Cover Story
Show time for Rochester Fringe
It took dancers jumping off buildings for people to finally “get” the magnitude of the inaugural First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival. “Another festival?” is a common refrain in Rochester. It can be hard to get excited about a new project when the area is already so flush with celebrations of everything from Turkish culture and…
Romney cuts himself with his own axe
Mitt Romney may have at last made errors that he can’t overcome, even with the help of a highly financed ad campaign. The more he talks, the more he reveals that he is stunningly uninformed. Today he’s trying to deal with a video, obtained by Mother Jones Magazine, of a talk to wealthy Republican donors.…
Concert Review: Deke Dickerson, Mike Snow Band, Guy Forsyth
Guitar impresario Deke Dickerson positively peeled the paint off the Abilene walls with his blistering guitar work Friday night. Dickerson is one of the slickest, fastest guitar players alive, and his skill is rivaled only by his genuine, aww-shucks charm. Dickerson’s drummer took a crack at playing guitar while two audience members held him by…
There Romney goes again
I’m surprised by the number of people rushing to write Mitt Romney’s political obituary this morning. The Republican presidential candidate, often his own worst enemy, was caught on video basically saying that 47 percent of the country is dependent on the government and therefore committed Obama voters not worthy of his time. Putting aside emotion…
Daily Choices: What to do on Tuesday, September 18
ART: Check out the colorful paintings in "Belinda Bryce: Modular Pictures" today at OckHee’s Gallery (2 Lehigh St., Honeoye Falls). Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The exhibit is free to view and remains up through October 13. For information: ockheesgallery.com. THEATER: Not ready for the stage, but know that plays are meant to be…
Week ahead: water-level teleconference, Sibley building vote
On Tuesday, a joint US-Canada board tasked with managing St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario water levels will hold a teleconference on that topic. The teleconference, which starts at 7 p.m., is being held by the International St. Lawrence River Board of Control, a sub-board of the International Joint Commission. The presentation will address current…
Daily Choices: What to do on Monday, September 17
WORKSHOP: Get ready for fall with workshop focused on making the culinary most of the season. A Cornucopia of Cooking: Celebrate the End of the Summer Harvest will take place tonight, 6-8 p.m., at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County (249 Highland Ave.), featuring Chef Bradley Butler, Executive Chef at the Maplewood Estates. Participation costs…
Video Game Review: Kirby’s Dream Collection
It’s a little surreal to think that I’m only two years older than Kirby.
Daily Choices: What to do Saturday-Sunday, September 15-16
DANCE: The Upstate NY Latin Dance Festival will take place all weekend at Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.). Pricing ranges from $15 for show/party passes to $135 for full event passes, which included two full days of workshops, both nights of shows, and all parties. For more information or to register, call 770-8572 or…
A boost for Rochester riverfront development?
The Vacuum Oil industrial site in southwest Rochester typified the city’s manufacturing muscle in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when busy factories dotted the area. But the now-rundown 25-acre collection of public and private properties on the west bank of the Genesee River at Flint Street could see a revival. A bill sponsored…
Fair Elections committee rules on O’Brien’s complaints
Ted O’Brien, Sean Hanna, 55th Senate District, Fair Election Practices Committee
Gantt, for good?
I’ve been skimming the postmortems on last night’s Democratic primary for State Assembly with candidates David Gantt, Jose Cruz, and John Lightfoot. The smart money was always on Gantt, but I don’t think anyone expected a blowout. The longtime incumbent earned more votes than Cruz and Lightfoot combined. Turnout was pathetic, but it always is.…
“X Factor” Season 2, Episode 2: That defines the word uncomfortable
For the second audition episode we were suddenly back in San Francisco (despite having gone to Providence at the end of the previous show). My best friend pointed out while watching the show last night that he likes “X Factor” because it really isn’t about finding the best singer. It’s about finding the next pop…
Romney’s bow to the far right isn’t working
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s long and illustrious political star plummeted when the Brits rightly opposed being dragged into President George W. Bush’s Iraq War. The British tabloids began referring to Blair as W’s poodle. It wasn’t the same kind of puppetry we saw with former Russian President Medvedev and Putin, but it was…
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[UPDATED] Gantt survives primary
Assembly member David Gantt survived a primary challenge from two opponents and will now face Green Party candidate Drew Langdon in the November general election. Gantt received 3,278 votes with all of the election districts reporting. That was more than the combined total received by his opponents; City school board member Jose Cruz received 952…
Arab spring may be Romney’s fall
The bloody events in Libya on Monday night are another reminder, as if one is ever needed, of how volatile that part of the world remains. It’s also a stark reminder of how quickly the political fortunes of Western leaders can change in that neck of the woods when things go wrong. President Obama now…
Nintendo reveals Wii U launch details
After months of speculation after E3, Nintendo has finally revealed the launch details for its anticipated new home console, the Nintendo Wii U. The system will launch on Sunday, November 18, sticking to Nintendo’s traditional Sunday launch schedule. A first for Nintendo, the Wii U will be launching in a two-tier SKU package, with the…
Neighbors fed up with East High students
Some East High students are giving residents and business owners in the North Winton Village neighborhood a major headache.
New Zealand dabbles in personhood for the environment
In the United States, corporations have constitutional rights. It’s a concept known as corporate personhood, and over the years it’s been shaped by court decisions and the occasional law. The US isn’t the only country to recognize corporate personhood. But in some other countries, citizens are using the same legal concepts to protect the environment.…
“X Factor” Season 2, Episode 1: It’s Britney, bitch!
Previously on “The X Factor”: some people nobody cared about sang, a person nobody remembers won, and half the on-air talent got fired. But they want you to forget pretty much all of that. Seriously, there was not a single mention of anything to do with Season 1 in the S2 premiere. Not one. They…
Apple unveils iPhone 5
In a press conference today, Apple revealed its much anticipated new phone, the iPhone 5.
Slaughter and Brooks start duking it out
Hoo boy: We may not get much of the harsh TV ads of the presidential campaign, since Obama pretty much has a lock on New York State, but it looks like the Maggie-and-Louise campaign will make up for it. The Slaughter campaign has released a particularly harsh TV ad called “Scandal,” focusing on negative news…
Best Bets at Rochester Fringe: Michael Lasser’s picks
One review of “The Bicycle Men” called it “a genial spoof.” So is this going to be one of those things that’s much funnier when you’re having a fourth beer with friends and making up a musical at 3 in the morning? But a naïve Yank who gets stuck while biking through France also conjures…
Best Bets at Rochester Fringe: Rebecca Rafferty’s picks
There are some unknowns in human existence that might never be answered. But that doesn’t mean we won’t eternally ask questions about our purpose (or lack thereof), the nature of death, and the slippery slope of human cognition. Core Project Chicago’s “The Dust” will explore these themes of death, fate, memory, and man through dance,…
Best Bets at Rochester Fringe: Casey Carlsen’s picks
BIODANCE, a well-established, local contemporary group led by Missy Pfohl Smith, has two distinctly different shows in the festival. “Breakdown: Dance/Sound” is an experimental new work performed to the orchestral music of Sound ExChange. The piece uses 50 musicians and 10 dancers, and promotes audience interaction. BIODANCE’s other work, “Love at First Waltz,” highlights Smith’s…
Best Bets at Rochester Fringe: Willie Clark’s picks
Big name comedian Patton Oswalt headlines the comedy portion of the Fringe Festival. Possibly best known for his roles in “The King of Queens” and the voice of Remy in “Ratatouille,” Oswalt has also appeared everywhere from “The Fairly Odd Parents” to “Community” to “Grand Theft Auto.” An accomplished stand-up comedian and writer (he most…
Best Bets at Rochester Fringe: Paloma Capanna’s picks
The Eastman School of Music students creating “Hide the Moon,” an original adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “Salome,” are billing the event by the emotions infatuation, loathing, fear, and lust. Who doesn’t want an hour of high drama? The student group, led by Andrew Pramuk, are infusing drama, music, movement, and original arrangements to tell the…
Best Bets at Rochester Fringe: Eric Rezsnyak’s picks
The headliner act that made everyone go “Ooooooooo!” at the press conference, Bandaloop will undoubtedly be the most eye-popping experience at the inaugural Fringe Festival. This world-renowned aerial dance troupe performs vertical routines while suspended from climbing ropes. It has danced on the sides of the Seattle Space Needle, New York Stock Exchange, and the…
Daily Choices: What to do on Wednesday, September 12
LECTURE: A Kodak History Lecture with optics expert Martin Scott will be presented tonight at 6:30 p.m. at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.). Scott will discuss the history of the Kodak labs and their long relationship with the Eastman House. Admission is $3-$6, and free to members. For more information, call 271-3361 or visit…
Truancy tests RCSD’s resolve
The Rochester school district kicked off the new school year with what officials say is a serious crackdown on attendance and truancy. The new effort, which is loosely based on a program used successfully in other New York school districts, will involve the broader community. Officials say that poor attendance and high truancy rates are…
Exposed Music Fest
For the past three years, the Exposed Music Festival has helped bridge the gap, not only between band and fan, but band and band. This year’s Rochester installment features local rockers like Bleed The Messiah, Low Flying Planes, and One Fate Remains with bands from all over the Northeast and Canada. While these bands form…
Hollywood squares
With a set up and light show that threatened to blow the doors off Water Street Music Hall last Thursday night, Canadian new wave/electronica band Metric positively rocked the house to a near-sold-out crowd and rabid audience. Anticipation was high for this show, the buzz emitting from unlikely sources as the crowd was a cross…
Artist Row
Get to meet some of Rochester’s working visual artists with the 8th Annual Artist Row event Sunday, September 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Rochester Public Market (280 N. Union St.). Artist Row will feature more than 150 local artists showing off and selling their wares in a variety of media, everything from ceramics to…
Deliver the Vetiver
The principle ingredients in Vetiver’s mix complement and counter one another, creating a splendid sparkle. It’s a tonal blend of simple pop sugar over a more serious folk-rock stock. By definition, that kind of puts the San Francisco band on the crowded indie shelf in the hip aisle. But Vetiver extends into its own territory…
Upstate NY Latin Dance Fest
There are few things sexier and more passionate than Latin dancing. If you’re a fan of the salsa, mambo, cha cha, bachata, you’ll want to check out the Upstate NY Latin Dance Fest, presented by Essence of Rhythm Latin Dance Co. and Imagen Magazine. The event starts Thursday, September 13, and runs through Sunday, September…
Daily Choices: What to do on Friday, September 14
SPECIAL EVENT: Get psyched for the ImageOut Film Festival, which takes place October 5-14, by attending the 5th Annual ImageOut Festival Fair tonight at The Strasenburgh Planetarium (Rochester Museum and Science Center, 657 East Ave.). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a happy hour, followed by a programmer’s preview of the fall festival with trailer…
Latino Film Festival
Our hometown is rich with film festivals, each seeking to provide perspective on different experiences through the international language of art. The second installment of the Latino Film Festival will take place Saturday, September 15, 1-11 p.m., at St. John Fisher College (3690 East Ave.). Admission is free, and the line-up includes “Viva Cuba,” a…
Daily Choices: What to do on Thursday, September 13
SPECIAL EVENT: City Newspaper’s South Wedge-Ucation takes place tonight, 5-8 p.m., in the South Wedge neighborhood, and features free-to-low-cost offers from South Wedge merchants, as well as information from some of Rochester’s top arts & cultural organizations. The event is free and open to the public, and the first 250 students to show up with…
Greentopia
Greentopia returns to Rochester this week, transforming the High Falls area to a hub focused on the future of green living, working, and play. The entire seven-day festival features films, music, a green business expo, and an eco festival. Celebrate sustainability at the business-to-business conference, Greentopia Innovation, which will take place Friday, September 14, at…
City Newspaper’s 2012 South Wedge-Ucation
City Newspaper’s South Wedge-Ucation is back! This year’s event, presented by Visit Rochester, will feature RIDICULOUS offers from South Wedge merchants, deals and information from some of Rochester’s top arts & cultural organizations, and more. South Wedge-Ucation is FREE and open to the public, and is an especially good time for local college students. Why’s…
Rochester Fringe Festival Guide
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Eat, Pray, Love Gala / Art and Poetry at JGK Gallery
Rochester’s literary culture hub, Writers & Books, will hold two bashes this weekend in celebration of the written word. On Friday, September 14, head over to JGK Gallery (10 Vick Park A), for a night of Art and Poetry. The event takes place at 6 p.m., and features readings by 16 Rochester poets who have…
Best of Rochester 2012: VOTE NOW in the Final Ballot
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Festival of Lanterns
On September 15, as the sun goes down, Claude Bragdon-inspired lanterns will light up at the Maplewood Rose Garden and music will take to the air. It’s part of the Maplewood Neighborhood Association’s “Historic Maplewood Home Tour.” At 7:30 p.m., music begins with a drum circle and a Native American flutist. At 8 pm, the…
“Heartland”
When a series of senseless murders are committed by a psychopath-at-large, macho fool Skeet decides to take the law into his own hands. He’s seeking to save the day, sure, but also salvage some of his lost status in his small Midwestern town. Unfortunately, the killer may be closer to home than Skeet imagines. This…
CHOW HOUND: TRATA, Gluten-Free Fair, Openings and more
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Devil Makes Three
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Feedback 9/12
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. 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. ‘The Best’ accessibility…
KISS/Motley Crue
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“The Words”
Although throughout its history the cinema has offered numerous examples of films about artists of all sorts, writers seem the least congenial subjects for the camera. Composers, musicians, painters, sculptors, actors, dancers, even filmmakers themselves provide rich visual material for any director. The actual methods and practices of creation in the graphic, plastic, and performing…
Cyrille Aimee w/Diego Figueiredo
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“Robot & Frank”
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Glenn Miller Orchestra
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Urban Action 9/12
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Jessy Carolina and the Hot Mess
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One nation indivisible?
For diehard Republicans and Democrats, the political conventions probably provided a lot of excitement. But I’m left with a real sense of unease, and not just about the economy or the outcome of the November election. I’m really, really worried about where we’re headed for the foreseeable future – and whether we can manage to…
Wye Oak
Baltimore duo Wye Oak takes its moniker from the honorary state tree of Maryland, a 460-year-old white oak that was destroyed in a thunderstorm in 2002. The pair’s melodic noise pop might not share that namesake’s longevity, but the band emulates its constant growth with each subsequent release; the most recent album, last year’s “Civilian,”…
Skepticism on Sibley deal
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Spiritizual Rez
DJ Sita will start off the evening with a heavy electronic dub mix, which will be followed up by the far more house leanings of DJ Rufus Gibson. Sita has been at it locally for 10 years and it shows with the smooth mixes. Rufus Gibson is down from Buffalo and has a very chill…
Looking for Lincoln
It’s hard to imagine that any part of President Abraham Lincoln’s life remains unexamined. If he’s not the most written-about president, the Great Emancipator certainly must be high on the list. But Noah Andre Trudeau, author of several books about the Civil War, says that in the rush to get to “the big story” —…
Jukebox the Ghost
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Campaign mystery mail
Some voters in the 55th State Senate District have received campaign mailers ripping Democratic candidate Ted O’Brien for failing to take ethics training required as a member of the Monroe County Legislature. The mailers are factually wrong. O’Brien did take the training and he’s got the documentation to prove it. But the mailings highlight a…
Hed PE
These Huntington Beach hardcore rockers have been performing their brand of “g-punk” — a fusion of punk-rock and hip-hop — since their formation in 1994. This “gangstafied” genre has also been known to incorporate heavy metal, rap rock, and reggae, claiming artists like the Beastie Boys, Black Sabbath, and Bob Marley as major influences. The…
