todo DAILY

Full calendar of events online at roccitynews.com

MONDAY, MAY 1

MUSIC

Eastman School Symphony Orchestra

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, esm.rochester.edu

Rochester is a paradise for classical music fans, or for those who just like to catch the occasional concert. And it’s normally pretty easy on the budget too, with so many free and low- cost concerts throughout the year. The Eastman School Symphony Orchestra is wrapping up this year in style with William Grant Still’s Wood Notes, a four-part pastoral impressionist suite inspired by nature. That music pairs well with “The Moldau” - a journey along the Czech river imbued with composer Bedrich Smetana’s love of his homeland. Neal Varon also leads the orchestra in Leonard Bernstein’s dynamic “Candide Overture” and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s music for “Romeo and Juliet.” Free and open to the public at 7:30 p.m.

MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

TUESDAY, MAY 2

NIGHTLIFE

Trivia Night with Game Night Rochester

Lucky’s, gamenightroc.com

Round up a few brainy friends and make your way to Lucky’s in the Winton neighborhood for weekly Tuesday trivia hosted and created by Game Night Rochester, a local startup helmed by 20-something Jake Cornfield. Arrive a bit early to grab a pub burger (with lucky sauce) and settle into a booth with your team for rotating-themed trivia at 8:30 p.m. Winning teams get Lucky’s gift cards (and bragging rights, of course).

LEAH STACY

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 by reading works by Black authors, sharing information and quotes on social media, or donating a book by a Black author. MS chill party vibes. The doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $25 to $37.

For up-to-date information on protocols, vaccination and mask requirements, and performance cancellations, consult the websites of individual venues.

DANIEL J. KUSHNER

Music

Bongzilla

Bug Jar, bugjar.com

Too bad April 20 was a couple of weeks ago, Bongzilla would have been the perfect soundtrack for a hazy celebration of weed’s high holiday. The band plays a kind of sludgy, plodding, early Black Sabbath-inspired stoner metal that pairs well with a few lungbusters. If this sounds like your bag, the doors open at 8 p.m. and admissions starts at $18 day of (buying your ticket ahead of time will save you a few bucks). Wizard Rifle and Haishen open.

JEREMY MOULE

THURSDAY, MAY 4

LITERATURE

National Black Authors Day

love4words.com

Expand your reading list and meet Black authors including storyteller

Almeta Whitis and Rochester’s Gluten-free Chef Calvin Eaton, who has a new cookbook called “Just Desserts” at a free event at 125 State St., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This new national celebration was brought together by Rochester writer and editor CaTyra Polland, CEO and founder of “Love for Words,” as a way to celebrate the work of Black writers and authors in all genres. Whether or not you can make it out in person, she encourages people to celebrate

Drink

El Cuatro de Mayo: a Tequila y Mezcal Pairing Dinner

Radio Social, radio-social.com

Kick off Cinco de Mayo a day early with a guided tequila and mezcal pairing dinner celebrating the spirit of agave at Radio Social. Chef Josh Prahler and crew will create a fivecourse menu of cuisine inspired by agave culture paired with cocktails and copitas alike (vegetarian option available upon request). After dinner, stay to bowl a few frames or play a quick game of Ping Pong at this dining and entertainment destination. LS

FRIDAY, MAY 5

Music

The Frank White Experience: 90s Celebration

Water Street Music Hall, waterstreetmusichall.live

The Frank White Experience knows how to kick it old-school. As a band dedicated to the musical legacy of Christopher Wallace — best known as the Notorious B.I.G. — the Rochester outfit delivers Biggie’s signature blend of swagger and smoothness. The legendary rapper was killed at only 24 years old, but not before leaving a profound, indelible influence on hiphop that’s still felt today, with hits like “Big Poppa,” “Hypnotize,” and “Mo Money Mo Problems.” Led by rapper Skribe Da God, The Frank White Experience is a tight tribute band with

ART

“Building Color”

Frank’s Chop Shop, instagram.com/ anoxxix

Argentinian-born local artist and skateboarder Emiliano Diaz (who goes by the tag name ANO) will showcase a brand new, seven-painting series and prints produced by Tiny Fish Printing at Frank’s Chop Shop. Ano’s acrylic paintings combine linework, color and graffiti inspiration; he was previously featured in RoCo’s State of the City 2022 exhibit. The show opens on First Friday with a reception 6-9 p.m., where ANO will be discussing other new work, and runs through the month. Free and open to the public during Frank’s Chop Shop operating hours. LS

Theater

“Almost, Maine” Penfield Community Center, penfieldplayers.org

This earnest rom-com was a Broadway bust when it opened in 2006, but it has since been played around the world and become a darling of regional theaters. Its success lies in its shrewd writing and relatable nine interlocking love stories that unfold on a single moonless night in northern Maine. The storylines of the vignettes are varied and so sickeningly sweet that it’s hard not to let the cheese slide and fall in love with this delightful play. Broadway be damned. This production by Penfield Players plays through May 13 at the Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Road. The curtain rises at 8 p.m. Tickets are $14 in advance and $17 at the door.

DAVID ANDREATTA

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

SATURDAY, MAY 6

FAMILY Spring Into Nature

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, fws.gov/refuge/iroquois

I grew up across the road from the Iroquois refuge, really. The only thing separating it and my parents’ house was a cornfield. When I was a kid, my folks would take my brother and me to various open houses and field days held by the refuge staff, which left a lot of fond memories burned into my mind. Spring Into Nature promises nature-related activities, guided walks, and food for purchase. The refuge itself is rich with migratory fowl and songbirds, raptors including nesting bald eagles and osprey, and plenty of other wildlife. It’s a regional treasure and this event is a perfect opportunity to explore it and learn about it. Spring Into Nature starts at 10 a.m., lasts until 3 p.m., and is free. JM

COMEDY Heather Shaw

Comedy @ the Carlson, carlsoncomedy.com

Gates-Chili native Heather Shaw became a viral comic sensation after pretending to be Jim Carrey’s longlost daughter on TikTok, garnering more than two million followers for her uncanny resemblance to the “Ace Ventura” star. Her up-and-coming comedy career has been featured on Tamron Hall Show, The Today Show (Australia), and in the New York Post and The Mirror (UK), and she’s collaborated with Eric Andre, Fortune Feimster, and Mark Normand. The 35-year-old will perform two shows at Comedy @ the Carlson, at 7:30 p.m. (sold out) and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. LS

Music Kopps

Photo City Music Hall, photocitymusichall.com

Alternative pop band KOPPS does irony and tongue-and-cheek selfawareness better than any other music act around, rivaled only by its long-time friends and frequent collaborators in Joywave. KOPPS frontwoman Patricia Patrón embodies the performative tropes of pop music while simultaneously providing cutting satire of the genre on songs like “Popular,” “Dumb,” and “There’s No Such Thing as Love.” KOPPS make electro-pop with bite, and the synchronized polish of its stage show — which I found off-putting at first — gets under your skin in a good way. The band headlines tonight alongside Ishmael, Jacob Asher, and DJ Chreath. Doors open at 8 p.m. for this 16-and-over show (under 18 admitted with a guardian). Tickets are $15 in advance. DK

MUSIC Judah

Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com

The name of this local quartet is unassuming, but make no mistake, the young up-and-comers in Judah are loaded with talent. Inspired by classic rock, Judah’s songs, including those on the 2022 EP “On the Incline,” are crammed with guitar riffs and bluesy vibes. You never know exactly what you’re going to hear. Snippets of Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz, and even early Pearl Jam are all in the mix, but Judah always sounds like a band earnestly discovering its own voice. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. DK

SUNDAY, MAY 7

MUSIC Rochester Record Fair — Spring 2023 Edition

Radio Social, rochesterrecordfair.com

Audiophiles can count on Rochester’s seasonal Record Fair events to help satisfy their vinyl fix, and they have event organizer and Needle Drop Records owner Russ Torregiano to thank for it. This edition of the fair is at a new location, Radio Social on Carlson Road, but the hunt for sonic gold is very much the same. In addition to vinyl records, CDs and cassettes are also for sale. Regular entry is free and begins at 11 a.m. Early bird entry begins at 10 a.m. with a $10 cover charge. The fair ends at 4 p.m. DK

SHOPPING

The Lucky Flea

320 N. Goodman Street (near Village Gate), theluckyflea.com Rochester’s largest open-air flea market returns to its seasonal outdoor location - in a parking lot adjacent to Village Gate in the Neighborhood of the Arts - beginning in May. Browse secondhand treasures from more than 100 creatives, collectors and vintage curators and grab a snack from a local food truck or stand. Free entry, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. LS

MONDAY, MAY 8

FAMILY

Kite Flight 2023

Ontario Beach Park, cityofrochester.gov/kiteflight

Kite Flight has become an annual event that takes place at Ontario Beach Park each year. True to its name, it’ll feature expert kite flyers who will pilot their unique, colorful kites with great skill. But the event isn’t just a demonstration, it is a chance for people of all ages to try their hand at kite flying. City recreation staff will provide free kitebuilding workshops for children under 12 as well. The event will also feature strolling jugglers and other entertainment, and the Charlotte Community Association will be selling refreshments as a fundraiser. Kite Flight goes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. JM

Music

Chuck Ragan

Montage Music Hall, rocentevents.com

Chuck Ragan has an unmistakable set of pipes, as anyone who’s listened to his material with post-hardcore legends Hot Water Music can attest. It’s gravelly in the best of ways. Ragan has been making music of his own for 20 years now, and while he’s embraced folk music instead of blazing punk, his rough tenor voice is still there in all of its glory. And it’s just as powerfully suited to the style as it was Hot Water Music’s. Pedal steel player Todd Beene and Rochester’s Kaiser Solzie round out the bill. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 7 p.m. JM

TUESDAY, MAY 9

MUSIC The HIRS Collective Bug

Jar, bugjar.com

The HIRS Collective is no mere hardcore punk band. The Philadelphia-based group is a true revolving-door collective of queer and trans punks that operates as a highlycollaborative ensemble. The result is a raging brand of anti-authoritarian DIY hardcore that’s often mislabeled as grindcore. Each of the collective’s albums have featured high-profile guests and its latest, 2022’s “We’re Still Here,” is no exception. Collaborators include Shirley Manson from Garbage; Dan Yemin of Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, and Paint it Black; and members of Converge, Touche Amore, The Body, Soul Glo, My Chemical Romance, Full of Hell, and more. The guests aren’t touring with the collective but the music is just as excellent without them. Doors open at 8 p.m. for this 18-plus show. Admission is $18. JM

Food

Roc Meat Hot Fest

Rochester Public Market, cityofrochester.gov/publicmarket

Much like the paintings of Édouard Manet or the novels of Thomas Pynchon, Rochester-style meat hot is fine art that is open to interpretation. At its most basic, this pinnacle garbage plate accoutrement is a somewhat salty, somewhat spicy blend of ground beef in a hearty backdrop of grease. But recipes vary wildly. Some very good people experiment with warm spices like clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Other more sinister forces add ketchup and mustard. Taste them all at this celebration of Rochester’s most iconic meat-based condiment. The event starts at 5 p.m., tickets are $25, and include a garbage plate, a drink ticket, and tastings of all sauces.

GINO FANNELI

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

THEATER Rogers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella”

Geva Theatre Center, geva.org

This is not your grandmother’s “Cinderella.” This work, which started out as a made-for-television musical in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, has been made over more times than Madonna. Forty years later, it starred Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother. The keynote songs have been retained, but a lot has been added and deleted to tailor the show to modern audiences. The adaptation by Douglas Carte Beane, who wrote the book for this show, invites audiences to build a better, kinder world together. Any way you slice this beloved classic, though, the shoe, er, glass slipper fits. The show opens on May 9 and turns into a pumpkin on June 4. The curtain rises today at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $28 to $72. DA

THURSDAY, MAY 11

THEATER “The Nerd”

Multi-use Community Cultural Center, muccc.org

If you’ve ever had a houseguest who overstays, and overstays, and overstays his welcome, you’ll relate to this sidesplitting comedy by Out of Pocket theater company. We tend to think of nerds nowadays as offbeat but loveable enthusiasts of a specific niche. But the definition has changed since Larry Shue penned this play, which is set at a dinner party in 1979 hosted by Willum Cubbert, a young architect who years earlier was unconscious on the battlefield in Vietnam when a fellow soldier, Rick Steadman, saved his life. The two have corresponded for years, but never met until Rick shows up for dinner and reveals himself to be a classic nerd of his day — loathsome and socially inept. From the moment he arrives, the play is about how Willum and his other guests conspire to shoo this moron extraordinaire out the door. The production opens May 5 and runs through May 13. Tickets range from $15 to $25. DA

Now Playing: “What’s Your Pleasure?”

Photo City Music Hall, juiceboxroc.party/now-playing

Now Playing is a sister entity to Juice Box, Rochester’s inclusive, queer dance party that pops up with different themes at various venues around town. “Now Playing” focuses on spotlighting one specific album start to finish, without any skips or shuffling. May’s Now Playing wiIl be a disco night featuring “What’s Your Pleasure,” Jessie Ware’s 2020 album, and DJ Small Mouth will spin a live set after the album to keep the dance party going all night long. Doors at 9 p.m., music at 10 p.m. Tickets are $5 (21+) and $7 (ages 18-20). LS

Sunday May 14 2:00pm First Church

FRIDAY, MAY 12

THEATER “Cry it Out” Blackfriars Theatre, blackfriars.org

This dramedy is a joyful ode to motherhood and sisterhood — ideal for a Mother’s Day weekend. Written by the versatile Molly Smith Metzler, whose credits include “Orange is the New Black” and “MAID,” the play centers on new mom Jessie, who bonds with her new-mom neighbor Lina over the absurdities of being home with a baby. Director Alexa Scott-Flaherty promises from experience — both as a mom and a director — to bring this already deft script about the mind-numbing agonies new mothers face come to life. The production premieres today at 8 p.m. and runs through May 28. Tickets range from $34 to $40, but students can get in for $20. DA

MUSIC Anthony Hamilton with J. Howell

Rochester Auditorium Theatre, rbtl.org

Sing your heart out on Mother’s Day weekend at a soulful R&B concert guaranteed to attract all generations of music lovers. Headlining the show is Grammy Award-winning soul singer-songwriter Anthony Hamilton, whose 2005 hit single “Charlene” was nominated for a NAACP award. Touring alongside is Rochester favorite J. Howell, one of the newer independent artists known for his classic R&B vocals. The Tennessee native recently toured the U.S. with R&B songstress K. Michelle and performed for Tyler Perry. The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets range from $72 to $203. RAQUEL STEPHEN

SATURDAY, MAY 13

Music

Archimedes

Little Shop of Hoarders, facebook. com/littleshopofhoardersRochester

If your taste in music is anything like mine, you’re always in the mood for lush acoustic music with heart-tugging vocal harmonies. And Archimedes has it in abundance. Soft, insistent, and layered, the band’s songs — many of which show up on the 2018 album “Harmonium” — sound like the soundtrack to a dream. Frontman Tony Gill’s impressionistic songwriting and Rebecca Schneider’s understated background vocals will whisk you away, if only for a moment. The Little Shop of Hoarders will be open for shopping at 7 p.m., and the music begins at 9 p.m. $7 suggested donation. DK CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

MUSIC Some Ska Band

Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com

It’s time to don your best checkered socks, wide-leg slacks, and wallet chain, and break out those skankin’ shoes. Rochester’s Some Ska Band specializes in the kind of dance-happy, third wave tunes that’ll put a smile on your face and keep it there. But the band is no stranger to the original ’60s ska from Jamaica or the punk-tinged two-tone either. Expect a fresh mix of covers and originals when Some Ska Band takes the stage close to 8 p.m. tonight. Doors open at 7 p.m. $10. DK begins at 10 a.m. and the film at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for both are $60 per person and you’ll want to register ASAP, since the deadline to do so is May 8. Tickets for the film only are available for the regular cost of admission. JM

Music

Magic Beans

Flour City Station, flourcitystation.com

The Colorado band Magic Beans offers the kind of sonic smorgasbord that live music fans love. Funk, rock, R&B, and soul are all thrown into the pot to cook, along with a sprinkle of jam-band vibes. The quartet’s latest album, 2022’s “Unzipped,” is an instrumental collection with serious ’90s vibes and major groovability. The doors open at 9 p.m., and the Buffalo band Grub starts things off at 10 p.m. The 21-and-over show is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. DK

SUNDAY, MAY 14

FILM

Mother’s Day

Brunch & Film: “Little Women”

Dryden Theatre, eastman.org

Mother’s Day and brunch are a classic pairing, but this event ends with a twist. After the mimosas and coffee are drained, brunchers will be treated to a showing of the classic 1949 movie “Little Women” starring Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Lawford. Brunch

Comedy

Kevin Hart: Reality Check

Turning Stone Resort and Casino, turningstone.com

Emmy and Grammy-nominated actor and comedian Kevin Hart brings his Reality Check Tour to nearby Turning Stone in Verona - a perfect Mother’s Day gift for the special mom in your life who appreciates a good laugh. Show starts at 6 p.m., and it’s a device-free experience. Tickets start at from $100. RS

Gardening

Flower City Days

Rochester Public Market, cityofrochester.gov/flowercitydays

Up until the pandemic I had what you might call a black thumb. But after days and days inside my apartment I decided it needed a little more life than just me and my dog, so I picked up a nerve plant and proceeded to learn how not to kill it. Now my track record is pretty good and like other aspiring green thumbs I’m always looking for a new interesting plant to join the rest of my haphazard collection. Flower City Days at the Public Market are great for that. During the wildly popular event, which happens from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays throughout May and June, plant lovers can saunter through display after display of foliage in hopes of finding something that catches their eyes, is compatible with their horticultural skill levels, or just looks cool. Since today is Mother’s Day, how about skipping brunch to go smell the flowers instead? JM

Music

Mikaela Davis

Lilac Festival, rochesterevents.com

Rochester-native Mikaela Davis is a one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter. A classically trained harpist, Davis’s music infuses notes of psychedelia, American folk traditions, and bluegrass into an instrument often relegated to chamber music and 19thcentury symphonic traditions. Davis will take center stage at the Lilac Festival at 7 p.m., preceded by Big Blue House at 4 and Public Water Supply at 5:30. The event is free and open to the public. GF

TUESDAY, MAY 16

DRINK

Make Your Own Kombucha

Katboocha, rochesterbrainery.com

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that continues its rapid rise in popularity. And while there are several places around Rochester that make, serve, or sell kombucha, it’s also something you can make at home. That’s what this class is all about. Katboocha owner Kat Schwarz will lead participants in making their own booch out of tea, sugar, and a culture of bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY. The hunk of microorganisms is what ferments the tea drink and gives it the kick its devotees crave. For your $35 ticket you’ll get all the stuff you need to make kombucha, including the precious SCOBY. JM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17