Brian’s PhotoPile

Village Gate Bop Shop Night. During intermission “Air Play” start tossing and spinning balls, bowling pins, knives, and wands with flames. On a one wheeler an acrobat juggled while balancing six feet off the ground. Margaret Explosion, their music is so groovy, it’s for me, my music of the spheres. Later, at the Keg, Watkins and the Rapiers on stage. Their song about Santa Claus having to go to Washington to get some bail out money was great. While riding my bike downtown on relatively empty streets I saw this groovy psychedelic truck parked by Downtown Cabaret Theater. And then across the street from the YMCA the street lamp in front of the blue construction tarp hanging from the facade of the new addition to the Eastman Theater. I picked up on the Virgin Mary statues while on the way to World Wide News.

Not only where the Ukrainians dancing (see previous entry) but us fans of Bobby Henrie and the Goners where also kicking up a storm Sunday afternoon. The Abilene’s deck was a perfect venue for relaxing and having fun with friends while listening to Bobby Henrie on Guitar and vocals, Brian “Wildman” Williams on Standup Bass and vocals, and James Martin Symonds on Drums and vocals.

Dancers from out of town, the Barvinok Ukrainian Dance School of Mississauga, swirled, jumped, pranced, bounced, and skipped on the stage set up behind St. Josaphat’s yesterday afternoon.  I think the Ontario and Ukrainian Arts Foundation Dancers of Rochester, NY were there too. The photos only give a hint of how energetic and joyfully the dances are performed. These young people were refreshing to watch exhibiting skill and stamina despite the heat and humidity in the tent.

On a Sunday two weeks ago I drove out to the State Historic Site at Ganondagan to see Cercle Celtique. I missed Cercle Celtique when they performed at the Fingerlakes opening reception at the Memorial Art Gallery because I was over listening to Jessica Lange discuss her photographs at the George Eastman House. Cercle Celtique is a group that performs traditional Breton dance and music. The group was founded in Rennes, France, our sister city, and they were visiting Rochester as part of the Rennes-Rochester Sister City program. Wearing traditional Breton attire the dancers performed round dancing, square dancing, line dancing and the gavotte, which was a favorite in the court of Louis XIV. Some of the musicians pereformed with authentic instruments such as the Biniou, which is similar to a Scottish great Highland bagpipe and a bombarde which is a conical bore double-reed musical instrument. The drummer for the most part used his hands beating on a set of bongo drums and cymbals. It was a lively performance and was topped off at the end when the audience, including Peter Jemison wearing his traditional Indian garb, joined in a line dance.

Judy and I visited the Strong Museum of Play Friday afternoon to experience the Butterfly Room. On the way over to Sara’s Tapas party I stopped to listen to the ElectroKings at the Village Gate courtyard.

Bright sun while under forest’s street during the Park Avenue Festival yesterday meandered and lingered in fantasy reverie.