WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Tuesday, October 30 Blue Cross Arena, 1 War Memorial Square 7:30 p.m. | $68-$101 | 758-5300, bluecrossarena.com [ ROCK ] Bruce Springsteen has had a hold on heartland
rock ‘n’ roll for six decades, and his grip shows no sign of loosening. The Long Branch, New Jersey, native has won 20 Grammy awards in his illustrious career, and with every album, his sound maintains its relevancy. This year’s “Wrecking Ball” (Springsteen’s 17th studio release) has garnered positive critical response while debuting at No. 1 in 16 different countries, proving that “The Boss” is still the boss. — BY DAVID YOCKEL, JR.
Zoo Bombs Sunday, October 28 Bug Jar, 219 Monroe Ave. 9 p.m. | $6-$8 | bugjar.com [ ROCK ] Tokyo’s tenacious trash-rock sensation Zoo
Bombs is one of those bands put on this earth to remind us which elements of rock ’n’ roll are essential, and which are not. Since 1994, this band has excised all the fat and fluff from rock music, concentrating on the raw heat and primal scream. You know how you have to spin a Blues Explosion or Screamin’ Jay Hawkins Record every now and then to remind and rewind? Well, you can add this band to your list of drugs. It’s Japanese rock ’n’ roll with shake appeal and savage soul from a time when monsters with DA’s roamed the earth, corrupting our youth, and dancing with our women. Humorous hip-hop duo Garden Fresh gets the ball rolling with B.C. Likes You. — BY FRANK DE BLASE
Rob Zombie played the Main Street Armory Tuesday, October 16, as part of the “Twins of Evil” Tour. PHOTO BY FRANK DE BLASE
Rolling around the Island of Misfit Toys [ review ] by frank de blase
The Main Street Armory loomed ominous beneath a moonless sky Tuesday, October 16, as thousands lined up for the benediction within. It was like a scene out of a movie as the soulless shuffled shoulder to shoulder past the bible beaters, buskers, and street-meat purveyors to the “Twins of Evil” circus inside with Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson. Despite some technical issues between the talent and the venue, it was Zombie’s night as he commandeered the joint like his own Castle Frankenstein. He put on a positively brilliant show. Don’t get me wrong, Manson was good, too. It’s just that his darkness seems a little more serious and consuming. It’s a scandalous spectacle, with the man challenging decency and deity at every turn. But his brand of showbiz lacks Zombie’s irony and humor. Zombie roared out on stage with “Jesus Frankenstein,” and the stage set alone was straight out of my teenage dreams. Robots and flaming cauldrons, confetti, smoke and skeletons, all before projected loops of classic horror clips and stag reels. The set list only had two White Zombie nuggets, “More Human Than Human” and the crowd fave “Thunderkiss ’65,” and guitarist John 5 kicked out the jams at lightning
speed before morphing into Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.” What a mob, what a crowd, what a scene, what a show. It was considerably more sophisticated and elegant at the Bow Ties CD-release shindig at Lovin’ Cup Friday night. Now with one female in the tenor slot and beyond, the group comes on more as a slick ensemble a la The Manhattan Transfer. The group was flawless before a packed room as it tackled conventional pieces like “Stardust” and stuff by the Fleetwoods, and never hiccupped in the face of more challenging arrangements like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in its entirety. From there it was off to Sticky Lips Juke Joint to hear the odd yet comforting indie Americana of Hinkley. The band had one tune, a waltz really, that flowed so fractured and lovely that it reminded me of a little red wagon with one square wheel rolling around the Island of Misfit Toys. “Nobody wants a Charlie in the Box.” Well shit, I do. Finished up the heart of Saturday night at the Dinosaur kibitzing with bluesman Roger Kuhn over a slice of pumpkin pie the size of my head, while discussing how much we dig Lightning Hopkins as Joe Beard wailed from the bandstand.
[ Acoustic/Folk ] Interfaith Threshold Singers. Penfield Presbyterian Church, 1881 Jackson Road, Penfield NY. 241-3796. 6 p.m. Free. Jeremy Button Scottish Session. McGraw’s Irish Pub, 146 W Commercial St. 3489091. 7 p.m. Free. Rob & Gary Acoustic. Woodcliff Hotel & Spa, 199 Woodcliff Dr. 248-4825. 5:30 p.m. Free. Sammy Naquin and Big Easy Zydeco. Abilene Bar & Lounge, 153 Liberty Pole Way. 232-3230. 8 p.m. $8-$12. [ Blues ] Blackened Blues. Temple Bar and Grille, 109 East Ave. 232-6000. 10 p.m. Free. Ezra & The Storm. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, 99 Court St. 9 p.m. Free. Open Blues Jam w/The King Bees. The Beale New Orleans Grille and Bar-South Ave., 693 South Ave. 2714650. 7:30 p.m. Call for info. Paul Strowe. The BealeWebster, 1930 Empire Blvd. 216-1070. Call for info. [ Classical ] Live from Hochstein: Chamber Music for Flute & Piano. Hochstein Performance Hall, 50 N Plymouth Ave. 4544596. 12:10 p.m. Free. [ DJ/Electronic ] DJ Vs. VJ. A-Pub Live, 6 Lawrence St. 10 p.m. Call for info. [ Jazz ] Andy Stobie Finger Lakes Jazz Band. Ontario Beach Park, 4799 Lake Ave. 865-3320. 6 p.m. Call for info. Anthony Giannavola. Lemoncello, 137 West Commercial St. 385-8565. 6 p.m. Free. Gary Chudik. Prosecco Italian Restaurant, 1550 New York 332. 924-8000. 6 p.m. Call for info. Julie Delario Duo. Bistro 135, 135 W. Commercial St. 6625555. 6 p.m. Free. Margaret Explosion. Little Theatre Café, 240 East Ave. 7:30 p.m. Free. continues on page 20
avant garde to funk bop to big bands blues and beyond
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