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 recently penned “Zombie
Spaceship Wasteland”) and with five comedy albums under his belt — and just as
many stand-up specials — Oswalt will bring the geek-friendly laughs. (Saturday 9/22 8 p.m. at Kodak Hall at
Eastman Theater. Tickets cost $15-$55.)

Braving the long, long hike from Auburn is The Great Chernesky, a musical maelstrom blending folky strumming
with humor, wit, and humorous wit. Chernesky’s most
recent album, “Spilled Brews & Busted Stools,” just hit earlier this month,
so you can expect just as much when he comes to Java’s as part of Fringe. His
Davy Crockett raccoon hat will probably be there, too. (Friday 9/21 8 p.m. at Java’s. Free admission.)

Sure, ukuleles have become sort of a thing now: a smaller and
higher-pitched answer to those loud and lavishing guitars that used to be all the
rage. Oliver Brown and His Extraordinary Ukulelesblends
this mystical sea-shanty instrument with humorous song topics ranging from
Shakespeare to the wonders of the peanut-butter sandwich. He’s also had a song appear
on “Sesame Street,” so take that credential for what you will. (Friday 9/21 7-8 p.m. at Bernunzio’s
Uptown Music. Tickets cost $5.)

Dear Dexter (and yes, the group takes the name from
the serial-killer show you’re probably thinking about) will bring some
acoustic-laden rock ‘n’ roll to the Fringe Fest. The group, fronted by Jason
Morgan, is shifting and growing. But Morgan’s central vocals and songwriting
cement the group strongly in alternative-rock territory, while retaining the
intimacy acoustic instruments allow. (Thursday
9/20 9:30 p.m., Saturday 9/22 5 p.m. at Java’s. Free
admission.)

And sometimes you just need to have fun. Comedic hip-hop duo Garden
Fresh, made up of Professor Fizizizt and Tha Dome, takes the style and ground that hip-hop makes as
soil and creates something else: a polite, fiscally responsible rap group that
is as profound as it is hysterical. You won’t find alcohol-promoting jams here
(instead the group praises water with songs like… “Water”) or
rap-battling egos (see; “Sitting Politely”).(Friday 9/21 and Saturday 9/22 9:30 p.m. at Bernunzio’s Uptown Music. Tickets cost $5.)

Writing a good song and writing a good story aren’t really
that different. Weaving these two art forms together at the seams, Howie Lesteris equal parts musician and storyteller, bringing in influences from just
about every road-faring and wandering people you could imagine. Blues, gypsy, klezmer, Cajun, and other roots traditions all rolled into
one ball made of storytelling yarn in his performance, “The Arkansas
Traveler Meets Mulla Nasrudin.”(Saturday 9/22 10 p.m. at the Little
Café. Free admission.)

Hungry? Try some Yum! Yum! is a collection of poems, stories, and songs all about that
wonderful thing we can’t live without and spend a lot of our time eating, food.
Dulcimers, guitars, whipped cream, and jam are all promised to be present, so
make sure to save some room for the fun. (Wednesday
9/19 4 p.m. at Writers & Books. Tickets cost $10.)