SNELLING STAFFING SERVICES. Wa re ho u s e / P ro duc t io n , Shipping Coordinator, Shipping & Receiving, Mold Maker, General Laborers, Expense Administrator & Administrative Assistant. Email office@snelling-staffing.com. Go to OmahaJobs. com for more information. CORESLAB STRUCTURES General Laborers. Email abecker@coreslab.com or go to OmahaJobs.com for more information.
PEARSON CHIROPRACTIC. Community Outreach and Promotions Coordinator. Email drnikipearson@yahoo. com or go to OmahaJobs. com for more information. AFLAC. Customer Service Rep. Email rjensen@aflac.com or go to OmahaJobs.com for more information. NELNET. Customer Service. Email jennifer.tobey@nelnet.net or go to OmahaJobs.com for more information.
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MCDONALDS. Manager. Contact Vicki Youn at vyong@darmco.com. Go to OmahaJobs.com for info.
PRIME HOME CARE Registered Nurse/License practical Nurse. Contact Tammy Kirscha at tammy@ phcllc.omhcoxmail.com. Go to OmahaJobs.com for more information.
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| THE READER |
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What type of plans might work best for you if you suffer from a stroke?
I
f you or a loved one recently suffered a stroke, you have likely seen a glimpse of the complicated rules, regulations and limitations of your insurance company. Under the Affordable Care Act, no one can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, so if you’ve been thinking about looking for new health insurance coverage, now might be a good time to look around. Your first priority in selecting a new plan should always be to check that your current primary care physician, specialists and therapists will be in your network. “The good thing is that Omaha has tremendous medical providers, so that’s helpful,” says Tom Gilsdorf, director of product development for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. Next, he says, you will need to determine if you would be limited in the number of therapy sessions and office visits. “Understand those limits in advance,” he advises. “All plans going forward should cover that. You want to be sure you have adequate coverage for what you need. Make sure you know about the office visit co pays, those can add up over time.” The National Stroke Foundation says those recovering should evaluate several types of services and settings when selecting new insurance coverage to ensure each would be covered: Acute inpatient care and rehab hospitals - Round the clock medical care and rehab services in a hospital setting Sub-acute facilities - Daily nursing care and rehab services Long-term care facilities - A residential facility which provides rehab services Outpatient facilities - Deliver rehab services for patients who live at home and receive treatment at a facility Home health agencies - Deliver rehab services in a patient’s home You’ll need to decide what makes sense for you financially. Decide whether you want a lower deductible and higher premiums, or if maybe a Health Savings Account would help lower your overall costs. In the end you’ll need to educate yourself about the limitations of your new coverage compared to the ongoing costs of your existing coverage.
F
inding health care coverage for a heart disease patient can be an exercise in balancing priorities. If you are a Nebraskan with heart disease, or you come from a family with a history of heart disease, there are certain services you’ll need to be sure you will have access to should the need arise. Take these needs into consideration when shopping for new health insurance coverage, says Tom Gilsdorf, director of product development for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. The first service is the accessibility of not only your primary care physician, but any specialists near where you live and the hospital you use, he says. “You’re probably working with not only a primary care physician who knows your background, but probably a specialist as well and probably a hospital you’ve been to,” Gilsdorf says. “Make sure that primary doctor and specialists are considered in-network for your new coverage.” The second service is that of specialists you would visit on a referral from your doctors at home. These referrals can be a long distance from where you live. “Based on your conditions, if it changes, doctors will look for a referral. You may need surgery, you
may have to go to the Mayo Clinic, or if you live out in western Nebraska, you may have to travel to the Omaha area,” Gilsdorf says. “If you have to receive services outside of your area, because your doctor wants to send you to a doctor, make sure that provider is in the network.” Your doctor and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska can help you determine which providers are in your network If you suffer from a chronic condition such as heart disease, you likely have regular medications. You will need to be sure your plan covers the prescriptions you need, Gilsdorf advises. “You are probably on some maintenance medications. Make sure your plan covers your drug needs adequately, but look at the co-pays as well,” he says. “What would your out-of-pocket be when you fill those on a monthly basis? Those are things you’re paying for monthly, so understanding what your new plan would be and add that up for a 12 month basis.” Before purchasing new coverage, take into consideration whether your doctors, hospital, referrals and prescriptions will be included in the policy you purchase.
What type of plans might work best for you if you suffer from heart disease?
| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
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LEGACY The Emily Fisher Landau Collection NOW THROUGH JAN UARY 5, 2014
This exhibition is organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
Open Tuesday through Sunday • FREE Admission Exhibition Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Omaha Steaks; Major Sponsors: Douglas County, Annette and Paul Smith; Contributing Sponsor: Eve and Fred Simon,; Supporting Sponsors: Joan Gibson and Don Wurster, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Inc.; Additional support provided by KPMG, LLP; Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment James Rosenquist (b. 1933), House of Fire II, 1982, oil on canvas, 78 x 198in., Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; promised gift of Emily Fisher Landau P.2010.241a-c. Art, ©James Rosenquist / Licensed by VAGA, New York, photograph by Tim Nighswander/Imaging4Art
2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE | (402) 342-3300 | www.joslyn.org
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heartland healing
hat was it? That was 2013? Whew! Well, let’s hope hindsight, being 20/20, converts to foresight with similar acuity in 2014. Find links to all these referenced stories at www. HeartlandHealing.com/2013 January: Ow! Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council reported Americans live sicker and die younger than any other developed nation, despite spending over twice as much on healthcare than any other country. Solution? Live in America but don’t live like Americans. Also: ethanol plants closing. February: USDA reports show grass fed beef sales soaring. Grass fed beef is better than massproduced grain-fed beef, both for people and the planet. Also: Al Gore admits ethanol is a bad idea. March: Where would we be without Whole Foods grocery store? Kudos to the chain for announcing it would require labeling all foods on their shelves that contain GMOs. Also: ethanol exposed, days of promise fading. April: Arnold Schwarzenegger warns that climate change is greatest looming disaster and “must be addressed.” Also: Feds become largest corn sugar drug dealers and subsidize sales to ethanol plants. May: Rogue, illegal GMO wheat found in Oregon. Monsanto: “Oops!” Plus: University of Nebraska water scientists warn that rerouted Keystone Pipeline is still unacceptable risk. And: American spending on prescription drugs decreases first time in decades. Also: Wolf Blitzer to Oklahoma tornado survivor: “You thank the Lord you survived, right?” Survivor: “I’m an atheist. I don’t have to thank the lord.” June: Monsanto halting GMO push in Europe. “GMO crops don’t have acceptance in European societies,” spokesperson admits. German government: “The many promises of GMOs has not come true for agriculture in Europe or in emerging countries.” Also: Sierra Club and Malcolm X Foundation urge OPPD to shut down massively polluting North Omaha coal-burning power plant. Say it causes death and disease to residents. Plus: Bt toxin, added to nearly all US corn and eaten by nearly all Americans, kills human kidney cells and destroys gut lining in lab tests. And: Chipotle chain labels GMOs on its menu. July: GMO crops fail to protect, cause huge surge in use of chemicals on Nebraska farms. Also: Cat poop carries extremely dangerous disease; should be banned. Plus: Solid science shows raw milk a safe, low-risk food with many advantages. And: NYC begins program allowing M.D.’s to “prescribe” fruits and veggies for health. Also: Ethanol causing spike in gas prices.
August: Federal farm policy killing millions by promoting junk food diets and costing US economy $11 trillion (with a “t). Plus: CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta announces: “I’ve changed my mind on medical marijuana.” (Pro) And: Growth stimulant Zilmax, regularly fed to cattle, is deadly. Tyson Foods rejects animals raised with it. Feds announce subsidized crop insurance payouts to farmers reaches all-time high of $18 billion, most for ethanol corn. September: Pink slime oozes its way back into school lunches. Plus: CDC admits overuse of antibiotics on farms is killing 23,000 Americans yearly. And: Just because it says “organic” doesn’t mean it isn’t owned by Coca Cola. Plus: Piers Morgan gets flu shot from Dr. Oz on-air then misses work because he gets sick from it. October: Are you still eating them or feeding them to your kids? Study shows little chicken meat in chicken nuggets, mostly bone, gristle and fat. Yuck. Plus: Pot kills cancer cells, shrinks tumors. And: Lab research study confirms that Oreos are more addictive than crack cocaine. Also: GMO crops causing Argentina to use more chemical pesticides than ever, leading to major cancer cluster epidemic. November: Secretary of State John Kerry’s verbal blunder accidentally stops a war. Plus: Cannabis kills leukemia cancer cells. And: Online petition prompts Kraft to remove artificial chemical coloring from Mac and Cheese product. It’s still junk food but less toxic junk food. Plus: Herbal medicines and supplements deserve far more scrutiny than thought; adulterated, impure ingredients common. Get them from a reliable herbalist, acupuncturist. And: Millions of your tax dollars go to subsidize four ethanol plants in Nebraska. Even though ethanol is financially unviable, we have to pay for a failed business plan. More: After 150 years of being sold to Americans in billions of food products, the USDA considers banning disease-causing hydrogenated trans fats. The Feds are right on top of things. And: Jury-rigged panel charged with setting official guidelines for physicians prescribing heart drugs tries to get all Americans hooked on cholesterol drugs. Turns out the majority of docs on the panel had ties to drug companies. Duh! December: 2013 was a good year. Awareness rose regarding antibiotic use on farms, GMO crops as a danger to Spaceship Earth. A plain herb was legalized for use in two states, the local food movement continues to grow, the dangerous Keystone Pipeline still isn’t built, less money spent on prescription drugs. Though “social” media continues to make us less social, use of Facebook in the younger metrics appears to be flagging. Bad news on the horizon: Cheap, incandescent bulbs are doomed due to government meddling so beware of CFLs in 2014. Avoid them. Halogen incandescent and low-energy incandescent are better. Be well. ,
HEARTLAND HEALING is a New Age polemic describing alternatives to conventional methods
of healing the body, mind and planet. It is provided as information and entertainment, certainly not medical advice. It is not an endorsement of any particular therapy, either by the writer or The Reader. Visit HeartlandHealing.com for more information.
• DECEMBER 23, 2013 • The next decade will see the rise of a particular erotic fetish: Men who dress like Santa, and the men or women who love them for it. There will be entire communities of self-styled Father Christmases, who are plump and bearded and jolly. Some will dress in traditional Santa costumes at all times, while oth-
funnies
ers will save this for their intimate moments. Many will decorate their houses to look like a workshop at the North Pole. People attracted to these Santas will call themselves “Mrs. Clauses” or “Christmas Elves,” and will explain that, for them, Santa represents a man who can fulfill all their wishes.
| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
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hen looking at this past year, the soul and spirit of our Omaha community, its entrepreneurship and unwavering patronage is very evident. As we see so many new establishments becoming part of our growing culinary metropolis, we look back on 2013 as a very diverse and crafty year for food and drink. Let’s look back and celebrate some of the new restaurants that have opened this past year. Even a chain restaurant should be celebrated as it shows that our area is one of growth and provides jobs to our community. So we will start with Chicken. Papillion opened the very much-anticipated Chickfil-A while Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers was added to the Dodge strip east of 72nd. Next worth mentioning is the bevy of sub shops that have been added to our food mosaic with Firehouse Subs in the Shops of Legacy with another location off 72nd and Pacific, McAlister’s Deli off Center west of 120th, and Lenny’s Sub Shops of Omaha in Midtown Crossing. Next we narrow it down to the Old Market where we recognize Plank Seafood Provisions, J’s on Jackson and the re-launch of the new Indian Oven, which collectively are bringing more interested parties into the Old Market as well as offering visitors a plethora of great dining options. Keeping it hip, the Old Market brought about the in-trend prohibition era bar with the Berry and Rye as well as Wilson and Washburn which are serving up popular, new age, old-style craft cocktails.
As with the popularity of the craft cocktail, the interest in craft beer has increased throughout Omaha. Eagerly, the Benson neighborhood welcomed both The Benson Brewery and Infusion Brewing Company. Joining in the merrymaking of craft beer, Omaha also welcomed the new Borgata Brewery and Craft Distillery, 1116 Jackson St, and Storz Trophy Room Grill and Brewery at 345 Riverfront Dr. in the old Rick’s Café. At the same time, Nebraska Brewing Company opened an additional facility to continue to spread the love of their craft beers to the Omaha area and beyond making Omaha a Micro Brewery Hub. Next, we turn to those restaurateurs who already maintain well-established restaurants. Luckily for us, their craft has expanded into a second venture. We have been very intrigued with Dario Schicke’s of Dario’s Brasserie’s second restaurant, Avoli Osteria, an Italian eatery, which opened this past summer in the heart of Dundee. Happening late 2012 but worth mentioning for early 2013 are joint collaborators, Anne Cavanaugh and Phil Anania, who first crafted Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob, a popular Dundee late night hot spot, then joined with Bryce Coulton and opened their second hot spot, The French Bulldog at 5003 Underwood. I would like to know if 2014 will craft us another Cavanaugh/Anania hot spot? Newest to the scene, opening just this December, in the space once occupied by the French
n Pitch Coal-Fire Pizzeria, 5021 Underwood Ave., is open this New Year’s Eve for reservations only. They will have three seatings at 5, 7 or 9 p.m. Call 402.590.2625 to make a reservation.
n Wilson and Washburn, 1407 Harney St., are hosting a New Year’s Eve Party and Grand Opening complete with gaming tables and passed Hors d’Oeurves. Call 402.991.6950 to purchase advance tickets for $30. n Ring in the New Year at the Zin Room, 316 South 15th St. Start with an all-inclusive three course menu, complimentary champagne at midnight, live entertainment, drinks specials throughout the night and
Café in the Old Market, is Le Bouillon, the second restaurant for chef Paul Kulik of the Boiler Room. We have also seen another Brix added to Midtown Crossing and a second mid-town location for the West Omaha favorite, Charleston’s, at 7540 Dodge St. Even if not mentioned, there are many other restaurants that have opened in 2013 that are crafting flavor and flair to the greater Omaha food scene. As a community, it is our job to go forth and try them all. Of course, we would be remiss to mention many additions to the Omaha food scene without a few nods to those restaurants that have passed on… We pay tribute to the soon to be demolished Louie’s Bar and Grill which remained an Omaha fixture in the Benson neighborhood for 79 years. And personally, I was sad to see Tommy Colina’s Kitchen close their doors for their Chicken Diablo soup was super delicious and will be missed. One common denominator in most of the above establishments is the steadfast attention to our
local food movement. More than often, a local purveyor’s name will be listed on a menu as an ingredient’s source, signifying the need and want of diners alike to keep it local. As our farmer’s markets grow in number, as well as our local purveyors, the push to eat close to home remains strong. Our restaurateurs are working closely with farmers in our surrounding areas to bring the truest food to their kitchens. And with popular publications like Edible Omaha as well as the many markets across town our community is learning how to make our own home kitchens more sustainable as well. So as we say goodbye to 2013, we celebrate the new ventures crafted to satiate our appetites. We celebrate many of our Omaha chefs who have been honored with awards as well as our bartenders, meadery and farmer’s markets. Omaha is now being recognized nationally as a food hub. And we have only begun. To 2013, from those lucky enough to live in this culinary mecca or those fortunate to visit, we thank you for a year of full stomachs and happy taste buds.,
lastly watch the ball drop on the giant projector screen. Available seating times are 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Call 402.991.0660 to reserve your spot. n Lot 2 Restaurant and Wine Bar, 6207 Maple St., is offering a special four course menu this New Year’s Eve for $75 per person plus tax and gratuity. Wine pairings are an additional $20 per person. For reservations,
call 402.504.4200. n The Berry and Rye, 1105 Howard St. is taking reservations for their New Year’s Eve Bash. Call to reserve your spot at 402.613.1331.
dish
— Krista O’Malley Crumbs is about indulging in food and celebrating its many forms. Send information about area food and drink businesses to crumbs@thereader.com.
| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
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ART BY YING ZHU
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s 2013 comes to a close, two recent events in hindsight comment interestingly on how some Nebraskans measure success, pride and identity. Both were quite entertaining—as you would expect sports and movies to be—yet neither was quite flattering. The first asked Husker fans to choose between being a “Bo-liever” or “Bo-leaver” after a “disappointing” 8-4 football season. And the second recognized favorite son, director Alexander Payne, for a well-deserved day in his honor sponsored by Film Streams for his acclaimed film, “Nebraska.” Ironically, neither Coach Pelini’s national anger management issues nor Payne’s rural vision of “Nebraska” portrays exactly a positive example of the Husker state though there is little doubt as to whose reflection shines brighter internationally. Putting sports and popular entertainment aside, there is at
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least a third element that paints an accurate picture of the “Good Life” and that is fine arts, its creation and appreciation, though by comparison it gets very little attention in the media in any given year. Which is a shame, because, as this critic’s 7th annual “Alist,” the most important contemporary visual art events and exhibits bear out, 2013 was an especially successful year, particularly in the Metro. Venues, viewers, collectors and artists all had something to cheer about. And after being overwhelmed by planned and unforeseen events the past two years, exhibitions rose to the occasion both in quantity and quality, a fact that the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards celebration, Feb. 16, 2014, should bear witness. But before we go any further and extol the virtues of this year, we must first acknowledge its biggest loss, the unexpected and tragic death of one of
| THE READER |
art
Metro’s most influential artists, Wanda Ewing, multimedia practitioner and UNO associate professor. For details of her life and art, see Reader’s profile posted online Dec. 18 at thereader.com. The biggest visual arts events this year continued to involve the area’s three major institutions, the Joslyn Art Museum, the Kaneko and the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. All three underwent and now look ahead to even more major changes that impact and benefit the area art scene. Perhaps the single most significant event in 2013 was Joslyn’s change to free admission, a move that began Memorial Day and spiked weekday attendance during the summer by 155% compared to 2012. Even weekly 4th quarter figures are up 37% as are Sunday figures at 48%. Membership dipped as expected but is beginning to bounce back. And, most impressively, membership at contributing and patron levels have increased, a telling appreciation of what positive public relations can accomplish. Don’t underestimate this move for Metro families looking for entertainment and enlightenment on a weekend especially for young children. A family of
four could easily drop $50 plus at a movieplex matinee. And instead of wasting time and energy on video games and social media, all ages can make use of their digital skills and technology and interface at the museum with art up close and personal. And while we are talking about extending art education and enjoyment past the sixth grade, kudos also to Joslyn for adopting—and thus guaranteeing the future of—the Kent Bellows Studio and Center for Visual Arts. KBS is devoted to mentoring high school students with professional artists in after school programming, and as long as that mission remains intact, this is a good move for both institutions and for the community as well. Kaneko also underwent major changes, two to be exact. In July it welcomed its new executive director, David Thompson, a native Nebraskan and former consultant to non-profits on behalf of planning and development. Two months later in its 5-year anniversary Kaneko unveiled its new amazing public spaces that take full advantage of its creative use of ceiling fans straight out of “Blade Runner” as well as exposed vents, super structure and dramatic lighting. continued on page 10y
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ART BY JAMIE BURMEISTER
ART BY MARY ZICAFOOSE
y continued from page 8 Even more expansion is on tap as Kaneko also announced plans for a proposed Collections Building for Jun Kaneko’s art to be situated on the southeast corner of its campus. Scheduled for completion by 2017, if it follows its model and design as seen in the artist’s latest Omaha show (see below), this will be a stunning addition to the Metro arts scene and architectural skyline. The Bemis Center also made some meaningful moves of its own in 2013 as its new director Adam Price made his presence known. However, not before its influential curator of six years, Hesse McGraw, said adios and headed west for the San Francisco Art Institute. Along with his former director, Mark Masuoka, now the director of the Akron Art Museum, they handed off this superb contemporary arts fixture with its international reputation and residency program intact. All that remains is for Bemis to make McGraw’s replacement, the estimable creative consultant, Amanda McDonald Crowley, official, which it hopes to do in early 2014. As a sign of its continuing commitment to community arts programming, Bemis officially opened the Carver Bank in North Omaha in collaboration with the celebrated Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates. This place-based initiative with its studio and a dedicated area-artist residency of its own was Bemis’ single most important event of the year and not its
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much gossiped-about annual auction which went according to plan and design successfully with only a hitch or two. Will it continue into 2014? Stay tuned. Speaking of new residency programs, the Union for Contemporary Art, also grounded in the North Omaha community by its location at 24th and Burdette and its mission celebrated the November opening of its new temporary gallery space at 2221 N 24th Street with Andrew Johnson’s exhibit Stochastic. This on the heels of UCA’s exhibit of its first fellows alumni at Creighton’s Lied Gallery in October called Predictions and Echoes. The above auction wasn’t the Metro’s only as Gallery 72 introduced the first of its annual Collectors variety in October, and according to its owner John Rogers, it was a huge success. Normally, as with Bemis, auctions benefit not only the venue, but artists, “bargain-hunters” and first-time collectors as well. Gallery 72’s “Fine Art Auction” has helped to develop an important secondary art market, that is, an opportunity for collectors to buy and sell art previously owned by other patrons. A highlight of any year is the opening of new galleries, public or private as are closings temporary or otherwise. In 2013, New BLK, an innovator in specializing in the exhibiting of emerging artists, went into hiatus before surfacing again—albeit on an irregular basis—with an interesting solo show featuring new artist Phil Hawkins. Meanwhile, the Apollon, arguably Omaha’s latest, if not the first multi-genre entertainment hub, officially opened for business at
| THE READER |
art
1801 Vinton St. across from Gallery 72, which also officially re-opened in January. Meanwhile, your next visit to Lincoln might include a visit to the Capitol City’s newest gallery, Fiendish Plots at 2130 Magnum Ct. FP is an artist-run initiative founded by Charley Friedman and Nancy Friedemann. Details as to times and upcoming exhibits at this promising and imposing new venue can be found online at its facebook page or by phone at 917348-3331 or nanfried@yahoo.com. The addition of contemporary public art, permanent or otherwise in the Metro is always a major event and once again Council Bluffs lead the way. CB’s park and recreation in collaboration with its Public Art Commission and with funding by the Iowa West Foundation began the installation this fall of six new park signs designed by artists. Curated by local artist Joel Damon, each unique sign reflects both the artist’s vision as well as neighborhood resident interests. Omaha’s contribution to public art this year came mainly in the form of murals including: two creations by A Midsummer’s Mural, one a 20 x 60 foot exterior on the west side of VFW Post 247 and an interior wall at Avanza grocery; an impressive 5 x 34 foot mural honoring Malcolm X on the side of JNJ Grocery; and a new Fire Station 31 mural created by Kent Bellows Studio’s young artists and mentors. The above public art has a reasonable shelf life in the Metro, but the following exhibits that made this year’s A List may already be but a blip in one’s memo-
ry. That is, if you saw them at all. “Reader” arts writers Mary Day, Eddith Buis, Laura Vranes and myself did, and reviewed most if not all of the following. But the opinions and rankings that follow reflect only my subjective response to the work and hardly represent the last word. In short, 2013 was a stellar year for art. It was a privilege to spend some face time with the following 32 shows that made the cut from nearly 100 that opened in 2013. Bronze Medals are awarded to the following shows because, either they succeeded within their own parameters or pushed beyond the limits of the medium or genre: Accidentally on Purpose, new organic abstract paintings from established artist Christina Narwicz at Anderson O’Brien exhibited in May; Arranged Music at the Sunderland Gallery in Feb/ March, lyrical abstract drawing and sculpture from accomplished artist Robert Miller; Heavy Metal magic by sculptor/craftsman Ron Parks at the Fred Simon Gallery in September; On the Morning of Creation, which artist/instructor Paula Wallace successfully presented in the summer at the Sunderland Gallery in collaboration with writer David Gortner; Machine/Man/Air and Forest for the Trees, a twoperson, two-part, abstract and conceptual exhibit from Russ Nordman and Jody Boyer in August at the RNG Gallery. continued on page 12y
“Reelin’ in the Years,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?,” “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and more! January 18, 2014 at 8 pm Holland Center Matt Catingub, conductor Anita Hall, vocals Steve Moretti, drums
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| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
11
ART BY JAR SCHEPERS
y continued from page 10 Strike Slip, another mostly successful conceptual exhibit from installation artist Jarrod Beck, which had a long summer run at the Bemis Center. Brion Poloncic enjoyed two, largely satisfying shows in 2013, one at Gallery 72 and this one, Drawings, which exhibited at the Fred Simon Gallery in March/April. Poloncic is an enigmatic artist who seldom fails to intrigue and please simultaneously. Earning a Silver Star are the next shows that were a bit more unified and consistent in realizing their curatorial intent: Cool Abstraction at Modern Arts Midtown (MAM) in March created an interesting visual interplay between the two diverse mediums and styles of drawer Michael Tegland and new media artist Gary Day; The above show title could easily apply to a more subtle variation, also at MAM, the two-person exhibit, Of Common Ground, the sophisticated marking makings of Larry Roots and Teresa Schmidt; In contrast, we had a provocatively expressionistic, two-person show at RNG featuring portraits from Rebecca Herskovitz (When everything goes silent) and Wanda Ewing (Little Deaths); German artist Christian Rothmann returned to Omaha in April and May in two fine exhibits, Here and There, with his signature, colorful floral abstraction paintings at Anderson O’Brien Gallery and the more experimental, photographic Roboter at the Moving Gallery; Equally intriguing was painter Bill Hoover’s risky Fenestrato, making art blindfolded, which exhibited in November in his studio/gallery in the Mastercraft building in NoDo.
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DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
The Moving Gallery also featured the return of former Bemis resident Joe Girandelo with his own experimental exhibit of monumental duct tape drawings in November, Rise and Fall; A similarly bold interpretation of shapes, space and structure was seen in Endi Poskovics exhibit of fine art prints at Gallery 72 in September, It Was All Just a Dream; Three, two-person shows effectively curated how different mediums and/or styles can complement one another to further enhance appreciation of one’s own art. The first included photo art of Roberto Kusterle and Todd Brown in Transcending Photography at MAM, the second featured Moving Gallery’s marvelous The Big Black Project comparing prints and paintings of Paolo Dolzan and ink drawings of calligrapher Master Yu, and the third, the exquisitely detailed Drawings/Glass of Nancy Lepo and Corey Bowman respectively at Fred Simon. As fine as the above shows were, the next nine made the Gold Standard because whether they pushed the envelope or not, they met or exceeded their own expectations of unity and professionalism in a manner better than most: Gallery 72 had two solid gold exhibits in 2013, both retrospectives or surveys of two gifted women: fabric artist Mary Zicafoose who helped relaunch the venue in February and Deb Masuoka who showed her ceramic, fantastic and mythic animal heads in April, many not unlike her public art that adorns Council Bluffs; MAM contributed three impressive shows to the gold list, all of them mostly sculpture; the quirky, distinctive work of Iggy Sumnik, but this time in a
| THE READER |
art
two-person show at MAM, aptly titled The Challenge of Fun, with Mark Kochen’s equally playful and disarming paintings; the highly unusual and experimental sculptural work of Joe Ruffo and Chris Cassimatis in Structure/Paper/Stone; But even these exhibits was exceeded by the imagination and ingenuity of sculptor/new media artist Jamie Burmeister in his solo show at MAM in August, which proved “vermin” make good Company; The title of auspicious beginnings goes to two young artists that offered the best examples of emerging art seen this year: Freddie Rincon’s streetwise, beyond his years and autobiographic As the World Turns at RNG in April and Phil Hawkins dazzling Prismatic Transition and transformation of light, color and optic art at New BLK which is still on display through January of 2014; Along with the above, three additional shows met the Gold Standard because of their successful innovation and interpretation of their medium. Ying Zhu continues to amaze with her own delicate time and site-based installations, this one being No Strings Attached, which showed at RNG in January. Garry Noland offered, arguably the Bemis Center’s most satisfying and creative exhibit in 2013—other than Mel Ziegler’s yet to be reviewed An American Conversation, and the Lossy group show currently on display— Unorganized Territory which riffed on fabric art. And Moving Gallery exhibited the superb photo portraiture of Ji-Hyon Kwon and three other Korean artists who went Beyond Face in the digital age.
At any other time, these exhibits would constitute the best work in a given year of contemporary art. But in 2013 six more exhibitions surpassed even these and so exceeded at least this critic’s expectations that a new category had to be created. Deserving then of Platinum Plus, the best of the best are: Jennifer Steinkamp’s stunning video installation, the curiously titled Madam Curie, which showed at Joslyn for half of the year, deserving of multiple visits; Jun Kaneko’s dual shows, Fremont Dangos from the Collection and Stacked: An Exploration in Density and Line, at Kaneko that demonstrate once again the master sculptor’s international reputation and the Metro’s good fortune in having him and his venue in residence.; Tim Guthrie’s believe it or not, group installation Museum of Alternative History at RNG in which he proved yet another time to be the area’s most prolific, conceptual installation artist in this area; Watie White’s in your face, in the hood, All That Ever Was, Always Is, at 2424 Emmet St. Assisted by artist Peter Cales, this time-based, site specific installation not only was the best example of public art in 2013 but its remains were further enjoyed as well for their social commentary in an exhibit at Creighton University’s Lied Gallery; Multi-media artist Catherine Ferguson, who exhibits wisely and selectively on her “crooked path, gave us this year’s most tasteful and satisfying exhibit, The Objects of My Attention, a bewildering array of sculpture, photography and “glass” on display at MAM; Finally, 2013’s most outré and unexpected exhibit belonged to Lincoln artist Jar Schepers whose creature-hybrid sculpture in Materialization amazed patrons of the Moving Gallery with its wonderfully bizarre vision and imagination. ,
ART BY CATHERINE FERGUSON
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| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
13
2
013 was defined by change. Many theaters, large and small, found themselves in the midst of transition. The Omaha Community Playhouse is halfway through the Carl Beck/Susie Baer Collins swan song as they prepare to finish their final season at the helm of the organization. On the heels of their departure was the announcement of Hilary Adams as Carl Beck’s Successor. How the New York-based director will acclimate herself to the Omaha community remains to be seen, and several positions at the organization remain up in the air, but the pieces are in place for Adams to make an eventful and positive transition into the artistic leader of the country’s largest community theatre. On the stage, the Playhouse brought some of the years most memorable moments, greatest of those being the gigantic undertaking of Les Miserables. Led by Broadway veteran Timothy Shew in the iconic role of Jean Valjean, the production featured huge set pieces, unqiue lighting and sound, and standout performances from numerous local cast members. Another mainstage hit from this past year was The Wizard of Oz. Susie Baer Collins brought audiences a show that was both nostalgic and fresh to patrons of many ages. The Howard-Drew stage of the Playhouse was headlined by the over-the-top hilarious bloodiness of Evil Dead: The Musical and the world premiere of Ellen Struve’s Recommended Reading for Girls, two shows that showcase what a secondary stage should be utilized for (edgier, more mature productions and new works). But this writer’s favorite experience from the Playhouse’s past year belongs to a staged reading. The 21 & Over Series’ production of Lauren Gunderson’s Exit, Pursued by a Bear gave viewers so many wonderful moments. The tale of a battered house wife finally seeking revenge on her husband with the help of her two friends was both laugh out loud hilarious and intriguingly poignant. The ensemble, under the direction
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DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
| THE READER |
of Steve Hartman, unleashed fantastic performances and created moments I still find myself giggling at today. The BLUEBARN Theatre continued its reputation of bringing some of the best, most unique, and thought-provoking off-broadway theatre to the Omaha area while preparing for their huge change to a brand new performance space. Along
the way, they treated us to the latest morbid work from Martin McDonagh with A Behanding in Spokane. One of the best ensemble shows all season was the joint work of Jerry Longe, Jill Andersen, Ablan Roblin, and Theresa Sindelar in the Tony-winner God of Carnage. I, myself, am still spinning from playing more characters than I can count in both The 39 Steps and Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. SNAP Theatre continued its transition from a strictly LGBTQ performance space to one that focuses on diversity and acceptance of all groups. That change in philosophy brought about some the year’s most talked about shows. Clybourne Park, the tale of race relations in a Chicago neigh-
theater
borhood over the span of generations, had audiences thoroughly engaged, at once laughing, and at once pondering how far we’ve come as a country in regards to race. Next to Normal gave a big sound to the small space as a dedicated group of performers tackled the Pulitzer Winner about a family struggling with a mother’s mental illness. Follow that up with quality offerings in Other Desert Cities and the recently completed Tribes and it seems as though the theatre has started to find a new identity for itself. Brigit Saint Brigit found itself once again balancing multiple performance spaces while still bringing classic works new life to area audiences. Long Day’s Journey into Night and The Heiress exhibited to the Omaha area that there is still a place for the great works of drama. Additionally, BSB offered more than just traditional theatre. The monthly Git Lit! Literary Series at The Bookworm was a great way for people to experience books both old and new and the company also brought back its educational outreach program. Shelterbelt Theatre experienced a change of its own as Beth Thompson took over as Artistic Director for Ellen Struve. That didn’t stop the company from continuing its mission of original works from local playwrights. The theatre celebrated its 20th anniversary with the remounting of Scott Working’s V of Geese, performed by an all-UNO cast and director just like two decades ago. Add on the Instant Theatre Boot Camp and the yearly tradition Shelterskelter XVIII and SNAP’s sister theatre continues to cultivate local theatre by performing new works and utilizing newcomers on the stage. Many other spaces had eventful years. Creighton showcased top-notch musical talent in Dames at Sea. UNO showcased perhaps the surprise of the season with the outstanding Female Transport. The Chanticleer’s production of A Little Night Music was also not to be missed. To be sure, 2013 was a year that won’t soon be forgotten in the theatre community. ,
L
et me tell you a story that could reflect a huge shift in how music is heard, and where the whole thing (may be) headed in the very near future. I recently had this conversation with a young music listener. Her ear buds tucked firmly in her earholes, I tapped her on the shoulder and asked what she was listening to. “Oh, I listen to 8tracks,” she chirped, referring to the music streaming service. Okay, I said, but what band are you listening to? “Oh, I don’t know who it is. I just like listening to this music.” “Wait a minute, you don’t know who you’re listening to?” “Right. I just tune to my favorite theme on 8tracks. I don’t pay attention to who’s singing.” This led to a discussion about live music. My friend said she rarely goes to live concerts because, “I can’t imagine listening to music by one band all night.” One band all night? Who could tolerate such a thing in this “random shuffle age?” For her, going to shows or concerts wasn’t about the music, but the performance, the light show, the spectacle. In fact, the music wasn’t secondary when deciding to go out, it was way down the list, somewhere after the ticket price, venue choice, booze and food availability, and (of course) who else was going. Data check: This person is an intelligent, educated, indie-music-listening graphic artist in her mid-20s. I thought she was a fluke, an oddity, until I had a nearly identical conversation with a guy at the gym. When I asked him who he was listening to, he said Pandora. He said he never bothers to interrupt his workouts to see who’s actually singing. The last concert he went to was Nine Inch Nails a number of years ago. He’d never been to a local club. He didn’t even know there were local bands that played original music. It’s not that he didn’t care, it’s that local music doesn’t get played on Pandora, and even if it did, he wouldn’t know because he never checks to see who’s playing. Think I’m feeding you a load of shit? Try it — ask someone outside of your personal music-listening inner-circle what they listen to. See which (if any) musicians they can name beyond those who have performed skits on Saturday Night Live. Then ask them how they listen to music. It comes back to the same problem that’s plagued the music industry since the dawn of the Internet Age: The paradigm shift in how music is distributed. And it brings up some stark questions: Why and how do listeners buy music? Are labels necessary anymore? In a streaming age, will the idea of “owning” music even exist?
The so-called “vinyl renaissance” that’s been ballyhooed as a potential savior of the music industry (even though we all know that vinyl sales represent a scintilla of total music sales) could be a backlash to the lack of materialism associated with today’s music options. Digital music is “immaterial” to new listeners. Vinyl represents tangible ownership, especially for “collectors.” But casual music listeners don’t care about collectables. They don’t buy vinyl. In fact, unless the artist is a mega media star that regularly lands in TMZ or Huffington Post, they don’t know who they are, and they don’t care. People are listening to more music today than ever before, they just don’t know who or what they’re listening to. Their loyalty is shifting from artists and labels to streaming services — Spotify vs. Songify vs. Pandora vs. 8tracks vs. Rdio vs. Slacker, etc. There’s a new one coming online every six months. And in a Pandora world, more value is placed on “style” than individual artists. Songify’s model involves merely selecting a theme: “Music to study to,” “Runway music,” “Urban Dance Party,” and so on. 8tracks’ “explore” mode is all about curated lists and themes with names like, “I can’t unlove you,” “Numb and trippy” and “Don’t make a sound now.” It takes the shuffle-mode concept to a whole ‘nother level. It’s weird. Curation has never been more important in this Amazon/Walmart world where we can buy whatever we want whenever we want it. The problem is, of course, figuring out which is “the good stuff.” With millions of digital tracks available from your iPhone or Android device, no one can be expected to figure out what they want to hear. It’s so much easier to let someone else decide. So how is any of this different than terrestrial radio, where faceless DJs picked the music that was the soundtrack to our lives? Well, at least with radio, they told you what you were listening to. Curated streaming music services merely dish out the songs one after another. If you want to know who’s playing, you have to look at your phone, and who has the time or energy for that? But even in the radio days, you never heard local bands on the airwaves. That problem is just as bad -- if not worse -- with streaming services. The other night a local musician walked up to me at the bar and began excitedly talking about his new record — not that it was coming out on a label, but that he finally got it accepted by Pandora. Now if he could only figure out a way to get his songs played on everyone’s “Springsteen Channel.” continued on page 19 y
music
| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
15
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.
MONDAY 23
OPEN MIC & SONGWRITER SHOWCASE, (Folk/Singer-Song writer) 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, FREE. FIRST CUT W/ DJ DRDIGGS, (DJ/Electronic) 9 pm, House Of Loom, FREE. GOOCH AND HIS LAS VEGAS LAB BAND, (Cover Band) 8 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, Free. OPEN MIC NIGHT! AT RED9, 8 pm, Red9, Free. 4 DAYS OF MERRIMENT W/ HIDDEN AGENDA, (Cover Band) 8 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, Contact the venue for cover charge. WAITING ROOM MUSIC QUIZ, 8 pm, Waiting Room, FREE.
READER RECOMMENDS MANDOWN W/ 8TH WAVE & THE FONZARELLIES, 9 pm, Waiting Room, $10. PIANO HOUR W/ EMILY BASS, 5 pm, Zoo Bar, contact the Zoo Bar for cover charge.
TUESDAY 24
VIC NASTY, 8 pm, Bar 415, Contact the venue for cover charge. OPEN MIC NIGHT, 9:30 pm, Dubliner Pub, Free.
READER RECOMMENDS JAZZOCRACY, (Jazz) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, Free.
WEDNESDAY 25
CRASH & BURN BLUES JAM, (Blues) 6 pm, Barley Street Tavern, Free . DICEY RILEYS, 7 pm, Brazen Head Irish Pub, Free.
READER RECOMMENDS CRATE & CRAFT CLUB | JAZZ VINYL W/ANDREW MONSON, (Jazz) 8 pm, House Of Loom, Free. WARPED WAX W/TURNTABLIST CMB, (DJ/Electronic) 8 pm, House Of Loom, Free. LIL SLIM, (Blues) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $6.
THURSDAY 26
DURTY THURSDAY - E BROWN, 9 pm, Bar 415, Free. COUNTY ROAD 5 W/ NATHAN WADE, 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, $5.
READER RECOMMENDS THE JERRY PRANKSTER HOLIDAY BASH, 8 pm, Bourbon Theater, $5: 21 and up / $7: 18 and up. NEW MOON SONGWRITERS NIGHT, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 7 pm, Crescent Moon Coffee, FREE. JIM MOORE, GHOST TOWN NIGHTS, SANDRA FRANZ, 9 pm, Knickerbockers, Contact the venue for cover charge. PADDYWHACK, 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.
READER RECOMMENDS ICKY BLOSSOMS W/ TWINSMITH & ROUTINE ESCORTS, (Rock) 9 pm, Waiting Room, $8.
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DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
| THE READER |
music listings
GOOCH & THE GUYS, (Jazz) 6:30 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, Free.
READER RECOMMENDS HECTOR ANCHONDO W/ ALY PEELER, TAKING THE HOURGLASS, JOHN LARSON, (Rock) 9 pm, Slowdown, $8. JASON HINZE, 8 pm, The Tavern, Contact the venue for cover charge. ACOUSTIC MUSIC THURSDAYS!, 8 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, Contact Two Fine Irishmen for cover charge. BASIL MCJAGGER AND GINA LEE’S REAL FINE COUNTRY X-MAS SHOW, 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.
FRIDAY 27
BLUE EYES, 9 pm, Arena Bar & Grill, Free. DIGITAL AMMO AND GUEST, 9 pm, Bar 415, Contact the venue for cover charge. DIANA AND THE MARIES - CD RELEASE PARTY! W/ MICHAEL THE BRITS, (Cover Band) 8 pm, Firewater Grille, Contact the venue for cover charge. KARAOKE THEATRE, 8:30 pm, House Of Loom, Free. DOWN IN CIRCLES, RO JO FIASCO, EIGHTH DAY BROKEN, 9 pm, House Of Loom, Contact the venue for cover charge. GUNK PRESENTS: MURRAY XMAS!, (DJ/Electronic) 10 pm, House Of Loom, Contact the venue for cover charge. LEMON FRESH DAY, (Cover Band) 8 pm, Loose Moose, Contact the venue for cover charge.
READER RECOMMENDS PRO-MAGNUM W/ WEAKWICK, (Rock) 9:30 pm, O’Leaver’s Pub, $5. WGO, 7 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, Free.
READER RECOMMENDS BEATLES AND MORE, 7 pm, Pizza Shoppe Collective, Free.
READER RECOMMENDS A WASTED EFFORT W/ RHETORIC, CREATURES OF IMPULSE, AND THE DECATURES, (Rock) 8 pm, Shamrock’s Pub & Grill, Contact the venue for cover charge. THE MOTHER DUDES (LIVE BAND KARAOKE), 9 pm, Slowdown, Free. HI-FI HANGOVER, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, Contact the venue for cover charge.
READER RECOMMENDS ROCK PAPER DYNAMITE, (Rock) 9 pm, Venue 51, $5. HEAR NEBRASKA PRESENTS: HEAR NEBRASKA VOL. 2 ALBUM RELEASE SHOW, 9 pm, Waiting Room, $8.
THE WONDER MONDS, 5 pm, Zoo Bar, Contact the venue for cover charge. SAKLAR, PHIL SMITH AND MOLLY GAUGHN, 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, $5.
SATURDAY 28
ON THE FRITZ, 9 pm, Arena Bar & Grill, Free. G3 W/ CICIO, 9 pm, Bar 415, Contact the venue for cover charge. DEATH OF A TAXPAYER W/ THE PREMIUM DRAFT, 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, $5. EZRA, (Rock) 8 pm, Bourbon Theater, $5 ADV / $10 DOS. COUNTY ROAD 5, (Country) 8 pm, Coyote Willy’s, $5. KARAOKE, 8 pm, Firewater Grille, Contact Firewater Grille for cover charges. HAVANA GARAGE HOLIDAY PARTY W/ BRIAN HOLLAND BAND, 6 pm, Havana Garage, $20. WEEKEND DANCE DESTINATION W/SHIF-D | BRENT CRAMPTON + JOCELYN WISER BDAY, (DJ/Electronic) 10 pm, House Of Loom, Free. THESE FRIENDS OF MINE, BLACK LIGHTHOUSES, NORTHWEST PASSAGE, 9 pm, Knickerbockers, Contact the venue for cover charge. FISH HEADS, 8 pm, Loose Moose, Contact the venue for cover charge. LINOMA MASHERS W/ DAN PRESCHER, 9 pm, Marleybone Tavern, Free. ECKOPHONIC, (Cover Band) 7 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, Free. CACTUS HILL, 9 pm, Red9, Contact the venue for cover charge.
READER RECOMMENDS SOME KIND OF NIGHTMARE (SAN DIEGO) W/ CORDIAL SPEW, SUPERBYTES & MIXED MARTIAL AUDIO, (Rock) 8 pm, Sham rock’s Pub & Grill, Contact the venue for cover charge. STEPHEN BARTOLOMEI WITH HIS COMRADES W/ NOAH STERBA, 9 pm, Slowdown, $8. LEMON FRESH DAY, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, Contact the venue for cover charge. GETCHASUM AND TBA, 9 pm, Venue 51, Contact House of Loom for cover charge.
READER RECOMMENDS GETCHASUM, 9 pm, Venue 51, Contact the venue for cover charge.
READER RECOMMENDS BENNIE AND THE GENTS W/ ROCK AND ROLL SUICIDE, (Rock) 9 pm, Waiting Room, $7. THE BEL-AIRS, 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $10. DIRTY TALKER, RED CITIES AND DOMESTICA, 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.
SUNDAY 29
SALSA SUNDAY W/ LATIN MADNESS, 7 pm, House Of Loom, $5. O’LEAVER’S OPEN MIC NIGHT, 9 pm, O’Leaver’s Pub, Free.
READER RECOMMENDS
READER RECOMMENDS
JAMES MAAKESTAD W/ MILLIONS OF BOYS, ANNA MCCLELLAN, 9 pm, Slowdown, $7. JEFF TOMES, 2 pm, Soaring Wings Vineyard, Free.
THE BETTIES CD RELEASE WITH RINGO OF KILL COUNTY, JACK HOTEL AND BUD HEAVY &THE HIGH LIFES, 9 pm, Zoo Bar, Contact the venue for cover charge.
SONGWRITER DEATH BATTLE 3.0, 9 pm, Waiting Room, $7. UPSTAIRS BLUES BAND, (Blues) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.
READER RECOMMENDS
BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN
Home for the Holidays
T
he Zoo Bar’s Christmas night blues tradition continues with Shawn “Lil’ Slim” Holt taking over the Christmas night gig long held by his later father Magic Slim. Holt, announced earlier this month as a national Blues Music Awards nominee for Best New Artist Debut, will be throwing down Chicago style blues after 9 p.m. Other Zoo Bar holiday musical events include Basil McJagger and Gina Lee’s Real Fine Country X-Mas Show Thursday, Dec. 26, 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27, 9 p.m. catch some great local Americana and old-time country with The Betties CD release show with special guests Ringo of Kill County, Jack Hotel and Bud Heavy & The High Lifes. Saturday, Dec. 28, 6-9 p.m. The Bel Airs are back onstage at the Zoo with their great mix of Delta blues, New Orleans rhythms and vintage rock ‘n’ roll. Monday, Dec. 30, the rockin’ blues of K.C.’s Samantha Fish takes center stage 6-9 p.m. Come early for the wonderful Emily Bass and her piano blues happy hour 5-7 p.m. Stay late for a special holiday jam edition of the Zoo Bar House Band after 9 p.m. 21st Saloon: The 21st Saloon serves up a special edition of Greg Lindberg’s Crabby Blues Band and a jam Thursday, Dec. 26, 6-9 p.m. Lindberg’s
hoodoo
Crabby Blues Band typically plays the first Tuesday of every month at Shuck’s 1218 S 119th St. location, with a regular First Tuesday of each month event where donations benefit designated local charities. Thursday, Jan. 2, Zac Harmon is scheduled 6-9 p.m. Hot Notes: Barry O’s in the Old Market features a special all-star jazz-blues “Barry Christmas” show Monday, Dec. 23, with Matt Wallace, guitarist Tim Kobza, Jeremy and Jon Hegg, Greg Ahl and other special guests, 7-11 p.m. Hector Anchondo hosts a songwriter’s night at Slowdown Thursday, Dec. 26 with guests John Larsen, Taking The Hourglass (Ohio) and Aly Peeler. See theslowdown.com. The folks at HearNebraska.org host an album release party for their brand new vinyl compilation Friday, Dec. 27, at Waiting Room. Roots fans may be interested in the appearance of Simon Joyner & The Ghosts, other genres are represented as well. See HearNebraska.org. Monday, Dec. 30, The Wingtips reunite for a show at Waiting Room, 9 p.m. playing ska, reggae and dance music. The band was a popular local staple in the mid-1980s. There are lots of great blues and roots music options shaping up for New Year’s Eve. Check out the Blues Society of Omaha’s compilation of events at omahablues.com. ,
83411 – Omaha Reader – 12-19-2013
DAVID NAIL JANUARY 24
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.
AARON LEWIS FEBRUARY 20 Tickets available at whiskeyroadhouse.com, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-300
I-29 South, Exit 1B | horseshoe.com Must be 21 years or older to attend shows or to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-BETS-OFF (Iowa) or 1-800-522-4700 (National). ©2013, Caesars License Company, LLC.
hoodoo blues
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| THE READER |
DEC. 23 - 29, 2013 12/16/13
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1:22 PM
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 halfhour movie podcast (movieha.libsyn.com/rss), catch him on the radio on CD 105.9 (cd1059.com) on Fridays around 7:30 a.m. and on KVNO 90.7 (kvno.org) at 8:30 a.m. on Fridays and follow him on Twitter (twitter.com/thereaderfilm).
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DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
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his is the worst because it’s the best. Let me explain…The only thing worse than years virtually free of good movies are years when I could make a top 10 list from the films I cut from my final top 10 list. What I’m sayin’ is: 2013 was real, real good, y’all. For the love! American Hustle, Saving Mr. Banks, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Her, The Wolf of Wall Street, and August: Osage County didn’t even screen yet, and my list was still 10 pounds of awesome in a five-pound bag. Check out Movieha.libysn.com in January for my final list, likely to include some of those unreleased films. For now, let’s slap ordered numbers on magnificent works of artistic expression!
Honorable Mentions
The Worst 5 Movies
10.) Before Midnight – When Before Sunrise hit in 1995, nobody could have guessed that 18 years later, the final installment in this most unlikely trilogy would rank among the most thoughtful and entertaining contemplations on love. Too many feels…
When people say “it must be nice to get paid to watch movies,” I remind them I had to watch the following movies and then show them my paycheck and ask if it’s worth it. The 5 movies that made me rethink my life choices this year: 5.) White House Down – I know, it seems impossible, but the Channing Tatum/Jamie Foxx movie directed by the guy who did 2012 was really stupid. 4.) The Incredible Burt Wonderstone – This is why you can’t be famous any more, Jim Carrey. Unfunny, insulting and a complete waste of Olivia Wilde. Unforgivable. 3.) The Hangover Part III – When I saw this vile, insipid excuse for entertainment, I was certain it was the worst film I’d see this year. This franchise is like comedy herpes. 2.) The Lone Ranger – This film is not on this list just because it’s stupid. It’s on this list because it contains the most offensive Native American material not worn by Robert Griffith III. 1.) The Counselor – Cameron Diaz has sex with a car. The movie is directionless, nonsensical, misogynistic and ugly. And Cameron Diaz has sex… with a car.
REPORTCARD
nSo it’s the Holidays once again, and people make you be all mushy and stuff this time of year. Normally, I’m a smarmy grouse (an endangered species). But I’d like to take a minute to say thanks to two local businesses who not only make my life (and your lives) a little better but who are generally all-around good folks. n Aksarben Cinema is just the greatest little megaplex you could ever want. Finding the balance between the new “gimmicky theater gags” and an old school experience, the theater not only knows how to optimize the movie-watching experience, they don’t turn it into a giant distraction or completely remove the focus from the film. That’d be enough for me to give a little holiday season “attaboy,” but they go beyond that. Quietly, each month the theater raises money for a different charity personally selected by the folks in charge. Whether it’s brain cancer research (like it is in the month of December) or various other local charities, Aksarben doesn’t imitate or pretend to be a part of the community: they so genuinely are. This ain’t lip service or paid advertising: this is me saying thanks to a great business run by great people. n Speaking of which… Rachel Jacobson is just the best. Her decision to build a nonprofit arthouse theater had to seem impossible. For six years, Film Streams Ruth Sokoloff Theater has spoiled us by providing access to the type of movies Omaha hadn’t seen in theaters before Rachel’s brilliant idea. Trust me! Their inclusion of a repertory theater means a chance to see all-time classics and smaller, overlooked films in the setting their creators intended. But again, like Aksarben, Film Streams does more than show awesome stuff. They hold Q&As with directors and community members about issues vital to Omaha. They offer free movies to students periodically to engage them in the arts. They bring national acclaim to the city each and every year. I’ve spoken with Rachel several times over the years but I don’t think she truly understands how appreciative we are. n Art is important. Movies are art. Movies are important. But more important is that there is a thriving community filled with kind and responsible businesses propping those movies up on a local level. Happy Holidays to my two favorite theaters; may your stockings be filled with love! —Ryan Syrek
Frozen AEither a throwback to the modern-classic Disney period or the start of a new one. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire A The best sci-fi sequel since Empire Strikes Back. Nebraska BAnother nice, quiet, muted film from the master of such content.
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In any other year, the following would have been in my final list: Side Effects was a brilliant and twisty potboiler; To the Wonder was a beautiful love poem; Iron Man 3 was fun and fresh; The We and the I was raw and real; Man of Steel finally made Superman interesting; The East was a thriller with a conscience (and Brit Marling, which always helps); Fill the Void was an intimate Hasidic moral morass; A Hijacking made Captain Phillips look like amateur hour; Frozen is a modern Disney classic and Only God Forgives was weird and awesome. Sorry to all of these awesome films. This doesn’t mean I don’t love you.
The Top 10 Films of 2013
9.) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Wowza! With an overt metaphor and a supposed target demographic of “tween girls,” there was no reason to expect the kind of emotionally resonant and thrilling material this sequel delivers. This was wonderfully acted, socially aware box office dynamite led by a vital female lead. More please. 8.) The World’s End – If you haven’t enjoyed Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s three films with director Edgar Wright, we can’t be friends. Their final effort is somehow sincere and satirical, clever and compelling, brilliant and bad-ass. It even manages to make a wonderful statement on the immobilizing nature of nostalgia. I’ll drink to that. 7.) Blancanieves – Go back in time and tell me that a silent, black-and-white version of “Snow White” set in the 1920s in Seville, Spain with a backdrop of bullfighting would make my top 10 and see how I react… because I’m curious. Unlike The Artist, a cloying silent film about silent films, Blancanieves is proof that a gifted artist can still simply use this genre to absolute perfection. READER RECOMMENDS
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug B+ Legolas is back to remove orc heads from orc bodies! ON DVD
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints A An outlaw fairy tale that’s equal parts Shakespeare and Terrence Malick. Kick-Ass 2 C Asses are kicked but you won’t care much. The Lone Ranger F Prompts lots of discussion: like is it more racist or more stupid?
6.) The Act of Killing – Of all the moments I’ll remember from this year in film, the sound of confessed genocidal murderer Anwar Congo retching as he realizes his crimes is right there at the top. This documentary is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, in that it uses art and cinema to obtain a confession that few have ever made. Unreal. 5.) Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – “This happened in Texas.” So begins a modern outlaw romantic tragedy unlike anything else on screen this year. Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara are soul-bound lovers whose union can only result in death and destruction all around them. Epic, lyrical and positively spellbinding. 4.) Fruitvale Station – Empathy. That’s what director Ryan Coogler’s dramatization of the real-life tragedy that befell Oscar Grant is all about. With one of the year’s best performances from Michael B. Jordan, the movie gives context to a country that still has an open wound caused by the Trayvon Martin incident. This is mustsee material. 3.) 12 Years a Slave – Speaking of “must see…” This hurts. It bites and stings, plays like a horror movie, captivates with perfect performances stacked on top of one another and serves as a dramatic window to a past we like to shut the curtains on. You have to see this at least once. It should be some kind of law. 2.) Spring Breakers – Simultaneously a skewering of the debauched misogyny that permeates young culture and a creepy character study of what it means to “be bad,” Spring Breakers is one of the most visually potent, dynamic films in recent memory. It also helps that it features a performance from James Franco that is barnone the year’s best. 1.) Upstream Color – Oh, Shane Carruth, how you torture me. Ages after his Primer became one of my favorite sci-fi films, his sophomore effort comes out and rocks me to my core. It’s a thoughtful exploration of the disintegration of personal identity in relationships, a mysterious thriller and a spiritual contemplation of human connectivity. And it’s all about pigs. ,
y continued from page 15
Now for something less dismal. Without further ado, the list of my top-10 favorite records of 2013, in no specific order: 1. Lloyd Cole, Standards (Tapete) — Don’t call it a comeback, it’s the best thing he’s released since Music in a Foreign Language, and could be a hit if he ever tours the U.S.
6. Destruction Unit, Deep Trip (Sacred Bones) — A twisted, feedback-soaked parade of broken, angry garage rock that never fails to shine brightly.
I went to a few shows last year (okay, a lot of shows). Below is the list of — maybe not the best — but certainly the most memorable moments I lived through in 2013:
7. Speedy Ortiz, Major Arcana (Carpark) — Conjures comparisons to Guyvilleera Liz Phair (but much heavier), Breeders, Pavement, but with a soulful sound of its own.
Gordon at The Side Door Lounge, Jan. 26 — It was a lovely train wreck the likes of which I haven’t seen since The Shanks farewell two-night stand at O’Leaver’s a year or so ago. In a lot of ways Gordon reminds me of The Shanks, albeit a cute, furry animal version without the blood and gore.
2. Low, The Invisible Way (Sub Pop) — Produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy it’s a return to form for indie rock’s throb-pulse heroes.
8. Daft Punk, Random Access Memories (Columbia) — Probably the most hyped dance album of the year, it exceeded all expectations.
3. Arcade Fire, Reflektor (Merge) — Probably the most hyped indie album of the year, it lives up to it (for the most part).
9. Tim Kasher, Adult Film (Saddle Creek) — The most tuneful Kasher project since The Good Life’s Help Wanted Nights in 2007.
4. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Push the Sky Away (Bad Seed, Ltd.) — As with most of his recordings, Cave is almost perversely dramatic in his singing/speaking, as if telling dark lies at midnight, which btw, is the best time to listen to this record.
10. The Gardenheads, Growing Season (Wee Rock) — A lot of bands try to do Americana. A lot of bands are boring. And some might say The Gardenheads’ music is “by the numbers,” but there’s something more here, something infectious in its simplicity. ,
5. Foxygen, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic ( Jagjaguwar) — Produced by Richard Swift, who worked on the last two Mynabirds albums, it’s pure ’70s Stones, as Stonesy as you can get without dragging Mick into the studio.
Ty Segall / Digital Leather at Sokol Underground, Feb. 10 — Segall and his band was a wellhoned noise machine, easily the loudest thing I’ve heard on a stage in a few years. I stood on a chair along the wall and watched the crowd writhe in ecstasy to the knucklebleeding music. The Men at Slowdown Jr., April 27 — Here was a band that could effortlessly switch between hyperrock and something vaguely resembling alt-country while always maintaining their speed, power, grace.
BUILT TO SPILL
Baths at The Waiting Room, June 2 — In addition to having the deepest, loudest low-end I’ve heard at The Waiting Room since the last Faint show, Baths’ melodies were abrasive and tricky but worked their way into my psyche. What starts as awkward and ugly becomes big and beautiful by the end. Digital Leather, Big Harp, Kill Country at The Holland Center, June 7 — On the surface, the lineup for the inaugural Hear Nebraska Live program sponsored by Omaha Performing Arts at the Holland last Friday night was edgy, if not just plain risky. The outcome was — for the most part — a success. Maha Music Festival at Stinson Park, Aug. 17 — If you came for spectacle, you got it. The Flaming Lips’ amazing light show included pin lights flowing from
Film Streams at the Ruth Sokolof Theater 14th & Mike Fahey Street (formerly Webster Street) More info & showtimes 402.933.0259 · filmstreams.org Facebook & Twitter: @filmstreams
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DEC. 23 - 29, 2013
This week! The Punk Singer First-Run Dir. Sini Anderson. Through Thursday, January 2! An indie rock doc about the ultimate riot grrrl, Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre). “THE PUNK SINGER is a perfect storm. It is a love letter to Kathleen Hanna, to feminism, and to the fans, but it’s also just a damn good movie.” – Jenni Miller, Film.com
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Nebraska First-Run (R) Dir. Alexander Payne. Through Thursday, January 2! “It’s a career-capping performance by Dern, who is so convincing as an addled, drunken, embittered and probably dying man that he doesn’t appear to be acting, but Forte is just as good playing a preoccupied, emotionally constricted man-child.” – Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com Nominated for 5 Golden Globes, including Best Director and Best Picture (Comedy/Musical)!
above Wayne Coyne down a chrome mountain like an LED volcano. But the highlight of the day was Bob Mould, who rifled though a “greatest hits” selection so loud it scared away the faint of heart. Joan of Arc at O’Leaver’s, Sept. 18 — Vocalist Melina Ausikaitis — hands thrust in pockets, slouched in rolled-up blue jeans, red Converse high-tops, well-worn T-shirt and suspenders — was strangely magnetic, especially singing two a cappella numbers while the band fiddled with their various tuning devices. Quasi at Slowdown Jr., Oct. 4 — The best moments were the hits, which Sam Coomes supplied with a weathered panache that made them sound as fresh as they did when first performed 15 years ago. Built to Spill at The Waiting Room, Oct. 18 — Doug Martsch and company played a sharp, measured set that combined the best songs from his classic albums with heavy stuff from the band’s latest. The high point was the encore — a lush version of The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now,” complete with Martsch’s trademark tremolo guitar effect. Desaparecidos at The Waiting Room, Oct. 22 — Conor Oberst was in rare form, though his voice was hoarse at times, especially on those high notes. Good thing Landon Hedges was there to fill in the gaps. Here’s a secret: Hedges has a better voice, but when the material calls for screaming more than singing, it doesn’t really matter. Cat Power at The Slowdown, Nov. 22 — Throughout the two-and-a-half hour solo performance Marshall looked anxious and irritated, clearly struggling with either an illness or a serious case of anxiety, stage fright or just not being prepared, all the while constantly being distracted by someone in the crowd who baited her from the edge of the stage (whether that person realized it or not). ,
Forever Young Admission just $2.50 for kids 12 and under!
It’s a Wonderful Life 1946 (PG) Dir. Frank Capra.
December 26, 28, and 29 See the holiday classic on the big screen! “James Stewart is a vision of decency as the selfless guy George Bailey who finds himself deeply loved in the smalltown community he’d once dreamed of leaving.” -- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Coming Soon A Touch of Sin First-Run Members Select: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Filmmaker’s Screening: Medora First-Run Inside Llewyn Davis First-Run (R) The Great Beauty First-Run New York Critics Series: At Middleton First-Run (R) Gloria First-Run (R)
newsoftheweird
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
Nuclear Tractor Pull
E
dward Teller, the famous theoretical physicist known as the “father of the hydrogen bomb” for his work on the World War II-era Manhattan Project, died in 2003, but his daughter Rene told The Free Press of Kinston, N.C., in November that she had recently discovered two of her father’s precious mementos at a thrift shop near Kinston during a road trip to visit relatives. “(Father’s) work was so demanding” she said, that he needed “recreational activities” and tried “the things you’d suspect,” like chess. However, the two mementos were awards Teller had won at tractor pull competitions. “He’d show up at major tractor pulls” riding just a Cub Cadet mower, Rene said, and “leave the competition in the dust.” (Teller’s secret, she said, was using “nuclear fusionbased engines,” which sponsors ultimately had to ban.) [Kinston Free Press, 11-12-2013] The Entrepreneurial Spirit “It will be sort of my unique factor,” said indulgent customer Lucy Luckayanko, describing her thenupcoming $3,000 eyeball jewelry implant from New York City’s Park Avenue Laser Vision -- the insertion of a piece of platinum between the sclera (the white part) and the clear conjunctiva. Actually, said the shop’s medical director, Dr. Emil Chynn, to WNEWTV in November, it’s “pretty safe.” [WNEW-TV (New York City, 11-20-2013] Restaurant Startups: (1) Japan’s “cat cafes” allow the pet-starved to relax while dining by caressing house kittens that roam the facilities, but similar eateries have opened recently featuring owls (the Fukurou Sabou in Tokyo, Owl Family in Osaka). (The owls are not caressable and easily spooked by excessive noise.) (2) Liu Pengfei’s Five Loaves and Two Fish restaurant in Fuzhou, China, is losing money rapidly despite overflow dining crowds, according to a December China Daily report, because he allows customers to pay only what they wish. (They must also wash out their bowls.) “I want to
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continue,” he said, “as I believe the feeling of trust is contagious.” [News Limited (Sydney), 11-5-2013] [China Daily, 12-4-2013] Cutting-Edge Science It may be a cliche of domestic conflict, but physicists recently, earnestly, tackled the dynamics of toilet bowl “splash back.” A stream delivered by a standing male, because it travels five times farther than a seated male’s, produces a splash easily reaching seat and floor -- even without factoring in the “well-known” Plateau-Rayleigh instability -- the inevitable disintegration of a liquid stream “six or seven inches” after its formation. Short of recommending that men be seated, the researchers (speaking to a November conference) suggest “narrowing the angle” by “standing slightly to one side and aiming downwards at a low angle of impact.” [BBC News, 11-6-2013] The Human-Rodent Connection: University of British Columbia researchers, intent on judging whether blocking dopamine D4 receptors can reduce the urge to gamble in subjects other than humans, claimed in October to have devised a test that works on the dopamine receptors of rats -- especially those with a gambling problem. With a slot machine-like device dispensing sugar pellets, the researchers claimed they offered rats measured risks and even determined that rats are more likely to take risks immediately following a close loss (as are humans). [Science Daily, 10-29-2013] Medical Marvels Seven years ago, Michael Spann, now 29, suddenly doubled over in pain that felt like he “got hit in the head with a sledgehammer,” and began crying blood. Despite consulting doctors, including two visits with extensive lab work at the venerable Cleveland Clinic, the Antioch, Tenn., man told Nashville’s The Tennessean in October that he is resigned to an “idiopathic condition” -- a disease without apparent cause. Spann’s main wish now is just to hold a job, in that fellow workers, and customers, tend not to
COPYRIGHT 2013 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).
react well to a man bleeding from the eyes (even though his once-daily episodes have become more sporadic). [The Tennessean, 10-17-2013] The Kingdom The sex life of the anglerfish, according to a Wired.com interview in November with evolutionary biologist Theodore Pietsch, is as dismal as any on planet Earth. According to Wired: “Boy meets girl, boy bites girl, boy’s mouth fuses to girl’s body, boy lives the rest of his life attached to girl, sharing her blood and supplying her with sperm.” Only 1 percent of males ever hook up with females (because the ocean floor is dark), said Pietsch. The rest starve to death as virgins. [Wired.com, 11-8-2013] Professor Pietsch may know his anglerfish, but Marlene Zuk of the University of Minnesota knows her insects, including the mating mechanics of damselflies, crickets and cockroaches, which she described for The New York Times in November. The damselfly male’s penis is a Swiss Army knife-like contraption (necessary to access the female’s well-hidden eggs). The cricket easily produces sperm, but then awaits its draining through a “long stem” “for several minutes” to achieve fertilization. Cockroaches, Professor Zuk wrote, mate by “blind trust” as they hook up back-to-back and, with no neck, cannot even glance over a shoulder to check on their work. [New York Times, 11-30-2013] Elephant Whisperer: Nirmala Toppo, 14, is apparently the one to call if wild elephants overrun your village, especially in India’s Orissa and Jharkhand states, which are still home to hundreds of marauding pachyderms. Her latest piedpiper act, in June, emptied a herd of 11 out of the industrial city of Rourkela. Said Toppo: “First I pray and then talk to the herd. I tell them this is not your home. You should return where you belong.” Somehow, the elephants followed her for miles away from the town, according to an October BBC News dispatch. [BBC News, 10-29-2013]
Perspective The daunting problems that faced the launch of the HealthCare.gov website in October were merely symptoms of the federal government’s often snaillike pace at integrating digital innovations common to everyday America. A December New York Times report revealed that The Federal Register (the daily journal of the U.S. government) still receives original content from some agencies on virtually obsolete 3.5-inch floppy disks -- and (because of unamended legal requirements) its work-order authorizations from some agencies on disks hand-delivered inside the Washington Beltway by courier. Contractors can be frustrated as well since, though they operate with top-of-the-line digital efficiency internally, they must sometimes downgrade to interface with their government clients. [New York Times, 12-6-2013] Least Competent Criminals Not Ready for Prime Time: (1) An already-distinctive man (367 pounds) was arrested in Everett, Wash., for a December grocery store shoplifting because he was also wearing an easily noticed purple sock and over two hours later was still wearing it when police caught up to him and questioned him. (2) A 23-year-old woman was arrested in Crestview, Fla., in November for shoplifting a “toy” from an adult store -- before inquiring about a job there. She had professed her innocence until shown the surveillance video, when she said (according to the police report), “Oh, my God. Look at what I’m doing. ... I’m gonna cry.” [The Herald (Everett), 12-4-2013] [Daily News of Northwest Florida, 11-15-2013] Readers’ Choice In October, an Ohio judge turned down a petition by Donald Miller Jr., asking to be ruled “alive.” “You’re still deceased as far as the law is concerned,” Probate Judge Allan Davis told him because state law requires challenges to his declaration of death (obtained by Miller’s wife in 1994) to be filed within three years. Said Judge Davis, “I don’t know where that leaves you.” [The Courier (Findlay, Ohio), 10-8-2013] ,
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