr.: ‘Suck My Finger Again’
A quick disclaimer: do not mistake this infectious pop song and its imperative to engage in unspeakably unhealthy acts of flirtation as a literal call to action. It is, however, safe to listen to this unstoppably catchy three-minute piece of ear candy on a loop, as the soundtrack to a summer of fun that might…
House party
For a city of Rochester’s population size and general distance from the Great White Way, there’s an impressive amount of talent and options for theatre lovers. But while the bigger houses like Geva, Rochester Broadway Theatre League, and Blackfriars get plenty of love for their season-long programming, there’s something to be said for the scrappier…
Track review: Judah Sealy’s ‘Off the Charts’
Rochester saxophonist Judah Sealy has a soft-spoken, unassuming presence, but don’t let that fool you. His talent for consummate smooth jazz licks is undeniable, and his ability to confidently carry the groove is what gives his music its charm. His new single, cleverly titled “Off the Charts” — available on all platforms Friday, March 27…
Weed in the Flower City
Let’s make one thing clear off the bat: Recreational cannabis was not yet legal in New York as of this guide’s publishing. If The Man catches you in possession of even a small amount, you could face a ticket and a fine. If you’re carrying larger amounts, the stakes are higher. That said, the statewide…
JAZZ | Laura Dubin & Antonio Guerrero
Given these circumstances of seclusion we all find ourselves in, the nightly, web-streaming performances at 8 p.m. by local pianist Laura Dubin and her husband, drummer Antonio Guerrero (at facebook.com/lauradubinjazz), are the closest you can get to catching a show at a cozy jazz club. The duo trades in straight-ahead jazz, playing with a bouncy…
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL | Robert Pycior: ‘Quarantine’
Rochester violinist, teacher, and film composer Robert Pycior is an intriguing figure. Perhaps best known as the fiddler for the idiosyncratic Americana band O’Death, Pycior is also member of the experimental folk duo North Collins and a musical contributor to numerous film projects, including several scored by the ethereal and moody composer Nathan Halpern. Pycior’s…
Exhibit A+
Rochester is regularly called a “city of the arts” by politicians and cultural movers and shakers alike. And while many people working within the arts sector grumble about the need to increase funding streams and better organize the infrastructure to support artists and institutions on every level, what they say is true — this town…
Album review: ‘Dead Star’
King Buffalo ‘Dead Star’ Self-released kingbuffalo.bandcamp.com Do you ever have those dreams where you’re flying or drowning? On its much-anticipated new album “Dead Star,” Rochester three-piece King Buffalo offers an enveloping thunder that seems like it could permeate underwater as well as the sky. Sean McVay’s guitar is even more menacing in its attack than…
From ale to weisse, Rochester brews it
The Flower City loves beer and there’s no shortage of fresh, local brews. From the trendiest haze bomb IPAs to the tried and true staple German-style lagers and Belgian-style farmhouse saisons, you can find it in Greater Rochester. In fact, Rochester is one of the biggest beer towns in the Northeast. The 26 breweries in…
Album review: ‘Joy’
Benjamin Boone with The Ghana Jazz Collective ‘Joy’ Origin Records benjaminboone.net When saxophonist Benjamin Boone—a professor at California State University, Fresno—traveled to Ghana to study as a Fulbright Scholar, he never expected to record an album. But one night at an Accra bar he encountered The Ghana Jazz Collective, a group of musicians as fluent…
For the kids
If there is one constant theme to greater Rochester, it’s that the area is a great place to raise kids. There are countless opportunities for kids to kick back and be themselves, and lots of venues that bring out the kid in everyone. The internationally recognized Strong National Museum of Play is the granddaddy of…
Mark Your Calendar
As of the printing of this publication, 2020 hasn’t unfolded as expected. We hope the health crisis is short-lived and that, when it’s all over, Rochester will get back to its routines and showcasing its treasures. Here are some highlights of the area’s scheduled attractions. Fingers crossed we get a chance to partake! Visit the…
Feedback 3/25/20: Grocery workers in the age of COVID-19, RCSD leaves students behind, and beware the immigration crackdown
This week, readers give thanks to grocery workers, shake their heads at the RCSD, and warn of the immigration crackdown.
Streaming review: ‘Blow the Man Down’
This past weekend Amazon Prime debuted “Blow the Man Down,” Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy’s compelling crime thriller that should make an excellent option for those looking for a bit of sex, murder, and mystery in their quarantine watching.
Known COVID-19 cases in Monroe County dip — but experts say worst is yet to come
Monroe County data show that more COVID-19 patients have gotten better than new cases have been diagnosed in the last two days. But experts call it a blip.
Take me to your leader
Greater Rochester saw a lot of changes in its political scene in the last year. For decades, the area mirrored the electoral pattern of the country, with urban centers strongly favoring Democrats, and rural and many suburban communities leaning Republican. The city of Rochester could have been described as a blue blotch in a sea…
Being neighborly in uncertain times
In Rochester, people are stepping up to help out neighbors whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Shelf-aware
Rochester’s got many organizations and literary centers that support its crowd of authors, poets, and lit-loving audiences.
Moving the needle
As the third-largest city in New York, Rochester has a rich local media scene, with a daily newspaper, a feisty alternative news weekly, three network television news affiliates, and dozens of radio stations. But the region isn’t immune to the problems afflicting traditional media outlets around the globe. Advertising, the conventional means by which media…
How to support the silver screens that have gone dark
Mega chains like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark have, for now, shut the doors on their locations nationwide, but many independent theaters don’t have the resources of those corporations to sustain a prolonged closure. Adam Lubitow checks in with the local indie movie houses to find out how patrons can help.
Quarantined: COVID-19 moves musicians to think outside the box
COVID-19 presents an entirely new challenge for musicians. With canceled shows and suddenly decreased incomes, local artists are finding alternative ways to connect to their audiences.
Estate planning, health proxies spike amid pandemic
Estate attorneys and financial advisors say they have fielded a flurry of inquiries from people looking to draft or update wills, review beneficiary designations, appoint a health care proxy, and otherwise get their affairs in order in preparation for the worst.
CITY stops the presses, but not reporting
This week, the painful and unprecedented decision was made to suspend printing CITY, at least temporarily. We will continue to report online.
