Cover Story
Bah! Humbug!
We’re embracing our “grim and depressing” city during the darkest and gloomiest holiday months with what we think is a realistic amount of glee, seasoned with plenty of snark.
Attorneys urge Dinolfo, legislators to scrap pending harassment law
The law would make it illegal for a person to intentionally “annoy, alarm or threaten the personal safety of” a first responder.
Minor political parties condemn Public Finance commission plan
One proposal would make it more difficult for minor parties to win a spot on the ballot.
Wilt launches second Congressional bid
Robin Wilt will challenge incumbent Democrat Joe Morelle.
Immigration finds some common ground in local survey
Large majorities of Democrats and Republicans in the 25th Congressional District share ‘common ground’ on immigration issues.
Eastman alumni and faculty receive Grammy nominations
Eastman School of Music will be well-represented at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, January 26, 2020.
Groups ask Dinolfo not to sign first responder harassment law
They’re also urging the public to speak out at the December 10 County Legislature meeting.
Police officials call for delay on criminal justice reforms
Law enforcement officials from across the state are calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to pause new bail laws and other criminal justice reform measures that go into effect on January 1. Rochester-area law enforcement leaders joined together Thursday to publicly make their request. They were part of a statewide show of force by the law…
Ex-Rochester Housing Authority boss charged — again
George Moses now faces 55 charges in a sting that ensnared a former city official and an RHA secretary.
It’s official: Democrats take Pittsford, hold GOP to single-seat majority in Monroe County Legislature
A count of outstanding ballots Thursday brings to a close the election of 2019.
‘Like Falling Through a Cloud’ with Eugenia Zukerman
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, just a better road to the end. World-renowned flutist Eugenia Zukerman on coping with her diagnosis.
RPO and Ward Stare’s recording up for two Grammys
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director Ward Stare’s recording of composer Jennifer Higdon’s “Harp Concerto,” featuring the classical harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, has been nominated for two Grammys.
Second Dinolfo administration official announces departure
Parks Director Larry Staub announced his retirement last week. Now, Robert Franklin, the county’s chief financial officer, will follow suit.
Making the most of meteorological misery
Historic winter holiday traditions in Rochester
Feedback 11/20
CITY welcomes your comments. Send them to feedback@rochester-citynews.com with your name, your city, town or village, and your daytime phone number for verification (your phone number will not be published). Comments of fewer than 500 words have a greater chance of being published, and we do edit selections for publication in print. We don’t publish…
Mixtape: A Curmudgeon’s Guide to Holiday Music
I do not like Christmas music. Never have. For several Yuletides now, I’ve been running a highly scientific poll to determine the most widely-detested holiday songs. The winner each year is something called “Christmas Shoes,” which I thankfully have not yet been subjected to. My plan is to never break this streak. A close runner-up…
Urban Action 11/20
This week’s call to action includes the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.) Council seeks PAB applicants Rochester City Council has started accepting resumes from people who want to serve on the newly-created Police Accountability Board. The volunteer board will be made up of nine city…
URMC plans orthopedic campus at Marketplace Mall
There are big expansion plans in the works for The Marketplace Mall, but they don’t include the addition of any big-box store or other retailers. Instead, the University of Rochester, the town of Henrietta and Wilmorite have announced plans for a new tenant —UR Medicine’s Orthopedics and Physical Performance Center. The 330,000-square-foot facility would include…
Joe Locke at The Little, and celebrating Joe Dady
Jeff Spevak previews vibraphonist Joe Locke’s return to The Little Theatre and shares more on Saturday’s memorial concert for Joe Dady.
ROOTS ROCK-SOUL | Dustbowl Revival
Without a percussive strike, spike, or slap of an instrument, or even a harsh puff from a singer’s lungs, it’s hard sometimes to distinguish a note’s origin. The music of California sextet Dustbowl Revival is full of this mysterious phenomenon, especially with the fiddle, which seems to appear out of thin air. The same goes…
Potluck-y
Easy, hearty dishes to bring to seasonal gatherings
JAZZ | Joe Fiedler’s ‘Big Sackbut’
Trombonist Joe Fiedler has explored his instrument’s important role in Latin music with Celia Cruz and Eddie Palmieri, as well as in the pit band of “In the Heights” on Broadway. He’s also embraced his role as an arranger of hundreds of tunes for “Sesame Street” on his recent album, “Open Sesame.” But over the…
Mistletoe and Holly(wood)
Christmas and movie-watching go together like eggnog and bourbon. But just as everyone’s holiday traditions are different, one’s personal tastes in holiday movies also tends to vary wildly.
COUNTRY | Alyssa Trahan
She likes dogs and she has a thing for boys who drive trucks. But the country clichés abruptly stop there. When you hear Alyssa Trahan sing in that lovely country alto of hers. Trahan is gambling on the long dollar, and since 2016 she’s split her time between Rochester and Music City, USA. She can…
COMEDY | ‘John Cleese is at it Again’
John Cleese turned 80 this year, but he shows no sign of slowing down. After a few nights of standup in Las Vegas earlier this month, the comedy legend is bringing his one-man show to The Vine venue at Waterloo’s Del Lago Resort. This tour is noteworthy, because Mr. Cleese publically exiled himself to the…
HARD ROCK-METAL | John 5
Fast ain’t the word, chum. Guitarist John 5 plugs in and rides the lightning for Rob Zombie, just like he’s done for David Lee Roth and shock rocker Marilyn Manson. John 5 is integral to Zombie’s sound, and has been with him since 2006. And though there’s no rest for the wicked, it’s impressive to…
FILM | ‘Filmi Worlds’
Since 2014, the George Eastman Museum has been home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary Indian cinema outside of India. With more than 700 films now in the Museum’s archive, why not have a festival to show some of them off? This weekend, the Eastman Museum will partner with the University of Rochester, the…
CLASSICAL | RPO with JoAnn Falletta
JoAnn Falletta, the lauded music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, makes a welcome visit east this week to lead the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert begins with a brief but delightful Overture by Germaine Taillefaire (1892-1983), the female member of the composer coterie Les Six. The late Christopher Rouse’s Flute Concerto comes next, probably…
COMEDY | Shane Mauss ‘Stand Up Science Live’
At its core, science is the process of taking thousands of hours of tedium and distilling them into the absolute coolest stuff to talk about. Shane Mauss (pronounced like the plant, not the rodent) lets audiences skip all the calibration, data gathering, paperwork, and lab-rat husbandry to get right into the juicy parts. This Wisconsinite…
ELECTRONIC-JAM BAND | LOTUS
Known for its striking light show and improvised setlists, Denver-based electro-jam quintet Lotus has been making waves for two decades now. Its newest release, “Frames per Second,” is both a 19-song album and a studio documentary showcasing the band’s raw performance style up close. There’s no need for vocals when it comes to Lotus —…
THEATER | ‘Twelfth Night’
Gender-blending in the works of William Shakespeare is not new: even in his own lifetime, his female characters were played by men (mostly because acting wasn’t a profession deemed suitable for women). In recent decades, so-called “Bard-bending” has gained popularity, seeing folks of all and no gender portraying the different characters on stage. And many…
ART | ‘Kocktails with Kalup & Gatekeeper Adrian’
American video and performance artist Kalup Linzy’s ongoing video series, “Conversations wit de Churen,” nods to “Def Comedy Jam,” Tyler Perry’s “Medea,” the early films of John Waters and Andy Warhol, and a satirical look at the absurd melodrama of such daytime soaps as “All My Children” and “As the World Turns.” His recent episode…
ART | Marilyn Anderson
Marilyn Anderson’s retrospective show, “Past and Present: Art about Guatemala, Drawings, Paintings, Relief Prints and Photos,” currently hanging in the Mercer Gallery at MCC’s Brighton Campus, is the celebration of a life’s work in preserving cultural heritage. The Maya people of Guatemala are Anderson’s main focus throughout, but the works on display intersect with the…
Album review: ‘Unsubscribe’
Diluted ‘Unsubscribe’ Self-Released dilutedband.com Originally formed in 2014 while vocalist Pat Mulligan and lead guitarist Zach Coffey were attending SUNY Fredonia, local hardcore band Diluted is now a full-fledged quintet. Diluted’s third official EP, “Unsubscribe,” features its new drummer, Tyler Creller, and the music seems to palpitate with the same animalistic rage that the band…
Album review: ‘Hideout’
The Stedwells ‘Hideout’ Self-released thestedwells.bandcamp.com I’m not sure if it was the intention of The Stedwells to relinquish control to the music on their new EP “Hideout.” It’s not like they’re fighting with the music, it’s just that they’ve just got a tiger by the tail. The performance on this record is tight and lean…
The F Word: Watch this space
For over a year now, I’ve been writing “The F Word” for CITY Newspaper exclusively on the web. Through this scratched screed, I’ve expounded wisdom, swapped recipes, observed the absurd, and called bullshit.
Let’s call it what it was: The Cabal Act of 2019
As one astute CITY reader noted, the CABLE Act was more cabal.
County first responder harassment law passes
Democratic legislators who have worked as first responders say it’s unnecessary and problematic.
A different type of Southern style
India is as large and diverse as the United States, and different regions have different palates, flavors, and culinary styles. Hyderabad Biryani House focuses on South India cuisine.
Feeling neighborly
“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” is a story about the real work it takes to manage one’s emotions, and be considerate of others.
Music school project gets creative with fundraising
It’s 8 p.m. on a snowy Wednesday night in November, and a crew of musicians is gathered in the cozy third-floor attic of Ben Morey and Katie Morey-Preston’s home, which doubles as a recording studio and rehearsal space. The group is gathered to rehearse for a rather unconventional event: a live performance of Harry Nilsson’s…
Interview: Beyond Ron Swanson
Nick Offerman’s best known for his portrayal of Ron Swanson on “Parks and Recreation,” but his career is far from one-note.
Safer opioid packaging urged after Brighton baby fatally overdoses on methadone
Sen. Charles Schumer calls on FDA to put opioids in blister packs.
CABLE Act took a page from GOP playbooks in other states
Republicans in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan have taken legislative action to weaken incoming Democrats
