With an excited kerrang, Rochester Celtic rockers 1916 dives headlong into its show. The mechanics that go into the wielding of its collective instruments is blinding; all arms are in a windmill-blur. Since 2010, 1916 – Billy Herring, guitar and lead vocals; Ryan Hurley, upright bass; Steve LaDue, drums; and John Kane, mandolin – has […]
Rochester bands
Posted inMusic
The Majestics are back
It’s not that The Majestics don’t care; it’s just that stardom and the magnetic allure of its trappings don’t matter anymore. The legendary Rochester reggae band no longer chases the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The band abides. And after a lengthy hiatus, The Majestics are back, Jack. Ron Stackman (guitar […]
Posted inSpecial Sections
VOTE NOW: Best of Rochester 2015 Final Ballot
The 2015 Best of Rochester survey is now closed. Thank you to all who participated. Check City’s October 28 issue on stands or online for the final results! It’s time to revisit the Flower City. We’re all guilty of it: sticking to our favorites. We all have our go-to restaurants and hangouts, our favorite bands […]
Posted inMusic
Tempted
I’m telling you, nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. Playing “Remember When” is a waste of air. Pining for long gone bands is futile. So let’s squash the commiserating so we can rave about The Temptators. Shout Bama Lama! For those of you who like classic transistor pop and rock, The Temptators is your […]
Posted inMusic
Donuts and jam
When at its most obtuse, Rochester quartet Mr. Donut makes the most sense. The band’s sound runs cool and curious from a bottom heavy-dirge to lofty explorations full of air. And there are the words that show up — not in the songs as lyrics — but rather splayed out in a fictional interpretation printed […]
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Greener Grass Band
Rochester’s Greener Grass band rocks steady and rolls easy. It effortlessly blends elements of reggae, country, and blues, and swirls it into a heady blend of bonafied barroom rock ‘n’ roll. The music takes on a laid back casual tack despite its serious groove. It’s a flipped routine as if the music is playing the […]
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Envious Disguise
Not too long ago, in a galaxy not too far away, guitarist Kyle Jennejohn and bassist Nick Gilboe were killing time writing goofy songs and laughing beer through their noses. “It all started a few years back,” says Jennejohn. “Me and Gilboe were hanging out dinking a case of Genesee beer. I had my acoustic […]
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The Swooners
FANTASY: It was early one enchanted evening not too long ago, as I rolled the Caddy up to the razzle and dazzle of the supper club. I got out, straightened my tie, shot my cuffs, and tossed the keys to the valet. I ankled over to the door where music from the swingin’ band on […]
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Concert Review: The Clockmen and Fox Force 5 at the Bug Jar
‘Twas damp and cool within the Bug Jar’s walls Wednesday night as a damp and hot Clockmen banged on the beautiful crowd like a brass-knuckled Basilio with a body bag. I’ve seen these cats a number of times, and this show’s particularly ragged onslaught was one of the best. Recently the phrase “food-truck rodeo” has […]
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MUSIC FEATURE: Soviet Dolls
Soviet Dolls is a cool cocktail: two parts rocker, one part young lady who makes YouTube videos. It’s a delicious meld of synthetic pop served over organic rocks. But it’s not the aural wrestling match you’d expect. The synthetics are roughed up nicely by the analogue, and the rock is made more accessible by the […]
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Concert Review: Synthetica at the Little Theatre Cafe
Someday soon, when ape-like creatures with digital watches are rummaging through the artifacts and wreckage of our civilization, the music of Synthetica will serve as a fitting backdrop. Synthetica is a blast of pearlesque dissonance, of controlled chaos, of understated beauty. I was moved. I parked in back of the Little Theatre Café Thursday night […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Can you say adobe?
When you think of local suburban housing, and you think of Penfield, you probably imagine row upon row of subdivisions, one house not much different from the next, with a couple of barns tossed in here and there the farther out you drive. Just ask me, I live there. Post-1960s suburban housing design lacked a […]
