The Reader Dec. 25 - 31, 2014

LEAD .NET APPLICATIONS DEVELOPER Lead .Net Applications Developers in Omaha, NE to lead team in the design, development, and implementation of software applications, write application code in the Microsoft .Net environment according to the functional specifications defined, developing unit test around said code, and participate in team meetings discussing the architecture of the system. The position will also require you to be responsible for managing large development tasks, breaking down the task into smaller tasks, disseminating to other programmers on the team, and participating and leading code reviews. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS, or related or foreign equivalent. Alternatively, will accept Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, or related or foreign equivalent together with 5 years of experience. Skills required in C#, ASP.NET and the .NET framework; XML and SQL programming.

Please apply online at http:// careers.gallup.com or send your resume to 1001 Gallup Drive, Attn.

Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP EmployerMinorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.

LEAD ORACLE DATABASE DEVELOPER Lead Oracle Database Developers in Omaha, NE to lead a team in writing API’s and ETL processes within data warehouses; completing data transfer process for multiple applications; analyze user needs and develop software solutions; creating data models and design diagrams and owning the data transfer process for multiple applications,

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and participate in team meetings discussing the architecture of processes. The position will also require you to be responsible for managing large development tasks, breaking down the task into smaller tasks, disseminating to other programmers on the team, and participating and leading code reviews. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS, or related or foreign equivalent. In the alternative, will accept Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, or foreign equivalent, or related together with 5 years of experience.

Must have skills of Oracle, PL/SQL, database design, data transfers in ETL; data transfer processes for multiple applications; ability to analyze user needs and develop software solutions; knowledge of testing of programs or databases, correcting errors, planning and implementing security measures to safeguard information.

Please apply online at http://careers.gallup.com or send your resume to 1001 Gallup Drive, Attn.

Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP EmployerMinorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.

LEAD SOFTWARE QUALITY ASSURANCE DEVELOPER Lead Software Quality Assurance Developer in Omaha, NE to lead team in creating and executing test plans based on project requirements.

Write code, test scripts and SQL queries to analyze and test project deliverables throughout the development life cycle to ensure that business and technical requirements are being met.

Develop and execute automated regression, performance and stress tests for each major software release. Master degree in Computer

Dec. 25 - 31, 2014

Science, MIS, or related or foreign equivalent.

Alternatively, will accept Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, or related, or foreign equivalent together with 5 years of experience.

Must have the demonstrated ability in Automated Test Tools and developing and optimizing SQL queries, functions and procedures.

Please apply online at http://careers.gallup.com or send your resume to 1001 Gallup Drive, Attn.

Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP EmployerMinorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.

LEAD SYSTEM APPLICATION DEVELOPERS – OLAP Lead System Application Developers - OLAP in Omaha, NE to lead team in data modeling and analysis, data warehouse systems, data support; interpretation of functional requirement to business outcomes, and development of data structures using PL/ SQL, Java, and Object Oriented Design. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS, or foreign equivalent, and must have the demonstrated ability to use JAVA, C++, and database skills (SQL and Oracle).

Please apply online at http://careers.gallup.com or send your resume to 1001 Gallup Drive, Attn.

Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP EmployerMinorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.

CHEERS to a happy and magical holiday season! It is nice to see you all again.

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| THE READER |

DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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heartlandhealing N E W A G E H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S B Y M I C H A E L B R AU N S T E I N

2014: High-lights, dude!

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everal stories about health and healing dominated news in 2014. The two biggest were the Ebola virus outbreak and the ongoing move to modernize American marijuana laws. The highlights: Medical marijuana Whether most Americans realize it or not, expanded legalization of marijuana has been and will turn out to be the biggest story of 2014.

We’ll mark the ongoing benefits and consequences of this return to sanity for years to come. Like the subtle burp of the open ocean portending an incipient tsunami, the marijuana sea change began in 1996, in the likeliest of locations: California.

That’s when the Golden State freed Acapulco Gold and any other cannabis through a program allowing approved people to use the herb for medicinal purposes. No one fully imagined the scope of the legal change. Hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries sprouted across the state. Health benefits were reported in the media and in research papers. Widespread changes ensued and the impact on marijuana as a cash crop, decrease in prescription painkillers, lowered incarceration rates, frustration of Mexican drug cartels paralleled the decision to allow cannabis as a medicine.

Few predicted what would follow. As states came into line with the idea of medicinal marijuana, progressive states looked at going to the next level: across the board legalization and regulation of marijuana as a recreational substance. The social impact was immediate. The far-ranging impact will be immense as the impetus seen in 2014 will swell into a national change with global implications.

Medical marijuana is a no-brainer. History bears out that plants are the genesis of most prescription drugs. Not saying that’s a good idea; prescription

drugs are a horrible idea in general. They rely on a reductionist viewpoint that is skewed toward profitability. What’s remarkable about the use of medical marijuana is how potent the beneficial effects are without the interference of Big Pharma. Consider that aspirin is a Big Pharma derivative of the naturally occurring inner bark of the white willow tree. Those little white tablets in the Bayer bottle are a concentrated reduction of that bark and in fact, are more potent than willow bark tea. But with marijuana, the primary medicinal effects are potent enough right from the natural stuff.

What made the year 2014 a watershed moment is that we saw the number of states allowing the use of medical marijuana swell to 23. Initiatives or bills to make medicinal marijuana legal were considered in all 50 states, with many pending. Recreational use is now legal in four states and the District of Columbia. The impact of marijuana reform, both recreational and medicinal, and the advances made in 2014 will be felt in the social, political, economic, environmental and

HEARTLAND HEALING is a metaphysically based polemic describing alternatives to conventional methods of healing the body, mind and planet. It is provided as information and entertainment, certainly not medical advice. Important to remember and pass on to others: for a weekly dose of Heartland Healing, visit HeartlandHealing.com. metaphysical arenas, creating huge change in all. We will reap the rewards for decades to come.

Breaking news: Just days ago, the Department of Justice issued an official memo allowing Native American tribes to cultivate and sell marijuana for any purpose on tribal land. The little Dutch boy has just pulled his thumb out of the dike. Stand back. America is the new Amsterdam.

Ebola It came out of the jungles of central Africa near the river that gave it its name. In the summer of 2014, fear that a worldwide epidemic was imminent rose to fever pitch. By the end of 2014, hysteria has subsided somewhat but the impact of the Ebola virus carried the news for much of mid-2014. With 10,000 known cases by December and a mortality rate anywhere from 40 to 75 percent, Ebola became a frightening disease that challenged the rational thinking of the mainstream medical establishment. Simple facts were overlooked and healthcare workers fell victim to the virus. Panic and distrust were evident. A laissez-faire response by most of the developed world exposed the bureaucratic entanglements that paralyze prompt action. The Western world and Europe finally realized the importance of addressing what was initially viewed as a Third World problem. But with leaky borders worldwide, allowing for confounding rationale as to who gets into a country and who doesn’t, the planet has become too small to think a virus can be successfully isolated in one population forever.

The establishment response was as inept as one might imagine. Sluggish shipments of essential supplies sat dockside while grandstanding politicos and dignitaries postured as if giving appropriate address. As with any other disease or perceived medical crisis, American medical institutions with billion-dollar budgets saw dollar signs and sent their fundraisers to Washington looking for government handouts to expand facilities and fill the coffers with tax dollars. Local participants included.

Lost in the hubbub is the fact that those affected African countries may need less interference from the United States. We sent thousands of troops and millions of dollars to Sierra Leone and Liberia yet the

epidemic there continues. But both Nigeria and Mali have effectively quashed significant Ebola outbreaks without assistance from US military. Maybe we should keep our money and troops home and let those sovereign nations handle their own crises. Mali and Nigeria did just fine with minimal assists. Still, if Ebola causes a rational evaluation of how we handle disease and epidemics, the story will have a happy ending overall.

Superbugs in the news. On a related note, news came in December that antibiotic-resistant infections will kill more people than cancer by 2050. Superbug infections killed 23000 people in the US in 2013. Superbugs are spreading and killing far worse than Ebola. Institutional medicine responds with “we must incentivize pharmaceutical companies to research and produce new antibiotics to deal with this problem.” Whoa!

Hang on here. The problem is that humankind, AKA modern medicine, has created antibiotic-resistant bugs by producing and overusing antibiotics. And the answer modern medicine comes up with is to produce more and stronger antibiotics. Whuck? Yes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I’d say they’re crazy.

Whole Foods national ads. Subtle but huge news, and gratefully optimistic. In October, during the World Series, Whole Foods Market premiered its first-ever national television ads. That’s right, first ever. Why is this big news for the year? Reflect for a minute on what it means. Whole Foods got its start as a niche grocery store in 1978, specializing in natural and organic foods; a health food store. For most of its existence, Whole Foods remained a “health food store” that relied on a niche market, a small segment of the population that had an interest in healthful food, choosing to shop for that rather than the industrialized version that was contaminating our supermarkets. That “niche” grew as Americans learned more about what is wrong with our industrialized food system. The Whole Foods ads during prime time network television signify that the niche is no longer a niche. The search for unadulterated, GMO-free, chemical-free, high fructose corn syrup-free foods is now a mainstream task. Mainstream enough to justify national ads for what was once a niche store. Good job, Whole Foods. Be well. ,

VISIONS FROM FIVE MINUTES INTO THE FUTURE • DECEMBER 25, 2014 • Forthcoming Christmases will have presents delivered in a surprising way: Rather than appear underneath the Christmas tree, they will show up at the door, delivered by red and greencolored, tinsel-bedecked drones, sometimes with miniature Santas

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

| THE READER |

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astride. A popular movie will show Santa sending these drones out from the North Pole, and that will become part of the story of Christmas, and a cherished seasonal tradition. Few will remember or understand the earlier tradition, with sleigh and reindeer.

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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2014: Th e Y ea r of N o mnomnom b y ta m s e n bu t l e r

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he problem with reflecting upon this year is that it makes me very, very hungry. Here in the Omaha area we were lucky to have such a huge, ready selection when it came to finding something to eat and I certainly don’t see that trend changing anytime soon. So when I think about all the places the Dish team visited and reviewed, my stomach starts to grumble.

Local? Yep. At the end of last year, former Dish Contributing Editor Krista O’Malley made the prediction that in 2014, sourcing food locally would be less about trends and more about a real shift in thinking among Omaha restaurants. Her crystal ball was spot-on, because nowadays eateries have gone from using “locallysourced” as a trendy tagline to drive in customers to just knowing that customers expect some locallysourced foods. Customers expect everything to be fresh and they also expect restaurants to be able to tell them how they’re having a smaller impact on the environment.

Of course, all of the above pretty much just pertains to locally-owned establishments. I don’t think anyone’s rolling into a fast food drive-thru and asking about which farm the potatoes for their fries came from.

But locally-owned establishments continue to be a big deal around here. We follow chefs from place to place as though we’re following movie stars from one studio to another. We want to see what the chefs are going to do next.

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dish

Back in February I wrote a feature about movie theater food and how theaters were starting to up their food game. 2014 proved to be a year where everyone upped their food game. Whether it’s ordering a full meal while watching a film or knowing that a fleet of food trucks will be at street events, good food is everywhere.

I’m personally glad that food trucks boomed in 2014. Parking lots are no longer just parking lots – they’re spaces with the possibility of food truck action.

Changes We said goodbye to some restaurants that we weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to. Bellevue Café and Taste Bistro come to mind, but the closing of Grandmother’s really jolted some folks who could remember eating there as kids. McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe closing was a shocker for some.

When Caniglia’s Venice Inn closed this year, many Omaha folks loudly announced that it was the end of old-school eating as we knew it.

New places opened too, though. The opening of Modern Love made vegans in Omaha ecstatic. The Grey Plume’s expanded their offerings to add Provisions. Spielbound managed to marry board games with hot beverages, making many people very happy.

Kick the what?

One trend that was everywhere this year was the use of Kickstarter and other crowdsourcing platforms to ask for funds. Generous folks in Omaha and the surrounding areas helped with a bunch of food-related campaigns, from funding food documentaries to getting food trucks back on the road.

Local farms asked for help too, requesting funds to get going or to expand upon what they were already doing. So if there’s one thing we learned in 2014 about Omaha is that they love their food enough to give money away to make sure the food keeps coming.

Ah, memories.

My favorite moment from this year? I think it’s when Alton Brown took my advice to visit Block 16 and then declared their burger had a spot on his top five burger list. He then announced it at the Orpheum that night and thanked me on Twitter for the food suggestion.

True story.

It’s been an eventful year. I’m happy to report that there is still plenty of great food available all over Omaha and the surrounding areas. Bon apetit, Omaha. ,

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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LOCAL PRODUCTIONS THRIVE

BY WILLIAM GRENNAN

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

| THE READER |

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ransition and anticipation for the future marked Omaha theatre in 2014. While many theatres settled in to new leadership and revised mission statements, others prepared for changes of location and expansions of staff. In the same vein, the shows brought to area audiences brought a mix of old and new.

■ The Omaha Community Playhouse started the year with Having Our Say featuring the dynamic duo of Camille Metoyer Moten and Lanette Metoyer Moore playing Bessie and Sadie Delany, a pair of centenarian sisters telling the story of their lives while preparing a large dinner. Soon after, Kathy Tyree took to the Hawks Mainstage in her TAG Award-winning performance as Ella Fitzgerald in Ella.

At the same time, the Pulitzer-prize-winning musical Next to Normal blew away audiences in the Howard Drew Theatre led by standout ensemble performances and a unique set design by Steven Williams. The Playhouse’s side stage then riveted audiences with the newest David Mamet legal drama, Race.

Monty Eich and Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek teamed up to have audiences laughing in their seats with the farcical Boeing, Boeing before the mainstage finished the season with the Mel Brooks’ musical comedy Young Frankenstein (led by standout performances from Judy Radcliff, Spencer Williams, Kirstin Kluver, and Ablan Roblin).

Perhaps the most memorable for The Playhouse was the mid-year transition from the retiring Artistic Directors Carl Beck and Susie Baer-Collins to newcomer Hilary Adams. For her first production as The Playhouse’s Artistic Director, Adams led Dave Wingert and a large dance ensemble in the Tony-Award winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone.The Howard Drew Theatre featured a host of New York-based guest directors in the second half of the year as Kimberly Faith Hickman handled raptors, puppets, and financial fraud in the spectacle-leaden dramedy Enron and Stephen Nachamie conducted Andrew Prescott, Carl Brooks, and Luther Simon in the 3-person postCivil War drama The Whipping Man. ■ The Blue Barn Theatre began the year with the new absurdist dramedy from Will Eno, Gnit. The show was a “misreading” of Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt that saw Matthew Pyle in the title role as he made a lifetime full of bad decisions. Blue Barn Artistic Director Susan Clement-Toberer discovered the show after attending The Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Kentucky.

The theatre finished the past season with the TAG Award-winning drama 33 Variations

by Moises Kaufman. The show chronicled a musicologist in modern day suffering from ALS while trying to finish her life’s work, an examination of Beethoven’s famed 33 Variations of a waltz by Anton Diabelli. At the same time, a second timeline showcased the great composer struggling with his health and own genius as he created the variations themselves. The show featured live piano presentations by acclaimed pianist Half France while garnering recognition for Blue Barn founder Nils Haaland leading the talented ensemble as Beethoven.

Between seasons, the Blue Barn marked a historic moment as they broke ground on their soon to be completed new performance space on 10th and Pacific Street in Little Italy. The occasion was marked by Clement-Toberer sticking a shovel into the ground and digging up an old skull.

theater

While construction continues, the theatre looks to finish up its multi-million dollar capital campaign to ensure the bright future of the theatre.

The current season reflects the theatre’s recent events, featuring productions that deal with identity and transition. Blue Barn’s 26th season started with Thomas Becker, Jerry Longe and Jonathan Purcell in David Mamet’s classic American Buffalo. The play was one of the first ever performed by the theatre in its inaugural season back in 1989.

The theatre then remounted its holiday show from three years ago, Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and Then Some!), featuring Ben Beck, Theresa Sindelar and myself reprising our old roles and raising money for the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

■ The Shelterbelt Theatre’s year was highlighted by the TAG Awardwinning production of local playwright Joe Basque’s comedy The Battle of Battles. The show gave a historically fictionalized rendition of the rivalry between Leonardo Da Vinci (Randy Vest) and Michelangelo (Andy Niess).

The show received several accolades for its ensemble and design.

The theatre also continued to tweak its usual offerings under the Artistic Direction of Beth Thompson. It continued its usual renditions of From Shelterbelt with Love and Instant Theatre Boot Camp while taking a break from Shelterskelter.

In its place, Shelterbelt showcased more new works, featuring A.P. Andrews’ play Abby in the Summer and the examination of childhood innocence that was Mickey and Sage by Sara Farrington. The latter play was featured in a past Great Plains Theatre Conference.

■ SNAP Productions started its eventful year with William Inge’s Come Back Little Sheba, the story of a Midwestern couple dealing with their many marital issues. The show earned a TAG Award for Sally Neumann Scamfer in the lead role of Lola Delaney.

Soon after, the theatre featured the monologue-driven examination of gay discovery Voices in the Closet by local playwright Daena Schweiger. The show earned Schweiger Best New Script recognition and featured stirring performances from its eight performers.

SNAP continued their year with the unsettling view of modern race relations entitled We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia.... The play was a critical darling in 2012 and was also featured in last season’s run of 21 & Over readings at the Omaha Playhouse.

Lastly, SNAP just wrapped up the latest work from Christopher Durang entitled. The show featured elements derived from several of Anton Chekhov’s works as a group of siblings discussed their lives, loves, and losses.

The show featured the ensemble work of Randy Vest, Moira Mangiameli, Connie Lee, and Kevin Gibbs.

■ Many other theatres featured notable highlights across the community. Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre looked at the Irish Civil War with Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock before showcasing a unique one-man, onecello rendition of a Greek classic called An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare. The Chanticleer Theatre just finished its run of Assassins by Stephen Sondheim behind the performances of Roderick Cotton, David Ebke, Joey Galda, and Angie Heim. Before that, audiences were treated to production of Annie Jr., Peter Pan and Follies. Shakespeare on the Green featured a unique look at The Tempest (later used as the fall tour) and an expanded version of Compleat Works of William Shakespeare - abridged.

RED Theatre Omaha continued its presentation of youth-driven neo futurism while the Witching Hour announced its separation from The Blue Barn Theatre as the organization looks to regroup before striking it out on its own. A newcomer came into its own with the continued offerings from the Apollon Theater. The multi-use art space featured several dinner theatre-esque productions throughout the year. Omaha Performing Arts brought tours of Million Dollar Quartet, Sister Act: The Musical, Wicked, and Beauty and the Beast.

With the theatre scene’s mass of offerings to go along with the emergence of new faces and new buildings, Omaha continues to build itself up as one of the country’s best and most dedicated theatrical communities. ,

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12/17/14

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| THE READER |

DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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B

efore we close the door on 2014 with a hopeful eye on the future, lets look at the past year, particularly in an area of popular culture that gets short shrift in mainstream and social media despite its contribution to the quality of “the Good Life” in Nebraska.

Fortunately, the relative success of the visual arts in the Metro, unlike political elections and football, isn’t measured in win/loss columns, playoffs or runoffs or in the exchange of money and influence—though admittedly, the boards and sponsors of arts institutions have a huge impact, and the marketplace certainly determines the fortune of galleries and artists alike.

Nevertheless, despite the pluses and minuses, in any given year arts venues, patrons and collectors can always find value in what artists, curators and galleries bring to the party. It’s a matter of perspective and priorities, or how one spends one’s time, energy and money. If you engaged in any or all of the above with the visual arts in 2014, it was well spent.

At least that’s the summation of the annual A-List, The Reader’s guide to the most significant events and exhibits in the Metro that impacted the contemporary art scene. What follows is mostly the opinion of this editor, but it reflects also those of our staff of arts writers including Mary Day, Eddith Buis, Laura Vranes, Joel Damon and David Thompson whose reviews can be seen at thereader.com.

Per usual, the Metro’s biggest arts events in 2014, scheduled or otherwise, took place at or through its largest institutions, Joslyn Art Museum, the Kaneko/ Open Space for Your Mind and Bemis Center for the Contemporary Arts. Joslyn inaugurated its new Riley CAP Gallery, thus guaranteeing its commitment to curated contemporary art exhibits. Of no less importance, it also opened its Art Works space, “A Place for Curiosity,” whose interactive stations engage all age groups.

The Kaneko is currently enjoying its remarkable event, “Open Space Soiree,” which features three ongoing art and architectural exhibits by Cedric Hartman, Wallace Cunningham and the Olson Kundig Group. Highlights include not only artist talks but also multiple opportunities to explore what continue to be the most urbane and sophisticated viewing spaces in the Metro.

Just a block away, the storied Bemis Center continued its challenging transition under new leadership and vision with curatorial and spatial experimentation of its own. First, Mary Mattingly brought her “Flock House Project” to Omaha that amounted to a successful community engagement citywide. Secondly, two recent events, “Realm of the Senses” and “Circus of the Senses,” created by former Bemis resident, Emillie Baltz, were worthwhile sensual, artful experiences. Less traditional fundraisers for several reasons, they were instead, needed “fun or friend raisers,” that is, for those with an open mind.

Every year is marked by fond but often sad farewells, and 2014 was no exception. Norman Geske, the first director of the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln died in December. Suffice it to say, that no one during his nearly

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A-LIST: BEST ART EVENTS AND EXHIBITS IN METRO 2014

BY MICHAEL J. KRAINAK

100 years had a greater influence in area visual arts than this vaunted “Father of Nebraska Art.” The year also witnessed the passing of a gallery, an arts publication and a public art project, all of which the Metro arts scene can ill afford: Arts entrepreneur Jean Imray closed her Dundee Gallery leaving a difficult vacancy to fill, Artland Magazine, launched two years ago, disappeared after the departure of its editor Greg Nosan and museum director Daniel Veneciano, also leaving an unfortunate publishing void of its own; The much appreciated “Stored Potential’ banners that graced the towering silos along eastbound I80 have also “disappeared” along with their sponsor, Emerging Terrain. The agency has said the banners were never intended to be permanent which is a shame. The daily commute hasn’t been the same since.

On a more positive note, the Metro proudly saw two of its artists, Angela Drakeford and Watie White, get accepted to the estimable national exhibit, State of the Art, at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The show honors artists from all over America, 102 in all, deserving wider recognition outside their region. It’s on view till Jan. 11 and well worth the six-hour drive south.

Although the Bemis Center officially closed it Underground in 2014, that didn’t prevent its former curator, Joel Damon, from going forward on behalf of Metro emerging artists. Collaborating with fellow artists/mentors Josh Powell and Jeff King and sponsor Jay Rybin, Project Project, a concept and space,

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was launched in September and shows monthly at 1822 Vinton St. with hope and room to grow.

Virtually, every year a major arts venue organizes an exhibit that becomes a larger than life event because it offers viewers a rare opportunity to appreciate contemporary art of great cultural and historical significance. In 2014 that distinction belongs to Joslyn’s In Living Color: Andy Warhol and Contemporary Printmaking, on view through Jan. 11, 2015. Spinoff events included a drag show and Studio 54 dance party, and a series of films from the Warhol Factory screened at Film Streams.

2014 also saw Gallery 72 host an eventful book signing and show, Her Art/HerSelf, a collection of 48 profiles by writer Suzanne Smith Arney for Her Magazine.

The gallery also included a two exhibit of artists featrured in Smith Arney’s book.

Lastly, the long-anticipated “Big Mo” sculpture by renowned artist Mark di Suvero, and a public art project of the Iowa West Foundation, has finally begun its installation at the Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park.

Along with works by William King, Jun Kaneko, Deborah Masuoka, and Albert Paley, among others, Council Bluffs continues to display the most original, impressive public art in the Metro.

Individual artworks aside, the 2014 A-List also acknowledges more than 30 exhibits that stood out from more than 100 that opened this year. Fifty or so were reviewed by Reader. Honoring 30 of them may seem like a lot, but the A-List has always been about inclusion and recognition. It also argues that while there may not have been a good number of great shows, there were a great number of good ones deserving the spotlight.

Exhibits are grouped at three levels, 9 or 10 each, with the top four in each tier singled out based on their vision and creativity as well as curatorial guidance, presentation and didactic support. Exhibit details can often be found online in Reader’s archive of art reviews.

The top tier of the A-List contains shows that not only met but exceeded expectations, virtually all of museum

quality. They include especially: Hannibal by Littleton Alston, shown at Creighton University’s Lied Gallery which offered his monumental helmets embellished by tractor tires and bowling pins, both historic and contemporary in theme; Moving Gallery’s classic exhibit of Eva Aeppli’s mixed media sculpture and her late husband Sam Mercer’s paintings, easily the most moving two-person show of the year; Roberto Kusterle, who also exhibited with Fulvio de Pellegrin at Moving Gallery, enjoyed a more unified show at Modern Arts Midtown titled Stone Marks, highlighting his most uniquely figurative photography; and the funkiest, edgiest exhibit of the year, cardboard, curated by Kim Reid Kuhn at RNG Gallery and in the tradition of the best shows at the late Underground space at Bemis.

At this top tier we must also recognize: the first solo exhibit in Omaha of native Cedric Hartman’s internationally famous furniture and lighting fixtures at Kaneko; Gallery 72’s stunning Greatness of Glass, a beautifully curated group exhibit; All the Rage at RNG Gallery, a three-person showpiece by Eliska Morsel Greenspoon, Bonnie O’Connell and Eddith Buis; Kim Reid Kuhn’s sophisticated abstract expressionism in Sacraments of Domesticity at Fred Simon Gallery and iROZEALb, Joslyn’s inaugural show in its new Riley CAP Gallery featuring the Brooklyn-based artist who shares the exhibit’s titular name.

Mid level shows of merit in 2014 were often just as interesting but perhaps not as consistent as those above.

The top four in this tier were: The Sum of Us at Bemis featuring six Kansas City artists in arguably the season’s most challenging contemporary art show; Kent Behrens gave a fine showing of his most current plant-based photography at Moving Gallery; Jeff King and Reggie Le Flore had possibly the best collaboration show in 2014, The Subconscious Element with their street-based mixed media at the Union for Contemporary Arts’ Wanda D. Ewing Gallery at 2221 N 24th St.; Lynn Piper’s remarkable, part naïve, part personal art, Joy of Painting, soloed at MAM. But also impressive in this tier were: the odd, but effective pairing of two very different established artists,

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A L L A B O U T S U RV I VA L A N D S P O T I F Y BY TIM MCMAHAN

T

he one word that comes to mind when looking back at the past year in music: Survival.

Or, more accurately, the question: How will musicians survive? It finally started to dawn on people about halfway through the year that Spotify is really f***ing things up.

I don’t know how independent musicians are going to make money in the future. Income from album sales ap-

pears to be drying up, for everyone. It’s even hurting the major labels. When platinum-selling mega-nerd Taylor Swift said she wasn’t going to allow her music on Spotify, non-musicians started paying attention, and the issues surrounding music streaming services briefly became the fodder for network morning shows, painting a defiant Swift as a voice of reason in an era when artists have seemingly been forced to give away their wares.

A few fellow superstars followed Swift boycotting Spotify, but in the end, the streaming service kept bumbling along. Spotify truly is the poison apple in the Garden of

Eden. We all know Spotify’s instant access to millions of albums is nothing less than a salt-block of evil. We know using Spotify probably contributes to killing off indie labels naive enough to release their artists’ music to the service. We’ve all heard stories about the bands that got a 27 cent Spotify royalty check in the mail.

And yet, we can’t help ourselves. We keep reaching for our smart phones and taking a bite out of that shiny green apple. Who’s killing the music industry? We are.

You and I and anyone who uses Spotify, Pandora, Songza and other music streaming services, but god help us, we can’t stop ourselves.

Spotify isn’t going away, so young bands can wave goodbye to substantial income from record sales. Musicians will have to survive off performance income and T-shirt sales. Merch. I’ve been told that’s the way it always was supposed to be, that the pre-internet years of records sales (where, in reality, only a handful of artists made big money and the labels took home the lion’s share) were an aberration. That the new music model revolves around musicians giving away their music to grow an audience that will come to their shows when they hit the road.

So says Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, a guy who already made his millions during better days. Grohl, as quoted in online music site Stereogum: “You want people to f***ing listen to your music?

Give them your music. And then go play a show. They like hearing your music? They’ll go see a show. To me it’s that simple, and I think it used to work that way.

When we were young and in really noisy, crappy punk rock bands there was no career opportunity and we loved doing it and people loved f***ing watching it and the delivery was completely face to face and personal.

That’s what got people really excited about sh**. Nowadays there’s so much focus on technology that it doesn’t really matter.”

I wonder what “noisy, crappy punk rock bands” Grohl is referring to. Have you heard the new Foo Fighters record?

Anyway, for those musicians who never tour, making music is turning into a hobby — something to do on weekends, a reason to hang with your bro’s. If they’re any good, these hobbyist bands might play local shows where they’ll make enough money to pay off the evening’s bar tab — if they get paid at all.

There are those who will still reach for bigger things, who contemplate getting “signed” or even touring, but fewer and fewer will ever make that leap regardless of how talented they are.

Why? It just costs too much money. Sure, recording music and putting it online is now within everyone’s reach, but touring, well, that’s expensive and time consuming. There is a handful of Nebraska bands talented enough to attract a national audience, but they never will because they’ll never tour. They’ll put their music online and wait for the phone to ring. Call them lazy, but the fact is despite their dreams they still need to feed themselves and their families. They need to survive.

Holy shit, that sounds bleak. And every year that I write these “year in review” articles it just gets bleaker, yet we’re all still here, listening to music.

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Two good things to consider from 2014: First, the number of music venues in Omaha continues to increase (supporting that idea that performance income is the only real musicians’ income).

Classy Benson bar/music venue Reverb Lounge opened this past fall and joined an already crowded Omaha music venue population that includes The Waiting Room, The Slowdown, O’Leaver’s, Barley Street Tavern, The Sydney, 402 Collective, The Sweatshop, PS Collective, and good ol’ Sokol. In all my years I can’t remember there being more places for musicians to perform.

Secondly, while music sales continue ever downward, reaching out of the grave is old-fashioned vinyl records. It’s strange when more people are excited about the format of their music than what the format contains. Vinyl is everything, at least to serious music fans, but it’s still only a sliver of total music sales.

Last week the Wall Street Journal reported LP sales surged 49 percent last year and that factories are struggling to keep pace, but in the end, vinyl sales represent only 2 percent of U.S. music sales (*sad trombone*). To the great unwashed masses feverishly downloading the latest Taylor Swift teen-wank fodder, the trend toward vinyl has gone unnoticed. They don’t even know what a record player looks like, let alone how to use one.

There is a third “good thing” to consider: The music itself. Here’s the list of my favorite albums of 2014. Notice I didn’t say “best albums”? These aren’t “the best” (whatever that means), they’re the ones I enjoyed the most, which means the new records by Beck, St. Vincent and U2 didn’t make the cut because, well, I didn’t like them.

Sun Kil Moon, Benji (Caldo Verde) — The best My favorite Mark Kozelek record, a collection of haunting personal elegies about living and dying (but mostly dying).

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Wig Out at Jagbags (Matador) — Continuing the smooth melodicism that Malkmus escaped to after leaving Pavement. Sublime.

Spoon, They Want My Soul (Loma Vista) — Laid-back indie rock from a veteran.

Angel Olsen, Burn Your Fire for No Witness (Jagjaguwar) — Alt-country meets indie rock, an exquisite combination.

The Faint, Doom Abuse (SQE Music) — Local boys return to form. Where have you been, lads?

Strand of Oaks, Heal (Dead Oceans) — Raw reflections of nostalgia in the rock age.

The Lupines, Over the Moon (self-released) — From a Nebraska garage comes the wolfen.

Alvvays, self-titled (Polyvinyl / Transgressive) — Chiming indie pop is a salvation.

The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream (Secretly Canadian) — There’s nothing wrong with imitating Dylan and Dire Straits when it sounds like this.

Future Islands, Singles (4AD) — More than just fancy dance moves, fancy synth moves.

Protomartyr, Under Color of Official Right (Hardly Art) — Proto-punk with a bitter, bitter heart.

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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y continued from page 10 painter Joe Broghammer and primarily sculptor Larry Sosso at Patrick Drickey’s evolving gallery space at 1516 Leavenworth; one of the most fertile, creative minds in the region, Jamie Burmeister, who offered his contemporary zoetropes at MAM; Rise and Fall: Monumental Duct Tape Drawings by Joe Girandola at Moving Gallery; another highly successful group show, Visual Textures, at G72; and standout shows at two top Benson First Friday galleries, Artists, Shrines and Reliquaries at Sweatshop and Lincolnite Jar Schepers’ triumphant return to Omaha at Petshop with more of his fantasy and fantastic sculptural figures.

The last tier is often reserved for emerging artists or those whose transitions or experiments may not yet be fully realized but demonstrate huge promise, or some who may have stalled but with nevertheless interesting work that continues to please. The top four here are: A well-organized group show of works on paper, Brass Tax Screen Print, at Sweatshop; We’re Still Standing, a poignant, two-person show with Native American artists Steve Tamayo and Paul High Horse at Kaneko; The

Cards You Are Dealt, street-influenced artist Freddy Rincon’s follow-up show at RNG Gallery; and the ambitious, mostly successful, large group show, 2014 Survey: Omaha Artists, curated by Alex Priest at W. Dale Clark downtown library.

Also noteworthy were Cey Adams’ mixed media Brand New, which marked the welcome return of the New Blk Gallery to the Metro art scene, a strong solo show at RNG by Sarah Rowe, two visually impressive offerings at Lied Gallery by Ying Zhu who collaborated with Jaim Hardy and a solo effort by Christina Narwicz; Secret Codes and Body Feelings by Victoria Hoyt at RNG; Neil Griess’ experimental and conceptual Pleated Field at UCA; Cool Abstraction 2 at MAM spotlighting Colin Smith’s reimagined and reworked paintings; a very demanding conceptual photography show at Moving Gallery, Instructions to cross a street

by Mexican artist/curator Humberto Chavez; a twoperson exhibit at Fred Simon of Mixed Media/Instruments by Michael Giron and Riccardo Marchio, and new work from Peter Hill and Les Bruning at MAM in November. ,

y continued from page 11 And then there were the rock shows. It was another great year for live music. Here are my favorite rock memories of 2014: The Front Bottoms, The Waiting Room, Jan. 12 — Their sound was reminiscent of some of my favorite humor-inflected bands of the ‘90s and ’00s — Atom and his Package, Fountains of Wayne, Too Much Joy, Mountain Goats, Dismemberment Plan, The Hold Steady, The Decemberists — bands that write smart, funny, self-referential lyrics that anyone can relate to.

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, The Waiting Room, Feb. 16 — It was like a mini Pavement reunion for an over-the-top rendition of “Unfair” off Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain that featured special guest Bob Nastanovich contributing his classic yelling. The rest of the show was almost as special.

Neutral Milk Hotel, Sokol Auditorium, March 29 — Fans I spoke to never expected to see this band play again, let alone play in Omaha. And here they were, playing their best songs spot-on with every nuance from the original recording.

St. Vincent, Sokol Auditorium, April 1 — It looked and felt forced and uncomfortable, purposely rigid and thoroughly counter to the loose-and-rough spontaneity of rock. Instead, it was more of an attempt at art rock, but without the limitlessness of a Laurie Anderson.

Warpaint, The Waiting Room, April 2 — Their sound was equal parts ethereal mood music and beatdriven dance fodder, with sweet vocals by all four musicians — and when all four harmonized, well, bliss.

Deleted Scenes, Slowdown Jr. May 1 — The highlight was that closing number, “You Get to Say Whatever You Want,” when Dan Scheuerman walked into the crowd and touched foreheads with a couple innocent bystanders, performing a mortifying rock ‘n’ roll mind meld.

Morrissey, Rococo Theater, May 20 — Needless to say, there were a lot of pissed off people walking out of The Rococo after Morrissey refused an encore. While I would have liked to hear a couple more songs, the decision to play is squarely on his shoulders, and if he wasn’t feeling it, that’s the way it goes.

Conor Oberst, Sokol Auditorium, June 4 — Fueling the energy was Dawes, a masterful four-piece that gave

every song heft and soul. The band sounded so much like early Jackson Browne you would have sworn that was David Lindley playing those guitar solos and Craig Doerge tapping out the glowing keyboard fills.

The Faint, Sokol Auditorium, June 12 — From the floor, it’s all about the dancing, or more accurately, hopping since no one’s really dancing. They’re bouncing or “humping” to the electro-throb. Those in the middle of the mob became part of the collective body grooving where the Sokol’s oak floor had (apparently) been replaced with a trampoline.

Matthew Sweet / Tommy Keene, O’Leaver’s, July 30— It was nothing less than a dream come true for Matthew Sweet fans. There he was, literally steps in front of them, surrounded by a top-notch band playing all of his “greatest hits” one after the other in fine voice.

As Sweet said, it was like playing a gig in someone’s living room.

Maha Music Festival, Stinson Park, Aug. 17 — It was a good, though rather exhausting, day thanks to humid weather and a loaded line-up that made it hard to sneak away to re-energize.

Future Islands, The Waiting Room, Aug. 28 — You did not hear Samuel T. at his best. His vocals were ragged from the very start, often breaking down to choked whispers.

Sebadoh, Reverb Lounge, Sept. 28 — Barlow’s getting shaggy in his old age, with a big head of hair and a massive beard. His voice was as good as ever (when I could hear it). Loewenstein also was in fine form (especial on his personal anthem, “My Drugs”), despite suffering from a tooth ache (They’ll be looking for an oral surgeon today). Ouch.

Iceage, Slowdown Jr., Oct. 27 — The performance seemed like a captured moment in time, and I felt lucky to be there. Iceage is a band burning brightly. But like all bright flames, how long will it last?

Twin Peaks, Midtown Art Supply, Nov. 25. — Twin Peaks’ music is rowdy up-beat rock that borders on garage surf, but there is a precision to it that puts it on another level.

Ritual Device / Cellophane Ceiling, The Waiting Room, Dec. 26 — Two of the most anticipated reunions ever straight out of Nebraska’s first Golden Age of indie rock. ,

eventcalendar For more information about these events and more, go online to:

www.thereader.com/events

Upload your events online at thereader.com/events Questions: listings@thereader.com ONGOINGCULTURE Bill Blank - Times Vary | $16-$18 Omaha Funny Bone 21+ show. From Dec. 26-28.

The Highgrove Florilegium - All Day | Included with Garden Admission Lauritzen Gardens Plants from the garden of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

The exhibit is published in a two volume fine art facsimile of original watercolors by many of the leading botanical artists from around the world. A selection of forty pieces from the publication will be on display through Dec. 31.

Linda Stephen and Iggy Sumnik - All Day | Free Fred Simon Gallery Enjoy works by Linda (Lincoln) and Iggy (Omaha) - Applied Origami/ Ceramics.

Cut, Formed, Folded, Pressed: Paper - All Day | Museum of Nebraska Art Through Jan. 18.

At its simplest, paper is an ordinary, everyday item that is a part of most of our lives. Yet when it is found in the hands of an artist and is purposefully manipulated in some fashion, it can become a complex, three-dimensional artwork.

12 Below - All Day | Free Artists Cooperative Gallery Runs through Dec. 28. The only theme for this show is the dimension of the works 12x12x12’ which offers affordable gift giving sizes for holiday shopping. Watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings; bronze, wood and glass sculptures; photos, jewelry and ornaments will be on exhibit.

Small Art Show - Opening Reception - 2:00 pm | Free Howlin Hounds Coffee Local Artists are showcasing only their small pieces in this show.

Reminding us again that great things come in little packages - even in the art world. Featuring 17 local artists, live music and of course Hot Coffee. The show will run through Jan. 7.

A Christmas Story, The Musical - The Rose Performing Arts Center Holiday Musical Join Ralphie Parker on his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts a Red Ryder air rifle. This musical adaptation of the beloved movie brings all the classic laughs of Flick getting his tongue stock to a flagpole, Dad receiving his special award, a disastrous visit to Santa, and many more to life onstage.

Holiday Lights Spectacular - 7:00 pm | Turner Park at Midtown Crossing Through Jan. 1 Midtown A sight and sound experience, the likes of which Omaha has never seen before and this event promises an enthusiastic, choreographed blend of light and seasonal music projected onto the Turner Park side of Midtown Crossing’s condominium buildings.

Omaha Holiday Lights Festival – Times vary | Free - $5 Enjoy the gorgeous lights of downtown Omaha or head over to the Conagra Foods Ice Skating Rink through Jan. 4 (Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day) and it benefits Food Bank for the Heartland.

Yesterday and Today - 7:30 pm | $32-$38 Omaha Community Playhouse An Interactive Beatles Experience Featuring Billy McGuigan 2007 By Rave On Productions. This all-request Beatles tribute show will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along to every song. Share your stories and relive your memories with your favorite Beatles songs. Runs through Dec. 31.

THURSDAY DEC 25

Live Jazz Pianist Mark Misfeldt - 7:30 pm | Free Durty Thursday - Xmas Edition - 9:00 pm | Free Bar 415

FRIDAY DEC 26

Live Jazz Pianist Kevin Lloyd - 7:30 pm | Free The Omaha Lounge Rhythm Collective - 8:00 pm | The Hive Lounge The Rumbles - 8:00 pm | Ameristar Casino Skipglitch & Carlos Gonzales - 9:00 pm | $5 Bar 415 Live Music - 9:00 pm | Free Horseshoe Council Bluffs Casino 3D In Your Face - 9:00 pm | $5 The 21st Saloon So imagine driving down Dodge St. in your brand new 1989 Corvette. You have a beautiful blonde

in the passenger seat and Whitesnake cranking from your stereo. Can life get any better? Now it can. 3D In Your Face delivers you a hot sleazy night of In Your Face Rock N Roll action at The 21st Saloon. This party will take you places you’ve only seen in your dreams.

Main Vein Productions presents: Ritual Device with Cellophane Ceiling and Nightbird - 9:00 pm | $10 The Waiting Room Lounge Take a step back into the late 80’s and early 90’s for this hard hitting double-bill reunion show! Ritual Device and Cellophane Ceiling were part of the golden era of Omaha rock that influenced many of the bands that continued to build the music scene in Omaha and beyond.

Satchel Grande - 9:00 pm | $8 The Slowdown Omaha The gentlemen of Satchel have long since established themselves as Omaha’s premier good time, funk, and party band. With shades and pimp mustaches, this nine-piece doesn’t just take the stage, they own it. Keys, percussion, deep bass, clapping, fiery guitar work and sing-along lyrics make a Satchel show one to remember. The sounds owes a nod to both George Clinton and Steely Dan, yet Satchel manages to not only wear its influences on its sleeve but to also take those influences and turn them into something unique.

Rough Cut - 9:00 pm | Ozone Lounge Mr. Sinister - 9:00 pm | Free Arena Sports Bar & Grill Little Brazil - 9:00 pm | $7 Reverb Lounge Fourpiece rock band that formed in 2002 in Omaha. It was first created by Landon Hedges, formerly of The Good Life and Desaparecidos. Originally he intended to use the name Little Brazil for his solo work, yet he recruited his friends Dan Maxwell on bass and Corey Broman on drums,. The last was guitarist Austin Britton, whom they met through fellow Omaha musician Simon Joyner. Greg Edds was later added to guitar duties and Oliver Morgan on drums. In 2014, Mike Friedman took over guitar with Matt Bowen on drums.

“Interrogated” - 10:00 pm | Free Backline Improv Theatre Audience members volunteer to come up on stage and confess something they’ve gotten away with in their life, then we send them back and perform scenes based on that information.

The Arena - 11:00 pm | Backline Improv Theatre Two teams compete to see who comes back.

SATURDAY DEC 27

The Third Annual “Show Us Your Cans 5K” Charity Run - 1:00 pm | $25.00 plus five cans of food Quarry Oaks Golf Course Benefits The Food Bank of Lincoln. Entry for the run includes a fleece stocking cap, cold beer and hot chocolate by the fire in the clubhouse after the 5k.

Live Jazz and Blues Guitarist George Walker - 7:30 pm | Free The Omaha Lounge Evolution: Cubed - 8:00 pm | $30 Chance Ridge Event Center Well Oldskoolas, here we stand at the precipice of yet another year. You guys made 2014 a great year for us. To thank you all, we have been cooking something truly amazing up for you. 2014 is coming to a close and your friends at Old Skool Underground have been secretly working for months to ensure we send 2014 off with a bang while at the same time, setting the tone for a amazing 2015. We have gathered a showcase of some excellent, deck rocking headliners, supported by the cream of the crop, when it comes to local and regional music talent.

Djs, producers, bands, dancers, elaborate deco, top notch visual projections, amazing light and laser installations, all kinds of art, amazing peeps, ultimate beats and more.

EZRA - 8:00 pm | $5-$10 The Bourbon Theatre Nebraska’s longest running death metal band.

With nearly 20 years of crushing the Nebraska metal scene and throughout the midwest. Have shared the stage with such bands as: Master, Pentagram, Deicide, Gwar, Wasteoid, Goreaphobia, Millions of Dead Cops, Voetsek, L.A. Guns, Order From Chaos, Dirtfedd, Drain STH, Puddle of Mudd, Questions and tons more.

The Britts - 8:00 pm | Ameristar Casino Darren UK & Johnny Invisible - 9:00 pm | $5 Bar 415 Soul Dawg - 9:00 pm | Ozone Lounge

Live Music - 9:00 pm | Free Horseshoe Council Bluffs Casino Saturday Night Dance Party - 9:00 pm | No cover until 10:00 pm The Hive Lounge Featuring DJ Sam E.C. The Good Life with Big Harp and Oquoa - 9:00 pm | $13 The Waiting Room Lounge In June of 2010, The Good Life played a handful of shows, their first since supporting 2007’s Help Wanted Nights, and quietly walked away from the band that had been part of their lives for over a decade. The seven years since Help Wanted Nights has pulled the band (named after Nebraska’s state motto) all over the map, both physically and musically.

Two Drag Club - 9:00 pm | $7 Reverb Lounge Two Drag Club is a band of 5 musicians playing various instruments very loud.

SUNDAY DEC 28

Healing Tender Hearts - 11:30 am | Free Stinson Park, Aksarben Village Eat Healthy- Stay Fit Zumba Fitness Takeover.

Salsa Sundays - 7:00 pm | $5 House of Loom Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers with All Young Girls Are Machine Guns - 7:00 pm | $8 The Slowdown Omaha Live Jazz and Blues Pianist Ray Williams 7:30 pm | Free The Omaha Lounge The Faint with Sucettes & Ruby Block- 8:00 pm | $20 The Waiting Room Lounge Things that don’t make sense at first often make sense later.

In the creation of art, when the process is left up to the subconscious mind, when there is no preconceived concept, patterns still always emerge.

Themes and recurring images, blurred in the moment, later become clear.

Luigi, Inc. - 9:00 pm | Free Mr. Toad’s Pub Omaha Faint After Party - 11:00 pm | Free Reverb Lounge Keep the party going with Todd Fink of The Faint.

MONDAY DEC 29

Live Blues and Jazz Saxaphone with Ed Archibald - 7:30 pm | Free The Omaha Lounge The Faint with Ramona and the Slimdudes & Feel Tight - 8:00 pm | $20 The Waiting Room Lounge Things that don’t make sense at first often make sense later. In the creation of art, when the process is left up to the subconscious mind, when there is no preconceived concept, patterns still always emerge. Themes and recurring images, blurred in the moment, later become clear.

Open Mic - 9:00 pm | Free Barley Street Tavern Monday Night Comedy - 9:00 pm | Free Duffy’s Tavern Lincoln Mike Gurciullo And His Las Vegas Band 9:00 pm | Ozone Lounge Pub Quiz - 9:00 pm | Free The Slowdown Omaha Pretty much weekly since 2007. Gather up a team of friends (or brains) and get ready for a challenge from the Quiz Masters.

Faint After Party - 11:00 pm | Free Reverb Lounge Keep the party going with Teetah of Routine Escorts.

TUESDAY DEC 30

The Roux - 5:00 pm | $1 Love’s Jazz & Art Center A youth run spoken word open mic that allows young people to freely express themselves in a safe place with community love and support. Presented by Verbal Gumbo the Roux is the base to any good gumbo mix. Youth groups from all over the city are welcome. Suggested donation $1 Special guest- Sherri Nared of the Department of Public Health Organized by Ms. Felicia aka Withlove.

Creighton Women’s Basketball - 7:05 pm | $5-$15 D.J. Sokol Arena UNO Hockey - 7:07 pm | $17-$25 CenturyLink Center Omaha Live Blues Guitarist and Vocalist “Hector Anchondo” - 7:30 pm | Free The Omaha Lounge The Weisenheimers - 8:30 pm | $10-$75 The Slowdown Omaha Founded in 1997 the Weisenheimers have been pioneering improv in Omaha since they were teenagers. A short form or game sty;e improv group the Weisenheimers perform a fast paced show much like Whose Line is it Any-

way? Their shows are always high energy and hilarious! Pop-culture, current events and 18th century Russian literature will all get the Weisenheimer treatment.

Scott Evans - 9:00 pm | Ozone Lounge Vic Nasty - 9:00 pm | Free Bar 415

WEDNESDAY DEC 31

New Year’s Eve Bash - 10:00 am | Museum Admission Omaha Children’s Museum Ring into the New Year from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm with rockin’ activities throughout the entire museum. Enjoy NYE themed crafts, science shows, dance party and final countdown into the New Year at 3pm.

Noon Year’s Eve - 10:00 am | Regular Admission Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo Have a wild time with entertainment from Joe Cole’s Magic Show, fun activities and an early countdown to 2014 complete with a beach ball drop at noon.

UNO Hockey - 4:07 pm | $17-$25 CenturyLink Center Omaha New Year’s Eve Bash with Envy and Avaricious - 6:00 pm | Ozone Lounge Call for reservations and ticket information.

University of Nebraska Mens Basketball - 7:00 pm | Free University of Nebraska-Lincoln Tijuana Gigolos - 7:00 pm | $10 The Zoo Bar New Year’s Eve Fireworks Spectacular 7:00 pm | Free Gene Leahy Mall Celebrate New Year’s Eve with this year’s Fireworks show! The closing event of the Holiday Lights Festival, it is one of the largest New Year’s Eve fireworks displays in the region. Be sure to arrive early – the event is expected to draw more than 30,000 people. Elderly persons and citizens with disabilities are welcome to view the fireworks from the fourth floor of the W. Dale Clark Library. Produced

by J&M Displays, each shell is choreographed to open on cue to a musical score developed specifically for this event. Spectators are encouraged to bring radios and tune in to Star 104.5 – The Christmas Station – to hear the lively, partythemed music as you watch the dazzling show.

Live Jazz Pianist Ben Tweedt - 7:30 pm | Free The Omaha Lounge New Year’s Eve with John Paul Morgan 7:30 or 10:00 pm | $20-$35 Known as the “Ragin Cajun” was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and has headlined comedy clubs all over the world. John’s confident demeanor and honest approach to life is refreshingly original. Whether he is speaking about children or relationships, his comedy comes from the heart. This Ragin’ Cajun is as sweet as a honey glazed ham and as hot as a Tabasco chili pepper.

Best New Years Ever - 8:00 pm | Free The Hive Lounge Backfire - 8:00 pm | $3 The Pizza Shoppe Collective Local Omaha band featuring brothers Ben and Jack McLaughlin, with Erik Shouse. This trio plays a wide variety of rock and folk music, and even adds a few original songs into the mix. You don’t want to miss this New Year’s Eve extravaganza.

New Year’s Eve Bash at Ameristar with Taxi Driver - 8:30 pm | Ameristar Casino Hott2Trott - 9:00 pm | $10 Arena Sports Bar & Grill New Years Eve Party - 9:00 pm | Bar 415 Secret Weapon New Years - 9:00 pm | $12 The Waiting Room Lounge Secret Weapon is much more then just the best 80 s cover band around Their shows are actual Rock Concerts that you come to pump your fists and sing along. They are the band you wanna come see to be entertained and rock out too.. not just some band that’s in the background to dance too. They are the most fun you can have in Nebraska. This show is 21+ Happy Goo Year 8 - 8:00 pm | $20-$75 The Slowdown Omaha The best New Year’s Eve party in Omaha is back for the 8th year in a row. A limited number of VIP tickets are available and include: 1 cent drinks all night long: Premium Wells, Several canned beer options, House red and white wine, Champagne, Balcony access and an appetizer buffet from 8-10:00 pm. Omaha’s original hot mess, GOO was founded in 2007 at a time when the merging of indie rock and dance music was peaking. Goo was the catalystic-glue in Omaha that solidified a new generation of dancers.

Founders Derek Pressnall (of the bands Tilly & The Wall, Flowers Forever, Icky Blossons) along with Todd Fink & Jacob Thiele (of The Faint & Depressed Buttons) threw parties that were completely focused on fun. No ego to the DJs skills, no telling what random corner of forgotten pop music theyd throw down, and definitely no telling what off-the-wall theme, decor and theatrics they’d manifest.

Comedy Open Mic - 10:00 pm | Free Barley Street Tavern New Years Eve Masquerade Ball - 10:00 pm | $8 The Bourbon Theatre Featuring Lazer Wolfe and a Ferocious Jungle Cat.

listings

| THE READER |

DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

13

BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN

Cool Yule, New Street Style

T

his is it, you are holding the final issue of The Reader as a weekly print publication. In early January, you will find the new monthly Reader on the street. And you will find the weekly Hoodoo content you are familiar with here online only, so visit thereader.com and bookmark the Hoodoo page. Look for expanded Hoodoo coverage in the new monthly publication too.

Blue Christmas Kris Lager Band gigs at The Waiting Room for a rare hometown show Tuesday, Dec. 23, 9 p.m. Shawn Holt continues the Christmas tradition started by his late father, Magic Slim, with a Lil’ Slim Blues Band show Christmas night, Dec. 25, 9 p.m. at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar. BluesEd Blues Society of Omaha’s BluesEd youth band Mojo Bag is representing the BSO in the Youth Showcase at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January. They have a show at The 21st Saloon Saturday, Dec. 27, 6-9 p.m. BluesEd is currently accepting applications from youth ages 1218 for 2015 participation. See facebook.com/BluesEd. Shadowboxing Sunday, Dec. 28, Lincoln R&B band Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers takes over the front room at Slowdown. This is an early 7 p.m. show. Doors open at 6 p.m. All Young Girls Are

hoodoo

Machine Guns shares the bill. They’ve been adding R&B and doo-wop to their sweet pop mix. See aygamg. tumblr.com and joshhoyerandtheshadowboxers.com.

Hoyer & The Shadowboxers also play Lincoln’s Zoo Bar for New Year’s Eve, after 9 p.m. See zoobar.com. The Shadowboxers’ new CD, Living by the Minute (Silver Street Records), releases nationally Jan. 13, 2015.

Holiday Hearings Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies play Barley Street Tavern Friday, Dec. 26, 9 p.m. Also performing are the Matt Whipkey Duo, John Klemmensen & The Party and Matt Cox. Check out Matt Cox’s excellent fall release Nishnabotna at mattcoxmusic.net. Cox again proves himself to be one of our finest local roots songwriters. Cox’s terrific band is sweetened by some sizzling slide guitar work from Steve Byam.

Ring the New Year in at Barley Street with the Hank Williams Sr. New Year’s Eve Tribute anchored by the Dirty River Ramblers with guests including Brad Hoshaw, Nick Carl, Nic Johnson and more to be announced.

Zoo Blues Brad Cordle & The Mighty Jailbreakers hit the stage at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Saturday, Dec. 27, 6-9 p.m. Watermelon Slim and Michael Newberry play an acoustic show at the club Tuesday, Dec. 30, 6-9 p.m. The Tijuana Gigolos get New Year’s Eve started early with a 5-7 p.m. show at the Zoo. ,

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.

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| THE READER |

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| THE READER |

DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

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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

Language of Love

P

eople advertising for love interests via online dating sites have apparently become picky about how they describe their sexuality. To the usuals (male, female, gay, heterosexual) have been added recently (as reported by NPR in December after surveying OkCupid.com) “asexual,” “androgynous,” “genderqueer” (evidently not the same as “gay”), “queer” (not quite “gay,” either), “questioning,” “trans man,” “transsexual,” “transmasculine,” “heteroflexible” and “sapiosexual” (turned on by “intelligence”). Still, some users of the site found the choices inadequate. One young woman described her sexual orientation as “squiggly,” and the reporter cited others who thought highly of that term.

Bright Ideas Britain’s Home Office revealed in November (by releasing archived documents from 1982) that among the contingency suggestions for worst-case nuclear attack on the country was commissioning “psychopaths” to help keep order. They are “very good in crises,” an advocate wrote, because “they have no feelings for others, nor moral code, and tend to be very intelligent and logical,” and thus could do quite well at containing the vigilante survivalist enclaves that might develop in the event parts of the kingdom became lawless. (After an apparently thoughtful debate, the suggestion was not agreed to.)

-- Great Art! At a recent art show at Paris’ Palais de Tokyo, Italian artist Sven Sachsalber, for his provocative piece, brought in a large haystack on Nov. 13, dropped a needle into it, and gave himself two days to find it. Late the next day, he picked it up. (Palais de Tokyo calls itself an “anti-museum par excellence.”)

Ironies (1) Three homes on the Pacific Ocean near Grayland, Washington, were washed away by violent

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| THE READER |

weird news

rainstorms in early December, but the residents had seen it coming. The longtime local name for the area is “Washaway Beach.” Said one, “I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but I had hoped it wasn’t this soon.” (2) In November, an airline’s advertising staff created the catchy slogan (to attract impulse travelers), “Want to go somewhere, but don’t know where?” and convinced management to send it, via Twitter, to the airline’s thousands of followers. (Spoiler: The airline was Malaysia Airlines, whose Flight 370 still has not been found.)

-- Hide the Show Program Inside the Porn: A theatrical producer in Madrid found a way around Spain’s recent steep sales tax increase on certain entertainment venues (sports, movies, live theater): It sold back issues of vintage pornographic magazines for the equivalent of $20 -- with a “free” ticket to its latest stage production by noted director Pedro Calderon de la Barca. (A show ticket would carry a 21 percent tax, but a pornographic magazine is still taxed at 4 percent.)

Compelling Explanations Creative: Eric Opitz, 45, who was indicted on 13 counts of fraud in Philadelphia in October, had explained that the reason he needed human growth hormone (that he would resell) despite being 6-foot-3, 450 pounds, was that he was really a dwarf and feared he would recede if he stopped the medication.

-- Bungling Cinematograhers: Zak Hardy, 18, and Terrill Stoltz, 41, were arrested recently in separate incidents and charged with photographing women in bathrooms without their permission. Hardy, caught in a public restroom in June in Exeter, England, pointing his phone from one stall to another, explained that he was just trying to see whether his phone was waterproof. Stoltz professed his innocence, as well, claiming the camera he set up in his exgirlfriend’s bathroom in Billings, Montana, was

COPYRIGHT 2014 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).

solely to have a photographic record of him when he cleaned his chickens in the bathtub.

The New Normal An Oceanside, California, couple was surprised in November to discover that buying a purebred bichon frise on credit meant they were only leasing the dog for 27 months and would have to make a 28th payment to actually “own” Tresor.

Furthermore, the lease, under a “repo” threat, required “daily exercise,” “regular bathing and grooming” and “immediate” disposal of Tresor’s “waste.” A spokesperson for the store, Oceanside Puppy (which works with four finance companies), told the San Diego Union- Tribune that the arrangement is fairly standard now for expensive pets.

First-World Problems (1) NBC’s “Today” show reported in December the “heartbreak” parents are feeling when they learn that the supposedly unique name (“wonderful, distinctive, rarely heard”) they had given their infant in the last year or two (e.g., “Mason,” “Liam,” “Lily”) actually appeared on BabyCenter’s annual list of most popular names of 2014 (6th, 3rd and 8th, respectively). (2) After hearing tenants’ complaints, the New York City Council is now considering a regulation requiring landlords to post notices if a common area or amenity is unusable for 24 hours or more -- which applies of course to elevators and laundry rooms, but would also extend to any air hockey or foosball facilities in the building.

Perspective Although elephants, rhesus monkeys, cobras, cows and water buffalos are regarded as sacred by many of India’s Hindus, the animals most certainly do not live idyllic lives, according to a November BBC News dispatch. As “growing populations are swallowing up habitat,” the divine symbols are

forced to the cities, where they must dodge traffic, forage garbage for food, and endanger themselves encountering people less certain of their holiness (such as in the November report of the cobra harassing customers at an ATM in Delhi).

As representatives of Lord Ganesha, elephants live well only during religious festivals, but otherwise must navigate asphalt and potholes that tear up their hooves. In another November incident, some Hindu leaders protested a drive to kill rats that had infested the Maharaja Yeshwantrao hospital in Indore -- because Ganesha was depicted riding a mouse.

Police Report In a 2012 incident in Cleveland (where a white police officer recently shot to death a black teenager holding a toy gun), 13 officers chased two unarmed black homeless drug users at high speeds and fired 137 shots at the pair, killing them. (A car had supposedly backfired, suggesting a gunshot at the cops.) As a result of “communication” failure, the 13 were placed on limited “desk duty” for 16 months and subjected to continuing investigation. Recently, nine of the 13 officers sued the city, charging that nonblack officers are historically and illegally disciplined more harshly for mistakes when victims are black.

-- Big Crime: (1) Four officers responded in Tayport, Scotland, in July to arrest Irene Clark, 65, who spent 48 hours in jail -- after committing the crime of swatting her husband with a magazine while arguing over TV programs (causing a paper cut). (2) Christopher Saunders, 38, pleaded guilty in North Devon, England, in November to possession of 0.09 grams of marijuana (value: 14 cents). (3) Keith Shannon, 44, was sentenced (two years’ probation) in Letterkenny, Ireland, in November for twice being caught swiping “tester” packets of aftershave at a Boots store (value: 2 cents each). ,

Preserving historical traditions of Latino music in Omaha, Nebraska

SouthOmahaArts.com 402.734.3240

weird news

| THE READER |

DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

17

I’LL MISS YOU, 2 0 1 4 B Y RYA N S Y R E K

F

rom a purely fiscal standpoint, 2014 sucked.

Box office totals are likely to finish at the lowest amount since 2008, which I’m sure makes everyone feel real bad for the billionaires in Hollywood. For those of us who could care less about opening day multipliers and staged platform theatrical releases, 2014 was doggone great! Sorry to use such language, but I’m darn tickled at how things wound up. Now let me tell you why.

Miss (and Mister) Independent Honestly, the last few years have been so-so at best for indie and art house fare. Aside from one or two standouts, ho-hum and humdrum had been the name of the game.

This year sports several flat-out breakthrough hits, one of which is blatantly charging at Best Picture. Birdman is the odds-on favorite for Oscar glory but will likely be joined by Boyhood and possibly Whiplash or Foxcatcher. Even films with no sealed envelope aspirations have much to brag about. Frank was a gleefully weird exploration of the artistic process. The Signal was unapologetic sci-fi goodness. Hell, I unabashedly loved a Wes Anderson film (The Grand Budapest Hotel) for the first time in ages. Does this mean I’m finally in the cool kids club?

Ladies Brought the Noise The inexcusable and irritating lack of opportunities for women in film remained a constant this past year. However, when given an opportunity, the talented few knocked it out of the park. Writer/director Gillian Robespierre’s Obvious Child featured a killer performance from Jenny Slate and marked a high point in honest storytelling involving the subject of abortion. The Babadook, from first-time writer/director Jennifer Kent, wasn’t just the best horror movie of the year; it was the best horror movie in a decade. Lucy proved that owners of ladyparts not named Angelina Jolie can also open an action movie to huge numbers. Speaking of Ms. Jolie, Maleficent was a big ole box office hit without any dudely help of note. And, ironically, in a movie called Boyhood, Patricia Arquette gives one of the most genuine and nuanced performances of the year. More of this in 2015 please.

You Can’t Keep a Superman Down The popular thought is that comic book movies can’t stay hot forever. Wanna bet? Captain America: The Winter Sol-

Film Streams at the Ruth Sokolof Theater 14th & Mike Fahey Street (formerly Webster Street) More info & showtimes 402.933.0259 · filmstreams.org Facebook | Twitter | Instagram: @filmstreams

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DEC. 25 - 31, 2014

dier, X-Men: Days of Future Past and The Amazing Spiderman 2 all crossed $200 million. The year’s top performer, Guardians of the Galaxy, didn’t even have character familiarity aiding it. Lots of people who don’t read comic books know who Spider-man is, but how many normals out there were amped and excited to finally see live-action versions of Groot, the talking tree, and Rocket, the homicidal raccoon? The Marvel brand is still as hot as they come, as just slapping their logo onto a property is a license to print money. Surely, there has to be a point of oversaturation, when comic book movies hit a number so high they exceed demand. That number is eleventy billion.

Flippity Floppity When is a box office bomb a blessing? When it sends a message. The Expendables 3 didn’t tank just because a copy was leaked on the Internet. It tanked because we’re done with Sly Stalone’s silly shenanigans. Sex Tape’s fizzle may finally help people see what I’ve been pointing out for decades: Cameron Diaz is not good at comedy…or talking…or anything. Seth McFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West failed miserably, which couldn’t have happened to a nicer horribly offensive trainwreck. The Giver was a reminder that we don’t need to adapt literally every young adult property ever created. Perhaps most importantly, Transcendence’s lackluster haul may finally

First-Run Films Happy Valley First-Run

Dir. Amir Bar-Lev. Starts Friday, December 26 One week only!

An unflinching look at an iconic American institution in the wake of unthinkable scandal, this documentary examines our obsession with football through the lens of the Jerry Sandusky aftermath at Penn State. Hailed as one of the best documentaries of the year!

| THE READER |

film

serve notice to Johnny Depp that he can stay in France as long as he’d like.

Let’s Hear It for New Voices Few things are as exciting as when a previously unknown creative human steps up and says “Look at me! I make good things!” The aforementioned Gillian Robespierre did that with Obvious Child, a movie that was as sophisticated as it was hilarious. Writer/director Justin Simien turned Dear White People from a Kickstarter project into the most important movie about racial dialogue in ages. Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler was downright David Fincher-esque and featured the gnarliest performance from Jake Gyllenhaal ever. But it’s the arrival of Jennifer Kent that is most potentially game changing. Horror is a genre that often lends itself to violent misogyny. Even when it doesn’t, most entries in the genre are uninspired and schlocky. The Babadook was scary, smart, subtle and stunning. It’s unclear if Kent plans on staying with this genre or expanding into others, but wherever she goes, I’m following.

And Keep It Going for New Stars Several folks cemented themselves as what Joe Biden would call “big effin’ deals” this year. Chris Pratt went from loveable schlub on “Parks and Rec” to big-time movie guy with Guardians of the Galaxy. The trailer for

The Babadook First-Run

Dir. Jennifer Kent.

Through Thursday, January 1 When a disturbing storybook called “The Babadook” turns up, a little boy is convinced that the Babadook is a creature that’s been threatening he and his mother in his dreams.

When mom begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing her son has been warning her about may be real.

Jurassic World didn’t hurt him neither, as it reminded everyone there is more Pratt where that came from.

Benedict Cumberbatch has always enjoyed a devoted cult following. And by “devoted cult following” I mean fangirls on the internets would physically devour him if given the opportunity. This year, he broke into the mainstream with a sure-to-be-nominated performance in The Imitation Game and the announcement that he is going to be Doctor Strange for Marvel Studios. As mentioned above, Marvel stuff is so popular that they haven’t begun shooting the film yet and I’m pretty sure it already passed $300 million domestic. Finally, Rosamund Pike has been in good things for years but when Gone Girl came around, her career went with it. All but assured of an Oscar nod, look for Pike to only continue her upward trajectory.

Document THIS! Perpetually forgotten and rarely seen at most megaplexes, almost every year features great documentaries. That said, 2014 stepped its documentary game up. The Overnighters was a stunning look at a modern day “Grapes of Wrath” unfolding in North Dakota that featured one hell of a twist ending. Life Itself, which explored the life of Roger Ebert, reduced me to a blubbery manbaby. The way the film used Ebert’s love and passion as a backbone elevated beyond a simple biographical endeavor and into tear-jerker levels. Citizenfour, the Edward Snowden documentary, is getting so much love that rumor has it they are considering a push for a Best Picture nomination and not simply a Best Documentary nod. That would be the celebratory cherry on top of the delicious sundae of documentaries we got to devour this year.

I’m Living in the Future so the Present is My Past Here’s the thing, I didn’t want to start with this, because 2014 was really good…but 2015 is gonna be so sick, y’all. You like big-budget blockbuster awesomeness?

How does a new Bond movie (SPECTRE), a new Jurassic Park movie (Jurassic World), a new Terminator movie (Terminator: Genisys), a new Avengers movie (Avengers: Age of Ultron) and a new freakin’ Star Wars movie (The Force Awakens) sound? Like your cinema a little more artistic? I present to you Beasts of No Nation, from “True Detective” director Cary Fukunaga, While We’re Young from director Noah Baumbach, Queen of the Desert by Werner Herzog, Freezing People is Easy by Errol Morris and, most exciting to me, an unknown movie from Benh Zeitlin, the director of my favorite movie, Beasts of the Southern Wild. So, yeah, thanks for all you did, 2014, but don’t let the door hit ya on the way out. ,

The Theory of Everything First-Run (PG-13)

Dir. James Marsh.

Through Thursday, January 8

A stirring biopic about renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking!

Coming Soon A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night First-Run Inherent Vice First-Run (R) National Gallery First-Run Mr. Turner First-Run

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