Cover Story
Rochester Muslims share their experiences
The horrific attacks in Paris, the suicide bombings in Beirut, and the downing of a Russian airliner all point to something bordering on the existential. If some people found comfort in the belief that ISIS can’t cause chaos and destruction well beyond Iraq and Syria, they’ve been violently disabused of that notion. And with some…
Dispatches from Paris
A reporter from the Indiana alternative paper, Nuvo, is in Paris for the historic climate summit. Lauren Kastner will send daily dispatches.
![[UPDATED] Old psych center eyed for large redevelopment project](https://i0.wp.com/www.roccitymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/dsc9057-2-scaled.webp?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
[UPDATED] Old psych center eyed for large redevelopment project
There’s a public meeting this week to talk about reusing the site for housing, commercial, and a hotel.
Week ahead: For the week of Monday, November 30
The Paris climate talks are under way and will continue for the next 12 days. Approximately 150 world leaders convened in the city for the opening of the United Nations talks, in which UN members are negotiating a global treaty for addressing climate change. The talks come soon after a brutal terrorist attack on the…
The City Seen: November 29
This past Sunday we made our way to The Episcopal Church of St. Luke & St. Simon Cyrene on the eve of the Paris Climate Talks as Rochesterians gathered to demand global action from their elected officials during the Rochester March for Global Climate Change. About 400 people filled the church to hear speakers from…
Sheriff’s salary commission nears recommendation
By the end of the month — probably sooner — the commission reviewing the Monroe County sheriff’s salary will make its recommendation to the County Legislature. The commission, convened in haste earlier this month, met for the second time yesterday (see video of the meeting below). Members — four appointed by the Legislature’s GOP majority…
KOPPS musicians share their music-making magic
Music that possesses an electronic component can still be organic; it’s just rooted on the receiving end as opposed to the launch site. Let’s simplify: Though it has some synthetic root, electronic music still gets human (organic) asses in motion. KOPPS is one of those groups that create within this hard to classify hybrid. Call…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Daisies”
Alyssa Trahan “Daisies” Self-released alyssatrahan.com This here is a record of full-blown, unadulterated, contemporary country pop. From her understated angelic voice to the album’s slick production and overall feel, Alyssa Trahan’s “Daisies” screams NashVegas. Trahan has assembled a dangerous cast of Nashville characters to flesh out her songs admirably. In fact she recorded the project in Nashville…
High-class dog hotel planned for Penfield
The former Camp Haccamo site in Penfield could soon house a high-end dog hotel. Developer Frank Imburgia owns the 11 acre parcel, which is tucked between Route 441, Panorama Trail, Allen Creek, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Imburgia’s representatives say that the proposal is modeled after luxe canine accommodations in cities including Chicago and Los Angeles.…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Every One of You”
Joe Smith & The Going Concern “Every One of You” Murray Black Records Joesmithandthegoingconcern.bandcamp.com The energy is there. The guitar is there with its relentless strum attack. The attitude is there, and so is the band’s list of influences: Ramones, Replacements, Bad Religion. Joe Smith & The Going Concern is my kind of band. Straight outta…
Professor: No end to refugee crisis without defeating ISIS
The attacks in Paris need to be seen in context, says Robert Gerace, a retired captain in the US Naval Reserve Intelligence Program. Gerace is a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology where he has taught counterterrorism measures. US efforts to degrade and destroy ISIS obviously haven’t gone as expected, he says. You get what…
Seasonal greetings
You should have some fun this holiday season. It’s so easy to get wrapped up (no pun intended) in gift giving, party planning, and frantic family events that you forget to relax and enjoy the time with friends and family. Keep in mind that this is a season for celebrating. There should be good food…
Empanada Shop adds Colombian food to Rochester’s ethnic restaurant mix
With Thanksgiving upon us, I have something a bit outside the norm to be thankful for. South American food is woefully underrepresented in Rochester right now, but along with the more established Espada (Brazilian) in Village Gate and Juan and Maria’s Empanada Stop (Chilean), the Colombian-based Empanada Shop is one of a small selection of…
Deck all of the halls
Local artists hand-make ornaments for any time of the year Confession: I don’t put up a tree during the holidays. My living space is modest in size and I’ve never adored the ritual of cutting down a whole tree, only to curb it a few weeks later. But I’m not a Grinch — I enjoy…
Paris may be last, best chance to achieve carbon cuts
All eyes are on Paris. The world reacted to the horrific attacks that killed 129 people and injured many more with shock, grief, anger, and fear. But many people also look at the City of Light with optimism; Paris refused to let the violence prevent it from hosting the crucial United Nations climate treaty talks…
Noggin’ for the holidays
Local bartenders put their twist on that divisive, sweet holiday drink: egg nog After talking to people about egg nog, I’ve come to realize that they either love it or abhor it. Personally, I love the stuff. I’ll put it in my coffee, use it in pancake or French toast batter — I’ll even buy…
See for yourself
When many of us travel, we are ushered around carefully preened and planned channels that brush against but never penetrate the world known by the locals. And the exotic versions of the place offered to visitors are rarely experienced by the actual residents. This is the consideration behind Barbadian artist Ewan Atkinson’s “The Neighbourhood Project.”…
Bringing in the light
Some groups in Rochester are incorporating the winter solstice into their holiday traditions Beyond the traditional presents, decorations, trees, and dinner plans, there is another holiday practice that is capturing the attention of some Rochester groups. Supplementing the traditional holidays, or even sometimes foregoing these activities and replacing them, a growing number of people are…
JAZZ | Frode Gjerstad Trio and Steve Swell
If the avant-garde is your cup of tea, you won’t want to miss one of Norway’s top free-jazz trios. Frode Gjerstad coaxes sounds out of his saxophone and clarinet that you have probably not heard before, while Paal Nilssen-Love and Jon Rune Strøm take equally bold journeys on drums and bass. At the Bop Shop,…
When the weather outside is frightful
Sometimes you just need a movie break during the holidays. Here are our suggestions on what to watch this season The term “Christmas movie” means different things to different people. Just like the holiday itself — which can be both universal and extremely personal — we all celebrate in our own way, and certain films…
CLASSICAL | Annie Moses Band
Juilliard-trained bluegrass and classical played by siblings and assorted other family members: that is the intriguing CV of the Annie Moses Band, founded by violinist-singer Annie Wolaver and her brothers Alex (viola) and Ben (cello); three more relatives, Camille, Gretchen, and Jeremiah, have joined since. (The band is named after their great-grandmother.) The band’s classical…
UR assessing campus climate
University of Rochester President Joel Seligman has formed a commission on race and diversity “to address the broader questions of how we best can create an environment that is safe, supportive and welcoming for all in our community,” he said in a statement. The commission will by the end of January 2016 provide Seligman with…
CLASSICAL | Penfield Symphony Orchestra
You can sneak in your holiday musical celebrating a bit early this year: On Thanksgiving weekend, the Penfield Symphony Orchestra will present “Holiday, Family, and Friends” under conductor David Harman. The program includes the premiere of an arrangement of “Ding, Dong, Merrily on High” performed by the PSO Brass Ensembles and dedicated to former PSO…
ART EVENT | FESTIVAL OF CRAFTS
Artisans from the Finger Lakes area will have their handcrafted work on display and for sale during the Folk Art Guild’s annual Holiday Festival of Crafts this weekend. The Guild, an arts community located in Middlesex, has been supporting regional craftspeople for more than 50 years, and offers workshops, apprenticeships, and exhibits of work by…
ROCK | Nik Turner’s Hawkwind
During his tenure in Hawkwind, Lemmy Kilmister penned the tune “Motorhead” before getting booted out of the band to form Motorhead. Riding the fringes of experimental music when the band began in 1969, Hawkwind referred to its music — a heady, jammed-out, psychedelic mix of heavy rock and synthetic passages — as space rock. Saxophonist Nik…
COMEDY | CAROLYN CASTIGLIA
Women take over the stage for The Comedy Fix! Stand-up Showcase at Photo City Improv this weekend, with Carolyn Castiglia headlining the show. Castiglia, a standup known for her story telling, crowd work, and ability to freestyle rap, has appeared on VH1, MTV2, and Comedy Central. Regional comedian Anna Phillips will open for Castiglia. Carolyn…
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL | The Hi-Risers
What can I say about the Hi-Risers that I haven’t already? I’m gonna have to dig deep into my bag-o-vocab to further describe these three cats. How about Grade-A, number one, super-supreme, king-size, deluxe rock ‘n’ roll? These guys are Rochester’s Fab Three. And if that ain’t enough, Mckinley James, the pride of Hi-Riser drummer…
DANCE, MUSIC | ‘THE NUTCRACKER’
As a Thanksgiving weekend highlight, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester City Ballet, and the Bach Children’s Chorus present the Tchaikovsky holiday classic “The Nutcracker.” Conductor Michael Butterman joins with Artistic Director David Palmer and Production Artistic Director Jamey Leverett of Rochester City Ballet and Karla Krogstad, director of the Bach Children’s Chorus, to bring the…
PERCUSSION | TIGUE
Fresh off the release of its debut album, “Peaks,” on indie classical label New Amsterdam Records, the innovative Brooklyn-based percussion trio TIGUE makes its way to the Bug Jar for a homecoming of sorts. All Eastman School of Music alumni, Matt Evans, Amy Garapic, and Carson Moody bring an unforced cool to the genre of…
WORKSHOP | SCREEN-PRINTING HOLIDAY CARDS
Just in time for the holiday season, Rochester Brainery — which hosts low-cost community classes — will offer a hands-on workshop next week on screen-printing holiday cards. Participants will learn how to set up a screen-printing station and create a professional-quality screen print. Paper will be available for printing, but attendees can take other items…
ROCK | Dance Gavin Dance
Most categorize Dance Gavin Dance as post-hardcore, but the band has really transcended that label since starting 10 years ago. What sets DGD apart are two things: their unprecedented musicianship and the prowess of their vocalists. Any connoisseur of progressive music, or even jazz, can appreciate the talent and the subtle moments that guitarist Will…
Feedback 11/25
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. Tell the…
HIP-HOP | Obie Trice
Obie Trice has always been a trailblazer. Coming from Detroit, Trice has roots that run deep as well as intertwined with some of hip-hop’s greatest names. After getting his start attending rap battles at the Hip Hop Shop, he fell in league with Eminem and was featured on not only “The Eminem Show,” but also…
Urban Action 11/25
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. All are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Winter conference set for organic farming group The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York will hold its 2016 Winter Conference, “Good Hard Work: Ecosystems, Economics, Energy, and Equity,” from Friday, January 22,…
Forcing Urbanski out won’t help city students
An attack on Rochester teachers union president Adam Urbanski is an attack on teachers, and that distracts us from the enormous challenge ahead of us.
Vive la France
In a performance dedicated to the victims of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, the Society for Chamber Music in Rochester presented a cogent (though far from comprehensive) overview of French music Friday night, focused on woodwinds. Titled “Colors of France,” the program was the first in a series devoted to notable composers of various…
