Intown Rundown: Green Friday

These are confusing, troubled times we’re living in.
I don’t know if I want to be living in a world where Donald Trump is being seriously considered as a candidate for president of the United States. I do, however, want to live in a world where flash mobs happen.
Regardless of all that, there’s a lot happening during these final days of April. You may very well find your dance card to be full, between Earth Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Dyngus Day and Sabres playoff fever. A few words of advice: go easy on the ham or you may puke during the polka and please, gentleman, go similarly easy on the ladies whilst swatting them with pussywillows.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

- Coping and Balto will be at EBC tonight. Coping is a Chicago band that is on tour and making a stop in town. They play a Cap’n Jazz inspired brand of Midwestern indie rock. Fredonia’s own Balto kicks out the feel good tunes inspired by American football, beer and pizza. Johnny Lucas is the opener. The show starts at 10 p.m. and costs $2. It’s 21 and up only.

- If you can manage to take the evening off from your private detective gig, bring your best dame over to the campus tonight for SUNY Fredonia American Studies Film Noir Film Series. The neo-noir “Mulholland Drive,” (2001) starring Naomi Watts, directed by David Lynch, will be shown in Thompson Hall Room E347 at 6:30 p.m.

- Rookie’s has music by D.T.O. from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and will be open Easter Sunday from 3 to 11 p.m. for the Sabres game (fingers crossed!).

- 41 West will have live music by Us on Friday and Heard of Buffalo on Saturday, with the bands playing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. each night. For all playoff games, 41 West has drink specials and 35-cent wings.

- Instead of just complaining about litter, why not celebrate Earth Day by actually doing something earth-friendly? A grassroots effort, the Earth Day Street Sweep, is being organized in Fredonia on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Anyone interested in helping to clean Main Street can meet up at the Dollar General parking lot at Clinton Avenue. Bring trash bags, gloves, friends and enthusiasm.

- The “B.A.” Art Show opens at the Adams Art Gallery with a reception on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. The work of six SUNY Fredonia students will be shown, including: nostalgic paintings by Amy Barber, an array of works by graphic designer Tara Catalina, psychedelic paintings and sculptures by Casey Falco, the soul-searching work of Amber Pasiak, Ariana Skipp’s multicultural perspective, and bright, colorful pieces by graphic designer Rachael Walden. There will be live entertainment and refreshments for the occasion, and all are welcome. The gallery is located at 600 Central Ave. in Dunkirk.

- It’s Dyngus Day on Monday! Buffalo actually has one of the biggest Dyngus Day celebrations anywhere -- on DyngusDayBuffalo.com, they call it the “Largest Dyngus Day Celebration in the World” but I cannot confirm or deny that claim. Check out the site for a comprehensive listing of the big day’s goings-on, complete with a listing of every polka party happening in the city and surrounding area. We Polish sure know how to come up with some fun, fascinating traditions. Last year on Dyngus Day eve at a polka party in a Buffalo suburb, my sister and I randomly ran into a couple from Dunkirk. How and where will you celebrate?

WATCH THIS

- Before reality television was diluted to the, shall we say, lowbrow programming that we’re accustomed to today, it all began with one trailblazing family featured on a 12-hour PBS documentary in 1973. This is the subject of HBO’s newest made-for-TV feature, “Cinema Verite,” starring Diane Lane, Tim Robbins and James Gandolfini. It premieres on HBO on Saturday at 9 p.m.

- I’ve heard that the contestants on this season’s “American Idol” are impressive but I stopped caring sometime between the increasingly lengthy elimination episodes featuring any and every willing musician and the departure of Simon Cowell. Why bother when there’s something new — and hopefully improved — on the horizon? “The Voice,” featuring judges Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, premieres on Tuesday at 9 p.m. on NBC. The show will use blind auditions for the selection process and then each judge will have a team to mentor (British “X Factor”-style). I’m hoping this one will be better than the same tired, old format that apparently (and surprisingly) people are still watching — I just read that “Idol” ratings are up — which I can only guess is out of desperation. And who else is excited for some on-the-brink-of-disaster Christina Aguilera? Count me in!

WHAT REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS

What’s wrong with this picture? I’m trying to peruse the selection at a store and am unable to do so due to two out-of-control kids running around and shrieking while their designated guardian is... where? On the other side of the building, not paying attention or even batting an eyelash. This has happened to me more than once in recent weeks.
Control your children. No one else needs to be subjected to their shenanigans.
And don’t even give me some nonsense like, “When you have kids...” because I’m opting out. Thanks but no thanks, the world is overpopulated anyway.

REEL TALK: “Source Code”

After a long string of disappointments and mind-numbing boredom, “Source Code” was like a breath of fresh air. And by that I mean it didn’t suck.
It’s a smart, original little thriller with some great performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga and Michelle Monaghan. Gyllenhaal stars as a soldier on a mission to track down the source of a bombing on a commuter train that killed every passenger on board. Making this task even more precarious is that he must do so while inhabiting the body of one of the passengers during the last eight minutes before the train explodes. This does involve some suspension of disbelief at first but once you’re in it, it’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement until the conclusion.
My only complaint is an incongruity in the ending that I didn’t notice until it was pointed out to me hours later, but that didn’t make the film itself any less satisfying. Do yourself a favor and skip the other disappointing fare currently in theaters — “Source Code” is a sure thing.

April Diodato is the OBSERVER Lifestyles editor. Send comments to adiodato@observertoday.com. Happy Easter!