Hardcore fans of live
music don’t ever let the local inclemency keep them housebound. Slogging
through the mush and over mountains of snow is a small price to pay for good
live music in clubs throughout Rochester.

Most people, however,
only venture out of their foxholes when weather is balmy. And even though the
indoor music is blasting through re-opened windows and doors, you don’t have to
go inside to dig the vibe.

The biggest thing for
me is the “come hither” music gives as it spills out nightclub doors to shake
up the mosquitoes and moths circling streetlights. It’s like the chase being
better than the catch.

I can remember nights
in the mid-’80s hanging out in front of Snake Sister’s Cafรฉ (now Lux Lounge) on
South Avenue and hearing The Colorblind James Experience or The Fadeaways or
even The Blasters provide a soundtrack to whatever angle I was working or come-on
I was pitching curbside, hanging out amongst the parked cars.

You could tell The
Red Creek on Jefferson Road was jumpin’ as soon as you pulled into the lot, dug
the cool rides and bikes, and heard Roomful of Blues or The Crickets or The
Tailgators rockin’ the joint from the inside out.

Now don’t get me
wrong. I’m gonna go inside… eventually. I just want to enjoy the outside vibe,
hearing the music grow louder as I approach.

The Clarissa Room is
perfect for this activity. And though there probably won’t be a fleet of
vintage Fleetwoods lined up along the curb, hanging out in the Corn Hill
evening heat with Joe Beard’s blues or Vince Ercolamento’s jazz slithering out
the door oughta be cool.

Same with the trek
between Richmond’s, Spot Coffee, Milestones, and on over to The Montage Grille.
All sorts of music are bouncing off downtown’s walls.

Checking out the
choppers and bikes while any number of blues outfits blast away at the Dinosaur
Bar-B-Que is almost a ritual. In fact, the Dinosaur crew encourages this
activity with mounted PA speakers outside.

Hanging outside
before heading in to Daily Perks Coffee on Gregory Street amplifies the
Beat/folk feel of the joint and gooses my joe jones tenfold. Musicians on open
mic night warm up outside in the alley, turning it into a musical bullpen.

And so on. Just get
out of the house.

The summer weather
brings the musicians out, too. Places like Starry Nites Cafรฉ frequently have
artists performing outdoors. And throughout the season bands will play outdoors
on The Park Avenue Green (corner of Park and Berkeley). So in some instances you
don’t have to go inside at all.

So while the skies
will be blasted by big shows at Darien Lake, Finger Lakes Performing Arts
Center, and The High Falls Festival Site, it’s nice to know live music will be
boiling over and spilling out of clubs all over town.

This article appears in Jun 15-21, 2005.