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on and up Omaha band Emphatic Triumphs Over Tribulations cover story by Kyle Eustice ~ page 11

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contents

a u g . 1 8 - 2 4 , 2 0 11 V O L . 1 8 n o . 2 6

cover story Onward and Upward:

Omaha Band Emphatic Triumphs Over Tribulations

by Kyle Eustice ~ Page 11

lazy-i

26 MAHA Had It All But Crowds ————————————————

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27 Lots of Blues Guitar at the 21st ————————————————

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31 First Screenings 31 Cutting Room: Film News 32 Report Card: Film Grades 32 Checking In ————————————————

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

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topnews

Carbon Cause Global warming expert: Flooding caused by climate change

so easy to see that changes are occurring because the climate system has tremendous inertia.”

“The ocean is four kilometers deep, the ice sheets are two or three kilometers thick, so they don’t respond immediately as we begin to change the atmospheric composition. What that means is that we’ve

By Ben Bohall, KVNO News only experienced about half of the warming that will be cause by the gases already in the atmosphere.” his summer has seen its fair share of drastic “The full effect is going to be felt by our chilconditions around the country, including dren and grandchildren,” he said. “And if we conrecord flooding along the Missouri River. tinue to increase the amount of CO2, the effect will Overlooking its swollen be even larger.” banks at Omaha’s riverfront Hansen drew a landing, one scientist has a comparison to the simple explanation for the handling of the napast three months of floodtional debt. “If we ing. While many consider spend more money the flood man-made, Dr. than what we’re takJames Hansen sees clear ing in, we’re leaving a signs of carbon build-up in debt for our children the atmosphere. and grandchildren “We’ve had 100-year to deal with. Parents floods now a couple of do not naturally treat times on the Missouri River their children and recently,”said Dr. James grandchildren that Hansen, Director of NASA’s way, and they don’t Goddard Institute for Space want the government Studies, during a visit to to treat their children Omaha on Tuesday. “That’s and grandchildren one of the expected consethat way.” quences of increasing atmoAccording to spheric carbon dioxide.”

Hansen, the responsiAccording to the Fedbility lies in effective eral Emergency Manage- Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA’s Goddard In- policy making to comment Association’s (FEMA) stitute for Space Studies a leading expert on global bat global warming.

National Flood Insurance warming aid the Missouri flooding is a consequence That includes a gradual Program, 100-year floods of climate change. reduction in carbon have a 1 percent chance of emissions. Hansen prooccurring in any given year. poses a rising price be placed on carbon emissions, Hansen, who is considered by many to be one of which should be collected from the fossil fuel compathe world’s leading experts on global warming, said nies at the first sale. the Missouri river is a prime example of how global Without comparable measures taken by the warming is affecting the earth. It fits the best science, government, Hansen said the public can expect more but the numbers are complex. of the extreme weather patterns that much of the “Unless you do statistics, and you see that the fre- country has experienced lately, including more severe quency of these events is changing,”he said. “It’s not droughts and floods in the decades ahead. , Lindsey Peterson

T

fromtheeditor OUR APOLOGIES: We sincerely apologize for any hurt or misperceptions from the opening line of Leo Biga’s cover story Aug. 4 on the Bryant-Fisher Family Reunion. The writer intended the meaning of the quotation marks around that phrase to indicate that the event is not really that at all. The article itself was meant to be a testament to strong families in North Omaha. As his editor, I should have caught danger of such a phrase and I should have made an appropriate edit. My apologies. — John Heaston

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The dirt on soap

L

egend has it that around 2,500 years ago, along the banks of the river Tiber, on the lower slopes of mythical Mt. Sapo, handmaidens would wash clothes. Upstream was a temple, the site of ritual animal sacrifice. On days following rain, maidens noticed the river water produced whitish clumps. When fabrics were rubbed with the clumps, the whites were whiter and the colors were brighter. Legend continues that upstream, rainwater mixed with ashes and melted fats from the sacrificed animals, forming a natural soap. The maidens were the unwitting beneficiaries.

Lye, fat and water give five parts soap, one part glycerin. Glycerin is a natural emollient and an important part of soap. In modern commercial soap making processes, glycerin is removed and sold as a by-product, leaving the resulting “soap” harsh and lacking the skin-softening character of natural soaps.

Soap requires but three ingredients: water, alkali and fat such as vegetable oil or animal tallow, combined properly in the natural process of saponification.

Alkaline lye leaches easily from wood ash. Combine with some fat and rainwater and making soap is as easy as falling off a mountain. Various cultures have been using soap-like salves for thousands of years.

Detergent or soap? Soap was usually made at home until the late 1800s. Specialty soaps were made in small batches by vendors and commercial soaps emerged later. But as we entered the Age of Petroleum and World War I, oils of all kinds were valuable for war. That is when we started a trend toward detergents. Commercial soaps on the market today are usually more detergent than soap.

A detergent uses synthetic ingredients and the process includes acids, alcohols and benzenes. For decades, the detergent industry produced cleaning agents that were too harsh for skin and didn’t biodegrade at all. Now, however, most common household soaps are actually detergents; including the ones you bathe with.

Ironically, high-priced luxury soaps have to have glycerin added to them to protect and nourish the skin.

One good thing about detergents is that they lather better than soap in hard water. Soap curdles minerals in hard water and leaves what we call “bathtub ring.” Modern housewives hated that, so detergents became popular.

Detergent actually works too well. Detergent can remove our natural skin oils but a natural soap can still get you clean without stripping away nature’s armor.

Less is more. Soap is simple. Read ingredients on a bar of Kirk’s Coco Hardwater Castile and you see soda ash (alkali), coconut oil (fat) and water.

Then take a look at the ingredient list for a bar of Dial hand soap (just to pick one brand) and find things like triclocarban, sodium tallowate, sodium palmate, sodium cocoate, palm kernelate; 2,6-Di-tbutyl-p-cresol, PEG-6 methyl ether, fragrance, glycerin,

B y

m i c h a e l

b r a u n s t e i n

titanium dioxide, tetrasodium etidronate, pentasodium pentetate and other junk. Sure, we may have made some improvements over the years in how to produce soap. I’m just not sure that adding all those chemicals is an improvement; especially when it comes from a company that is ultimately concerned with the bottom line.

In addition to Kirk’s, an example of a simple soap that does a good job is the famous Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap. Once again the ingredients are simple. The label, however, is not.

Dr. Bronner, who died in 1997, was a third generation master soapmaker from Germany who immigrated to the United States in the 1920s. His soaps are made simply and gained popularity with the hippie generation of the 1960s. Like so many natural products and practices of that era, they finally found respect from a generation of Baby Boomers looking for healthier habits.

Bronner’s philosophy was as simple as his soap.

“All children of Spaceship Earth are One,” he wrote.

The labels on his liquid soap bottles were filled with quotes exhorting customers to follow the “Moral ABCs” as he called them. Quoting from Jesus, Thomas Paine, Essene scrolls, Einstein and many others, his labels were a trip to read. They still are. What’s more, his soap is pure and multi-purpose.

Castilian influence. Castile soaps are technically ones that are derived from olive oil as a base fat. In general use, however, it has come to mean derived from plant oils, not animal. They also retain the natural glycerin that forms in the saponification process. They have an emollient effect and are nondetergent. They spare the natural oils of the body while cleaning thoroughly. Added to the soap is pure, natural peppermint oil. Bronner’s also comes with eucalyptus oil, almond oil or other. The original style was as a liquid but bars are also available.

Bronner’s soap labels claim it can be used as everything from a body wash, shampoo, shave soap, massage lotion, tooth brushing and more.

Always, he cautions to “Dilute! Dilute! OK!” I must admit that there were some things I was skeptical of when I first started using Dr. Bronner’s.

Since then, I have gone on to use it as a great shampoo and a multi-purpose soap around the house.

The last challenge was when I forgot toothpaste on a camping trip. The label was right. A couple of drops on the brush and your mouth feels clean and fresh.

Natural soaps are real soaps and not a concoction of chemicals that leave your hands burning and smelly. They are usually cheaper, have far less ecological impact and are likely healthier for the user, too. In addition to Bronner’s and Kirk’s, there are small-batch handmade soaps that are all-natural. Choosing an alternative wisely will allow you to come clean without chemicals.

Be well. ,

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Heartland Healing by Michael Braunstein examines various alternative forms of healing. It is provided as a source of information, not as medical advice. It is not an endorsement of any particular therapy, either by the writer or The Reader. Access past columns at HeartlandHealing.com

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

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galleries transformed

Experience American art at Joslyn as you never have before. Five reinstalled galleries : Jean-Léonopen Gérôme (French, The Grief of the Pasha (detail), 1882, Gift of Francis T.B. Martin, 1990.1 areI now to1824–1904,) the public. mage

Support for this reinstallation has been provided by the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and The Sunderland Foundation. www.joslyn.org | (402) 342-3300 | 2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE Image: Grant Wood, Stone City, Iowa, 1930, oil on wood panel, Gift of the Art Institute of Omaha, 1930, © Estate of Grant Wood/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

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On and up

Omaha band Emphatic triumphs over tribulations

by Kyle Eustice

hen a major label executive with an extensive history in the music business makes several trips from his cushy spot in Los Angeles to a frigid basement in Omaha, there must be something special about the band. Atlantic Records A&R Jeff Blue saw something in Emphatic, Omaha’s hardest working rock band.

“I flew out to Omaha eight or nine times and worked with them in a basement. It was very organic. No matter what anyone says, it was four guys sitting around with a computer that was always crashing, writing songs and developing a sound that we were ecstatic about,” Blue says. “That’s the most fun I have. It’s better than being on tour or anything like that. It’s the process of creating something in a basement in the dead of winter in Omaha. I mean, I watched the seasons go by. I’m a guy from L.A. and I wanted to go home so badly, but I would always come back for more because it was such an amazing thing working with these guys. Sitting in a basement, freezing your butt off in a kitty litter box of a studio and creating these songs was what it was really all about.”

The man responsible for launching the careers of monumental artists such as Linkin Park and Macy Gray sees a bright future for Emphatic. Fronted by vocalist Patrick Wilson and chief songwriter/guitarist Justin McCain, Emphatic has been on the grind for almost a decade. Their work ethic was something Blue recognized immediately.

“I think Justin and Patrick have been paying their dues for a long, long time. I feel that they’re not manufactured. I feel that they’ve developed.

They’ve come into their sound and with a little guidance, it’s all them. They’re phenomenal. There are very few people that have that in their inner core and I think they just needed a little help,” he says. “Justin is an amazing writer and I think Patrick is incredible at understanding how to deliver things. They’re great partners at developing their attributes. It was easy for me to bring out their strengths and for the two to recognize them.

I think Emphatic, literally, have made one of the best records in a long time. I hope that they top the charts because I think they deserve it.”

After releasing four independent albums and playing night after night, they had tremendous local support, but it wasn’t until they found their home at Atlantic in December 2009 that things really started

ALEX KIRZHNER

W

emphatic

to take shape. Their debut album, Damage, is the byproduct of the relentless efforts Emphatic put into setting themselves apart from other rock bands in Omaha. With influences ranging from Korn to Pantera, their hard rock sound screams loudly on disc and even louder on stage.

“I feel like we sound amazing on record, but we are definitely a live band. I know that for a fact because when we were out on tour playing places where people have never heard of us before, people come up to us saying they are never going to forget us. We bring energy to the stage which we hope is second to none. That’s what we try for every night,” McCain assures. “We want to leave it all out on stage and kick ass. We get wild. Patrick spins his hair [laughs]. It’s such a great partnership with Pat. I’m mostly business and Patrick is a monster of a front man. We’re like the dynamic duo.”

As soon as McCain and Wilson joined forces with guitarist Lance Dowdle, bassist Alan Larson, keyboardist Jeff Fenn and drummer Dylan Wood, Emphatic’s line up was finally solidified. Their chemistry is undeniable and whether you like hard rock or not, there is something to admire about their musicianship. It’s tight, well-polished and explosive.

“I think Patrick is the best front man in rock today. I’m not just saying that because he’s in my band and I’m biased. I believe in him and I have since day one. Period,” McCain goes on. “No matter what, we deliver full blown intensity and adrenaline on stage. We put on a show. We just don’t play our songs up there. You can see the chemistry when you watch us play live.”

While it’s clear they are making strides in their career and yes, they have a major record deal, that doesn’t mean the tough work is over. In fact, it’s just beginning. The boys are getting ready to hit the road on the “Carnival of Madness Tour” with like-minded groups Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry which will last approximately five weeks. It’s a grueling schedule with lots of late nights, lengthy drives and minimal sleep. Then there’s the interviews, photo shoots, video shoots and other promotional obligations that will leave them very little free time, but you won’t hear any complaints from them. McCain and Wilson realize their luck.

Blue has made an impressive career of artist development. He built Linkin Park from scratch and turned them into international, multi-platinum artists. His hopes for Emphatic are no different.

“I look for believability and by that I mean, I’ve got to feel the band is real and I need to connect with them and believe in what they’re doing. That comes from the personality of the singer, the guitar player, the writing and it comes from a palatable energy that I can feel,“ he says. “That’s the main thing I look for.

If you have that then you can create from that and develop from that.”

Wilson and McCain seem in awe of being able to work with Blue. Their experience with Atlantic has been amazing. That’s a rarity considering all of the artists taking the independent route and taking careers into their own hands.

“Jeff Blue is a very smart man when it comes to finding bands and he is very methodical about it.

He’s always looking for the next big thing. He wants

cover story

something that he can take a hold of and make into something larger. Not to boost my ego or anything, but he took us. It’s incredible he took the time out to cultivate us. That’s pretty awesome,” Wilson says.

“We’re hoping for as much success as we can. We’re hoping we can go out there and play these songs to as many people as possible. They are really different and we want a chance to portray the many sides of Emphatic.”

They will get plenty of chances to execute their new material for thousands of potential fans and work towards establishing themselves as a national (and eventually international) force to reckon with on this tour. With Damage out in stores, they have high hopes for the record.

“I would honestly have to say as far as expectations, I don’t have any. But I’m always a wishful thinker and I’m hopeful. I hope it does great. I hope it’s a massive success and there’s no expiration on the record and that it lives and stands the test of time.

The world is what the world is and you never know what’s going to happen, but I do hope it sells really well,” McCain says.

Produced by Grammy Award-winner Howard Benson (Papa Roach, My Chemical Romance, Seether), Damage contains the excitement and energy Emphatic delivers on stage. The first single, “Bounce,” is receiving regular radio airplay. Working with Benson was literally a dream come true for McCain.

“Truth be told, I wrote Howard a letter five years prior to working with him. I said, ‘Howard I love you, you’re my idol. Please produce our record.’ I knew he would probably never see it. It’s ironic, isn’t it?

What are the odds that someday I actually would have encountered him yet alone work with him? He was an idol of mine and someone I always dreamed of working with,” McCain says. “I liked his work. He worked with Papa Roach, Halestorm and Skillet and all of these bands that I loved so I’m very familiar with the sounds that come out of the studio and how his records translate to the world.”

“I actually use the word surreal at least once a day. That’s the only word that can really describe the feeling. There are so many bands out there that are trying to do the same thing so it’s almost like when I personally think about that, I’m speechless at times because it’s so incredible to be in this position. We’re so grateful and honored,“ he continues.

“We’re always going to work our asses off, but when we actually think about it, it’s like ‘wow, we’ve actually come a long way.’ It wasn’t handed to us by any means. We definitely put in the work. We know at any given moment, there’s an up and coming band that wants to take our spot. So every day is a grind and we

| THE READER |

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

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coverstory

y continued from page 11 look forward to how we’re going to make Emphatic important today and how we’re going to make our audiences grow. We’re going to bust our asses for this.”

It’s been a sometimes bumpy road. Several years ago a deal with Universal Records fell apart before they could release a record. However, the band quickly embraced the relationship with Atlantic.

Amidst the line-up changes and local gossip about who did what, Emphatic survived. While the line-up change wasn’t necessarily something Wilson or McCain wanted, it was a crucial move in ensuring Emphatic’s future.

“I don’t think it’s really relevant at this point. People need to understand at the end of the day, it’s a very difficult thing. No matter what. Every time you reach a point where you think you can relax, you can’t,“ Blue explains. “It just gets harder, just like anything that’s worthwhile in life. This business is harder every single day.”

“We got together in 2004. That’s when Patrick started with us. It was us and a group of guys that are no longer in the band today. In all honesty, it’s really been Patrick and me the whole time, regardless of who has or hasn’t been there,“ McCain says. “We’ve been through a lot of line-up changes. It’s not uncommon. Patrick and I are the only ones that signed the deal as a band. He and I have a great partnership and we both love what we do.

I write the songs and he executes them.

Blue understands what some fans think of the major label business, but he searches out genuine talent and those that aren’t the real deal don’t register with him.

“I’m not going to say anything negative about major labels at all because I work with all of them.

All the bands I develop, I’m very hands on with - anywhere from the songwriting to production to performing. I’ll get in there and help with every aspect

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

| THE READER |

cover story

from imaging and live performance. I feel like I’m part of the team,” he adds. “I’m like the older band member [laughs]. I sit in and help with everything.

I make sure it’s believable. If I can feel that, it’s real, but it has to be the right band. The believability has to come from the band. I can’t create that. I’m a great facilitator and more like a team leader.”

What now? The deal with Atlantic is in place, the tour bus is ready to go and Damage is flying off the shelves. It seems as if Emphatic’s only uncompleted task is to get their fan base to exponentially grow so world domination is plausible. Crazy as that may sound, it’s a concrete goal. McCain and Wilson know that in order for that to happen, remaining humble is key. That’s not easy when you have people asking for autographs and lining up to talk to you.

“Staying legit and staying true to yourself is most important to me.

People can smell if you’re phony.

You have to remember where you came from and keep that in the back of your mind. Don’t forget your roots,” Wilson says. “This is a great opportunity. I wish I could share it with everybody. Being able to meet other bands all the time is a really fun lifestyle. If this is on the record, then yes, I keep myself in check on the road [laughs].

This is too big of a deal to waste it on something stupid. I don’t give people a reason to hate.”

McCain agrees and always remembers to give Omaha credit for putting them on the map.

“It really started with big support in Omaha. We’re from the metro area and have been well received since the get-go. I guess radio really helped break Emphatic.

Getting airplay helped us sell-out shows and continue to do so. I guess that’s kind of the major thing that set us apart from other bands. It lasted and it kept on building. The buzz didn’t fade out,” he says. “I hate to say my true opinion sometimes because it gets twisted, but I think there needs to be a straight up fu*king rock band.

Indie rock is the only thing that’s really made it out of Omaha. We’re going to do the best to change that.” ,

Omaha’s Original

Greek F e s t i va l Live Greek Music, Greek Food, Taverna, Dancing, Shopping Presented by St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

Friday, Aug. 19, 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 20, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 21, Noon – 7 p.m.

Canfield Plaza 8457 West Center Road

Help Support Your Local Community American Red Cross blood drive Saturday, Aug. 20, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., participating donors will receive a coupon for a free baklava sundae. www.redcrossblood.org enter sponsor code 2632 Siena/Francis House food bank – free admission at the gate with canned goods donation. www.sienafrancis.org Visit www.greekfestomaha.com for more information and free admission tickets.

Discount food tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 402-345-7103.

Complimentary admission tickets available at local Greek restaurants. Children 12 and under, military personnel, firefighters and police officers are free (with ID). | THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

13

dish

Cultivating a Way of Life

City Sprouts Helps Feed Omaha

By Jessica Clem-McClaren

ust as I sat down with Jeanine Dickes, director of the City Sprouts community garden, her rooster crowed, signaling the beginning of my interview with the passionate individuals behind the project.

The garden, situated in the Orchard Hill neighborhood, nourishes and educates hundreds of North Omaha residents from different ethnic groups and backgrounds. For refugees and the poor, the path to healthy living begins with nutrition. One of the biggest issues is the neighborhood’s proximity to one of the largest food deserts in the Midwest. Dickes, a tall redhead with sparkling, friendly eyes, sighed as she looked out the large window. “We are right in the middle of it.”

City Sprouts is a community garden with wisdom that comes with age. “We were the first innercity garden in Omaha,” said Dickes, motioning to a volunteer to take some of the dried peppers hanging in the kitchen. “For 16 years we have provided food for hundreds of people in the neighborhood.”

The importance of City Sprouts soon spread throughout Omaha, and Lauritzen Gardens soon offered space for an important fundraising event for the garden: an annual gala.

“Lauritzen has been incredible, and are one of our biggest sponsors,” said Norita Matt, an Omaha city planner with a contagious smile. “They gave us the space nine years ago, and they have hosted the gala ever since.” Not only has Lauritzen offered space, it helps sustain the crops from the City Sprouts garden year round.

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

“They allow us to use their greenhouse during the winter,” said Dickes. “They provide us with everything except the seeds.”

The title of this year’s gala is “Cultivating Urban Food Systems,” and this is the year City Sprouts hopes to raise $100,000 that will be used to help keep the garden functioning. “In each successive year, City Sprouts has been growing, in terms of donorship and volunteers,” said Dickes.

The gala costs around $7,000 for catering, setup, and expenses relating to the event. With the true spirit of Omaha nonprofits and other donations, support from organizations such as the Mammal Foundation and grants from the Sunshine Lady Foundation and the City of Omaha Mayor’s office have kept the garden growing. “The City of Omaha planning is supportive of City Sprouts and the Orchard Hill neighborhood,” said Matt. “It’s in our goals to enhance the neighborhood.”

There are 80 confirmed tickets for the August 21st event, but phones were ringing constantly, cheerful tunes in the background, letting us know that people understand the pertinence of such an organization.

Individual tickets are $25 and tables are $200. “The funds from the gala will go to gardening and community activities,” said Matt. There will be a cash bar

| THE READER |

dish

photos by jessica clem-mcclaren

J

views of the citysprouts garden

and a silent auction, with items donated from local organizations and volunteers around the city.

Volunteers are the heart of the operation, and during our interview several peeked into the living room to say “Hi” and inquire about composting and worm digging, a new project the garden is utilizing to create rich soil.

“We function on a shoestring budget along with the generosity of the volunteers and the community,” said Dickes. “We literally live off of dirt, water and air.”

Dickes took me through the garden and small farm, giving me a chance to see what they provide to hundreds of needy people. Peach trees dripping with fruit bowed towards the ground, a gorgeous juxta-

position with the carpet of zucchini, yellow squash and flashes of cherry tomatoes. Volunteers from around the neighborhood, including group homes and church groups, tend to 50 beds. Dickes stops to sample some New Zealand spinach.

“We don’t turn anyone away from the food in the garden,” she said. “For $20, residents in the neighborhood get whatever is grown until the freeze. For $30, people from outside the neighborhood can enjoy the produce. But some refugees and other people can’t afford to pay. We still try to feed everyone we can.”

Bitter melon and Nepalese peppers fill the garden with an exotic fragrance, and string beans the size of my laptop twist over the dirt. “I do research on what ethnic groups we have in the area,” said Dickes. “We are a vendor at Charles Drew, and the Burmese and Bhutanese come and give me seeds to plant. I’ve been shown how to plant food I have never seen before.”

As we returned to the house, my feet warm with dirt, residents were already coming to the house, offering their services for produce. Gardens like these keep neighborhoods healthy. ,

El Aguila Restaurant

The

BEST margarita in town!

Mexican cuisine

Happy Hour 3 - 6 pm Monday - Thursday

Weekdays Lunch Specials Open 7 Days a Week

1837 Vinton Street (402) 346-7667

Patio Open!

| THE READER |

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

15

8 days TOPTV “Strike Back”

Fridays, 9 p.m., Cinemax

In this new series, a roguish American special forces dude named Damian (Sullivan Stapleton) joins a British military unit to stop a terrorist group. Strike Back flaunts its only-on-premiumcable language and gory action scenes, but aside from that, it’s reminiscent of all such TV action series.

Damian delights in breaking rules and making nonchalantly witty comments even with a gun pointed at his head. The Brits, of course, insist on doing things by the book. “You are to maintain proper military discipline and respect at all times,” British colonel Eleanor Grant (Amanda Mealing) tells Damian in this week’s episode. If she really expects this guy to follow her orders, I doubt she’s seen many such TV action series.

—Dean Robbins

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

t h e r e a d e r ’ s e n te r tai n me n t pi c ks a u g . 1 8 - 2 4 , 2 0 1 1

THURSDAY18

Yonder mountain string band

Thursday, Aug. 18

Yonder Mountain String Band The Slowdown 729 N, 14th St, 9 p.m., $20/ADV $25/DOS onepercentproductions.com

Bluegrass has always been a genre hat has walked a fine line between either really cool or really cheesy. The banjo-laden sound has something to do with it; being an instrument that requires efficient skill and speed, but also provoking mocking of backwoods and the movie Deliverance.

However, the Yonder Mountain String band took the sound and made it its own, demanding you take another listen. The multi-instrumental Nederland, Colorado quartet mixes elements of bluegrass, rock, and progressive to create a sound unmatched by any other. Initially sticking with the traditional bluegrass roots structure, the band builds on these layers with mandolins, jam-band country and the occasional freestyle scat from singer Jeff Austin. Yonder Mountain has toured for over a decade. This dedicated touring has produced a multitude of dedicated fans allowing them to stay true to the grassroots that made the genre so popular.

—Chalis Bristol

FRIDAY19 Friday-Saturday, Aug. 19-21

Omaha’s Original Greek Festival Canfields Plaza 8457 West Center Road $25/food tickets greekfestomaha.com

Opa! Omaha’s Original Greek Festival is back and this year we can expect more of the same compliments of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. One yearly highlight is a variety of Greek folk dances. You can witness dances from St. John’s dance groups or learn to dance

| THE READER |

picks

Greek at various times during the weekend.

There will also be live Greek entertainment on hand in the form of To Kefi, a new Texas’ Greek band. Their repetoire is a fusion of the latest hits from Greece and of traditional songs. Finally, no Greek festival would be complete without Greek food and drink. The main courses offered are Pork Souvlaki and Gyro, both served with Tzatziki Sauce on Pita bread. There will also be Greek desserts and Greek beer. With such a variety of entertainment options there is no reason not to come out and be Greek for a day.

WEDNESDAY24 Wednesday, Aug. 24

Derby Girl Bingo Fundraiser for Sk8 the State for MS The Sydney 5918 Maple St., 8 p.m. sk8thestate.blogspot.com

Sk8 the State for MS is a fundraising movement piloted by four Siouxland women who are trying to take a small step in the fight to

r e a d e r ’ s

eradicate multiple sclerosis. Last summer, thre three founding members skated 288 miles across South Dakota and raised nearly $3000. This summer, the group will be making a 250-mile journey through Nebraska. On August 24th they will join forces with The Omaha Roller Girls for a night of fundraising bingo. Bingo cards can be purchased the night of the event at the Sydney for $1 per card or $5 for six cards. This fundraiser will help Sk8 The State get closer to their goal of raising at least $5000 for the Nebraska chapter of the MS Society. The group is relying on donations of equipment, food and lodging to get through the five-day journey. More information about making donations can be found on their Facebook page (Sk8 the State for MS) or their blog (sk8thestate.blogspot.com).

THURSDAY25 Thursday, Aug. 25

Therapy in Motion

The Bookworm 87th & Pacific 6 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Pillowwithaheartbeat.com Truffles – Truffles the Therapy Dog will be in Omaha with owner Nancy Stanley as the latter promotes her new book Pillow with a Heartbeat: The Heartwarming Tale of a Little Dog Who Finds His Big Purpose. The book is written from Truffles perspective, describing how he became a therapy dog. A therapy dog is trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing home or whoever may need their comfort. Nancy and Truffles want to share their stories and visit with anyone curious about therapy dogs and wanting to meet Truffles.

e nt e rta i nm e nt

p i c k s

a u g .

1 8

-

2 4 ,

2 011

PICKOFTHEWEEK enso

brycebridges.com

th e

Thursday, Aug. 25 Designer Drugs with Enso, Masaris, Cake Eater and $pencelove House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., 9 p.m., $5 cover www.houseofloom.com

I

t’s a good time to be a DJ in Omaha. There are scores of venues available (the Waiting Room, House of Loom and even restaurants/bars like Blue and Roja, just to name a few), and the competition is getting cutthroat.

So who is Enso? Not just another DJ. His name is Derrick Calloway, and he was born to play music.

“I don’t know if there was a moment when I wasn’t into music,” Calloway say. “I’ve been playing an instrument since I could walk. It’s my mother tongue, I suppose.”

Indeed Calloway has always had his finger on the music pulse, especially locally. He plays roughly two or three shows a month these days, a slight decrease due to turning his focus to producing.

“I’ve been making music from the very beginning,” he explains. “I started producing music in high school and began producing electronic music in college.”

Calloway has performed with some of his longtime friends, but these days, he flies solo, going by the moniker, Enso. He is currently working with producer, Jwreck, to release a couple of tracks and remixes on an LP. While Enso remains unsigned, he is on the lookout for the right label.

“There are so many labels that I would love to work with, but to name a few: Mad Decent, BNR, Ultra, Mau5trap, Spinnin’ and Dim Mak.”

Calloway has done some guest djing at local dance party favorite, GUNK, with other local artists, Kobrakyle, $pencelove and VJ Dinan.

“Those guys know how to throw one hell of a party,” Calloway says.

Next on his list is a move to San Francisco, where he hopes to further his DJ career. His farewell set will be Thursday, Aug. 25, at the House of Loom with another local act, Designer Drugs, a personal favorite of Calloway’s.

But no matter where his DJ career takes him, Calloway considers himself a producer first and foremost.

“Typically, a DJ begins djing using turntables (vinyl or CDJs) and eventually tries his or her hand at producing music. I went about it backwards. I had been producing for years before I tried djing. As my productions changed from rock to dance music, I began to gain interest in djing,” he explains.

Most djs these days focus on getting the word out through social media. By using Facebook, Twitter and blogs, Calloway is able to invite people to his shows and share his music with fans.

Enso can be found on ensomusic.com, twitter.com/ensoofficial, soundcloud.com/ensoofficial, facebook.com/ensoofficial.

—Jessica Stensrud

picks

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

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| THE READER |

Omaha Fashion Week offers more intriguing designers, special guest

fashions by princess lasertron

by Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik with Jessica Stensrud

d0ll clothes Drawing inspiration from designers like h. NAOTO, Jean Paul Gaultier and Comme des Garçons, local desinger Chessna Fernald’s line embodies the true essence of theatrical, conceptual design.

Created for Omaha Fashion Week last year, Fernald’s line “d0ll clothes” has since been featured in various fashion shows around Omaha such as the annual Goth Ball and Toyland fashion shows. While the name of Fernald’s line speaks to the obvious inspiration for her designs, she says that she also draws influence from “Japanese street styles, such as Lolita, Rococo, Victorian and Edwardian fashions.”

Fernald says her 11-piece, fall 2011 collection is called “d0ll h0spital.” “As the name suggests, the collection is inspired by all things medical, in addition to my basic doll style.” Falling in line with the

Bill Sitzmann

O

maha Fashion Week 2011 by the numbers: more than 4,000 attendees, 1,125 participants, 125 volunteers, 39 designers, three very special guests and two very determined and dedicated event organizers.

Nick and Brook Hudson, the husband-andwife team behind what has grown into one of the Midwest’s biggest fashion events, say although this is their third OFW event, they’re just getting started. “We plan to go from a show to an industry,” Brook Hudson said. “We want to turn our market into a place where designers don’t have to move to make a living.”

This year, the Hudsons are well on their way to reaching that goal by inviting special guests to the show. Those guests, including Carmela Spinelli, chair of fashion and accessory design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, will be providing feedback to the Omaha designers, as well as to OFW organizers.

Other major changes include an e-ticketing system (attendees should bring their printed ticket), the chance to select and reserve seats and special events for participating salon professionals. With so much talent involved, Brook Hudson sums up the OFW experience with one word — “humbling.”

That in mind, The Reader takes a glimpse at a few of the designers who will most likely make this year’s OFW unforgettable.

whiteout trend seen on the runways of designers like Alexander Wang this year, her color palette is “Mainly white with touches of mint and pink."

Showing a glimpse of wise-beyond-her-years influence from the well-known designers who inspire her, Fernald says spectators can anticipate cohesiveness between her collections. “I tend to pick a different theme or concept for each collection, though each line acts more like a chapter in a book — separate but part of the same whole.”

Fernald’s d0ll clothes line will be presented at OFW Wednesday, Aug. 24. Hair and makeup will be presented by Fringes Salon.

Emma Erickson

As a young, up-and-coming designer, Emma Erickson already has accumulated a resume any fashionholic would envy. She earned her degree in fashion design at the Academy of Art University, and promptly received an internship with Hervé Léger

by Max Azaria (BCBG) design team.

“I applied for an internship my senior semester, 2010. Recruiters from BCBG came to our school, so I

n The back-story on Becky’s New Car which kicks off the Omaha Community Playhouse season this weekend has a warm fuzzy feel to it. And the couple that caused its genesis will fly in from Seattle to see what playwright Stephen Dietz wrought on their behalf.

The comedy came into being when Charlie Staadecker wanted a unique 60th birthday gift for his wife Benita, so he commissioned Dietz to write a play. Despite the shared initial letter, Becky is not Benita, who doesn’t share Becky’s need for not just a new car but a new husband and a new life.

Kim Jubenville brings her well-honed comedic talent to the title role, with Mark Thornburg, the Playhouse Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, as her husband, and recent Theatre Arts Guild honoree Bill Grennan as their son. Sarah Liken, Sonia Keffer, Mike Markey and Matthew Pyle round out the experienced cast directed by Amy Lane.

Thanks to the Great Plains Theater Conference and its honored playwrights, metro theater-goers have become more familiar with the productivity of writers like Dietz, who aren’t big names on Broadway, but through commissions and works staged in regional theaters create a large body of work.

His 30 original plays and 10 others adapted from such books as Dracula and Sherlock Holmes racked up enough productions to make him tied for eighth most-produced playwright in 2010.

You might have heard of the two he tied with: Tennessee Williams and Edward Albee.

Becky’s New Car follows its Thursday preview performance with a run from Aug. 19-Sept.

18, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, in the smaller Howard Drew Theatre. Tickets are $35, $21 for students with lower prices for groups of 15 or more. Call 402.553.0800 or visit omahaplayhouse.org. n I usually can’t resist quibbling about the Theatre Arts Guild award winners, but it’s hard to argue with most of the voters’ choices, especially since I’d picked many of them as my favorites earlier in this column.

But there’s the usual disappointment that Brigit Saint Brigit doesn’t share in the honors for its excellent production of Distant Music. And I didn’t predict that the Candy Project would clean up with its summer musical, {title of show}, which makes me search for that bracket on the keyboard.

I saw enough excerpts of the musical to appreciate its appeal, and it doesn’t hurt that it has an insidethe-biz topic that goes well with the TAG voters.

coldcream

Ones to Watch

culture

interviewed with them. I was really excited about the brand. It’s a higher end, and my favorite of BCBG. I got to do a lot of pattern graphs that they send to vendors overseas,” she explains. “It was really cool to be behind the scenes to see the process.”

While in school, she was chosen to show her work at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2011 in New York City. If that’s not enough, Erickson currently designs and assists at Princess Lasertron with fellow OFW designer, Megan Hunt.

“She is so inspirational—and not in a cheesy way. I’ve learned so much about how to run a business. There’s a lot you don’t learn in school. I learned about design, but not real world things like businesses and how to protect yourself.”

And now, along with her colleague, Erickson will be showcasing her work, which she says is inspired mostly from textures and shapes.

“I’m doing a lot of casual looks right now. It’s a lot different from the corsets, gowns and cocktail dresses. There are more washable materials, the textures are easier. With casual dresses, there aren’t as continued on page 20 y

art

—Warren Francke Cold Cream looks at theater in the metro area. Email information to coldcream@thereader.com.

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

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SEVEN AD 5 x 5

style

y continued from page 19 many hours sewing, so I can focus more on silhouettes, pleating, trims, and different techniques for texture,” she says.

Emma Erickson’s line will be presented Saturday, Aug. 27. Hair and makeup will be presented by Bangs Salon.

Princess Lasertron

Hair and makeup by Seven Salon // three2three photography

402.934.2177

www.sevensalon.com

Comments? Questions? Want more? Check out our Booked blog online at thereader.com. Or email us at booked@thereader.com.

by her. She will also be here throughout the week doing some press stuff. On the finale night, I am also hosting a VIP runway finale party with Project Runway's Mondo Guerra. Plus a few more tricks up my sleeve.”

Princess Lasertron’s line will be presented at OFW Thursday, Aug. 25. Hair and makeup will be presented by Team Lasertron sponsored by Bangs Salon.

Dan Richters

As mentioned, her name is Megan Hunt. To Omaha Backstage at OFW every year, there is a much-defashion insiders, she’s known as “Princess Laser- served buzz surrounding Dan Richters’ line. Known tron.” Her unique name suggests an abundance of for his ethereal creations and use of unorthodox materials such as silicone, creativity and being unlights and English netting afraid to have fun with fashion by dan richters in his designs, Richters fashion — and her new is putting the finishing collection makes good touches on a collection inon that promise. spired by the deep sea for Hunt began Prinfall 2011. cess Lasertron in 2005.

“This collection doveShe started off creating tails off last year, which was floral bridal bouquets inspired by naiads from made out of felt and ponds and rivers,” the devintage buttons. She signer said. “Life is abunnow has a three-person dant in the deep sea and company, and they most creatures are white design for 250 brides with translucent bodies, a year. emitting bioluminescence.”

For this collection, Richters strategically she is staying true to placed lights in many of his her favorite silhouettes pieces this year, adding, “If and patterns, but makmy models are walking in a ing the pieces more line, they’re lighting each versatile for daily wear. other. It’s possible that I Good news for fashcould do a show entirely in ionistas on a budget the dark”.

— the pieces also will Along with mythologibe available at a more cal creatures, Richters draw accessible price. his inspiration from other Hunt was inspired by how young girls see the world and who they as- high-concept designers such as Thierry Mugler, pire to be. “It’s the thought of seeing the world the Gareth Pugh and Rick Owens. “I like fashion, but way we did when we were little girls — imaginative I’m approaching it more like making sculptures.” people who have never been told what isn’t possible And while Richters said he’s putting his focus on — and rejecting the disappointment of mundane the present rather than the future, his reason for designing is clear. “Right now, the only purpose of adult life,” Hunt says.

Along with a new collection, Hunt has several designing is to do runway shows. The platform that surprises in store for OFW-goers. “Londoner Kat motivates me to design is Omaha Fashion Week.”

Dan Richters’ line will be presented at OFW Williams of Rock’n’Roll Bride (Europe's highesttrafficked wedding blog), is coming to model a spe- Saturday, Aug. 27. Hair and makeup will be precial limited-edition design that I created inspired sented by Seven Salon. , dan richters

3117 N. 120 ST // OMAHA, NE 68164

n Author Colleen Bradford Krantz will be at the Bookworm Sunday at 1 p.m. to sign her book, Train to Nowhere: Inside an Immigrant Death Investigation. A companion to the public television documentary, the book recounts the horrific 2002 tale of 11 undocumented immigrants who were locked inside a railcar by smugglers and left to die when no one came to release them.

The bodies were discovered when the car arrived in Denison, Iowa.

— Kyle Tonniges

booked

n Writer Jeff Lacey and illustrator Calvin Banks will be at the Bookworm at 87th and Pacific this Friday at 6 p.m. to sign copies of their book, Flushed During Play: 51 Pet Rodent Deaths. I’m not kidding. “In this age of excessive materialism, pet rodents have perhaps paid the greatest price, having become too often victims of negligence, amateur decision making, or what George Orwell called ‘those wild, almost lunatic misunderstandings which are part of the daily experience of childhood,’” the press materials read. If you’ve had a hamster, gerbil or other rodent that met an unseemly end, this is the signing for you. If not, a signed copy would be a unique Christmas present, wouldn’t it?

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Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

| THE READER |

culture

art King’s ‘newest edition’ at RNG Gallery sharpens his eye and tongue

M

by Michael J. Krainak

allowing for a certain irony and satiric edge about content King still feels deeply about.

The show’s statement describes the 15 medium and large format mixed media paintings as “witty,” populated largely by post-Smurf love children in an Anime aesthetic. The graffiti influence is still there but mostly in the background with its characteristic script and signage on textured and scarred surfaces.

Figures are caricatures outlined in black as if done on the fly. Jarring notes of neon color look sprayed on.

Yet the overall visual effect is deliberately and deceptively sophisticated in spite of being referential.

With a few notable exceptions, King’s mixed media here is dominated by a weak-chin cartoon figure with an overbite, Pinocchio proboscis and vacant or shuttered

ixed media artist Jeff King has come a long way since his breakout solo show, Something Is Over, in 2006 at the nomadic Moving Gallery in the Old Market.

The title more than hinted at a determination to focus more on his painting and less on the culinary arts, the career that sustained him for the past 15 years. Paperwork, the show’s signature piece, spoke eloquently in his “simple-minded fock” by jeff king now familiar graffiti-influenced style of his need to break away from his “daily grind” and concentrate more on what sustained him.

But new beginnings for any emerging artist can be difficult.

Five years later, King is still balancing both forms of art as a baker at UNMC and as an influential area painter. Witness this at his current show at the RNG Gallery, called ironically, the newest edition of what you’ve been missing, which continues through Aug. 21.

King hasn’t exactly gone MIA from the area art scene as he has taken time out from restaurant wars to participate in a number of group and solo shows at the former Pulp Gallery, Nomad, the Underground, Bancroft and for two years mentoring high school eyes, helmet hair and drawn with an Anime flair. Most of students in the Kent Bellows after school program these caricatures are floating heads in a kind of suspended “I volunteered because this is an important av- animation as if these scenarios began as day-dreamscapes enue for kids to pursue,” King said in 2008. “I tried to and ended up as cartoon bubbles on canvas. convey that the art world can be very rewarding and The tone or POV varies from satiric, self-analysis very difficult as well…it requires a lot of hard work.” to more blatant social criticism, especially of art’s inner A lesson not lost on the King who now says the sanctum, socially and economically. There are lessons struggle is less about finding time to create art and for all here or at least windows of clarity—some less more about “struggling to sell art. Career-wise, this veiled than others—that expose issues of insecurity hasn’t really turned into a career. My main goal is and insincerity, hypocrisy and redundancy and expedito write a book. The politics of painting are funny. I ency and materialism that encompass collectors, critthink I try to stand up to the old guard with my work. ics, galleries and artists alike, including himself.

Socially it speaks for itself.”

At times the veil is lifted and his “text-messagKing says he’s “not an angry young man any- ing” in his imagery speaks for itself and points in more.” Though the issues that trouble any emerging several directions. Phrases like “Fake Gold,” “I’ll be artist, particularly survival in the marketplace, still consumed by my own fire,” “No need for alarm” and permeate his work, his style and POV have evolved the more blatant “Instant Masterpiece” indict all in as seen in his current show at RNG. This “newest the nebulous market of creativity with all of its risks edition” is still personal, but he’s more the observer and contradictions.

Still, King must feel that the fine arts are a worthwhile pursuit at several levels, judging by his increased price point for his work that approaches that of several area established artists. Several of the 15 pieces in his “newest edition” merit that consideration. They include: “There Are No Rules,” which could be the show’s signature piece. In the image, a solitary caricature, sporting the longest nose of all, is caught in a downward spiral of swirling black lines. Pink and flushed, this figure of authority is apparently caught in a lie that frustrates the artist who may wish that there were rules as long as they served him as well as the status quo, everyone operating on a level playing field.

In “Plastic Clique,” an “ordinary” figure is surrounded by a like circle with similar but longer noses than he. It’s a familiar conundrum for an artist: to stand alone from the crowd or sell out and become one of the anointed. That he already shares their bubble within the frame may be a sign of the inevitable in order to succeed.

Another fear dealt with exists in “Gorillas in Captivity” in which the proverbial 500-pound variety in the room is devouring the artist. No matter how one interprets this, whatever it is that consumes him here, his own passion, insecurity or outside pressures and obligations, it threatens to make a “Fixed Monkey” out of him as seen in Gallery 2.

Back in Gallery 1, another group of poseurs living a lie and getting away with it, is the group shot, “Wack MC’s” with their “false gold” text and long noses. Yet even more interesting than its theme here is King’s talent for dynamic composition that, along with “Plastic Clique,” focuses attention and navigates the eye to, away and then back to its central figure.

Another sign of King’s artistic evolution is his interest in the young and the naive, a product probably of his mentoring as well as personal experience, as seen in the rather static 1994 with its subtext of “Children Can’t Reason with the Businessman” and the more visually interesting Simple Minded Fools in Gallery 3. In the foreboding latter, two innocents, wide–eyed and vacuous, walk the streets or primrose path while a villainous adult lurks in the shadows. This is paradise lost and innocence is prime for the picking.

Finally, the exhibit ends rather cryptically, pun intended, with the grammatically incorrect

art

mixedmedia

No More Angy Young Man

n On Aug. 20 the Bluffs Arts Council invites you to “Savor the Flavor” on the historic 100 block of West Broadway, offering craft beer, fine wines, food pairings, as well as live music and work by local artists including photographer Michael Sherer and stained glass artist Kristi Pederson. Music includes clarinet by JoAnne Arbaugh, Raqs Awn Belly Dance Collective and more. Bluffsarts.org. n The deadline to submit to the 2011 Birdhouse Interiors and Art Exhibition is Sept.

1. Birdhouse Collectible is hosting Home to benefit the Union for Contemporary Art, an innovative group exhibition showcasing Nebraska artists in the context of a curated interior design space. The exhibition, in December 2011, will transform the Bancroft Street Market into a contemporary living space and calls for original art of any medium by local artists to fill the seven rooms. Visit birdhousecollectible.com for details. n Chicago urban artist Lavie Raven and students of the Kent Bellows Studio completed the first mural visible at a viable underpass on the Keystone Trail bike system. Four murals will be completed by the end of the year on the trail throughout Omaha, a part of the larger project spearheaded by the studio and the Neighborhood Center of the City of Omaha. The murals are in conjunction with the Re(Create) Urban Arts Program at the studio which works with young people interested in urban art—focusing that energy in a proactive and productive way. n Yoga artist Lora Hasse explores yoga with vibrant, glow-in-the-dark body paint complete with the sonic vibes of DJ Tres. The Lotus House of Yoga New BLK Light Yoga is Aug. 18, 7-9 p.m. at the New BLK Gallery. Tickets $25, visit lotushouseofyoga.com. n Public Art Omaha now offers a mobile application developed by students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Information Science and Technology. The free app, in partnership with Eleven19 commissioned by Omaha By Design and Omaha Public Art Commission, allows users to learn about Omaha’s Public Art while on the go— identify artist and title, find public art near a certain location, search for art and more. Visit publicartomaha.org for details.

— Sally Deskins Mixed Media is a column about local art. Send ideas to mixedmedia@thereader.com.

“The Dead Lives Elsewhere.” In another interesting and dynamic composition, five floating heads with King’s familiar arrows pointing to all, turn an oxymoron into a paradox, suggesting that negative energy has a perpetual life and influence of its own.

King may no longer be “that angry young man,” but this “newest edition” has sharpened both his tongue and powers of observation. ,

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

21

art

OpeningS

MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART (MONA), 2401 Central Ave., (308) 865-8559. COLLECTION CONNECTION: Jill Wicht discusses exhibition Why Is It Art?, opens Aug. 24, 2 p.m.

ONGOING

THE 815, 815 O. St., Suite 1, Lincoln, 261.4905, the815.org.

ARTISTS ON THE EDGE: Through Aug. AGAINST THE WALL, 6220 Havelock Ave., Lincoln, 467.3484, againstthewallgallery.com. 9NATURA: New work by Michael E. French, through Aug. ANKENY ART CENTER, 1520 SW Road, Ankeny, IA, 515.965.0940, ankenyartcenter.com. NEW WORK: Donna McConkey. NEW WORK: Joyce O’Brien. Both shows through August.

ARTISTS’ COOPERATIVE GALLERY, 405 S. 11th St., artistscoopgallery.com. NEW WORK: Group show featuring Duane Adams, Carol Meis Ellington, Dona Golden and Virginia Ocken, through Aug. 28.

BENSON GRIND, 6107 Maple St., octopusesgarden.org. MEET THE ARTIST: Tom Loftus, through Aug. BIRDHOUSE COLLECTIBLE, 1111 N. 13th St., Suite 123, 577.0711, biz@birdhouseinteriors.com. SNAPSHOTS AND OTHER WORKS: New work by Christina Renfer Vogel, through Sep. 3.

BURKHOLDER PROJECT, 719 P St., Lincoln, 477.3305, burkholderproject.com. FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION: New work by Al Rhea and Richard Markoff. FOLLOWING THE LINE: New work

by Lorinda Rice and Tom Quest. Both shows thorugh Aug. CATHEDRAL CULTURAL CENTER SUTHERLAND GALLERY, 701 N. 40th St., 551.4888, cathedralartsproject.org. NEW WORK: Paintings by Dan Boylan, through Aug. 31.

DRIFT STATION GALLERY, 1745 N St., Lincoln, driftstation. org. N/EN-: New work by Angeles Cossio and Jeff Thompson, through Aug. 28.

DURHAM WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, 801 S. 10th St., 444.5071, durhammuseum.org. GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER: The life and work of an extraordinary man, through Oct. 30.

EL MUSEO LATINO, 4701 S. 25th St., elmuseolatino.org. INDEPENCIA, REVOLUCION Y LIBERTAD: Contemporary graphics, through Aug. 25.

GALLERY 9, 124 S 9th St., Lincoln, 477.2822, gallerynine.com.

ALUM9: CATCHING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS: Group show, through Aug. 28.

GALLERY 92 WEST, 92 West 6th St., P.O Box 335, Fremont.

NEW WORK: Jeffrey Koterba, through Aug. GOVERNOR’S RESIDENCE EXHIBITION, 1425 H St., Lincoln, nebraskaartscouncil.org. NEW WORK: Bob Rooney, through Sep. 2.

GREAT PLAINS ART MUSEUM, 1155 Q St., Hewit Plc., Lincoln, 472.0599, unl.edu/plains/gallery/gallery.shtml. PORTRAITS OF THE PRAIRIE: Watercolor paintings and ink sketches by Richard Schilling, inspired by Willa Cather, through Sep. 15.

HANDMADE MODERN, Parrish Prjoect, 1416 O St., Lincoln, sarabucy.com. PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW: New work by Kelly Smith, through Sep. 30.

HEART OF GOLD JEWELERS, 2634 N. 48th St., Lincoln, heartofgoldjewelers.blogspot.com, 325.0465. NEW WORK: Featuring new pieces by local artists in pottery, jewelry, wood carving, glasswork, and photo prints, through Aug. HISTORIC GENERAL DODGE HOUSE, 605 3rd St., Council Bluffs, 501.3841, dodgehouse.org. IN MEMORY OF... THE ART OF MOURNING: Examines a family’s response to loss and mourning in the late Victorian period, through Oct. 23.

THE HIVE LOUNGE, 1951 St. Mary’s Ave. LINCOLN ARTISTS AT THE HIVE: Group show, through Aug. HOT SHOPS ARTS CENTER, 1301 Nicholas St., 342.6452, hotshopsartcenter.com. PARTS OF THE WHOLE: New work by Bradley Miller, Sarah Carney and Mike Machian, through Aug. 26.

INTERNATIONAL QUILT STUDY CENTER AND MUSEUM, 1523 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, 472.7232, quiltstudy.org. NEBRASKA QUILTS AND QUILTMAKERS: Group show, through Oct. 2. ELEGANT GEOMETRY: AMERICAN AND BRITISH MOSAIC PATCHWORK: Through Jan. 1, 2012.

JOSLYN ART MUSEUM, 2200 Dodge St., 342.3300, joslyn.org.

JOSLYN TREASURES: WELL TRAVELED AND RARELY SEEN:

22

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

Through Aug. 28, featuring some of the Joslyn’s most traveled objects. WHY GROW UP? ETIENNE DELESSERT: Self-taught artist who reaches both children and adults with imaginary creatures and landscapes, through Sep. 4.

KENT BELLOWS STUDIO, 3303 Leavenworth St., 505.7161, kentbellows.org. INDIVISUAL: Experience the culminating exhibition of work by the young artists of the the studio, through Aug. KIECHEL FINE ART, 5733 S. 34th St., Lincoln, 420.9553, kiechelart.com. CONTEMPORARY SUMMER SHOWCASE: Group show, through Oct. 7.

KIMMEL HARDING NELSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 801 3rd Corso, Nebraska City, 874.9600, khncenterforthearts.org. MIRROR, MIRROR: New work by Ann Gradwohl, through Aug. 25.

KRUGER COLLECTION, UNL Architecture Hall, 10th and R, Lincoln, 472.3560, krugercollection.unl.edu. DESIGN PROCESS: Explores the steps a designer takes, runs through Mar. 16, 2012.

LAURITZEN GARDENS, 100 Bancroft St., 346.4002, omahabotanicalgardens.org. OUTSIDE KANEKO: Through Sep. 15, over 50 sculptures and drawings by Jun Kaneko.

THE LICHEN, 2810 N. 48th St., Lincoln, thelichen.com. LOOK MORE WAYS THAN LEFT AND RIGHT: New work by Victoria Hoyt, Emma Nishimura, and Alison VanVolkenburgh, through Aug. LUX CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 48th and Baldwin, Lincoln, 434.2787, luxcenter.org. TREELINE: NATURE’S ICONIC FORM: Group show that pays homage to the noble stature and presence of trees, through Nov. 1. NEW WORK: Pottery by Susan Dewsnap. CONTINUANCE: New work by the 16 Hands Pottery Tour group.

MODERN ARTS MIDWEST, 800 P St., Lincoln, 477.2828, modernartsmidwest.com. PEOPLE: new work by Byron Anway, Richard Chung and Tom Rierden, through Aug. 27.

MORRILL HALL, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln 472.3779, museum. unl.edu. AMPHIBIANS VIBRANT AND VANISHING: Photographs

by Joel Sartore, through Nov. 30. FREE THURSDAY NIGHT ADMISSION: Every Thursday from 4:30 to 8 p.m., through Aug. WILDLIFE AND NATURE: Amateur photography exhibit, through Sep. 5.

MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART (MONA), 2401 Central Ave., Kearney, 308.865.8559, monet.unk.edu/mona. THE NEBRASKA SUITE: New work by Enrique Martinez Celaya. A POW-POW OF ART: Native American works, through Aug. 21. TWO KINDS OF HOME: The life and works of Myron Heise, through Aug. 28. NEBRASKA NOW: Photography by Dana Fritz, through Oct. 2.

THE NEW BLK, 1213 Jones St., 403.5619, thenewblk.com.

LOST ENDS: New work by Nolan Tredway, through Aug. 23.

NOYES GALLERY, 119 S. 9th St., Lincoln, 486.3866, noyesartgallery.com. NEW WORK: Group show featuring Associate Artists, through Jul. OLSON-LARSEN GALLERY, 203 5th St., Des Moines, IA, 515.277.6734, olsonlarsen.com. THREE TAKES ON PHOTOGRAPHY: Group show featuring Peter Feldstein, David Ottenstein and Dan Powell, through Sep. 3.

OMAHA’S CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, 500 S. 20th St., 342.6163. ocm.org. DINOSAURS DAWN OF THE ICE AGE: Stomping and roaring robotic dinosaurs are invading the museum, through Jan. 8.

PARALLAX SPACE, 1745 N St., Lincoln, parallaxspace.com.

TAKEAWAY: New work by Danny Sullivan, through Aug. PASSAGEWAY GALLERY, 417 South 11th St, passagewaygallery.com. OIL AND TEMGER: New work by Jody Anderson and Elmer Miller, through Aug. 31.

PEERLESS, 3157 Farnam St., wearepeerless.com. STREETS OF GOLD: New work by Markus Merkle, through Aug. 27.

SHELDON ART GALLERY, 12th and R, UNL, Lincoln, sheldonartgallery.org. THE HARMON AND HARRIET KELLY COLLECTION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ART: Works on paper, opens through Sep. 25. DECISIVE LINE: Drawings by Dan Howard, through Sep. 18. PLAYING ON PAPER: New work by John Martin, through Jul. 24. NEW WORK: Grant Wood, through Oct. 2. HISTORIES: Works from the Sheldon Permanent Collection, Opens Aug. 5-Jul. 15, 2012.

SILVER OF OZ, 6115 Maple St., 558.1307, silverofoz.com. RECYCLED... A BODY OF WORK FROM THE SOUL OF THE DUMPSTER: New work by Lori Livingston-Hubbell, through Aug. SP CE, Parrish Prjoect, 1416 O St., Lincoln. NEW WORK: David Bush, through Aug.

| THE READER |

art/theater listings

SATURDAY 20

check event listings online!

TREDWAY GALLERY, 1416 O St. MISCELLANEOUS RELICS: New work by Jar Schepers, through Aug. TUGBOAT GALLERY, 14th and O, 2nd floor, Lincoln, tugboatgallery.com. BIG TEN: new work by Mike Scheef and J. Lynn Batten, through Aug. 29.

WORKSPACE GALLERY, Sawmill Building, 440 N. 8th St., Lincoln, sites.google.com/site/workspacegallery. FIRESIDE TALES: New work by Bridget Murphy Milligan, through Sep. 1.

theater oPENING

AUDITION: THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, 12 OPHELIAS (A PLAY W/ BROKEN SONGS), A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6001 Dodge St.. Opens Aug. 23, FREE. Auditions are free and open to all members of the community.

BECKY’S NEW CAR, Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., 553.0800, omahaplayhouse.com. Opens Aug. 19-Sep. 18, Thu.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $35, $21/students. A comedy/drama.

42ND STREET, McDonald Theatre, 53rd St. & Huntington Ave., (402) 465-2384, theatre@nebrwesleyan.edu. Opens Aug. 18, $15; Seniors: $10; Students: $7.50. In New York City, a play must open in exactly 36 hours.

ALL IN THE MIND, UNO Studio Theatre, 6001 Dodge St., (402) 554-3167, uno.theatre.publicity@gmail.com. Opens Aug. 17, FREE THE LONELY BOOK, Haymarket Theatre, 803 Q St., (402) 4772600. Opens Aug. 18, Adults: $15; Seniors and Students: $12.

MARGINALIA @ 40, Haymarket Theatre, 803 Q St., (402) 4772600. Opens Aug. 19, Adults: $15; Seniors and Students: $12.

X-FILES: THE MUSICAL, The Colonel Mustard Amateur Attic Theatre Company, 920 D St., albert@thecolonelmustard.com.

Opens Aug. 20, FREE

oNGOING

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, TADA Theatre, 701 P St., Lincoln, 402.438.8232, tadatheatre.info.

Opens Aug. 4-28, Thu.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $20.

THE OFFICIAL BLUES BROTHERS REVUE, Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., 553.0800, omahaplayhouse.com.

Opens Aug. 12-21, Wed.-Fri., 7:30 p.m., Sat., 5 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $30.

poetry/comedy thursday 18

AS THE WORM TURNS, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 6:30 p.m. (3rd Thursday.)

BACKLINE IMPROV, Studio…Gallery 4965 Dodge St., (402) 660-0867. 8:00 pm, $5.

COMEDY NIGHT AT THE SIDE DOOR, 3530 Leavenworth St., 8 p.m., $5. Every Thu. SCIENCE CAFE, Red9 322 S. 9th St., (402) 477-7339. 6:30 pm, FREE. SWEETGRASS, Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St., joslyn. org, 8 p.m.

JO KOY, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m. A panelist on Chelsea Lately.

FRIDAY 19

JEFF LACEY AND CALVIN BANKS, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 6 p.m. Authors will sign Flushed During Play: 51 Pet Rodent Deaths.

MUSIC & MOVIES: SHREK, Holland Center East Lawn, omahaperformingarts.org, 8:30 p.m.

JO KOY, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m, 9:45 p.m. A panelist on Chelsea Lately.

REV. MARK KIYIMBA, First Unitarian Church 3114 Harney St., (402) 345-3039. 7:00 pm, FREE. Discussion of human rights and freedoms for the GLBT people of Uganda.

SINGLE DAY POETRY WORKSHOP, Hot Shops Art Center 1301 Nicolas St., (402) 342-6452. 2:31 pm, $55. These four hour workshops are focused on the creation of a variety of new work.

JO KOY, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m, 9:30 p.m. A panelist on Chelsea Lately.

Sunday 21

COLLEEN BRADFORD KRANTZ, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 1 p.m. Author will sign the book Train To Nowhere: Inside an Immigrant Death Investigation.

SUNDAY SCIENTIST: “DRILLING FOR COLD FACTS” WITH DAVID HARWOOD AND FRANK RACK, Morrill Hall 307 Morrill Hall, (402) 472-3779. 1:30 pm, FREE. JO KOY, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7 p.m. A panelist on Chelsea Lately.

monday 22

DUFFY’S COMEDY WORKSHOP, 1412 O St., Lincoln, 474.3543, myspace.com/duffystavern, 9 p.m. Free comedy workshop (every Mon.) MONDAY NIGHT POETRY WORKSHOP, Hot Shops Art Center 1301 Nicolas St., (402) 342-6452. 6:00 pm, $80. Two day workshop that places an emphasis on the revision of a small body of work.

POETRY AT THE MOON, Crescent Moon Coffee, 816 P St., Lincoln, 435.2828, crescentmoon@inebraska.com, 7 p.m. Open mic and featured readers. (every Mon.) WWII HISTORY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP, The Bookworm, 87th and Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 2 p.m. The discussion of a variety of books relating to World War II.

tuesday 23

$5 COMEDY TUESDAYS: MICE IMPROV, Pizza Shoppe Collective 6056 Maple St., (402) 932-9007. 8:00 pm, $5. An onslaught of improv comedy.

OPEN MIC POETRY, Indigo Bridge Books, 7th & P St., Lincoln, 7 p.m.

SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF, The Hideout, 320 S. 72nd St., 504.4434, myspace.com/shootyourmouthoff, 9 p.m. Spoken word, comedy, music and chaos, one of the wildest open mics in town (every Tue.) WWI HISTORY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 6:30 p.m.

Discussion of a variety of books relating to “The War To End All Wars”.

Wednesday 24

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC FOR MUSICIANS & POETS, Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, 1624 S. St., Lincoln, 8 p.m., 477.2007. Hosted by Spencer, open to all poets and musicians. (every Wed.) DILLARD’S THREE DAY SALE WITH RICHARD REESE, AUSTIN ANDERSON, KEVIN GRACE, HEATHER JONES, Waiting Room 6212 Maple St., (402) 884-5353. 9:00 pm, FREE. A handful of Omaha’s best comedians take the stage for an evening of pure bliss.

MIDWEST POETRY VIBE, Arthurs, 2 blocks South of 114th & Dodge St., 9 p.m., poetry, R&B, Neosoul music, live performances, concert DVD and food and drink and much much more. (Every Wed.) PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL: BLOOD IN THE MOBILE, McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Farnam, 7 p.m., FREE. The film addresses the issue of conflict minerals by examining illegal cassiterite mining in the North-Kivu province in eastern DR Congo. In particular, it focuses on the cassiterite mine in Bisie. (every Wed.) WEDNESDAY NIGHT POETRY WORKSHOP, Hot Shops Art Center 1301 Nicolas St., (402) 342-6452. 6:00 pm, $80. Two day poetry workshop that places an emphasis on the revision of a small body of work..

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

23

Taking Shape The Answer Team is finding its true self in instrumental rock

I

by Chris Aponick

nstrumental rock wasn’t the initial plan for the Answer Team.

As the band was beginning, they kept seeking and finding vocalists. And each time, they kept losing them.

“None of us wanted to be in an instrumental band,” drummer Brandon Bone says.

But each time the Answer Team would play without a vocalist, people would recommend the band stick to it.

They ultimately embraced their post-rock leanings and got more creative with their songwriting style and rhythms. Bone says it became a little more free-form as they bridged the gap between traditional indie rock sounds and postrock instrumentals.

The band’s current sound feels crystallized and fully-conceived on their first full-length, O Sad and Future Human, which the band is selfreleasing this week.

They recorded drums and bass with Joel Petersen at Enamel Studios, then tracked the guitar tracks with A.J. Mogis at ARC Studios.

Additional violin, piano and spoken parts were recorded with Matthew Tobias at Empty House Studios. The sessions started at the tail end of 2010 and were wrapped up before the onset of spring this year.

“When it comes down to it, the album was made over the course of ten days,” Bone says.

The band had previously recorded some EP releases, with a three-song release in 2008 being offered only as a download. Bone says at the time, the band thought the download would be a better bet than physical product, but he quickly learned otherwise.

“When we didn’t have CDs, people kept telling us we needed them,” he says.

This time, they will offer a download-only option, in addition to a CD, which includes a download if you order the CD from the band’s website.

Of the 300 CDs the band had produced for the new album, 50 have been sold as pre-orders.

24

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

Guitarist Tom McCauley says the earliest of the songs date to nearly six years ago, basically spanning the history of the band.

McCauley and Bone had played together in a hardcore band before starting the Answer Team.

The new band started taking form around acoustic songs McCauley was writing. Aside from trying out vocalists, the band also spent plenty of time practicing and trying to find other pieces to round out its line-up.

“It took about a year to get off the ground,” McCauley says.

intertwined post-rock sound that is now their core.

It’s also changed how they play, given that each part connects so directly to the greater whole of a song, Bejot says.

McCauley says he’s moved towards a simpler, cleaner style on guitar. The band’s songs give all the instruments space to breathe and shine through.

“There’s no hiding really,” McCauley says. “If it’s not totally together, it sounds terrible.”

Still they haven’t lost their eye towards con-

n Dim Light will celebrate release of a seven-inch single with a show Saturday, Aug. 20, at Brothers Lounge, 3812 Farnam St. The single features “For You” and “Maggas”, both of which were recorded at Sleepy House Audio, bassist Tom Barrett’s home studio. It is being released by Grotto Records, the label associated with the Antiquarium record store. The show, featuring Minneapolis’ Private Dancer and Solid Goldberg, starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $5. depressed buttons

backbeat

music the answer team

Guitarist Jason Bejot was in earlier on, but the band also went through a few bassists before finding Dustin Treinen.

“Dustin really made us a lot louder and more powerful as a band,” Bone says.

McCauley says “Does This Shirt Make Me Look Dead?” off the new album represented a watershed moment as the band was embracing its life as an instrumental rock band.

Bone took the song to the band and then described what he imagined the finished version to be. It came together very easily.

“I had written it to be really layered and simplistic,” Bone says.

The entire band has focused on that mix of simple, direct music that is also highly layered as they have shifted to the more thoughtful, slower,

| THE READER |

music

cision in their playing, now that they are fully accepting that they are traveling a post-rock/instrumental rock path.

Bone says the band doesn’t try to pass the 10-minute mark on any song. It’s all about being tactful about running time and not letting any musical passages be long for no specific reason.

Bejot says they try to tap into specific feelings as their songs undulate and unfold.

“It’s about evoking emotions,” Bejot says. , The Answer Team plays an album release show w/ Back When and New Lung Friday, August 19th at the Slowdown, 729 North 14th St., at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $7. For more information, visit onepercentproductions.com.

n The Faint’s Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele and Clark Baechle are making new noise as Depressed Buttons, fully immersing themselves in the dance music and remix game. The latest release is a sparse, yet thrillingly vibrant remix of Brazilian indie-dance act CSS’s “Hits Me Like a Rock.” The trio is signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent label and are set to make their live DJ debut in Omaha at House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., Friday, Sept. 9. n Cheers to the organizers of the MAHA Music Festival, who hit a home run Saturday at Aksarben Village’s Stinson Park. The third annual event hopefully has found a home for the next few years, as the park provided a cozy home for the indie music festival.

Performers were the main event and they are why MAHA has cemented a unique reputation.Headliners Matisyahu and Guided By Voices drew devoted followers and Guided By Voices absolutely killed it with their evening-into-dusk set that cranked out hits from their classic mid-’90s albums. Locals provided almost as many highlights, including Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship. The ’90s slacker rock acolytes where well-suited on a bill highlighted by Guided By Voices and Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis. n Emphatic has canceled an acoustic in-store originally scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 18, at Homer’s Music in the Old Market. Singer Patrick Wilson has pulled out of several weeks’ worth of concert dates as well, after injuring his vocal chords. The band is still listed as playing Friday, Aug. 19, at Harrah’s Stir Cove and have been playing other Carnival of Madness tour dates with The Wreckage’s Grant Kendrick on vocals. Meanwhile, the band’s new single “Bounce” has cracked the Top 20 on Billboard’s Active Rock charts, coming in last week at No. 19.

— Chris Aponick Backbeat takes you behind the scenes of the local music scene. Send tips, comments and questions to backbeat@thereader.com.

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Tickets available at stircove.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. *Tickets for the Stone Temple Pilots show on July 17 will be honored at the rescheduled show on September 16. Entertainment schedule subject to change. Must be 21 or older to enter Stir Concert Cove. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-BETSOFF (In Iowa) or 1-800-522-4700 (National). ©2011, Caesars License Company, LLC.

| THE READER | V3_56377.1_10x10_4c_Ad.indd 1

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

25

8/16/11 11:10 AM

lazy-i T H E

O M A H A

M U S I C

MAHA 2011 had everything (except the crowds)

T

he weather was perfect. The bands were awesome. And the crowd was... well, it could have been bigger.

The final “official” head count, according to MAHA Music Festival organizer Tre Brashear, was 4,000, “slightly down from last year.”

A disappointment, and yet, by all other accounts, this year’s MAHA, held last Saturday at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village, was a success, certainly from a fan perspective. I realized this about 15 minutes into Guided By Voices’ set, standing in a crowd of T-shirts and sunscreen and Coors Lites snuggled in red Kum & Go koozies, the sun just peeking over the western horizon after a long day of warm light, slight breezes, temperatures in the upper 70s -- a perfect day weatherwise. By all accounts, by everyone I spoke with, MAHA was flawless. The bands and the stages and the sound were fantastic. You could not have asked for anything more... except, of course, for more people.

The review: In addition to Guided By Voices, which flawlessly tore through a set of their finest (“14 Cheerleader Coldfront,” “I Am a Scientist” “Hot Freaks,” “The Official Ironmen Rally Song,” you know, the classics), the other main stage standout was -- strangely, unexpectedly -- J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. Seated with an acoustic guitar on his lap, looking like a worried Mr. Natural in nerd glasses, long gray hair blowing in the afternoon breeze, Mascis leaned forward and played a blistering set that drew from his solo work and D. Jr. catalog, highlighting his intricate, ornate, gorgeous guitar work. His voice, a craggy, weary, heart-broken moan, sang of personal yearning while his guitar didn’t gently weep, but soared. Undeniably beautiful, but at the same time, desperate and utterly depressing. By mid-set, it was actually bringing me down.

Mascis was quite a contrast to what came right before it -- So-So Sailors on the “second stage,” located to the left (south) of the main stage and sounding somewhat better, thanks to an easing of volume and the natural earth barrier behind it. You could argue that the main stage sounded slightly overblown, overdriven, just plain too loud. By the end of the evening my voice was ragged from having to scream to talk to the person standing right next to me (no matter where I stood in the Stinson compound).

So-So Sailors was the second stage’s highlight, along with Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship, which has people asking if they’re the best unsigned band in Nebraska. The other local stage highlight was Lincoln instrumental prog act Machete Archive, a band perfectly suited to cover Rush’s 2112 if only one of them knew how to sing. OEA talent show winner The Big Deep and Lincoln electronic dance/groove act Somasphere rounded out the “little acts.”

Des Moines’ The Envy Corps launched the “big acts” on the main stage shortly after 1 p.m. to a smallish

Art appreciation, outside outside..

Omaha’s public art collection is growing, block by block. Educate yourself with the new Public Art Omaha app for Android and iOS powered phones. Fueled by PublicArtOmaha.org’s database of more than 300 works, the app allows you to: • Find art near you • Identify art in front of you • Search for art by title, artist, location and more

w w w. P u b l i c A r t O m a h a . o rg

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

B Y

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M C M A H A N

crowd that was still 10-fold larger than the typical early afternoon crowd at last month’s multi-million dollar Red Sky Festival. The Reverend Horton Heat followed with an omnibus career-spanning set of indie rockabilly. Local superstars Cursive, featuring original drummer Clint Schnase, was the most bombastic (and loudest) of the day. To me, it was worth thirty bucks just to hear them do “The Martyr.” So-called “headliner” Matisyahu’s electronic reggae rap closed out the evening to a dwindling crowd (despite the half-priced beers).

Overall, a great day in the park for any indie music fan. Still, “from an ‘economic’ perspective, the day was just OK,” Brashear said. “We had good ticket numbers, but we found that people didn’t stay for the whole day, which hurt our food/beverage/merch sales. People came just for RHH, or just for Cursive and GBV, or just for Matisyahu.” The “coming and going” is likely a symptom of MAHA not being a true “festival” -- a multi-day event where people have to commit (due to traveling and camping) to stay for the duration. For MAHA to expand to something like that next year (and yes, there will be a “next year”) the festival will need to find a “presenting sponsor,” which it lacked this year.

Maybe the day’s biggest winner was Stinson Park.

“The fans LOVED it,” Brashear said, “but (we’re) not sure what Aksarben Village thinks about us.” He said more volunteers were needed for after-show clean-up. “We had too much mess left over when the Farmer’s Market started the next morning.”

Then there’s Aksarben Cinema, who I’d been told was livid after discovering during last month’s Playing With Fire concert, also held at Stinson, that they had some sound “leakage” problems that caused Harry Potter fans to experience Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings from their theater seats. The buzz Saturday was that the theater, which is the central village draw, was going to put its foot down for future festivals.

During Matisyahu’s set, I walked over to the theater and chatted with the kind gentleman stationed at the ticket-tearing gate and asked if they’d had any noise complaints. He said a couple patrons mentioned something, but that was about it. He suggested I find out for myself.

“The auditoriums closest to the park are probably 5 and 6,” he said. “Pop in and see.”

So I did. The Smurfs movie was playing in No. 5. I stretched my eardrums as much as I could, and thought I heard something, maybe a low rumble, but I couldn’t be certain. No. 6 was seating for Harry Potter. Pre-movie commercials and music were playing. Again, I heard nothing. Matisyahu wasn’t “Cursive loud,” but they were certainly earplug loud.

Instead of fighting it, the theater needs to figure out a way to tie into MAHA, that is if it’s held in the park next year. If it were up to the fans I spoke with, it would be.

They all said they preferred Stinson’s cool grass lawn to the sun-baked concrete slab of Lewis & Clark Landing.

But for MAHA to grow into a real multi-day festival, it’ll need to find some place even bigger and better than both those locations. ,

LAZY-I is a weekly column by long-time Reader senior contributing writer Tim McMahan focused on the Omaha music scene. Check out Tim’s daily music news updates at his website, lazy-i.com, or email him at lazy-i@thereader.com.

No books needed – just scan to download.

26

S C E N E

| THE READER |

lazy-i

B L U E S ,

R O O T S ,

A M E R I C A N A

A N D

Blues guitar at the 21st and ciao to Semrad

G

uitar fans have three big blues-rock guitar shows to look forward to in The 21st Saloon’s Thursday 5:30 p.m. blues series.

Popular Chicago axe-slinger Ronnie Baker Brooks hits the stage Thursday, Aug. 21. He’s the son of the great Lonnie Brooks and himself a guitar star.

The following Thursday, Aug. 25, new fan favorite Mike Zito plugs in. Zito’s high-energy, positive vibe and guitar power should appeal to fans of Tommy Castro or Hadden Sayers. Zito is a survivor who credits Walter Trout with helping him give up a drug-and-alcohol-fueled lifestyle. Zito has been gaining momentum on the touring circuit with a series of acclaimed discs for Eclecto Groove Records. Zito took home the 2010 Blues Music Award for Song of the Year for his tune “Pearl River.” His brand new recording is Greyhound.

See eclectogroove.com and mikezito.com.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, The 21st presents Oli Brown. The name may not be familiar but this young English player is being praised as “the hottest young pistol in British blues” by Mojo magazine.

hoodoo

M O R E

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H U C H T E M A N N

Goodbye Nick: One of the baddest keyboard cats in the metro, Nick Semrad, is moving to New York City.

His last show is Friday, Aug. 19, after 9 p.m. at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar where he’ll reunite with Sons of 76 & The Watchmen. Special guests will include Matt Cox and Darryl White. Come down to the Zoo early and catch the Lil’ Slim Blues Band for the 5-7 p.m. show.

See zoobar.com.

Sayers’ Hard Dollar: Hadden Sayers’ Zoo Bar show Wednesday, Aug. 10, was his first in the area in support of his acclaimed new disc Hard Dollar. The gig showcased Sayers’ new quartet with a fine keyboard player added to his solid rhythm section. Sayers balances guitar power with finesse, restraint and an equal emphasis on soulful vocals and fine songwriting. His new disc is his best yet. Sayers returns for a 21st Saloon show Thursday, Jan. 5. Sample Hard Dollar at haddensayers.com.

Hot Notes: The Zoo Bar hosts an early show with the honky-tonk soul sounds of Dave Gonzalez’s Stone River Boys Saturday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m. After 9 p.m. catch the gritty, Chicago-style blues of the Kilborn Alley Blues Band. See kilbornalley.com.

Soul man Terry Evans hits the Zoo Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m. ,

HOODOO is a weekly column focusing on blues, roots, Americana and occasional other music styles with an emphasis on live music performances. Hoodoo columnist B.J. Huchtemann is a Reader senior contributing writer and veteran music journalist who has covered the local music scene for nearly 20 years. Follow her blog at hoodoorootsblues.blogspot.com.

hoodoo

| THE READER |

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

27

2234 South 13th Street Omaha, NE 68108 346 - 9802 www.sokolundground.com

livemusiccalendar

SEND CALENDAR INFORMATION — including addresses, dates, times, costs and phone numbers — to The Reader’s calendar editor. Mail to or drop off information at P.O. Box 7360 Omaha, NE 68107; email to listings@thereader.com; fax to (402) 341.6967.

Deadline is 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to issue date.

thursday 18

8/18/2011

fri 8/19/2011

sun 8/21/2011

fri 8/26/2011

Scarlett O’Hara w/ letterS tO tHe exile, ManHattan PrOject - ex cHelSea Grin, FrOM tHe eyeS OF ServentS, wHat DwellS witHin, anD at war witH GiantS SHOw @ 6:30

READER RECOMMENDS

aFtOn PreSentS: elizabetH DaviS, tHe DOwnFall, DOn ballue, callinG cODy & GueStS SHOw @ 6:30

auDitOriuM all tiMe lOw w/ MayDay ParaDe, tHe cab, anD we are tHe in crOwD SHOw @ 7:00 10 PM KiDS PreSent: it’S Me, SweetuMS w/ tHe wOrrieD MOtHerS, SiOux city Pete, verenDuS, bOrGata MOb, StanDbye, avert yOur eyeS, anD PriMe PitcH SHOw @ 7:00

MusicOmahaShow.com

The Documentary three-part episode

With Special Guest:

Andrew Jay

From Rock Paper Dynamite

28

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

DJ KOBRAKYLE’S “GETTIN’ DUSTY” SOUL NIGHT, (DJ/

Electronic) 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, $2.

1415 BASS PLACE, (DJ/Electronic) 9 pm, Bourbon Theater,

FREE. LUKE JOHNSON, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Firewater Grille, FREE. R&B ZONE, (Jazz) 6 pm, Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen.

JARED HAYES, ASHLEY ANDERSON, JIM MOORE, (Folk/

Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Knickerbockers.

SUSIE THORNE, (Jazz) 9 pm, Myth Martini Bar. SMOOTH JAZZ THURSDAYS FEAT. IN THE GRUV, (Jazz)

6:30 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse,

FREE. DAVID MURPHY, MIKE DELUCA, MARK HAAR, CAMILLE

METOYER MOTEN, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 7:30 pm,

Pizza Shoppe Collective, $5.

DAVID P. MURPHY AND THE KILLER SHREWS, (Rock)

7:30 pm, Pizza Shoppe Collective.

SIN/FIXX, 80 PRUFF, (Rock) 9 pm, Shamrock’s Pub & Grill.

thu

RONNIE BAKER BROOKS, (Blues) 5:30 pm, 21st Saloon,

$10.

READER RECOMMENDS

YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND, (Rock/Folk/Singer-

Songwriter) 9 pm, Slowdown, Advance: $20; DOS:

$25.

SCARLETT O’HARA, LETTERS TO THE EXILE, MANHATTAN

PROJECT - EX CHELSEA GRIN, FROM THE EYES OF SERVANT, (Rock) 6 pm, Sokol Hall & Auditorium, $10.

J R HOSS, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. BLOODCOW, LO-PAN, ANESTATIC, (Rock) 9 pm, Waiting

Room, $5.

FEVER AND THE FUNKHOUSE, (Cover Band) 9 pm,

Whiskey Roadhouse (Horseshoe Casino), FREE. ORION WALSH, AMY SCHMIDT, DAN DORNER TOUR SEND-OFF, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Zoo Bar,

$5.

FRIDAY 19

CHESHIRE GRIN, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Arena Bar & Grill,

FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

TECHLEPATHY, THE SURPRISE LEFT, (Rock) 9 pm, Barley

Street Tavern, $5.

GETTIN HIPPER, GREEN TREES, (Rock) 9 pm, Bourbon

Theater, FREE; Under 21: $5.

I AM THE NAVIGATOR, PLAINS, BETSY WELLS, (Rock) 6

pm, Bourbon Theater.

QUARTUS, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Brewsky’s Park Drive, FREE. COLD STEEL, (Rock) 9:30 pm, Chrome Lounge.

JOHN WALKER AND THE HOKUM BOYS, (Folk/Singer Songwriter) 8 pm, Crescent Moon Coffee, FREE. OFF THE GRID, (Rock) 10 pm, Dinker’s Bar, FREE. LATIN JAZZ NIGHT, (Jazz) 7 pm, Espana, FREE. ACOUSTIC GROOVE, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Firewater Grille,

FREE. BRAD CORDLE BAND, (Blues) 9 pm, Gator O’Malley’s.

READER RECOMMENDS

ADULTURE, (DJ/Electronic) 9 pm, House Of Loom, $5.

SWAMPBOY BLUES BAND, (Blues) 7 pm, Indulgence

Lounge, FREE. STREET RAILWAY COMPANY, (Jazz) 7 pm, Jazz, A

Louisiana Kitchen.

RUDE AWAKENING, MY BROTHER, (Rock) 9 pm,

Knickerbockers.

HI-FI HANGOVER, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Loose Moose.

THE BLUES TRIO, (Blues) 9 pm, McKenna’s Booze, Blues

& BBQ, FREE. BABY TEARS, BARBIE, (Rock) 9:30 pm, O’Leaver’s Pub, $5.

| THE READER |

music listings

ROCK PAPER DYNAMITE, THE MITCH GETTMAN BAND,

MATT WHIPKEY, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Pizza

Shoppe Collective, $5.

SUNSET RIOT, CACTUS HILL, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Red9.

HIGH HEEL, (Cover Band) 6:30 pm, Shadow Lake Towne

Center, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

TARA VAUGHAN, KELSEY NORD, EDGE OF ARBOR, (Folk/

Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Shamrock’s Pub & Grill.

CRONIN BROTHERS BAND, (Cover Band) 6 pm, Soaring

Wings Vineyard, $5.

AFTON PRESENTS ELIZABETH DAVIS, THE DOWNFALL, DON BALLUE, CALLING CODY, (Rock) 6 pm, Sokol

Hall & Auditorium, $12.

CARNIVAL OF MADNESS W/ THEORY OF A DEADMAN, ALTER BRIDGE, BLACK STONE CHERRY, ADELITAS

WAY, EMPHATIC, (Rock) 9 pm, Stir Concert Cove, $35.

FADE BLACK, (Cover Band) 11 pm, Stir Live & Loud, FREE

Cove After Party.

CITIZEN KAYNE, A DIFFERENT BREED, (Rock) 8:30 pm,

The Grove, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

ALL METALS EVE WITH HELLBOUND, DEADECHOES, AT THE LEFT HAND OF GOD, CURSE BY MOONLIGHT, SICADIS, (Rock/Metal) 7:30 pm, The Hideout Lounge,

$7.

LAVA ROCKETS, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Two Fine Irishmen,

FREE. SHEILA GREENLAND, (Country) 9 pm, Uncle Ron’s.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Waiting

Room, $10.

SHUR THING, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Whiskey Roadhouse

(Horseshoe Casino), FREE. NICK SEMRAD’S FAREWELL SHOW WITH SON OF 76

& THE WATCHMEN, MATT COX, DARRYL WHITE,

(Blues) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $6.

FAC WITH THE LIL SLIM BLUES BAND, (Blues) 5 pm, Zoo

Bar, $5.

SATURDAY 20

BANJO LOCO, 24 HOUR CARDLOCK, (Rock) 9 pm, Barley

Street Tavern, $5.

READER RECOMMENDS

PRIVATE DANCER, SOLID GOLDBERG, DIM LIGHT, (Rock)

9 pm, Brothers Lounge, $5.

S.A.B., TWITCH, 3 DAY MEAT SALE, (Rock) 9:30 pm,

Chrome Lounge.

GERARDO MEZA, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 8 pm, Crescent

Moon Coffee, FREE. MONSTERS IN THE BASEMENT, (Rock) 9 pm, Fort Crook,

FREE. LOOM’S ANNUAL WHITE PARTY, (DJ/Electronic) 9 pm,

House Of Loom, $5.

POCKET CHANGE, (Jazz) 7 pm, Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen.

THE FAVORS, MOTHER OF ALL, HILLS LIKE WHITE

ELEPHANTS, (Rock) 9 pm, Knickerbockers.

DESPERATE BAND WIVES, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Loose

Moose.

READER RECOMMENDS

EVERYDAYEVERYNIGHT, GATES, FORTNIGHT, PONY

WARS, (Rock) 9:30 pm, O’Leaver’s Pub, $5.

TWO STRAY BIRDS, (Rock) 7:30 pm, Pizza Shoppe

Collective, $5.

KEITH URBAN, JAKE OWEN, (Country) 7 pm, Qwest Center

Omaha, $27-$61.50.

ECKOPHONIC, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Red9.

ELECTRIC ROOSTER, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Shamrock’s Pub.

READER RECOMMENDS

THE ANSWER TEAM, BACK WHEN, NEW LUNGS, (Rock) 9

pm, Slowdown, $7.

HEAVEN21, CAPSLOCK FRIDAY, THE FIXED FIGHT, (Rock)

9 pm, Slowdown, Advance: $10; DOS: $12.

SWINE ON THE VINE WITH RIGHTEOUS PYLE BAND,

(Blues) 6 pm, Soaring Wings Vineyard, $10.

MOSES PRETY, LANDING ON THE MOON, THE

COUNTERPLOT, (Rock) 9 pm, Stir Live & Loud, $5.

COLD, CITIZEN KAYNE, (Rock) 8:30 pm, The Grove, $20.

LEMON FRESH DAY, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Two Fine

Irishmen, FREE. MISTER SINISTER, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Woodcliff

Restaurant.

STONE RIVER BOYS, (Blues) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $10.

KILBORN ALLEY BLUES BAND, (Blues) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $8.

SUNDAY 21

MC FRONTALOT, SCRU FACE JEAN, TOAD THE

NEWSENSE, MADHATTER, (Hip-Hop/Rap) 8 pm,

Bourbon Theater.

READER RECOMMENDS

AIM YOUR ARROWS, LIGHT THE FUSE, (Rock) 6 pm,

Duffy’s Tavern.

GATES, DIRTY TALKER, IRKUTSK, THE ANSWER TEAM,

(Rock) 9 pm, Duffy’s Tavern.

READER RECOMMENDS

NATHAN LEIGH, THE GOLDEN HOUR, RAZORS, ZACH SHORT, LIZZY PITCH, WEST VALLEY, (Rock/Folk/

Singer-Songwriter) 6 pm, Pizza Shoppe Collective, $5.

JOHN STOKELY, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 2 pm, Soaring

Wings Vineyard, FREE. ALL TIME LOW, MAYDAY PARADE, THE CAB, WE ARE THE

IN CROWD, (Rock/Punk) 7 pm, Sokol Hall &

Auditorium, Advance: $23; DOS: $25.

THE SLOWPOKER’S: A NEIL YOUNG TRIBUTE BAND,

(Cover Band) 8 pm, Waiting Room, $7.

MONDAY 22

Z-JAM OPEN STAGE, (Rock/Blues) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, FREE.

TUESDAY 23

ORION WALSH, AMY SCHMIDT, PLATTE RIVER RAIN,

(Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern,

$5.

TONY CHURCH, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 7 pm, Crescent

Moon Coffee, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

CJ, 16 BARZ, (Hip-Hop/Rap) 9 pm, Fort Crook, FREE. ALIEN ANT FARM, ME TALK PRETTY, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DINOSAURS, (Rock) 9 pm, Knickerbockers,

Advance: $15; DOS $20.

TROUBADOUR TUESDAY WITH SAS, HEATHER STICKA,

JILLIAN THIEL, NICKIE CALHOUN, (Folk/

Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $4.

Wednesday 24

“BIKE NIGHT” PRESENTS JASON MCGHAY, (Rock) 7 pm,

Andersen Park, FREE. ELEPHANT REVIVAL, THE ANDREAS KAPSALIS AND

GORAN IVANOVIC GUITAR DUO, (Rock) 7 pm,

Bourbon Theater, Advance: $7; DOS: $10.

THE DICEY RILEYS, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 7 pm, Brazen

Head Irish Pub. JAZZ AT THE MOON WITH SWING 105, (Jazz) 7 pm,

Crescent Moon Coffee, FREE. SOLID GOLD, THE GOOD FOOT, Y ST. COMBO, (Rock) 9

pm, Duffy’s Tavern.

GEMINI SYNDROME, MYTOSIS, (Rock) 9 pm,

Knickerbockers.

TOM SMITH, SEAN MAGWIRE, JAYME FOWLER, (Folk/

Singer-Songwriter) 8 pm, Pizza Shoppe Collective, $7.

JASON REEVES, ROSI GOLAN, (Rock/Pop) 8 pm,

Slowdown, Advance: $10; DOS: $12.

READER RECOMMENDS

PUNCH, LOMA PRIETA, DISCOURSE, HOMINOID, FERAL HANDS, (Rock/Punk) 7:30 pm, The Hole, $6.

ACOUSTIC MUSIC WEDNESDAY WITH TONY LAMAR,

(Cover Band) 9 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. THE LEPERS, SURPRISE LEFT, DOMESTICA, (Rock) 9 pm,

Zoo Bar, $5.

TERRY EVANS, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 6 pm, Zoo Bar.

0

UPCOMING SHOWS

Since forming in the Baltimore suburbs in 2003, All Time Low have become one of the biggest pop-punk bands to emerge on the scene, building a grassroots following of die-hard fans with very little radio airplay and a touring ethic that would rival road-weary vets like Green Day.

sunday, 8/21/11 7:00PM @ soKol audITorIuM all TIME low

SPOtlIGHt SHOW

w/ Mayday Parade, The Cab, & We Are The In Crowd

Thursday, 8/18/11 9:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM BloodCow

Thursday, 8/18/11 9:00PM @ slowdown yondEr MounTaIn sTrInG Band

FrIday, 8/19/11 9:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM yEsTErday and Today

FrIday, 8/19/11 9:00PM @ slowdown ThE answEr TEaM Cd rElEasE w/ Back When & New Lungs

saTurday, 8/20/11 9:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM 1sT annual BEnson suMMEr FunK FEsTIVal

Monday, 8/22/11 8:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM - 21+ waITInG rooM PInBall ParTy

wEdnEsday, 8/24/11 9:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM dIllard’s ThrEE day salE

FrIday, 8/26/11 9:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM noah’s arK was a sPaCEshIP

saTurday, 8/27/11 8:00PM @ ThE waITInG rooM MEET your MaKEr

w/ Lo-Pan

w/ Funk Trek & Groove Gove’nors

w/ Moscow Mule & Landing On The Moon

8/28/11 BLAGGARDS 8/29/11 BOOZE, BANDS, & BBQ 8/31/11 TIES 9/01/11 BLUE BIRD 9/01/11 AN EVENING WITH GAELIC STORM 9/02/11 JIMMY HOOLIGAN CD RELEASE 9/03/11 HIP-TRONICA 9/04/11 TWO GALLANTS 9/06/11 IMPENDING DOOM 9/07/11 GREAT AMERICAN TAXI

w/ School Of Arms, Bloodcow, The Evil That Men Do, & Aurelius

9/08/11 PEPPER 9/09/11 SKYPIPER CD RELEASE 9/10/11 TIM KASHER 9/10/11 THE REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND 9/11/11 ROGER CLYNE & THE PEACEMAKERS 9/13/11 TOMMY WOMACK 9/14/11 OK PARTY COMEDY 9/16/11 ANCHONDO 9/17/11 SONO 9/18/11 MC CHRIS

More Information and Tickets Available at

WWW.ONEPERCENTPRODUCTIONS.COM

music listings

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

29

“an epic must-see romance!”

– Harper’s bazaar

One Day Twenty years.

Two people...

Anne Hathaway/Jim Sturgess

in tHeatres eVerYWHere FriDaY, auGust 19tH cHeck local listinGs For tHeatre locations anD sHoWtimes special engagements nO passes Or discOunt cOupOns accepted

mOBile users: For showtimes text One daY with your Zip cOde to 43KiX (43549)

OMAHA READER THURSDAY 8/18 5x5” CS ALL.ODY-R1.0818.ORLEMAIL.PDF

30

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

| THE READER |

REVISE 1

e dit e d

First Screenings Film Streams Showcases Local Filmmakers

F

by Cheril Lee

ilm Streams will present its 2nd annual Local Filmmakers Showcase Aug. 19-25.

It features seven films by Nebraska filmmakers. Film Streams’ Executive Director Rachel Jacobson said though the competition was open to filmmakers in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota, the bulk of submissions were from Nebraska. Films were selected by an independent jury.

To qualify for consideration, films could not have screened anywhere for a paying audience. Jacobson said each of the films in the showcase is unique. “There’s an experimental short by a musician in town, a short film that’s a montage of photographs and one that’s black and white and almost a melodrama.”

This year’s showcase features three returning filmmakers. Among four who are new to

reportcard Captain America Old-school action that only a Nazi would hate.

the event, director Molly Zavitz said her film, In Silence and Tears, is a dramatic love story about a nurse who sacrifices his job and sanity to care for his adored wife. Though Zavitz took the title from a poem by Lord Byron, she said her inspiration came from a conversation she had with a fellow filmmaker. “She was telling me about this doctor in the 1930’s who fell in love with one of his patients and so that was kind of the launching point. From that, I kind of just started taking and working with it and kind of flipped that scene upside down a little bit and added some elements from literature that I really like.” Zavitz said the film has an Edgar Allan Poe and Franz Kafka feel to it as well.

Zavitz said she shot the film in black and white to give an art house, slightly foreign feel to it. She said she is grateful and excited for a chance to screen her film in front of an audience.

“Sometimes when you’re an emerging filmmaker making a no budget film, it’s very hard to have that opportunity to have an audience. So Horrible Bosses Recession got you down? Fantasize about boss murder!

A-

Crazy, Stupid Love BOld-fashioned laughs without slapstick puking? It can’t be!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 BAll mostly average things must come to an end...

B

Jayne Eyre (ON DVD) AMatthew McConaughey is back…and more mediocre than ever.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes A re-imagined reboot that uses real imagination.

READER RECOMMENDS

B y

r y an

s y r e k

n Whether it’s because of the quotable dialogue, the copious use of Michelle Pfeiffer in her prime or our inherent ability to accept gangsters despite their being terrible, terrible people, Scarface is massively beloved. Now, for the first time in a long while, you can see all the coke-snorting and murder on the big screen, like God and Brian De Palma intended. Both AMC Oakview 24 and AMC Star Council Bluffs 17 will screen the orgy of violence and excess Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, head to fathomevents.com. The only question left is who are you going to dress up as? Dibs on “gunned down police officer who is trying to serve justice.” n Although in my household, just about every night is movie night, but that title is a little more official on Wednesday nights down at Hot Shops Art Center (www.hotshopsartcenter.com). At 8:30 p.m. each humpday (I had to), for the affordable price of “free,” you can check out a local film which will play before a mainstream movie, all in an effort to collect donations to keep the movies rolling and to help the local filmmakers along.

First up is the local flick Heels to the Pavement, followed by one of my faves, Best in Show. Talk about Movie Night done right! n Because free is my favorite price, let’s try another freebie: On Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m., Film Streams (filmstreams.org) is holding a special event featuring Simon Kilmurry, whose last name makes it sound like he detests the lovable star of Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day. Thankfully, he’s not here to destroy Billy M, as his job is the executive director of the award-winning PBS series “POV,” and he’s at Film Streams to show an inside look at the program’s process, present clips and answer questions. Reserve your seats with maggie@filmstreams.org now, because free stuff tends to be popular.

— Ryan Syrek

cuttingroom

In silence and tears

film

B

Tabloid B+ S&M, Mormonism and tabloid journalism. What more do you need?

the fact that Film Streams has this showcase of local filmmakers is really progressive on their part.” Zavitz said she’s looking forward to viewing the other films in the showcase.

Director Charles Fairbanks had two films in the showcase last year. The first was about wrestling and the second about his family’s relationship to the Nebraska. He said 2010 was the first year he started showing his films so it was an honor to be selected. This year, Fairbanks will screen Irma, about the former world champion of women’s pro wrestling who also happens to be a folk singer. Fairbanks was inspired to make the film after meeting Irma at the gym. He said he tries to structure his projects so he has room to learn. “I never go into a project if I already know what the film is going to say. Filmmaking is my way of making sense of the world and my place in it.” For Fairbanks, the process is much more important than the end product.

All the filmmakers will attend opening night festivities Aug. 19. Jacobson said the films will be screened together for the first time that evening starting at 7 p.m. There will be a party in the lobby after the screening so the audience can meet the filmmakers. “Last year we got to meet some of the subjects from the documentaries,” Jacobson said. “Hopefully this year, we will get to meet some of the actors from some of the films.

It was a really fun, festive event last year so I do hope people will come out for it.”

film

Cutting Room provides breaking local and national movie news … complete with added sarcasm. Send any relevant information to film@ thereader.com. Check out Ryan on Movieha!, a weekly half-hour movie podcast (movieha.libsyn.com/rss), and also catch him on the radio on CD 105.9 (cd1059.

The seven films will be screened together daily during the showcase with a total run time of 100 minutes. Anyone who has made a film in the past decade is encouraged to submit an entry for next year’s showcase. Jacobson said the more entries there are, the better the selection for judges and audiences. Tickets for Film Streams Local Filmmakers Showcase are available online at filmstreams.org. The Ruth Sokolof Theatre is located at 1340 Mike Fahey St. ,

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

31

film m o v i e

T

by Leo Adam Biga

wo Omaha filmmakers are making a big splash on the national scene. Following is un apdate on what Darren Brandi and Nik Fackler have been up to.

 9.17  10 a.m. HOT WAX/COOL ART with Margaret Berry

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32

c o m m e n t a r y

Catching Up

Attend an upcoming “Come Create It” Workshop:

shure 58

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| THE READER |

film

A small town Nebraska son who cut his teeth on the movies is living his cinema dream producing an independent feature starring Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine in the title role of The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez.

The film, which wrapped up its L.A. shoot at the end of July, is produced by Madison, Neb. native Darren Brandl, 26. Elia Petridis is the writer-director. Although it’s their first feature, both are industry veterans.

Brandl grew up in his parents’ movie video store. At 8 he began making short films with friends.

He studied film at Cal-State Northridge.

“I kind of fell in love with the medium and the storytelling side of things,” he says.

He worked the acquisitions side of the industry, first for the Hirsch Company and then for producer Lance Hool. In between he backpacked around the world, All the while he bided his time to produce. Then Petridis showed him the script for The Man. The pseudo-Western is set in a nursing home, where Borgnine’s character, Rex Page, is a disenchanted resident alienated from the Latino staff until they discover he once shook the hand of Mexican actor-singer idol Vicente Fernandez.

“I read hundreds of scripts a year and less than one percent are interesting to me, and this is that one percent,” says Brandl. “It was clear this is exactly the sort of movie I was looking for. It’s a human story that has a lot of heart to it.

“It really has it’s own voice, it’s own tone, it’s own pace and it’s by a really good friend of mine who I trusted as a director and wanted to go on this journey with.”

Getting Borgnine was “the golden egg,” says Brandl. “The instinct was always to find a star. and he responded strongly to the material. After seeing a first cut I would say there was nobody else who could have done a better job than Ernie. It really is his movie and he really holds it the way a movie star should…”

Brandl admires the 94-year-old actor.

“He’s got quite a lust and zest for life. He doesn’t need to be working but he does it because he loves it. On set he refused a stand-in. He set a tone for the work ethic on the production. He’s quite a guy.”

m o r e

e d i t e d

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r y a n

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Brandl’s confident the project will be wellreceived.

“Especially as a first-time producer you want to make something that really is going to speak for the rest of your career.”

Nik Fackler Fresh off the warm reception given his debut feature, Lovely, Still, Omaha’s Film Dude, Nik Fackler, says his next two film projects will be documentaries.

Following the path of cinema adventurer Werner Herzog, Fackler’s tramping off to shoot one film in Nepal and the other in Gabon, Africa. He is drawn to each exotic locale by his obsession with indigenous cultures.

Fackler, Lovely producer Dana Altman and two other crew left August 11 for Gabon in west central Africa. They plan living weeks with the shamanistic Mitsogo, whose practice of Bwiti involves ingesting the hallucinogenic iboga root. The mind-altering initiation ritual is about healing.

“Part of it is you’ve got to prove yourself to the tribe,” says Fackler. “They don’t just give it to anybody, especially Westerners.”

The extreme project is based in a fascination with and use of ancient, underground medicines and practices.

“I have a great interest in dreams and a great interest in psychedelic experience. I’ve had a lot of healing I’ve gone through using silicide mushrooms,” says Fackler.

A heroin addict friend is along for this exploration.

A quest for spiritual enlightenment brought Fackler and Lovely DP Sean Kirby to Nepal in May to film the end of a six-year fasting and meditative regimen by Dharma Sangha. The filmmakers followed Boy Buddha’s exodus, with tens of thousands of followers on hand, and planning to return in the fall.

Fackler is tackling the unlikely projects while awaiting financing for his next two narrative features: an untitled puppet film with illustrator Tony Millionaire; and a phantasmagorical mythology pic called We the Living.

The docs square nicely with Fackler’s eclectic interests in alternative therapies and philosophies.

“I’m always searching. There’s so many beautiful cultures out there. I have to explore and learn as much as I possibly can. I have to go out there to discover them, document them, before they disappear into the weird one-world culture we’re heading towards.”

Mere days before leaving for Africa he still wasn’t sure the Bwiti cultists were on board, but put his faith in miracles.

“I suppose I’m in the mindset of looking at everything in a magical way rather than an intellectual way. That’s sort of where I need to be to make a film like this.” ,

R l

| THE READER |

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

33

On Deck at Werner Park AUGUST 20 - 7:05

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T H E WO R L D G O N E F R E A K Y B Y C H U C K S H E P H E R D W I T H I L LU S T R AT I O N S B Y T O M B R I S C O E

Ghost dancer

F

or years, many traditional funerals in Taiwan -- especially in rural areas or among working classes -- have included pop singers and bikinied dancers, supposedly to entertain the ghosts that will protect the deceased in the afterlife. According to a recent documentary by anthropologist Marc Moskowitz, some of the dancers until 20 years ago were strippers who did lap dances with funeral guests, until the government made such behavior illegal. Contemporary song-and-dance shows, like the traveling Electric Flower Car, supposedly appeal to "lower" gods who help cleanse the deceased of the more mundane vices such as gambling and prostitution (compared to the "higher" gods who focus on morality and righteousness).

Can't Possibly Be True California's state and local governments are rarely discussed these days without the pall of budget cuts looming, but apparently the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is safe because it is spending a reported $1.5 million to move a big rock in from Riverside, about 60 miles away. It's a 340-ton boulder that the museum intends to display above a sidewalk ("Levitated Mass"). The move will require a 200-foot-long trailer with 200 tires, with one semi-tractor pulling and one pushing, at night, maximum speed 8 mph.

Tennessee State Rep. Julia Hurley apologized in July and said she would pay for the refinishing of her desk in the legislative chamber after it was revealed that she had carved her initials in it during a January session. "It was like one in the morning on the last day of the session," she told WSMV-TV. "I wasn't thinking straight." Rep. Hurley, 29, who has a daughter, 14, unseated a nine-term incumbent legislator in 2010 with a campaign that touted her time as a Hooters waitress.

"If I could make it at Hooters," she wrote in the restaurant's magazine, "I could make it anywhere."

In June, the California Court of Appeals threw out the three counts of possession of child pornog-

34

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

| THE READER |

weird news

raphy for which Joseph Gerber had been convicted, even though what Gerber had done was paste face shots of his own 13-year-old daughter onto ordinary pornographic photos. The U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2002 that a conviction for making "child pornography" requires actual sexual abuse.

(Gerber had also been convicted of supplying the daughter with drugs and the court ordered Gerber re-sentenced.)

Unclear on the Concept Georges Marciano, co-founder of the clothing company Guess? Inc. and ostensibly in no trouble with IRS, nonetheless demanded in 2009 that the agency audit him over the previous several years. IRS turned him down, and he sued the agency in federal court in Washington, D.C., but in July, a judge rejected the case, declaring that federal law and the U.S. Constitution do not give anyone a "right" to demand that IRS collect more taxes from them. (Marciano perhaps hoped for IRS to uncover cheating by his former employees and accountants, whom he thought were stealing from him. Paying higher taxes might have been worth it if the agency had made it easier for him to sue any cheaters.)

A Singaporean army draftee caused a public stir in March when he was photographed by a visitor as he underwent physical training in army fatigues but with his maid following behind him carrying his backpack on her shoulders. (Army officials told reporters the draftee had since been "counsel(ed).")

Helping Disaster Victims: (1) In May, following near-record floods in fields south of Montreal, Quebec, farmer Martin Reid made sure to apply for his fishing license because he had learned the hard way that when his land gets flooded, he cannot remove the fish washed onto it unless he is a licensed fisherman.

After flooding in 1993, Reid and his father failed to secure a license and were fined $1,000. A second offense brings a fine of $100,000. (2) Two weeks after

COPYRIGHT 2011 CHUCK SHEPHERD. Visit Chuck Shepherd daily at NewsoftheWeird.blogspot.com or NewsoftheWeird.com. Send Weird News to WeirdNewsTips@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, FL 33679. Illustrations by Tom Briscoe (smallworldcomics.com).

the catastrophic April tornadoes hit Alabama and neighboring states, Bailey Brothers Music Co. of Birmingham offered to help. To soothe those suffering depression and grief from devastating property losses, Bailey Brothers sponsored weekly drum circles.

lander insisted she had violated no law, and indeed the charges against her were only for conduct after she was confronted by deputies (when she continued to take pictures as they led her away). Hollander is actually Judge Hollander, who works in the building as a traffic magistrate.

Police Blotter

Recurring Themes

Must Be Guilty: Arrested in Woodbridge, Va., in July for burglary after being discovered by police inside the MVC Late Night adult store: U.S. Army officer Justin Dale Little Jim, 28 (who was found physically engaged with a "blow-up doll"). Little Jim's chances for acquittal are slim under News of the Weird's insightful theory of criminal culpability known as the "Three First Names" hypothesis.

Advances in DNA testing have improved society in several ways in the last two decades, especially in criminal justice, but in many states, one area remains a backwater, as News of the Weird has noted over the years: men's obligation to pay support for children they did not father.

Ray Thomas of Houston is the most recent frustrated complainant, with a court refusing to relieve him of the $52,000 in back child support he owes for a "daughter" that DNA has subsequently shown is not his. Ironically, in March the Texas legislature became one of the few to allow men like Thomas to present DNA evidence in order to end court-ordered support, but the state attorney general noted that the new law covers only prospective judicial orders.

Recent Confusing Headlines (1) If Yogi Berra Wrote the Headline: "Woman Missing Since She Got Lost" (Chicago Sun-Times, 5-17-2011). (2) Please Explain: "Teen Dies of Shaken Baby Syndrome" (Chicago Tribune, 3-9-2011). "Man With Clown Nose in New Cumberland Poses No Serious Threat" (Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa., 7-3-2011). (3) Run for the Hills: "Return of the Giant Carnivorous Hermaphrodite Snails" (Yahoo News-LiveScience.com, 6-3-2011). (4) Not What You Think: "Showboat Casino Hotel to Become First Dog-Friendly Casino in Atlantic City" (Press of Atlantic City, 2-3-2011) (Guests' dogs can be admitted to the floor, but dogs are still forbidden to play poker.)

People With Issues The usual furtive restroom photographer is male, but sheriff's deputies in Plantation, Fla., arrested Rhonda Hollander, 47, in July and charged her with several misdemeanors and a felony stemming from an episode in which she allegedly followed a man inside the men's room at the West Regional Courthouse and snapped photos of him at a urinal. Hol-

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News of the Weird Classic (March 2002) Board-certified Kansas City, Mo., psychiatrist (and University of Kansas School of Medicine graduate) Dr. Donald Hinton told reporters in February (2002) that "Elvis Aron Presley, the entertainer (whom) everybody believes died in 1977," is alive and that Hinton has been treating him for migraine headaches, among other things, for five years. Hinton, 35, said he has several items from Presley containing his DNA and has continually denied that he's running a scam. An Elvis Presley Enterprises official was unfazed, insisting that Elvis is still "in the garden (at Graceland)." (Update: Dr. Hinton subsequently selfpublished a book, co-authored with Elvis, explaining their relationship, and was subsequently investigated by the Missouri Healing Arts Board, which ultimately closed the investigation without charges.) ,

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| THE READER |

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

35

planetpower w ee k l y

h oroscopes

T

hursday’s a beautiful day to start something. On Friday, make it real. On Saturday, make it BIG. Venus enters Virgo on Sunday, at dinner. Moonday could go either way (Moon in Gemini), followed by confusion at dinner (the Sun opposite retrograde Neptune in Pisces — don’t order the fish!). It’s the last week of Leo, ’til dawn on August 23rd. Mercury moves direct in mid-Leo on Friday the 26th, at dinner. What a difference a week can/will make. Wait! There are no mistakes. Peace and love shall conquer all.

—MOJOPOPlanetPower.com e LEO (7.23-8.22) You’re lookin’ good(!) for one more minute. Time to reflect upon your love (of ) life, and how much longer you can spend money you ain’t got on stuff you don’t need. Mercury’s retrograde in your sign, affecting August-born Leos. (Are there any other kind?) Say goodbye to Venus on Sunday the 21st, and turn your resultant art into money that you need for stuff you ain’t got. Round and round… f VIRGO (8.23-9.22) Who’s looking through your past? The I.R.S., your parents, your boss, your current lover’s ex? What came to mind? What will they find? Remember, it’s true that you can’t change the past, but you can “reinterpret” it. Cleanse your subconscious and it becomes a matrix for art, creativity and their guiding light, love. Listen to/as Venus beckons on August 22nd. g LIBRA (9.23-10.22) One more weekend in the spotlight, and then it’s down and dirty and back to business! Your ruler Venus moves into your 12th theoretical House of Virgo. Somebody’s going to find fault with your “lack of detail.” Find it now and fix it, or fix up a real cute excuse — your usual dodge? h SCORPIO (10.23-11.22) Your mom (or even her memory) gives you energy. Your relationship with your mother is your relationship with the universe. Have you yet learned to thank and love your universe for all these seemingly infinite possibilities? You give love — you get love. You don’t, you won’t. Guess how the MOJO knows that?

The first time I held my mother’s ashes under the pomegranate tree, she said to me, “You are guided, my son.” And then she added, “When death is nothing, nothing is nothing. Finally, we are free.”

Thank you, Mom. i SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.21) Wake up, stay up ’til midnight and face the East. Make a/your wish as bright, blue Jupiter rises in the sign of Taurus. When a planet twinkles at/for you, it’s “talk-

36

Aug. 18 - 24, 2011

| THE READER |

mojo

b y

mo j opo

ing.” Listen and put what you learn (in the/an unspoken language of light frequencies) into a/the quest for a/your dream house, job or love relationship. j CAPRICORN (12.22-1.20) Status quo; that’s all you know. Halfway home, Jerome. I’m tellin’ you truly, Julie. Balance is/will be the key.

Play some music or sing a song for me. Show me what you know/learnt and need to learn of harmony. Now, show everyone you see. Let them sing their song, and then you sing along. k AQUARIUS (1.21-2.19) You move back to the beginning in December. Remember now what you’ll know then, and maybe then you(’ll) win. Redo what you started to in midMarch and you can insist on a merry Christmas kiss. Class dismissed. l PISCES (2.20-3.20) Things are not as they seem to thee.

You’re as in a dream, or seem to be. True, that’s always true with/for you. What you gonna do in 2022? Who you gonna be in 2023? That’s what your dream will be ’til Hallow Weenie… a ARIES (3.21-4.20) You’re halfway through your mom, your house, your depression, your recession, your guessin’ and your lesson. You’ll be done a month from now. Good time to hide out in the pad. Mars is in Cancer. Try not to eat yourself out of house and home. How does the MOJO “gnome”? (Anything for a rhyme, anytime.) b TAURUS (4.21-5.20) One more half-week in the pink. Then it starts to stink. Venus moves into Virgo on Sunday at dinnertime, followed by the Sun on the 23rd. The word is that manure makes good fertilizer. Time to get down and dirty. Pay attention to detail, or you fail. Good luck! Things are not as they seem… c GEMINI (5.21-6.21) Your reputation is at stake. Good time to prepare for some classes?

Things are not as they would seem to be to thee…

I mean, even less than per (un)usual. You(’ll) meet and talk to a Leo. Don’t tell ’em I said so, but they’re full of jive. That’s the buzzzzz around the beehive. d CANCER (6.22-7.22) Start Thursday. Put it into fertile ground on Friday. Wake up early on Saturday with a sparkling, brilliant idea and discuss it on Sunday, at dinner. You could score HEAVY via a sexxxy (are there any other kind?)

Scorpio or a well-funded, loaded Capricorn, after an “unusual” lunch culminating around 13 ’til 3:00, from what I see. You’re the “house” — they’re the “entertainment.” ,

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Most modern homes and apartments will come equipped with these swarm bots, which generally will remain out of site, but, when the owners are away, will clean, perform basic

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| THE READER |

AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

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AUG. 18 - 24, 2011

39

ROAD TO EQUALITY

HRC BUS TOUR COMES

JOIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, THE NATION’S LARGEST LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EQUAL RIGHTS, IN OMAHA THIS WEEKEND.

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This summer, HRC embarks on a bus tour of America to promote equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Come share what equality means to you, and explore the amazing exhibits at the Equality Bus.

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