Is a Ladies' Room Attendant Really Necessary?

Went to Hi Fidelity last night. As we walked up, I was disappointed to see that the exterior was just the same except for a new name marquee and a new mailbox. (I noticed this because it was just like mine.) Anyway, inside I was happy to see the same guy was still the "bouncer" because he was a sweetheart of a man who walked me to my car on the occasions that I was "without companion," and I would have hated to think he'd lost his job. The inside did appear more spacious; the bar as well. The walls were painted--with a faux finish no less--a lovely shade of blue. However, the tables and chairs and barstools all seemed the same. And when I ventured to the Ladies' Room, I was sorely disappointed to see almost no difference save the Bathroom Attendant. Yes, they repainted the stalls (over the stickers) a lovely shade of sh** brown. I think the sinks were new. Props for that. But why that level of "luxury" required an Attendant I had to wonder. I came out of my stall, and there she was at the ready to squirt my one pump of handsoap into my hands. It just wasn't enough. I had to ask for another squirt. She hovered about six inches from my elbow as I washed and rinsed my hands, ready to pounce with the towel as soon as I appear suds-free. So, two squirts of soap and one towel later, I left a buck in her basket and returned to my table. Seems oddly pretentious for a dump of a bathroom to have an attendant. But . . . who am I to say?

We saw Allegro. They are a party band for sure. And they looked like they were having a party up there--the interaction and play with the musicians was lively. The musicianship was more than adequate with high points--Dave Marinelli on keyboard, Gene Rogalski finally got a solo on guitar, the horn section was cool, and the vocalists were having a blast with each other and with the crowd. A fun band all around.

music rules the world,
Tracy

Worth the trip . . . for many reasons.

Tomorrow night at 9:00, The Bill Tiberio Group will appear at a new (January 2007) music club in Geneva called McCool's Music Room. Yes. Geneva. It's about a 40 minute ride from the Thruway entrance #45 in Victor. But it is well worth the trip. I've heard that the building used to be some dive bar, but these new owners who moved here from California (the McGraths) completely renovated this place into a posh, sophisticated and upscale music club. Why they chose to put it in Geneva, I do not know. Not that there's anything wrong with Geneva, but I sure hope their success is so great that they'll want to replicate this club in Rochester. We need it. There is a dwindling number of venues for our many talented musicians to play at--we need more! And we need them done in the stylish way that McCool's has been done.

Besides the many aesthetic reasons to visit this high-end establishment and the fact that they create many "fancy" drinks and have a well-stocked bar, they also get the best musicians to play there on Friday and Saturday nights. Most of the groups and soloists come in from Rochester. Every group I've seen there has been top-notch, and that keeps people coming every weekend. This Saturday, one of my favorite local jazz bands will be playing--The Bill Tiberio Group. Whether they are covering standard jazz tunes, contemporary jazz tunes or playing their own compositions, this is a tight band of exemplary musicians led by the incomparable Bill Tiberio. Not to be missed.

Tonight, Allegro plays at Hi-Fidelity. I'll be checking out both the band and the venue. I hope Hi-Fidelity doesn't make me long for the old Milestones. (And I sure hope they renovated the bathrooms.)

support our local musicians and venues,
Tracy

Most of the players in many of the bands that I go to see are at least 40 if not older, and they can rock out like they were still teenagers. The difference is that they know life and have experienced the highs and lows of being a responsible adult. These experiences come through in their playing, and that's why a musician "of a certain age" can make their instrument "speak" with more soul than a 20-year-old can.

So, let's see, this weekend, I had the pleasure of going out to see live music both Friday and Saturday nights. I always say "see live music" because there is always so much to see. I'm not just talking about the random crazy dancers or other interesting characters who inhabit live music venues. I am talking mostly about watching the faces of the musicians and catching their joy as they play. I love to see the musicians whose facial expressions are evidence that their music transports them to another place. When it transports me, too, that's a great night of music.

Saturday night I was transported by the top-notch musicianship and the love of music of the relatively new band, Frontline. While the band is new, the players are seasoned veterans of the Rochester music scene and beyond. Dave Profetta does incredible things with his guitar, and one of my favorites is his arrangement of the Beatles' Norwegian Wood. Joe Chiappone is the definition of guitarist. It is so clear the joy that making music brings to him. I watch when he and Dave solo back and forth and you can see the artistic appreciation in each one's face while the other is playing. That's true for all the band members. Dick Calleri (I hope I didn't butcher the spelling of your last name) plays bass and handles the vocals with occasional harmonizing with Dave--beautiful stuff. The drums are usually covered nicely by Ken Kahler, but this week Joe Opipari filled in quite well. All four players show their technical skills, but don't try to jam too many notes into a measure. Their covers are spot on and their solos and their own arrangements add a new and exciting dimension to songs you've heard before. Check this band out May 11 at Village Rock in East Rochester.

Tony Infantino (yes, the Radio Personality--though I'm old enough to remember when we just called them deejays) can sing! Maybe I should have figured that anyone with as smooth a radio voice as Tony has could sing, but you never know. He has a new band called Keys to the Caddy, and they had their debut Friday night at The Keg (behind the German House). I didn't get much biographical info on the band members, but my understanding is they are all experienced players who've been in other bands. They seemed to be having as much fun as the audience, and it was a cool show.

Why Another Music Blog (about Rochester's music no less)?

Music has the power to bring you joy, ease your pain, help you cry through heartache and see you to the other side. Sometimes the same moment in the same piece of music (yes, T, I'm thinking of 3min 45sec into Why Don't You Ask) can bring me to the height of heart-busting joy or bring me to a puddle of tears depending on where I am in the continuum of my emotions.

Music has always been important to me from the days that my dad took me on walks and sang "Scarlet Ribbons," to the times when we gathered as extended family and the musicians of the group would bring out guitars, banjos and drums and we would all sing together, to the summers spent in my backyard swimming pool with my dad's Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass blaring from the speakers of his reel-to-reel and enveloping our yard (and the neighbors' yards) with the sounds of summer music--I can still see the cover art of my dad's (vinyl, of course) copy of Whipped Cream.

For all of us, certain songs or pieces of music evoke memories of certain people and/or times. I learned to dance to Earth, Wind & Fire, sang my heart out with Billy Joel, became a teenager with Genesis. I cried through (how many????) break ups with Elton John, and danced off my all angst to Queen. I sang through both pregnancies. After they were born, my babies knew the soothing sound of my voice singing songs they'd heard before. Guns 'n' Roses "Sweet Child o' Mine" was the number one song on Billboard the week my son was born. Mariah Carey's "I Don't Wanna Cry" was number one when my daughter was born, but she did not agree.

Sorry; I digress. We live in a city rich with musicians of incredible talent (in a wide variety of styles) and, sadly, dwindling places to play. And, unfortunately, we get so wrapped up in our busy lives that we just don't want to come out of our little cocoons and visit these places to hear the quality people we have playing in our midst. It blows my mind what's out there every week that people don't take the time to go see.

I admit, though I go out to see local music more than most people I know, I don't see everyone, everywhere. I will only be able to write about what I am able to go to myself. If anyone wants to talk about what/who they have seen and heard, I am happy to hear about it. I will also post any upcoming music events for which I write the press releases.

In my next post, I will talk about the incredible music I was witness to this weekend. When I am able to post my couple of photos, then I will write about it. Let me just say, rocking out is not just for the 20-somethings.

And . . .

support our local musicians and music venues,
Tracy