April 21, 2011 by Pioneer Publishing

april 21 - 27, 2011 VOL.18

dish 18

In Good Company

books 27

Enchanting Author

theater 28 Open Minds

Water Amnesia

Risking our most valuable natural resource for an oil pipeline could prove costly An essay by Julie Myers

music 33

Signposts to ‘Arabia’

OMAHA JOBS 2

Weird 42

MOjo 44

FUNNIES 45

TickeTS On SaLe nOw OUT D L SO

HinDer May 26

BiG HeaD TODD & THe MOnSTerS anD TOOTS & THe MayTaLS

MUMfOrD & SOnS wiTH naTHanieL raTeLiff

JUne 14

JUne 10

OUT D L SO

Gary aLLan JUne 25

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APRIL 21 - 27, 2011 4/18/11

6:56 PM

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PENTAGON FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. If you missed us at the Omaha Job fair you can still reach out to find out about our open positions. For more information go to OmahaJobs.com. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER for Sumana Hospitality, LLC.BS deg. In MIS, Computer Science or related and 5 yrs. of exp. or the equiv. Fax resume to Habib at 866-703-0833.

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COX COMMUNICATIONS Looking for a Great Career? COX Customer Care Career Fair Wednesday, March 30 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 3031 N. 120th Street, (between Blondo and Maple on 120th St) Bring your resume for on the spot interviews. Can’t make the career fair? Apply online at cox.com/ coxcareer. For more information go to OmahaJobs.com.

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PITNEY BOWES PRESORT SERVICES. Senior Revenue Analyst. Contact Daniel.lacy@pb.com. For more information go to OmahaJobs.com ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION Web Designer. Contact chorner @arbordayfarm.org. For more information go to OmahaJobs.com. PAPILLION MANOR Quality care. Great opportunities. For more information go to OmahaJobs.com.

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APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

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omaha jobs

P.O. Box 7360 Omaha, NE 68107 Phone 402.341.7323 Fax 402.341.6967 www.thereader.com OUR STAFF

Letters to the Editor: letters@thereader.com

EDITORIAL

Publisher/Editor: John Heaston Content Director: Eric Stoakes, erics@threader.com Managing Editor: Sean Brennan, seanb@thereader.com Contributing News Editor: Andrew Norman, andrewn@thereader.com Listings Editor: Paul Clark, listings@thereader.com Copy Editor: Ed Howard Contributing Editors: Ryan Syrek (film), Michael J. Krainak (art), Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik (lifestyle), Chris Aponick (music) Senior Editorial Contributors: Leo Biga, Michael Braunstein, Warren Francke, B.J. Huchtemann, Tim McMahan, Michael Pryor, Jesse D. Stanek, Kyle Tonniges, Sarah Baker Hansen, Sarah Wengert Editorial Contributors: Brian S. Allen, Avishay Artsy, Mike Babcock, Nicole Blauw, Wayne Brekke, Steve Brewer, Chalis Bristol, Jill Bruckner, Jeremy Buckley, Jesse Claeys, Paul Clark, Ben Coffman, Brent Crampton, Sally Deskins, Kyle Eustice, Jarrett Fontaine, Adam Froemming, Layne Gabriel, Phil Jarrett, Tessa Jeffers, Camille Kelly, Jason Krivanek, Casey Logan, Jasmine Maharisi, Sean McCarthy, Rob McLean, Neal Obermeyer, Adam Payson, Hal Senal, Justin Senkbile, Patricia Sindelar, Darian Stout, Carson Vaughan, Brandon Vogel, John Wenz, David Williams Photography Contributors: Neal Duffy, Bryce Bridges, Adam Brubaker, Justin Barnes, Fletch, Eric Francis, Dale Heise, Bill Sitzmann, Paparazzi by Appointment, Sean Welch, Marlon A. Wright

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thisweek new etc.

7 Top News 8-9 News Hound ————————————————

a p r i l 2 1 - 2 7 , 2 0 11 V O L . 1 8 n o . 0 9

hoodoo

cover story Water Amnesia

Risking our most valuable natural resource for an oil pipeline could prove costly ~ Page 13

35 Gaffney Remembered ————————————————

film

dish

39 Kids Slay the Darndest Things 39 Cutting Room: Film News 40 Report Card: Film Grades 40 Street Art ————————————————

eight days

41 Have a Ball 41 The Jump: Sporting News ————————————————

culture/books

42 Rattle & Roll ————————————————

heartland healing

11 Sugar: The Gateway Drug ———————————————— 18 In Good Company 18 Crumbs: Food News ————————————————

sports

16-17 This Week’s Top Events ————————————————

news of the weird

27 Enchanting Author 27 Booked: Literary News ————————————————

mojo

44 Planet Power Horoscopes ————————————————

theater

funnies

28 Don’t Miz It 28 Cold Cream: Theater News ————————————————

45 Modern World, Red Meat, Dr. Mysterian ————————————————

music

33 Signposts to ‘Arabia’ 33 Backbeat: Music News ————————————————

lazy-i

34 Dodging Traffic and Tornados ————————————————

Jessica Stensrud Dick Akromis The Reader is published every Thursday by Pioneer Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 7360, Omaha, NE 68107, 402.341.READ, Fax 402.341.6967. The Reader is free in the Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs area. Domestic subscriptions area available for $35 a year. Opinions expressed herein are those of the writer(s) and may not reflect the opinion of The Reader, its management and employees or its advertisers. The Reader accepts unsolicited manuscripts. For more advertising rates contact sales@thereader.com. To send comments to the editor, contact letters@thereader.com

PARTNERS Heartland Healing: Michael Braunstein, hh@thereader.com

Today’s Omaha Woman: Carrie Kentch, carriek@thereader.com

Woman TODAY’S OMAHA

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El Perico: elperico@abm-enterprises.com Directorio Latino: dlo@abm-enterprises.com

contents

| THE READER |

april 21 - 27, 2011

at Midtown Crossing

THURSDAY

MAY 12

4 pm - 7 pm

Register and pick up a â&#x20AC;&#x153;goodieâ&#x20AC;? bag filled with special promotions at the Midtown Crossing Condominium Sales Center and then head out to one of the fabulous restaurants and retailers for drinks, shopping and lively conversation. You will need to show your i.d. badges to enter the sales office, as well as receive discounts and promotions at participating retailers!

Condominium Sales Center 200 S. 31st Ave. Omaha, NE 68131 Visit www.midtowncrossing.com for more details and a map of the development 6

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

NOTABLEEVENTS

✱ EARTH DAY OMAHA: Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m., Elmwood Park, 60th and Paciﬁc. Celebrate environmentalism at Omaha’s annual Earth Day gathering. earthdayomaha.com ✱ RALLY FOR A HEALTHY CITY: Wednesday, April 27, 11 a.m., Omaha/Douglas Civic Center, 1819 Farnam St. A rally to support improvements in Omaha’s overall health as part of National Walk at Lunch Day. livewellomaha.org ✱ STORIES OF FREEDOM: Wednesday, April 27, 5:30 p.m., Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Ave. The Council Bluffs Civil Rights Commission celebrates Holocaust Remembrance week. cbcivilrights.org

Company that wants to pump tar sands oil over the Sandhills has ‘limited experience’ doing so

Essay by Julie Myers

he original Keystone One pipeline (which has leaked four times in its first six months of operation) is routed through clay soils in eastern Nebraska, avoiding both the porous Sandhills and the immense Ogallala Aquifer. By contrast, TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline, currently seeking State Department approval, would strike through 110 miles of Nebraska Sand Hills and sit directly over the deepest part of the Ogallala Aquifer. It is, by all accounts, a far riskier proposition, if for no other reason than it will funnel up to 21 million gallons daily of chemical-ladened oil over an irreplaceable source of clean water. No one disputes that the XL’s “sand over water” route presents a greater challenge than Keystone One in all respects: design, construction, operation, supervision, maintenance and repair — not to mention emergency response.

TransCanada’s limited experience The Canadian company’s web site gives the impression of vast experience and a proven ability to meet the greater challenges of the XL. But the only independent experience TransCanada has in the oil pipeline business is the

just-opened Keystone One, according to the U.S. State Department’s “Draft Environmental Impact Statement.” “TransCanada is a well known and longstanding natural gas transportation company … with limited experience operating crude oil pipeline systems,” the document reads. The State Department’s brief mention of TransCanada’s limited experience appears to be an effort to smooth over the fact that TransCanada has no operational data for comparison to industry averages:

“TransCanada’s limited operating history with crude oil pipelines precludes comparison of accident and oil spill rates specific to TransCanada with the industry average rates,” the document reads. “All of TransCanada’s pipelines are in … natural gas service with the exception of the TransCanada Keystone Oil Pipeline which is presently being constructed.” Although TransCanada has many gas pipelines in Canada, the State Department rejects the opportunity to analyze any Canadian spill and leak data, stating, “General incident frequencies and spill volumes were reviewed for relevance to

E D I T E D

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

A N D R E W

N O R M A N

What you’re paying for Afghanistan

the Project. Incidents occurring in Canada have been documented by regulatory agencies and popularly reported … However, data on these incidents are not readily available in formats amenable ... for analysis.” Since TransCanada has no operational history for oil — no frequency or volume data — and Canada’s oil data is in a non-amenable format, how does the State Department draw its conclusions about risk?

Frequency and volume The State Department does offer a framework for how risk may be represented. “Risk of oil spills is expressed as a combination of spill frequency and spill volume,” reads the environmental impact statement. There are three sets of independent historical data used to predict spill risk used in the environmental impact statement, none specific to TransCanada or indicative of its ability to perform: 1. A 10-year U.S. national data set that examined all reported hazardous liquid pipelines’ leaks and spills (170,000 miles total) found an average of 16.4 gallons leaked or spilled per mile per year. Multiply that figure by the 110 miles of pipe that TransCanada wants to lay through the Sandhills and it comes to 1,804 gallons of tar sands crude per year threatening the Ogallala Aquifer. 2. Ten years of hazardous liquid pipeline data that examines only the states the pipeline will traverse finds a higher figure of 18.9 gallons per mile or 2,079 gallons of tar sands crude per year threatening the aquifer, according to the environmental impact statement. 3. Ten years of U.S crude oil data, which includes 600 reported incidents, found a rate of 43.7 gallons per mile per year, or 4,807 gallons of tar sands crude per year threatening the aquifer. , This story was produced by Prairie Fire and the Nebraska Nature & Visitor Center. Read more at prairiefirenewspaper.com.

NUMBERSCRUNCHER GREEN IS GOOD: Year Earth Day was introduced: 1970 Tons of trash generated by Americans then: 121 million Tons of trash generated by Americans today: 243 million Percentage of trash recycled by Americans in 1970: 6.6 Percentage of trash recycled by Americans today: 33.8

B Y

UPFRONT

Spills Response

topnews At 10 years old, the Afghanistan war is becoming more costly and more deadly. The Defense Department received $513 billion in the FY 2011 continuing resolution, which Congress passed April 8 — about $5 billion more than last year. Another $108 billion will go to the Afghanistan war, which has already cost American taxpayers $396.5 billion (about $2 billion a week). Along with treasure, the war has cost the U.S. blood — a lot of it. More than 1,500 Americans have died in the Afghanistan war, including a record 499 service men and women in 2010. Already this year, 88 troops have died — that’s just 10 shy of the 2006 total, according to iCasualties.org. Nine Nebraska troops have died in the war, and another 43 have been wounded. Former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean, who supported President Barack Obama’s troop buildup in Afghanistan, told The Daily Beast this week that he now believes war is not winnable. “The Vietnam War showed us we shouldn’t prop up corrupt governments, and that’s what we’ve got in Afghanistan,” he said. A decade into the war that began as a response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, what has Operation Enduring Freedom cost you? The group Rethink Afghanistan created a calculator using data from the National Priorities Project to answer that question. Here are some notable results: A single person making $40,000 in 2010 essentially paid $1,694 for the war; A single person making $20,000 paid more than $700; A married couple filing jointly and earning a combined $100,000 has $4,757 of their tax dollars going toward the effort. Taxpayers in Omaha will pay $179.2 million for the Afghan war during fiscal year 2011. The same amount of money could provide: 70,364 children low-income healthcare for one year; 3,299 elementary school teachers for one year; 3,186 firefighters for one year; 24,318 head start slots for children for one year; 36,497 households with solar photovoltaic energy for one year; 97,326 households with wind power for one year; 25,552 military veterans receiving VA medical care for one year; 3,257 police or sheriff’s patrol officers for one year; 26,136 scholarships for university students for one year; 32,291 students receiving Pell Grants of $5,550. — Andrew Norman Visit rethinkafghanistan.com to see what the war has cost you specifically.

THEYSAIDIT SOMETHING’S FISHY: “This is where we prohibit things like slavery and guarantee due process, and we’re going to add hunting and ﬁshing?” — Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop to the Lincoln Journal-Star on a proposed amendment to Nebraska’s constitution protecting the right to hunt and ﬁsh in perpetuity. The amendment, proposed by Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch, advanced to a second round of debate on a 32-6 vote April 18.

news

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APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

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Art on Tap a benefit for Joslyn Art Museum

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Pilsner Level: $25 for YAP members; $50 for all others Lager Level: $50 for YAP members; $75 for all others

(includes 7 pm special reserve tasting with the Director and preferred parking) Tickets must be purchased in advance. This is a 21 and older event. Make your reservation by mailing your check to Joslyn, attention Art on Tap; pay by credit card by calling (402) 661-3858; or reserve onlline at joslyn.org/join/yap.aspx.

www.joslyn.org | (402) 342-3300 | 2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

news

thenewshound

P O L I T I C O | L AW A N D O R D E R | B U S I N E S S A N D D E V E L O P M E N T Little new in latest pipeline review After requesting a second environmental impact study (EIS) on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline at the urging of numerous environmental groups, the U.S. State Department did not change any of its key findings in the new report released April 15. The report came nearly one year after the State Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s draft EIS concluded that the 1,700 mile pipeline posed â&#x20AC;&#x153;limited adverse environmental impacts.â&#x20AC;? The Environmental Protection Agency gave the draft EIS an â&#x20AC;&#x153;inadequateâ&#x20AC;? rating last year. But in the latest report, the State Department found alternative routes, such as one that would route the pipeline JANE KLEEB around rather than through the Nebraska Sandhills and the Ogallala Aquifer, did not offer an additional environmental benefit in its estimation. The supplemental study did confirm the EPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concern that tar sands oil, the type that would be carried by the Keystone XL pipeline, contains more greenhouse gases than the typical crude oil refined in the United States. Bold Nebraska, one of the most outspoken opponents of the pipeline, said that conclusion doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t add up. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Keystone XL is not our grandparentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; [or even our parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;] oil pipeline because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not carrying traditional crude oil,â&#x20AC;? editor Jane Kleeb wrote on the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web site. The public is invited to comment on the results of the supplemental EIS beginning April 22

through June 6 at keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov. After considering the public comments, the State Department expects to approve or deny the pipeline proposal before the end of 2011.

Sales tax bill advances A bill granting cities the right to raise local sales tax advanced in the Nebraska Legislature on April 12 despite the promise of a veto from Gov. Dave Heineman. The bill, LB 357, proposed by Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford would allow cities to increase sales tax rates to up to 2 percent with voter approval. Omaha and Lincoln both currently levy the maximum 1.5 percent sales tax allowed by state law. City officials say the half-percent hike could result in more than $40 million in additional revenue for Omaha and possibly eliminate the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2.5 percent restaurant tax. State lawmakers advanced the bill on a 2713 vote. If the bill survives two more rounds of debate, it would need the vote of 30 senators to override a Heineman veto.

Firefighters question recent budget cuts The crew at Omaha Fire Station 61 was down a ladder truck due to budget cuts when it responded to a fire near 118th and Arbor Plaza on April 16, a move that fire union officials say hampered their ability to fight the blaze. Janie Morton, 60, a resident at the scorched apartment complex, re-

2011 OMAHA HOMICIDES: 12 (THERE WERE 11 HOMICIDES AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR)

mained in critical condition at a Lincoln hospital on April 18. Station 61 was one of two stations in Omaha to lose a ladder truck as part of recent cost-cutting measures. Fire union members have been going door to door to protest the cuts and pressure city officials to reconsider equipment reductions. “It’s like we’re playing Russian Roulette … one of these days that hammer is going to fall on a round,” fire union president Steve LeClaire told KPTM.

Local aging office hit hard in state audit State Auditor Mike Foley released an audit April 18 that showed widespread financial mismanagement at the Omahabased Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. Foley found that MIKE FOLEY ENOA billed the state Department of Health and Human Services for nearly $800 in services for dead clients, made questionable purchases of alcohol and jewelry on agency credit cards and potentially overpaid maintenance and janitorial employees who were working without a contract. The Office on Aging, which provides a variety of elderly services in Douglas and surrounding counties, has an operating budget of nearly $10 million, most of which is provided through federal, state and county funds.

Man arrested in New Year’s slaying Mitchell Hadan, 47, was booked on first-degree murder and felony drug and weapons charges on

April 15 in connection with the Jan. 1 slaying of his girlfriend, Rita Eckhout. On the evening of Jan. 1 an Omaha police officer found Hadan’s vehicle blocking a traffic lane near 72nd and L. The officer spoke with Hadan and was returning to his vehicle when he heard gunshots from the suspect’s car. Eckhout, 35, died at the scene. Investigators believe Hadan attempted to take his own life immediately after shooting Eckhout. Hadan previously served nine years in prison on felony robbery and assault charges. He was released in 2006.

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Joseph Piper, 19, died after being shot April 5 in Seymour Smith Park near 68th and Harrison. U.S. Marshal’s arrested Tyrese Phillips, 23, on ﬁrst-degree murder charges two days later in Enid, Okla. Phillips was denied bail on April 11 and could face the death penalty if convicted.

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McKyla Glover, 14, survived after being shot in the stomach near her home at 5344 N. 27th Ave. on April 16. A witness told investigators that two young black males drove by and fired from a vehicle. Police have made no arrests. James King, 41, survived after being shot inside a home near 33rd and Poppleton on April 19. King was shot by the home’s owner, Wesley Hall, 52, who saw the suspect attempting to steal copper, police say. The investigation is ongoing. Antonio Spencer, 27, was arrested April 15 on second-degree assault and felony weapons charges in connection with the April 3 shooting of Timothy Valentine near 26th and Ruggles. Valentine, 33, survived. — Brandon Vogel

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| THE READER |

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

Macafee Paintings Original paintings and prints available for the esteemed collector

Artists' Cooperative Gallery 405 S. 11th St. Omaha, NE 68102 402-342-9617 402-

www.macafeefineart.com

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

n e w

heartlandhealing

a g e

h e a l t h

a n d

w e l l n e s s

Is sugar the new gateway drug?

mericans aren’t like the rest of the world. Oh, we’d like to believe that whatever color or shape our skin comes in, on the inside we’re all the same, just flesh and blood. Not true. For Americans, it’s flesh, blood and fat. And sadly, as the rest of the world adopts the Standard American Diet (SAD) of high calorie, toxic, low-nutrient junk food, the more they become like us on the inside. Canadian physician and now author Kevin Patterson served as a frontline medic at a combat hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He saw plenty of the insides of wiry, tough, Afghani locals as well as those of young Canadian, European and American soldiers. The difference in what he saw on the inside was striking and memorable. The Westerners’ organs were coated in fat tissue, blubbery. Local Afghanis had no internal fat surrounding their viscera. He concluded that our SAD leads to diabetes, heart disease and obesity sickness. Patterson’s observation parallels similar findings from MASH (mobile army surgical hospital) units during the Korean War. Even then, in 1950, American GI’s had the beginnings of atherosclerosis and coronary disease, fatty insides compared to the Koreans that MASH units operated on. Now, a revealing and powerful lecture, viewable on YouTube and already having nearly 1 million hits, points a finger at sugar in a way not done before. Sure, even in the 1950s parents were telling kids that eating too much sugar would give them diabetes. Most doctors and scientists dismissed that comment as an old wives’ tale, with no basis in science — most, but not all. In 2009, Robert Lustig, M.D., an expert on obesity and hormone disorders at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine delivered a no-holds-barred, scientifically solid, scathing indictment of one of America’s treasured taste bud tweakers: sugar. Using irrefutable scientific evidence, he labels sugar as an out-and-out poison, a toxin that destroys body function and can lead to death. Lustig is not aiming only at the popular target of the day, High Fructose Corn Syrup, which has become so vilified by foodies and others that the corn syrup cartel has been forced to launch massive propaganda campaigns in an attempt to rescue its tarnished image. The excoriation of corn syrup has actually boosted the image of cane sugar by comparison. But Lustig says that’s off base. Both are toxic to our body and not just a little. Researchers have found that sugar is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Sugar, delivered as an additive to food either as HFCS or any number of other ways, will disrupt the natural function of our metabolism, wreaking havoc on organs from liver to pancreas to heart and arteries. It’s a complex process that involves a myriad of biochemical reactions and Lustig explains it simply with charts and arrows. That’s just the backup to the simple message: sugar is a poison.

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m i c h a e l

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b r a u n s t e i n

We are being surreptitiously poisoned through our food supply. Sugar is added to nearly everything in some form or another and Lustig describes it as being as toxic as alcohol or tobacco. In that sense, sugar isn’t a gateway drug, it’s the end of the line addiction that is killing millions. The good news is that removing sugar from the diet can dramatically improve health. This video is a must-see; simply search for “Lustig” and “sugar” upon logging on to YouTube.com. News and Notes. Seems like “just the other day” that Sandy Aquila and her mother, Natalie Goodkind, opened the Omaha Healing Arts Center at 1216 Howard St. in the location once occupied by Honest John’s Emporium. After months of detailed and high-minded remodeling, the gorgeous space was opened in the summer of 2001. The OM Center, as it has become known, has hosted international speakers, performers and workshops, provides healing arts services ranging from acupuncture and ayurveda to tai chi and reiki. It’s become a Mecca to those interested in expanding awareness beyond the health advice offered in mainstream media and on billboards along Dodge Street. Kudos to OM and here’s to another great decade. Check their website for a full schedule of amazing events celebrating the anniversary. Earth Day Elmwood. April 23 will be sunny and bright for the Earth Day celebration at Elmwood Park near UNO at 60th and Dodge. The event has expanded in recent years thanks to the expert guidance of the Earth Day Omaha committee members. It’s an opportunity to take a walk on real grass, have a beer and some food and maybe even learn how to reduce a carbon footprint or heal the planet. Omaha Health Expo. The fourth annual Omaha Health Expo takes place at the Civic on April 30 and May 1. Focusing on holistic and natural ways to get healthy, stay healthy and heal, the Expo is free to the public and features over 350 exhibitors. In conjunction with the Omaha Health Expo, Next Millennium will present its Spring Mystic Fest, always a popular event with an emphasis on metaphysics. Health Expo guest speakers from around the nation and here at home will present on diverse topics. The Expo embraces healthful alternatives that include activities, sports, holistic therapies and mind, body, spirit connection. Featured this year will be the new soccer coach at Creighton, Elmar Bolowich, and longtime CU baseball coach Ed Servais. Other speakers will share on topics ranging from healing after an alien abduction, nutritional analysis, Quantum Field Psychology and more. There is a Multiple Sclerosis Society sponsored walk on Saturday and a bike ride on Sunday. Exhibitor space is available. OmahaHealthExpo.com. Village Pointe Farmers Market. The first farmers market of the season launches on Saturday, April 30, at Village Pointe (168th and Dodge). The Village Pointe Farmers Market has become the largest all-farmer, all-local, farmers market in the state and features meats, eggs, artisan cheeses, produce and starter plants for the garden. Early shoppers on opening day will receive free demitasse cups of coffee courtesy of Paradise Bakery and Café. Visit VoteRealFood.com for info. Be well. ,

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

heartland healing

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april 21 - 27, 2011

The Omaha Friends of Jung Presents:

Creativity, Imagination and

Well-Being Through

Art and Music April 23, 2011

7 pm - Midnight Tip-Top Ballroom at 1502 Cumming at the door

$20

The Evening Includes: Art Show, Live Music, Hors Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Oeuvres and Cash Bar The Artists: Matt Dinovo, Cait Irwin, Ed Fennell, Jean Mason, John Miller, Dan Toberer, Levent Oz, Lori Hubbell, Paula Wallace, Mark Nelson, John Dennison and Kristi Pederson

The Musicians: Bill Carey, Neil Johnsen, Bob Kraft, Kevin Swisher, Dave Barger, Neville Yardley and Tim Swisher. Sound by Steve Ozaydin. To keep Omaha a vibrant and growing center for creativity, imagination and well-being, proceeds from the door and a portion from the artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sales will go to expand videoconferencing and educational opportunities. Visit us at OmahaFriendsofJung.com

april 21 - 27, 2011

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coverstory

WATER AMNESIA

Risking our most valuable natural resource for an oil pipeline could prove costly

An essay by Julie Myers

assistant professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in a recent hearing before the Natural Resources Committee. In other words, this groundwater can move fast and is sometimes indistinguishable from surface water. Surface water includes streams and rivers, which we all know can move along at a good clip. The State Department’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) confirms, “…there is the possibility of a crude oil release occurring with the potential to affect surface water bodies. A large spill could affect drinking water sources and irrigation water supplies.” The document warns that spills of crude oil may reduce or eliminate agricultural or domestic use of the

wells along the Platte. That makes Sand Hills policy a statewide concern,” wrote L. Kent Wolgamott in Future Control of Water Resources.

groundwater and may contaminate surface water bodies if the contaminated groundwater discharges into these waters. There is no shortage of surface water along the proposed XL route, which crosses 160 Nebraska water bodies and five major rivers, including the Platte, the Loup and the Niobrara. A UNL research hydrogeologist estimated that this groundwater makes up 50 to 90 percent of the flow of these rivers. It is also far from clear that a large spill in the Sandhills would not impact Lincoln and Omaha. “The Sandhills aquifer serves as the chief water supply for the state’s two major cities and for much of heavily populated eastern Nebraska. Sandhills groundwater creates the Loup River system, and this system supplies most of the water in the Platte east of Columbus. Both Lincoln and Omaha metropolitan area get drinking water from

pipelines in Nebraska, implying that the proposed XL is just more of the same. But there are actually only 435 miles of crude oil pipelines in Nebraska, not 21,000. The rest are natural gas pipelines, mostly smaller distribution pipes, or other pipelines that do not carry crude oil. Most importantly, almost all these pipelines have previously avoided the Sandhills, including TransCanada’s just-built Keystone One. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), nine of the 14 counties that lie in the path of the XL (Keya Paha, Rock, Holt, Garfield, Wheeler, Greeley, Boone, Nance and Merrick) have no hazardous liquid pipelines. These counties are all located north of the Platte River — in the Sandhills. Two other counties, Saline and Jefferson, have hosted TransCanada’s Keystone One pipeline, while three

cientists now know that ground and surface water should be treated as a single hydrological system, because that’s how they behave in nature. Since 1996, Nebraska has changed its law twice to finally recognize this profound connection of surface water and to bring coherency to its water law. NEBRASKA SANDHILLS But recently, apparently fearful of being viewed by the oil industry as “obstructionist,” Nebraska’s Legislature has suddenly developed amnesia and decided to leave the protection of Nebraska’s most abundant natural resource — its water — to the federal government. Three oil pipeline bills with growing public support were killed in the Natural Resources Committee before advancing to the floor for debate in the Nebraska Legislature.

Selling pipeline safety Nebraskans depend on clean water for agriculture, industry (including tourism) and human consumption. But TransCanada has mounted an extensive campaign to persuade Nebraskans that each year the Keystone XL could safely pipe more than 7.5 billion gallons of corrosive and toxic liquid along a route selected mainly for its straightness — and continue to do this for the lifetime of the project — without serious incident. TransCanada points to the almost 21,000 miles of

Nebraska’s unique situation Nebraska possesses the most valuable portion of the eight-state High Plains Aquifer — by far the deepest, cleanest and largest share, a nearly unbelievable two-thirds of the whole. Above most of this water is a sea of sandy soils, the Sandhills, where the water table often outcrops into wetlands and rivers, or is not far below the surface. The TransCanada company wants to install a large-diameter, high-pressure crude oil pipeline — the XL — through 110 miles of this sensitive, water-rich area, where (because of the soils’ porosity and the close proximity of the water table) both ground and surface water are particularly vulnerable to widespread, rather than localized, contamination. It is also an area easily harmed by “cleanup” activities, where “natural remediation” of toxins over the course of many decades might actually be the best of the all-bad solutions. “It is known that surface waters in the Sandhills region, including rivers, wetlands and lakes, are extensively fed by groundwater. According to previous research, the time scale of flow from shallow groundwater to surface water can be very short in the Sandhills. Under these conditions, an oil release to groundwater that is near to a surface water body would be difficult to remediate before it is transmitted to surface water,” said John Gates,

cover story

others, Hamilton, York and Fillmore, have a combined total of 252 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines. But all five counties lie generally south and east of the Platte River, outside of the Sandhills. In fact, as one compares the entire Sandhills region with the PHMSA chart showing counties with hazardous liquid pipelines, most of it is completely protected from spills by an absence of anything that could leak.

Weak federal oversight Crude oil is a hazardous substance containing, among other toxic chemicals, known carcinogens like benzene, according to the State Department. The PHMSA does regulate pipeline safety. Unfortunately, the safety page of its website admits that the agency has a “limited number of inspectors” in the field to regulate more than 2 million miles of hazardous liquid and natural gas pipelines. For much of its history, it has worked within the constraints of “minimal design, operational and maintenance practices.” The leak and spill data for the nation’s onshore hazardous liquid pipelines, of which crude oil is a subset, show 108 significant incidents just last year — with more than 7 million gallons spilled, more than 5 million gallons lost and $682 million in property damage, according to the agency. Nebraska has been largely spared, mainly due to its small number of hazardous liquid pipelines. But in the past 10 years, it has endured eight hazardous liquid incidents, spilling more than 165,000 gallons (3,946 barrels), losing more than 119,000 gallons (2,840 barrels) and causing $2,641,107 in property damage. Considering the industry’s spill and leak record, rerouting the pipe away from the Sandhills’ water is a preventative, low-cost solution to the greatest dangers posed by the project.

Growing problem with diluted bitumen Another serious and growing pipeline problem — currently unaddressed by federal regulation — is the pumping of diluted bitumen (Dilbit) through pipelines designed for conventional crude. “Without much public knowledge or a change in safety standards, U.S. pipelines are carrying increasing amounts of the corrosive raw form of tar sands oil (Dilbit) … Transporting Dilbit is also the primary purpose of TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline,” according to a February 2011 joint report by pipeline opponents the Natural Resources Defense Council, National Wildlife Federation, Pipeline Safety Trust and the Sierra Club. “In the past, the vast majority of tar sands bitumen was upgraded in Canada before coming into the United States as synthetic crude oil. However, more often now,

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april 21 - 27, 2011

bitumen is diluted and piped to U.S. refineries … Bitumen is not the same as conventional oil — it has characteristics that make it potentially more dangerous. Nonetheless, the safety and spill response standards used by the U.S. to regulate pipeline transport of bitumen are the same as those designed for conventional crude oil,” the report says. Compared to conventional crude, Dilbit contains: • 15 to 20 times higher acid concentrations; • Five to 10 times as much sulfur; • A high concentration of chloride salts, which can lead to chloride stress corrosion in high-temperature pipelines, and; • Higher quantities of abrasive quartz sand particles. “This combination of chemical corrosion and physical abrasion can dramatically increase the rate of pipeline deterioration. Despite these significant differences, PHMSA does not distinguish between conventional crude and Dilbit when setting minimum standards for oil pipelines,” according to the joint report. In Canada’s Alberta pipeline system, where Dilbit has been pumped for years, there is an astounding 16 times as many spills from internal corrosion as in the U.S., which has just started pumping Dilbit. This finding was unexpected because, in general, the pipeline system in the United States is older than Alberta’s. The 800,000-gallon Enbridge spill, which traveled 30 miles toward Lake Michigan, the source of Chicago’s drinking water, may be the canary in the figurative coal mine for Dilbit. The PHMSA record shows a large number of uncorrected corrosion problems identified in the Enbridge line. In 2010, the pipe ruptured and the tar sands oil pumped for hours over land, through wetlands, into a nearby stream and then into miles of the Kalamazoo River. Michigan’s air, water and land have been severely affected by both the spill and the ongoing clean up, now in its eighth month, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Computer technology and human error The XL would rely heavily on a remote computer system to detect leaks in its high-volume pressurized line. TransCanada has made much of the protection that Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) offers in terms of quick detection and shut off. This claim is extremely questionable and should be reexamined to determine if additional design, operation and maintenance features should be required. Computer systems have their own set of challenges and limits, and may fail. But more importantly, because computer-generated data must be interpreted, human error is a factor. In the Michigan spill, the Enbridge computers automatically sounded numerous alarms after pressure drops, but human operators apparently attributed the alarms to a “bubble” impeding the flow of oil; they restarted the pipeline multiple times, so that the line operated under pressure for at least two hours after the first alarm, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. There is evidence that the instability of the Dilbit mixture may cause a greater number of false alarms. This means that when a leak is detected, the data can be interpreted as a “column separation,” or bubble, where

april 21 - 27, 2011

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cover story

the solution would be to apply more pressure — exactly the opposite of the shutdown response required by a leak, according to the board. It’s also clear that commercial forces may work against a shutdown, while the existence of a leak is explored. These include the mixing of batches — and loss of product through co-mingling — that starts whenever the flow is stopped, according to the Allegro Energy Group.

The unfinished work of the NRC In an effort to get ahead of potential problems like these, state senators on the Natural Resources Committee introduced three hazardous liquid pipeline bills: LB340, on state-based guidelines and oversight, LB629, on clarity upon abandonment, and LB578, on financial responsibility. But all three failed to advance from committee. TransCanada calls the legislation duplicative. But the PHMSA website contradicts this notion, stating: “Federal regulatory approval is not ordinarily required for development of a new hazardous liquids [oil] pipeline, unless it will cross federal lands. Generally, state and local laws are the primary regulatory factors for construction of new hazardous liquid pipelines.” It further explains, “Individual states may have additional or more stringent pipeline safety regulations.”

All locations are not equal If TransCanada can put a pipeline anywhere, as it claims, then it can move it off the Sandhills. Nebraska should demand that. The upcoming hearings for the State Department’s Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will offer Nebraskans a good opportunity to tell what they know about the Sandhills, its water, and to demand a safer route. Even with modern technology, crude oil pipelines leak. When they spill, they spill on average two to three times the volume of other types of hazardous liquid pipelines, according to the State Department. Therefore, the question of where they can be safely placed is of utmost concern. For Nebraska, there are at least three serious problems with the proposed XL project: 1. The route is a convenient “shortcut” across 110 miles of porous sandy soil and a wealth of vulnerable ground- and surface water, where a spill could be catastrophic. 2. The pipeline industry, in spite of federal regulation, has a long and varied history of leaks and spills, followed by incomplete “clean-up.” 3. The federal safety regulations fail to differentiate between conventional oil and the far more corrosive diluted bitumen (Dilbit). Perhaps the unearned nature of Nebraska’s water wealth is causing it to undervalue this asset — and to blindly accept claims of pipeline safety. TransCanada will continue to argue that the XL project risk is so infinitesimal that the location doesn’t matter. But that is simply sleight of hand — and that is the way Nebraskans may trade something of untold value for next to nothing. , This story was produced by Prairie Fire and the Nebraska Nature & Visitor Center. Read more at prairiefirenewspaper.com.

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april 21 - 27, 2011

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APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

dish Bailey’s Best breakfast in town. “King of Eggs Benedict.” 1 block south of 120th & Pacific • 932-5577 absolutelyfresh.com

Attic Bar & Grill Great food and great drinks with live music. 3231 Harney St. • 932.5387 atticbarandgrill.com Blue Planet Natural Grill Healthy People. Healthy Planet. 6307 Center St. • 218.4555 blueplanetnaturalgrill.com Cascio’s Steakhouse Established 1946, 63 years of selling great steaks. 1620 S. 10th St. • 345-8313 casciossteakhouse.com Dundee Dell Omaha’s Finest Neighborhood Restaurant & Pub 5007 Underwood Ave. • 553.9501 dundeedell.com Hector’s Boasting the only Baja-style Mexican cuisine in the city, Hector’s serves fresh food with panache from Baja California and northwest Mexico. Two Locations: 1201 S. 157th St. • 884.2272 3007 S. 83rd Plz. • 391.2923 hectorsomaha.com La Casa Pizzeria Fine Italian Dining Since 1953. Located on historic Leavenworth street in midtown Omaha, La Casa has the freshest pizza in town. 4432 Leavenworth St. • 556.6464 lacasapizzaria.net La Mesa An authentic Mexican experience, from mouthwatering enchiladas to fabulous fajitas. Top it off with one of La Mesa’s famous margaritas. Voted # 1 Mexican Restaurant eight years in a row. Locations: 156th and Q • 763.2555 110th & Maple • 496-1101 Ft. Crook Rd. and 370 (Bellevue) • 733.8754 84th and Tara Plaza (Papillion) • 593.0983 Lake Manawa Exit (Council Bluffs) • 712.256.2762 la-mesa.com Matsu Sushi Downtown’s Original Sushi Restaurant 1009 Farnam St. • 346-3988 matsusushi.wordpress.com

Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar Great Seafood. Great Prices. Southwest corner of 168th & Center 1218 S 119 St. • 827.4376 absolutelyfresh.com Ted & Wally’s Premium Ice Cream Voted best ice cream in Omaha! 1120 Jackson St. • 341.5827

april 21 - 27, 2011

by Steve Brewer

peach puree, lemon, sugar, and topped with champagne. All cocktails currently sell for $7. The heart of Urban Wine Company is still its wine list. About 40 wines by the glass are being offered, with prices ranging from $6 to $18. Over 200 bottles are also available, with American, European, and South American labels equally represented. Repeat customers will find some old friends remaining on the list, but Reding said selections are always changing. “Most wine lists offer the most popular names, but we try to be a little more boutique and bring something new,” Reding said. “We want you to get a glass of wine you can’t get anywhere else.” The food menu remains largely unchanged for the moment, with a focus on small plates and sushi. Some of the most popular dishes include Lavosh with a choice of five toppings ($8.50), and several flavors of soup ($4). Hot and cold plates to share are all

rban Wine Company still has plenty of wine, but it’s getting into creative cocktails in a big way. According to manager Angela Reding, changes have been happening at the Old Market wine bar for the last year, but have been accelerated by the arrival of new general manager Martin Janica. “We are forming a new identity,” Reding says. “In the past, we maybe did too many different things at once. Now we are focusing Urban Wine company’s on offering a comfortable martin janica place to enjoy a small plate and a glass of wine, or a beer or cocktail if you’re not a wine drinker.” Janica previously worked at the Old Market Tavern and Embassy Suites, and he moved to Urban Wine Company early in 2011. He and new head bartender (and fellow Argentinean) Luciano Pontiroli have introduced a different approach to mixed drinks. “We’ve always had cocktails,” Reding says, “but now we’re playing with produce and looking to in the $10 range, and there is a wide selection of meats pre-Prohibition [style] drinks. We are using cilantro and cheeses. instead of mint in our mojitos, for example, and tryReding said her restaurant and other Jones Street ing lots of new things.” businesses are planning a wine festival for the early fall. Some trends in the world of cocktails are cur“We want to make it a huge wine tasting,” Reding rently reflected at Urban Wine Company. said. “We want to use a lot of our patio space, and the “Right now, there is less interest in really sweet space in front along Jones Street, and bring in a bunch drinks, and a big rise is drinks with bourbon,” Reding of winemakers.” said. “That’s why you’ll see several bourbon drinks.” This event would be part of an ongoing effort to Urban Wine is using the spring months as a try- bring more foot traffic to the Jones Street portion of out period for its new cocktail menu. Right now, 28 the Old Market. “Urban Cocktails” are being offered, with a plan to “It’s a beautiful area, and just one or two streets whittle those down to around 15 by the summer. down from the center of the Market,” Reding said. “We Examples include the O! Manhattan, with bour- want more people to know what is down here.” , bon, honey, sweet vermouth, orange peel and angos- The Urban Wine Company is located at 1037 Jones St. Hours are tura bitters; the Chillantro, with vodka, cucumbers, Mon.-Wed. 4-10 p.m., Thurs. 4 p.m. to midnight, Fri. 4 p.m.-1 lemons, cilantro, and ginger ale; and the Fresitas, a.m., Sat. noon to 1 a.m., and Sundaynoon to 9 p.m. For more inmade with Torrontes white wine, strawberry and formation, call 402.934.0005 or visit urbanwinecompany.com.

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dish

ADAM BRUBAKER

Anthony’s Steakhouse/The Ozone Club For more than 38 years, Anthony’s has been known for its steaks, using premium black angus beef aged on premises. Anthony’s is dedicated to bringing customers a truly special dining event every visit. 7220 F St. • 331.7575 anthonyssteakhouse.com

New management’s fresh cocktail menu compliments established wine list on Jones Street

crumbs

In Good Company

84th Street Café Serving delicious cost-conscious food. 8013 S. 83rd Ave. • 597-5003 www.facebook.com/84thstcafe

n Easter is right up there with Mother’s Day when it comes to brunches — it’s one of the busiest days of the year for establishments offering it, so it pays to plan ahead. If you haven’t made a brunch reservation yet, now’s the time. As in, as soon as you’ve finished reading this column, call and make a reservation at the restaurant of your choice. Seriously. Need some ideas? Here’s a rundown of some of the many brunch offerings around town. If you’ve got a taste for escargot, clams and mussels or steak frites in addition to the traditional omelet, there’s the French Café in the Old Market, whose weekly Sunday brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you’re downtown and feel like getting an early start, there’s Liberty Tavern, located inside the Hilton at 10th and Cass, as well as the mighty Dixie Quicks at 19th and Leavenworth, both of which begin serving at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Liberty Tavern charges a flat price ($18 for adults, $6.95 for kids 6-12 and those under five eat free), while Dixie Quicks is ala carte. For the uninitiated, Dixie Quicks’ web site (DixieQuicks.com) does have a menu listed, but those items change throughout the day so it’s best to go with an open mind. They also allow you to bring your own hooch, so if you’re planning on mimosas, be sure to bring your own champagne. You’ve got three brunch options in Midtown Crossing — Crave, Loft 610 and Cantina Laredo all offer brunches, and not just for Easter. You’ll get a complimentary Mimosa or Bloody Mary with brunch at Cantina Laredo or Crave, while Loft 610 offers bottomless mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. Cantina Laredo and Loft 610 offer a la carte brunch items, while Crave patrons can graze at a 25-item buffet. Even dogs can get in on the Easter action at Midtown Crossing this weekend. The midtown development will host an Easter “Begg” hunt (they said that, not me) on Saturday, April 23. Dogs will have the chance to scour the park for treat-filled “beggs” that contain dog treats and certificates for other prizes. The event starts at 11 a.m., but you should be there by 10:45 a.m. Registration is $5 per dog, and you can RSVP via Facebook. Further west, Dario’s Brasserie in Dundee hosts a weekly Sunday brunch, with croissants, crepes and Eggs Benedict in addition to its pitch-perfect Croque Monsieur and notorious Pommes Frites. Check out TheReader.com’s Dish section for more details on brunch offerings around town, including McFoster’s, Fleming’s, Tussey’s and even Hy-Vee. And don’t miss the week in food news from our newest Dish contributor, John Horvatinovich. — Kyle Tonniges

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 |

april 21 - 27, 2011

8 days

TOPTV

American Experience: “Stonewall Uprising”

Monday, April 25, 9 p.m., NET

An excellent documentary on the Stonewall riots benefits from interviews with participants in the celebrated gayrights uprising of 1969. It begins with a chilling account of the subhuman treatment gay people faced pre-Stonewall, from barbaric electric shock “therapy” to harassment from every corner of the American establishment. “Notice how Albert delicately pats his hair and adjusts his collar,” says the narrator of a typical anti-gay propaganda film. “His movements are not characteristic of a real boy.” After an hour’s worth of these horrors, the firsthand account of the militant resistance at Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn is thrilling. Thousands of gay people fought back against a police crackdown, going so far as to pull a parking meter out of the ground to use as a weapon. “In the civil rights movement we ran from the police,” says one commentator. “In the peace movement we ran from the police. That night, the police ran from us, the lowliest of the low. And it was fantastic.” The documentary is so empowering that it makes you feel like pulling up a parking meter yourself. — Dean Robbins

april 21 - 27, 2011

t h e r e a d e r ’ s entertainment picks april 2 1 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 1

THURSDAY21 April 21

April 22-24

Aaron Lewis

Harrah’s Convention Center, 1 Harrah’s Way, Council Bluffs, IA $30 ADV / $35 DOS, 8 p.m., harrahscouncilbluffs.com, 712.329.6000 Aaron Lewis was born in Vermont and raised in Massachusetts. So if there’s one thing the vocalist from monkey-metal band Staind knows, it’s about being a country boy. He tells us about his dirt road living in suburban Springfield, Mass., in his song “Country Boy,” which also addresses aaron lewis political views to the right of Ted Nugent. But hey, George Jones and Charlie Daniels bought into it, or at least the paychecks Stroudavarious Records cut for them. And maybe you do, too, or maybe early aughts bro-metal is your thing. Either way, see the multi-facted ways Aaron Lewis makes a living inside Harrah’s Casino’s Convention Center. — John Wenz

FRIDAY22 April 22

Found Footage Festival

Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. 7 p.m., $10, foundfootagefest.com If you like unintentional comedy and yearn for the days of the humble VCR, this is the show for you. According to their website, hosts and founders Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher “began collecting found videotapes in 1991 after stumbling across a training video entitled, ‘Inside and Outside Custodial Duties’ in a McDonald’s break room.” Hilarity and “an impressive collection of strange, outrageous, and profoundly stupid videos on VHS” ensued. One Percent Productions promises “bad celebrity career moves, drunk guys mooning Hare Krishnas, and, at long last, cats riding motorcycles.” Stick around for

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PICKOFTHEWEEK

picks

Immersed in Ink Tattoo & Arts Festival

Harrah’s Casino, 1 Harrah’s Blvd., Council Bluffs $20 day pass, $35 weekend pass, kids 12 and under FREE, cash only at the door, immersedinink.com, 512.363.6788 If you’d answer yes to any of the following: always wanted a tattoo but never knew what to get; want to show off your tattoo(s); want to show off your craft; enjoy ogling others’ body ink or piercings — check out the Immersed in Ink festival at Harrah’s Casino this weekend. The traveling event presents tattoo workshops, world class sideshows like midget wrestling and human suspension (yes, that’s people hanging tattoo & arts festival from hooks pierced in their body), contests (like “best cartoon character” and “best Japanese traditional”), an open graffiti wall, vendors, and hundreds of pierced and tattooed folks hanging out. The host, Austin-based magazine Immersed In Ink, will hold an alternative model search for a future issue. Featured artists from around the nation will be available for live tattooing including representatives from Authentic Ink, Liquid Courage, Grinn & Barrett, Black Squirrel, Dr. Jack’s Ink Emporium, Sailor’s Grave, Nuclear Ink, Bizarre Body Art, Rawhide Tattoo, Ray’s Tattoo, Eternal Tattoo, Ouch Studios, Amerian Tattoo, Iron Brush Tattoo and Seven Seas Tattoo all of Nebraska. — Sally Deskins a rad late show with Back When, Little Brazil, Taking Mountain and Self Evident. —Sarah Wengert

SATURDAY23 April 23

Earth Day Omaha

Elmwood Park, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE, earthdayomaha.com Back in the day Earth Day celebrations were punctuated with eco-crusading hippies, hackeysacking in Birkenstocks and swathed in patchouli. But, as the Earth itself continues to warm, sustainability too has become an ever-hotter mainstream topic. This year’s Earth

Day Omaha celebration features earth-friendly demos, speakers and family activities, a beer garden, food from local vendors and more, including live music from Matt Cox, Platte River Rain, The Answer team, Brad Hoshaw & the 7 Deadlies and the most recent addition, Satchel Grande. Plus, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Recycling Central offers free electronics recycling; the only exceptions are TVs and monitors, which they’ll still take for a small fee. —Sarah Wengert

April 23

Omaha Friends of Jung Presents Creativity, Imagination and WellBeing Through Art and Music Tip-Top Ballroom, 1502 Cuming St. 7 p.m. to midnight, $20 at the door 402.390.6044, omahafriendsofjung.com

Earth day omaha

A celebration of the Collective Unconscious and the arrival of spring are on tap when local adherents of the late Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung and his tenets throw an archetypal bash. Catch the Dionysian spirit at this event where psychotherapy meets

t h e

rea d er ’ s

creative expression. Get centered with dreamy images from local artists Matt Dinovo, Cait Irwin, Ed Fennell, Jean Mason, Dan Toberer, Levent Oz, Lori Hubbell, Paula Wallace, Mark Nelson, John Dennison and Kristi Pederson. Turn onto soothing sounds by Omaha musicians Bill Carey, Neil Johnson, Bob Kraft, Kevin Swisher, Dave Barger, Neville Yardley and Tim Swisher, who’s also a certified Jungian psychotherapist. It’s not a cult, it’s a way of getting in touch with our memories, dreams and reflections on the path to enlightenment and enrichment. Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar available. — Leo Adam Biga

April 23

The Empty Spaces w/ Honey and Darling and Blue Lights Shine Bright O’Leaver’s, 1322 S. Saddle Creek Rd. 9:30 p.m., $5, oleavers.com

Based in Kansas City, the Empty Spaces is just one of Mat Shoare’s many projects that have ranged from pop punk in high school to metal and finally settling comfortably into indie rock. The Empty Spaces began as a solo project and evolved into a three-piece while recording its self-titled album released last fall. The Empty Spaces’ energetic vocals, backed by lush and at times retro-ish rock accompaniment, make for a formidable complement to label mate Honey and Darling’s sweet and edgy pop and Blue Lights Shine Bright’s pondering instrumentals, creating a perfect lineup for O’Leaver’s tiny, charming stage. — Layne Gabriel

WEDNESDAY27 April 27

John Mellencamp

Music Hall, 1804 Capital Ave. 7 p.m., $44.50-$142.80 402.444.3353, or 800.745.3000, omahacivic.com There’s no guarantee that Meg Ryan, Mellencamp’s new love, will be there but the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famer’s “No Better Than This” tour brings him back to Omaha. The 59-year-old also has a Grammy Award to his credit, and while he made his name

entertainment with Heartland rock ‘n’ roll during the 1980s and ‘’90s, you can expect a more acoustic but no less fiery version of songs old and new. Under the direction of T-Bone Burnett, Mellencamp has moved into folk, which has only added to his growing credibility. Is this really the same guy who debuted as Johnny Cougar all those years ago? Yes, but since he went back to his given name, his career has been one of consistent artistic growth, and with the intimate Music Hall setting offered by this show, it promises to be a memorable one. — Andy Roberts

THURSDAY28 April 28

Martin Lawrence

The Omaha Music Hall, 1804 Capital Ave. 8 p.m., $55-$87, ticketmaster.com Most people identify Martin Lawrence with the hugely successful sitcom, “Martin,” which ran from 1992-97. He loved his girl Gina and couldn’t stand her friend Pam. Before that, he got his start in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, and soon after the MARTIN LAWRENCE success of “Martin,” he established himself as a leading man in Hollywood, starring in films such as Bad Boys, Blue Streak and Big Mama’s House. As a stand-up comedian, Lawrence has appeared on Russell Simmons’ “Def Comedy Jam” and “Saturday Night Live.” Sadly, “SNL” proved not to be a fruitful venture for Lawrence. The crass comedian was banned for life after making crude comments about women’s “private parts” and hygiene. The monologue had to be completely cut out of NBC reruns. Oh well! We still love Martin. Hopefully, he’s learned where to draw the line. Lawrence performs in Omaha this Thursday. — Kyle Eustice

picks

april

2 7,

2 011

THREEUPTHREEDOWN April 28

Omaha Central High School Foundation presents Peter Buffett: “Life is What You Make It: A Concert and Conversation” Omaha Central High School Auditorium, 124 N. 20th St. 7 p.m., $25 for students, $50 general admission, $75 for general admission and VIP reception, 402.556.1996

ur friends and partners from the web at HearNebraska.org caught up with Omaha native Peter Buffett in advance of his April 28 appearance at Omaha Central. The Emmy Award-winning composer, musician, philanthropist and author will present “Life Is What You Make It: A Concert and Conversation with Peter Buffett.” According to a press release, he will be accompanied by Michael Kott, “combining a cello and live piano/vocal performance with video clips of his film, TV, and philanthropic work that trace his career’s journey. Punctuated with his integrity, candor and unique talent, the end result is an inspirational and rewarding event that will resonate with every audience member looking to lead a more fulfilling life.” Consider this a tease; HearNebraska.org founder/editor Andrew Norman spoke with Buffett for 30 minutes last week, and the full interview will be available on his website soon.

Peter buffett

Why do you think Nebraska is a good place for music and the arts? I know what worked for me was that it wasn’t noisy — there wasn’t a lot of distraction. There weren’t a lot of people thinking you had to be this way to be cool or that way to be whatever. I talk about this in my show, that the simplicity and integrity of my upbringing — it wasn’t about my father having money or any of that stuff, because when we were kids we didn’t know he did, because I don’t think he did. It was about my grandparents living a few blocks away. It was about going to the same school where I had the same English teacher my mother had. It was all these things that created a safe environment. I mean, I know they say that musicians and artists have to struggle and be miserable. First of all, I don’t think that’s true, although it does give you things to work with in terms of writing songs and things. I think it’s the environment’s lack of distraction that allows you to (produce art), and that’s why my dad stayed in Omaha, because he could focus on his version of art. I really think the environment — what some people might think, “Geez, this isn’t very exciting” — actually can be a great incubator for great ideas. Do you still consider yourself a Nebraskan? “I do. I loved being in Milwaukee because it kept me feeling like a Midwesterner, and I really felt like that was also a solid base like Omaha was. But, definitely, I consider myself a Nebraskan, and quite frankly probably more so now that I’m in New York. It’s nice to refer to my Nebraska roots.” — Andrew Norman (Ed’s Note: The rest of this interview — including a third question and plenty, plenty more, can be found online at HearNebraska.org.)

picks

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april 21 - 27, 2011

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more information at www.earthdayomaha.org saturday, April 23 | 11am – 6pm | Elmwood Park

Schedule main stage 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 11:55 AM 12:00 PM 12:40 PM 12:55 PM

MUSIC: Matt Cox Senator Heath Mello, State of Nebraska Kristi Wamstad-Evans, Sustainability Coordinator or Omaha MUSIC: Platte River Rain Earth Day Every Day: Papio-Missouri NRD; UNO; MCC DEMONSTRATION: Rain Barrels, with Bobbi Holm

1:10 PM 1:20 PM 1:35 PM 2:10 PM 2:15 PM 2:25 PM 2:40 PM 3:15 PM

Mayor Suttle, City of Omaha GEC Grass Roots Award MUSIC: Bad Country Earth Day Every Day: Recycling Central EDOC Friend of the Environment Awards Earth Day Every Day: Green Omaha Coalition, City Sprouts MUSIC: The Answer Team Earth Day Every Day: Nebraska Renewable Energy Association, Sierra Club

3:25 PM 3:40 PM 4:15 PM 4:25 PM 5:05 PM 5:20 PM

DEMONSTRATION: Tree Planting with Jessica Kelling MUSIC: Witness Tree Earth Day Every Day: USGBC, NSRA MUSIC: Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies Earth Day Every Day: Keep Omaha Beautiful, WasteCap MUSIC: Satchel Grande

additional events 11:00 AM 11:00AM - 2:00 PM 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

The Great Diaper Change, South end of Park Free Electronics Recycling (See EarthDayOmaha.com/schedule.php for important information about accepted items) Exhibitors & Displays Open Children’s Activity Tent Health & Wellness Interactive Demonstrations

Rain information will be posted at EarthDayOmaha.com

Earth Day 2011 Exhibitors, vendors and more Activate Omaha African Culture Connection Allergy Relief Center of NE Amnesty International Audubon Society of Omaha Bioadventures Blue Planet Natural Grill Can Pac Recycling City Sprouts Curbside Rewards Diaper DuDee Diaper Service Energy Rescue, Inc. Ericks Enchiladas

Evolver Omaha Family First Chiropractic First Unitarinan Church of Omaha Frosty Treats Green Omaha Coalition Guardians of the Good Life Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Inc. Hike to Help Refugees/Recycle 4 Refugees Interstate All Battery Center Jonny & Jenny’s Kettle Corn Keep Omaha Beautiful Kinghorn Gardens Lindsey Enterprises

Marriott Omaha Maximized Living McGrath North Metro Community College Metzler Chiropractic Missouri Valley Group Sierra Club National Park Service Nebraska Environmental Trust Nebraska Forest Service Nebraska Solar Energy Society Nebraskans For Peace Nebraskans United for Life Nirvana Pointe Holistic Health Retreat

Northwest Feed & Grain Co. O-HEAT Omaha Biofuels Coop Omaha Farmers Market Omaha Go Club Omaha Green Cohousing Omaha Office of Sustainability Development Omaha Pedalers Bicycle Club Omaha PR&PP Recreation Division Omaha Serves-Lemonade Day OPPD Oxide Design Co. Papio-Missouri River NRD Pizza Shoppe & Pub Benson

ProRail Nebraska R.E.A.S.O.N. Recycling Center ReTree Nebraska RM Green Dane Rescue Sahaja Meditation Saint Bernard Rescue Foundation Save the Whales Second Unitarian Church Select Van & Storage Co. Sierra Club Soup-N-More (Simply Soup Mix) Spring Lake Magnet The Nebraska Vegetarian Society

The Tea Smith LLC The Reader Top to Bottom Baby Transition Omaha Urbane Salon & Day Spa USGBC NE Flatwater Chapter V (Five) Salon Vibelo Designs WasteCap Nebraska Wenninghoff Farm & Greenhouse Whole Foods Market Zoo Academy Nebraska Renewable Energy Association

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NOw ACCEPTINg

Schaffert’s Back with New Novel Delighting in the Curiosities of American Gothic

by Leo Adam Biga

story’s central riddle: A local woman named Daisy claims a daughter, Lenore, has been abducted by an itinerant aerial photographer. Trouble is, there’s no evidence Lenore ever existed. The facts don’t prevent the tale from captivating the local community and the nation. Schaffert says he agonized if the narrative should explain the enigma or not. “A problem I had was to figure out whether the book needed to come to a conclusion about how Daisy came to have these delusions, and I went back and forth about that. There are some earlier versions where there is a kind of extended explanation and in talking to my editor it became clear that was just too complicated or it was just sort of muddying things. So there is nothing definitive — it’s not a mystery solved in a sense.” He says he was interested in writing about “how invested people get into situations that have nothing to do with them and how they adopt other people’s predicaments and apply them to their own conditions. There’s a reluctance to disown a narrative, no matter how far-fetched. No one wants to admit gull-

imothy Schaffert’s new novel The Coffins of Little Hope (Unbridled) takes its elegiac tone from Essie, the elderly obit writer and sage of a fading ag town. Her inquisitiveness and intuition make her the apt narrator for relating this rural gothic tale of faith on trial. Schaffert, founder-director of the Omaha Lit Fest and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln lecturer, has a predilection for idiosyncratic characters. Their various obsessions, compulsions, visions and flights of fancy seem anointed somehow by backwoods environs. He knows the territory — having grown up in Nebraska farm country. His keen observations elevate ordinary small town conventions into something enchanted and surreal. timothy schaffert Even desperate acts and heartbreaking loss are imbued with wonder. Joy and humor leaven the load. Schaffert satirically sets off his beguiling characters and situations with a sweet, never cloying sensibility. The reality’s heightened, not false. He says, “I don’t know why I’m surprised when people find the stories quirky or perverse, although certainly I’m aware of it as I’m writing it. But I don’t think they’re absurd and they’re certainly not held up for ridicule. You don’t want it to be a cartoon. “But it is definitely filtered through imagination. ibility. No one wants to spoil a good mystery. RuI guess it feels a little bit like magical realism without mors, myths and legends take on a life all their own the magic because, yeah, pretty much anything that the more attention we pay to them. happens in the book could actually happen. I mean, “What I’m really looking at is how a community there’s no one levitating, there’s nothing of the super- responds to a tragedy or a crime or an eccentricity that natural really occurring.” has far reaching consequence,” he says. “And we do see Schaffert’s first two novels, The Phantom Limbs of that happening, we see it on the news, we see this kind the Rollow Sisters and The Singing and Dancing Daugh- of perversion or distortion of the tragedy. It’s treated ters of God, trained his whimsy on bucolic nooks and as entertainment, it’s fed back to us in the same way crannies. For Devils in the Sugar Shop he turned his the movies are, with these narratives produced around wry, winking gaze on the bacchanal of the city. them. They are promoted and we are led along.” For his return to God’s Little Acre country in Essie’s grandson, Doc, editor-publisher of the Coffins, Schaffert uses Essie to guide us through the local County Paragraph, feeds the frenzy with install-

ments on the grieving Daisy and the phantom Lenore. Readership grows far beyond the county’s borders. Essie’s obits earn a following too. Her fans include a famous figure with a secret agenda. Then Doc comes to a mid-life crisis decision. He and Essie raised his sister Ivy’s daughter, Tiff, but with Ivy back, Tiff maturing and Essie getting on in years, Doc takes action to restore the family and to lay Lenore to rest. Coffins ruminates on the bonds of family, the power of suggestion, the nature of faith and the need for hope. It has a more measured tone than Schaffert’s past work due to Essie, the mature reporter — the only time he’s used a first-person narrator in a novel. He says the narrative naturally “has to be reconciled with her (Essie’s) own experience. And she’s spent her life writing about death, and now her own life nears its end and so as a writer you have a responsibility to remain true and respectful of that. So, yeah, I think her age brought a kind of gravity to the narration.” Essie’s the book’s sober, anchoring conscience. “And that has to work in order for the novel to work,” says Schaffert. “That what she tells us at the beginning of the novel is true, that she’s recording what she heard, that she’s paid attention, that people trust her.” Schaffert says he didn’t set out to write a firstperson narrative. “It just kind of happened that way. I mean, I definitely had the plot in mind and some of the characters and what I wanted to happen, but I couldn’t quite get started. I one day just started writing and it was in the first person, but I didn’t know who the narrator was. I figured that out shortly thereafter and even as I kind of wrote the first draft I still didn’t feel I knew her (Essie) that terribly well. “It was really in revision I figured out how prominent she needed to be, and that if she was going to be the narrator it really needed to be her story, in her voice, so once I figured that out it then came together in my mind.” He admires Essie’s grit. “She has a sense of herself of having a particularly special gift for writing about the dead, and she takes that very seriously. She’s not at all self-deprecating and I like that about her. She recognizes her importance to the community and the importance of the newspaper, which she really fights for.” Before Essie became paramount, he says Doc and Tiff took precedence. As an amateur magician Doc’s long pressed Tiff into service as his assistant. Doc, the surrogate parent, is tempted to keep her a child in the magic box used in their act. “One of the earliest images I had for the book was Tiff outgrowing the magic box,” says Schaffert. “I read something about a woman who worked as a

books

n There’s a dual book signing this Saturday at the Bookworm in Countryside Village at 87th and Pacific. Sarah McKinstry-Brown will sign copies of her book, Cradling Monsoons, and Amy Plettner will sign hers, Undoing Orion’s Belt, at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Both writers have received MFAs from the University of Nebraska — McKinstry-Brown’s in poetry and Plettner’s in writing — and both are promoting their first books. n Did you set your alarm clock early for Record Store Day last Saturday? Do you pride yourself on your knowledge of arcane movie trivia? Do you go out of your way to try the latest microbrew? If you answered “yes” to any of these (or even if you didn’t), do yourself a favor and check out the supremely amazing Indie Cred Test, an immense, impressive and hilarious takedown of hipsterdom in all its forms. Subtitled “Everything You Need to Know About Knowing Everything You Need To Know,” the lengthy quiz will inevitably hit close to home. Resembling an SAT or ACT test, the Indie Cred Test covers such topics as general wardrobe (“Is there any kind of T-shirt that can’t be worn ironically?”), food (“Do you ever find yourself in heated discussions about why barbecue is a noun and not a verb?”), music (“Has Henry Rollins spit on you more than once?”) and much, much, much more. There are essay questions — “Name five tolerable bands on Saddle Creek. (Bonus for non-shared members)” and “How did you handle your unexpected total disinterest in Fugazi after loving them for so long?” as well as checklists of journalist jargon: “Have you ever described a band or their record as ‘axe-wielding,’ ‘angular,’ or ‘visceral?’ and multiple choice questions. Given the book’s breadth and scope, it will inevitably hit way too close to home in some areas. Still, it’s laser-focused precision and egalitarian approach to skewering hipsterdom in all its forms is commendable. — Kyle Tonniges

booked

Enchanting Author

culture

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

magician’s assistant and she had done this trick in this box until she couldn’t fit into it anymore. That seemed sort of profound to me and fit so perfectly this relationship between Doc and Tiff.” The tension of growing up, holding on, letting go, he says, “seems to be a theme I keep returning to — these delicate relationships between parents and children ... these constant renegotiations.” , For more information about Timoth Schaffert, visit the author’s website at timothyschaffert.com.

| THE READER |

april 21 - 27, 2011

theater Broadway classic coming to Omaha next week

by Warren Francke

ou think no one can love Les Miserables more than you and your friends who rate it the greatest artistic achievement of the entire 20th century. And then you talk to Ron Sharpe. He’ll return to the Orpheum Theater next week as Jean Valjean in Cameron Mackintosh’s 25th anniversary production of the most popular musical in the history of the world. Such claims seem outrageous, even for a show seen by about 60 million people in 42 countries and 21 languages. Then put yourself in the shoes of Sharpe, who has performed in it more than 3,500 times, the only man to play both Valjean and Marius on Broadway. He was Marius earlier in Omaha and his future wife Barbra was Cosette. So they crossed the river to Council Bluffs and got married. Once while playing those two roles, they joined an online group chatting as the romantic couple and told the others, “We really are Marius and Cosette,” and they were showered with cyber love. Ron tells Samantha, 16, the oldest of their four children, “You were in Les Miz, but you didn’t get your Equity card ‘cause you were in momma’s tummy.” (“She can sing better than both of us,” Sharpe adds.) And son Logan, nearly 9, auditioned for Gavroche, the waif, and, “I’m sure he’ll play it some day.” If all this isn’t enough to convince Sharpe that he’s starring in “the greatest show of all time,” he thinks of his father. “He’s blue-collar, a railroad guy” with a tear rolling down his cheek while his son sings, “Bring Him Home.” This writer was recently reminded that he forgets to breathe when Valjean pleads with God to hear his prayer as battle rages in the streets of Paris. If you’ve seen the public television production of the show’s 25th anniversary celebration in London, here’s another reason to envy Ron Sharpe. He was among those invited by Mackintosh to participate in that grand party with its creators, the cast past and present, the London symphony and a chorus of hundreds.

april 21 - 27, 2011

“I sat in a chair next to so many Valjeans.” Like most of us, he agrees that none sings the role quite like Colm Wilkinson, “no one else has that presence.” Earlier, Colm advised him, “You have to pace yourself,” when singing the role eight times a week. “You can’t sing as loud as you can all the time.” During intermissions, Sharpe brings his voice to a different, softer place for the second act delivery of “Bring Him Home.” That London event added to his thousands of memories of lives affected by the musical treatment of Victor Hugo’s classic novel. He re-

He won’t be surprised if his children find Les Miz roles in the future. Over 2,500 productions are scheduled and being performed in schools across the UK, US and Australia. The original cast recording went platinum and it was only one of 36 cast recordings. The video of the 10th anniversary Royal Albert Hall concert sold millions and the 25th anniversary DVD is off to a fast start. When rumors spread that it would be part of the Omaha Community Playhouse season a decade or so ago, season ticket sales soared. That didn’t happen because touring companies have

les miserables

calls when the full ensemble ended the evening singing, “Will you join in our crusade?” and a man stood up in the fifth row, “like, yes, I’m going to join.” For nearly nine of the last 21 years, he has performed in Les Miserables. “I’ve worked with every director who has directed the show.” Before playing Marius, the romantic lead role, he was Feuilly, the student warrior who sings, “Drink with me to days gone by.” This journey began soon after he left the University of Illinois and was working as a vocalist in Nashville. He was driving, listening to a cassette of the cast album, and “I thought everyone in it sounded like me.” About then a semi-trailer from the show rolled by on the highway and his future seemed preordained.

| THE READER |

theater

returned several times to the Orpheum and the Lied Center in Lincoln. The only down side of this story is that us enthusiasts feel terrible about friends who’ve never experienced the great pleasure it brings. If you can find a ticket anywhere in the house, grab a seat before it’s gone again. Chances are you’ll sit near someone who has seen it umpteen times. If it’s me, I promise not to sing along. And know my tears are of joy. , Les Miserables runs April 26-May 1,Tues.-Thurs. at 7:30 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., presented by Omaha Performing Arts at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Omaha at 409 S. 16th St. Tickets start at $25 at ticketomaha.com or 402.345.0606.

coldcream

Don’t Miz It

n My Occasion of Sin is the answer to two questions: What’s the title of the play that opened at the Shelterbelt Theater? And can comments on four performances squeeze into one column? Look for more below on the play of that name, but my occasion of sin begins here with quick peeks at theater-going that began last Wednesday with Twelfth Night at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Enough was written in advance about the distinctive use of miles of mutable fabric from China, so I’ll just praise two performances from an all-around appealing cast: Amy Schweid commanded the spotlight as Maria, the rambunctious servant to Olivia. She’s always a joy to watch, but it was especially fun to see her elevate a role that seemed less entertaining in past viewings. And the talented Erica DeBoer was remarkably convincing in one of those gender-switching roles (Viola disguised as Cesario) so common to Shakespearean comedy. The next night brought another oft-seen play, Steel Magnolias at the Omaha Community Playhouse, and another surprise favorite. From the film and earlier stage versions, M’lynn, Ouiser or Clairee tended to be delightful and those roles were well-done here. But my heart went to Jennifer McGill as Annelle, who starts klutzy and repressed, then blossoms while nurtured by Truvy and the other Southern ladies who hang out at the hair salon. After it rained all day Friday, we skipped theater to say farewell to the UNO wrestling team and the most successful coach in the state’s history, Mike Denney. I’m not measuring that by his many national titles, but by young lives encouraged, including more than 60 who became wrestling coaches. It was dramatic enough to see dozens of strong men paying tribute to the mentor who prays for them daily. Then Saturday was the single chance to see the smoothest cabaret performance imaginable as Becky Noble and husband Keith Allerton treated a near-capacity crowd at the Omaha Press Club to songs starting with “It Might as Well Be Spring” and ending with “Send in the Clowns” and “Lets Fall in Love.” On Sunday, we saw the play called My Occasion of Sin build to a powerful climax with the shooting of black teen-ager Vivian Strong (a poignant performance by Jocelyn Eusery) and the resulting riots. Her portrayal was well matched by Bailey Newman as a white Catholic teen-ager from South Omaha who trades her accordion and polka for drum lessons and jazz. — Warren Francke Cold Cream looks at theater in the metro area. Email information to coldcream@thereader.com.

| THE READER |

april 21 - 27, 2011

art

OpeningS

BANCROFT STREET MARKET, 2702 S. 10th St., 680.6737, bancroftstreetmarket.com. ART SHOW: New work by Dan Bossemeyer, opens Apr. 22-23. BLUE SUSHI, 416 S. 12th St., designallianceomaha.org. PECHAKUCHA OMAHA: Volume 11, Academic Version, opens Apr. 21, 8:20 p.m. CHADRON STATE COLLEGE, 1000 Main St., Chadron, NE, 800.242.3766, csc.edu. ADVANCED ART STUDIO STUDENT SHOW: Group show, through Apr. 29. ELDER GALLERY, 51st and Huntington, Nebraska Wesleyan University, nebrwesleyan.edu. SENIOR EXHIBITION: Group show, through May 15, reception Apr. 24, 2 p.m. GOVERNOR’S RESIDENCE EXHIBITION, 1425 H St., Lincoln. NEW WORK: Bryce Speed, through May 20. HILLMER ART GALLERY, College of St. Mary, 7000 Mercy Rd., 399.2400, csm.edu. STUDENT ART EXHIBITION: Opens Apr. 27May 4, reception May 5, 4 p.m. KANEKO, 1111 Jones St., 341.3800, thekaneko.org. PORTALS: A multimedia performance project with Tim Fain and Kate Hackett, opens Apr. 21, 7 p.m., $15. KIECHEL FINE ART, 5733 S. 34th St., Lincoln, 420.9553, kiechelart.com. POR EL RIO DEL TIEMPO: New work by Francisco Soto, opens Apr. 22-Jun. 3, reception Apr. 22, 6 p.m. SKUTT STUDENT CENTER ART GALLERY, Creighton University, 2500 California Plz., creighton.edu. SOUNDSCAPING MOTHER EARTH: Opens Apr. 25-29. UNL HILLESTAD TEXTILES GALLERY, 35th and Holdrege, 2nd Floor, Home Economics Bldg., Lincoln. textilegallery.unl.edu. PASSAGES AND PERMUTATIONS: JOURNEYS THROUGH SPACE: Exerimental garments and other fiber works by students, through Apr. 27.

ONGOING

AGAINST THE WALL, 6220 Havelock Ave., Lincoln, 467.3484, againstthewallgallery.com. NEW WORK: New work by wildlife painter Jim Miklavcic and work by several of his students, through Apr. ANDERSON O’BRIEN FINE ART OLD MARKET, 1108 Jackson St., 884.0911, aobfineart.com. NEW WORK: Rein Vanderhill, through Apr. 24. ANKENY ART CENTER, 1520 SW Road, Ankeny, IA, 515.965.0940, ankenyartcenter.com. K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS: Through Apr. ARTISTS’ COOPERATIVE GALLERY, 405 S. 11th St., artistscoopgallery.com. ALL MEMBER SHOW: Through May 1. BIRDHOUSE COLLECTIBLE, 1111 N. 13th St., Suite 123, 577.0711, biz@birdhouseinteriors.com. NEW WORK: Adam Hershey, through May 14. BLUE POMEGRANATE GALLERY, 6570 Maple St., 502.9901, bluepom.com. THE FINE ART OF FOOLIN AROUND: Group show, featuring Linda Hatfield, LaVerne David Thompson, Naava Naslavsky and Mark Goodall, through Apr. BURKHOLDER PROJECT, 719 P St., Lincoln, 477.3305, burkholderproject.com. TROPICS: New work by John Nollendorfs. 7 X 7: Group Show. NEW WORK: Mary Hasenauer. NATURES BEAUTY: New work by Jerry Hall. All shows continue through April. CATHEDRAL CULTURAL CENTER SUTHERLAND GALLERY, 701 N. 40th St., 551.4888, cathedralartsproject.org. MARY IN ART: The Bruges Madonna and Other Works depicting Mary, opens through May 27. CREIGHTON LIED ART GALLERY, 2500 California St., 280.2392, finearts.creighton.edu. PORTAL: Group show featuring new work by Shun-Sho Fong, Aubrey Inman and Kelly Standing, through Apr. 29 DRIFT STATION GALLERY, 1745 N St., Lincoln, driftstation.org. FIND AND REPLACE: Poetry, animation, audio/video group show curated by Jeff Thompson, through Apr. 30. DUNDEE GALLERY, 4916 Underwood Ave., 505.8333, dundeegallery.com. ANNIVERSARY SHOW: Group show, through Apr. 24. DURHAM WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, 801 S. 10th St., 444.5071, durhammuseum.org. CAPTURE THE MOMENT: Pulitzer Prize photographs, through Jul. 10. NEWSFLASH: Photography by Robert Paskach, through Jul. 10. EISENTRAGER-HOWARD GALLERY, Richards Hall, Stadium Drive and T, Lincoln, 472.5025, unl.edu/art/facilities_eisentrager-

April 21-27, 2011

howard.shtml. MFA THESIS EXHIBITION III: Byron Anway & Mehgan Sullivan, through Apr. 22. EL MUSEO LATINO, 4701 S. 25th St., elmuseolatino.org. MOLAS EXHIBIT: Textiles created by the Kuna people of Panama. EL CABALLO: The horse in Mexican Folk Art, continues through May 4. FRED SIMON GALLERY, Burlington Building, 1004 Farnam St., nebraskaartscouncil.org. NEW WORK: Anne and Mike Burton, through Apr. 22. GRAHAM GALLERY, 617 W. 2nd St., Hastings, graham-gallery. com. CERAMIC INVITATIONAL: Group show, through Apr. 27. GREAT PLAINS ART MUSEUM, 1155 Q St., Hewit Plc., Lincoln, 472.0599, unl.edu/plains/gallery/gallery.shtml. PAPER PLANES: New artwork by Allen Eckman and Patty Eckman, through May 1. HAYDON CENTER, 335 N. 8th St., Lincoln, 475.5421, haydonartcenter.org. WIND ON EARTH: Native American group show, through May 7, reception May 6. HISTORIC GENERAL DODGE HOUSE, 605 3rd St., Council Bluffs, 501.3841, dodgehouse.org. IN MEMORY OF... THE ART OF MOURNING: Examines a family’s response to loss and mourning in the late Victorian period, through Oct. 23. HITHCOCK NATURE CENTER, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA, pottcoconservation.com. TALL GRASS PRAIRIE- PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE: Through Apr. 28. HOT SHOPS ARTS CENTER, 1301 Nicholas St., 342.6452, hotshopsartcenter.com. OLD FRIENDS, NEW WORK: Group show, through May 1. OPS ART TEACHERS SHOW: Group show, through Apr. 24. JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS: Group show, through Apr. 25. INTERNATIONAL QUILT STUDY CENTER AND MUSEUM, 1523 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, 472.7232, quiltstudy.org. NEBRASKA QUILTS AND QUILTMAKERS: Local oriented group show, through Oct. 2. JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, 333 S. 132nd St., jccomaha. org. NEW WORK: Photography by Dan Thrasher, though Apr. JOSLYN ART MUSEUM, 2200 Dodge St., 342.3300, joslyn.org. THE GLORY OF UKRAINE: Two part exhibition that forms an unprecedented celebration of this large European nation, through May 8. FROM HOUDINI TO HUGO: The art of Brian Selznick, through May 29. KIMMEL HARDING NELSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 801 3rd Corso, Nebraska City, khncenterforthearts.org. LAURINE KIMMEL HIGH SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION: Group show, hrough Apr. 30. LAURITZEN GARDENS, 100 Bancroft St., 346.4002, omahabotanicalgardens.org. A TROPICAL PARADISE: Amazing tropical plants, through Apr. LUX CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 48th and Baldwin, Lincoln, 434.2787, luxcenter.org. LIGHT PLAY: New work by Cathy Breslaw, through May 28. NATIONAL JURIED CUP EXHIBITION: Julia Galloway juries, through Apr. 30. MODERN ARTS MIDWEST, 800 P St., Lincoln, 477.2828, modernartsmidwest.com. APRIL SHOWERS: Group show featuring Jacqueline Kluver, Merrill Peterson, Larry Roots, Marsha Solomon and Iggy Sumnik, through Apr. 30. MORRILL HALL, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln 472.3779, museum. unl.edu. AMPHIBIANS VIBRANT AND VANISHING: Photographs by Joel Sartore, through Nov. 30. MR. TOAD, 1002 Howard St. LUIGI WAITES EXHIBIT: Artwork honoring Luigi Waites, through May 30. MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART (MONA), 2401 Central Ave., Kearney, 308.865.8559, monet.unk.edu/mona. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM: Through Jun. 5. STUDENT ART SHOW: Group show, through May 15. THE NEW BLK, 1213 Jones St., 403.5619, thenewblk.com. CREATIVITY IN CRISIS: A benefit show for Kent Bellows Studio, through Apr. 29. OLD MARKET ARTISTS, 1034 Howard St., Lower Level of Old Market Passageway, oldmarketartists.com. THE SOUL OF GUATEMALA: New work by Lisa Maciejewski, through Apr. PARALLAX SPACE, 1745 N St., Lincoln, parallaxspace.com. SIGHT//NON-SIGHT: Juried exhibition, through Apr. 24. PASSAGEWAY GALLERY, 417 South 11th St, passagewaygallery.com. COPPER CREATIONS: New work by Randy Patzer, through Apr. 30. RNG GALLERY, 1915 Leavenworth St., LES FEMMES FOLLES: This group show celebrates the Woman’s body, the Woman artist and the Woman’s POV of the Woman, through May 1.

| THE READER |

art/theater listings

check event listings online! SHELDON ART GALLERY, 12th and R, UNL, Lincoln, sheldonartgallery.org. AN AMERICAN TASTE: THE ROHMAN COLLECTION: Through May 1. POETICAL FIRE: THREE CENTURIES OF STILL LIFES: Group show, through May 7. TRANSFORMING VISION: PHOTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION IN SHELDON’S COLLECTION: Group show, in conjunction with Lincoln Photofest. TUGBOAT GALLERY, 14th and O, 2nd floor, Lincoln, tugboatgallery.com. NEW WORK: Group show featuring Ben Moore, Andrew Holmquist and David Brian Dobbs, curated by Byron Anway, through Apr. 30. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD MUSEUM, 200 Pearl St., Council Bluffs, 501.3841, uprrmuseum.org. ABRAHAM LINCOLN COLLECTION: Through Mar. UNO ART GALLERY, Weber Fine Arts Bldg., 6001 Dodge St., 554.2796. WORKS BY GRADUATES: Group show by May BFA and BASA graduates, through May 6. UNO CRISS GALLERY, 6001 Dodge St., 554.2640, library.unomaha.edu. THE JAZZ ART OF DAVID STONE MARTIN: Through May 19. WORKSPACE GALLERY, Sawmill Building, 440 N. 8th St., Lincoln, sites.google.com/site/workspacegallery. SELECTIONS FROM THE FORTIETH PARALLEL: MISSOURI, KANSAS, AND COLORADO: New work by Bruce Myren, through May 5.

theater oPENING

DISNEY’S “CHOO CHOO SOUL”, Lied Center, 12th & R St., Lincoln, 472.4747, liedcenter.org. Opens Apr. 27, 7 p.m., $14, $7/students. LES MISERABLES, Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St., 345.0606, omahaperformingarts.org. Opens Apr. 26-May 1, various showtimes, $25. NOBODY GETS PAID, Shelterbelt Theatre, 3225 California St, 341.2757, shelterbelt.org. Opens Apr. 22-May 7, Fri.-Sat., 10:30 p.m., $10. RED THEATER: BLOODLINES, Bourbon Theatre, 1415 O St., Lincoln, bourbontheatre.com. Opens Apr. 26, 9 p.m., $7. SPRING AWAKENING, Lied Center, 12th & R St., Lincoln, 472.4747, liedcenter.org. Opens Apr. 25, 7:30 p.m., $40, $20/ students.

oNGOING

MY OCCASION OF SIN, Shelterbelt Theatre, 3225 California St, 341.2757, shelterbelt.org. Through May 8, Thu-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 6 p.m., $15, $12/students and seniors. STEEL MAGNOLIAS, Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., 553.0800, omahaplayhouse.com. Through May 8, Wed.Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m. & 6:30 p.m., $35, $21/students. TWELFTH NIGHT, UNO Theatre, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6001 Dodge St., unomaha.edu. Apr. 20-23, 7 p.m., $15, $10/seniors, $5/students.

poetry/comedy thursday 21

AS THE WORM TURNS, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 6:30 p.m. (3rd Thursday.) COMEDY NIGHT AT THE SIDE DOOR, 3530 Leavenworth St., 8 p.m., $5. Every Thu. ERNESTA LACLAU, Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, 12th & R St., Lincoln, sheldonartmuseum.org, 5:30 p.m. Lecture, “From Athens (Via Alexandria) to Baghdad: Medieval Arabic Rhetoric as Dialogue.” FOUND FOOTAGE FEST, Bourbon Theatre, 1415 O St., Lincoln, bourbontheatre.com, 7 p.m., $10. The Found Footage Festival is a one-of-a-kind event that showcases footage from videos that were found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters across the country.

HOLDER LECTURE, Callen Conference Center, One Block East of 50th & St. Paul Ave., Nebraska Wesleyan, nebrwesleyan.edu. Lecture, “From Athens (Via Alexandria) to Baghdad: Medieval Arabic Rhetoric as Dialogue.” PROVOKE, Benson Grind, 6107 Maple St., 7 p.m. Hosted by Jack Hubbell. (1st & 3rd Thu.) Poetry open mic where variety is encouraged and anything goes. J. MEDICINE HAT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m. J is a top draw in the Funny Bone chain, performing at their clubs throughout the country.

FRIDAY 22

FOUND FOOTAGE FEST, Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St., waitingroomlounge.com, 7 p.m., $10. The Found Footage Festival is a one-of-a-kind event that showcases footage from videos that were found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters across the country. J. MEDICINE HAT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m, 9:45 p.m. J is a top draw in the Funny Bone chain, performing at their clubs throughout the country.

SATURDAY 23

CIVIL WAR BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 10 a.m. RAINBOW ROWELL, W. Dale Clark Library, 215 S. 15th St., omahapubliclibrary.org, 1:30 p.m. Author talk and book signing. SARAH MCKINSTRY-BROWN & AMY PLETTNER, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 1 p.m. Authors will sign Undoing Orion’s Belt. J. MEDICINE HAT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m, 9:30 p.m. J is a top draw in the Funny Bone chain, performing at their clubs throughout the country.

Sunday 24

ARCAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA LECTURE SERIES, Abbott Lecture Hall, Joslyn Art Museum, 2201 Dodge St., joslyn.org, 2 p.m. John Younger presents lecture entitled Building the Parthenon. J. MEDICINE HAT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7 p.m. J is a top draw in the Funny Bone chain, performing at their clubs throughout the country.

monday 25

DUFFY’S COMEDY WORKSHOP, 1412 O St., Lincoln, 474.3543, myspace.com/duffystavern, 9 p.m. Free comedy workshop (every Mon.) POETRY AT THE MOON, Crescent Moon Coffee, 816 P St., Lincoln, 435.2828, crescentmoon@inebraska.com, 7 p.m. Open mic and featured readers. (every Mon.) WWII HISTORY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP, The Bookworm, 87th and Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 2 p.m.

tuesday 26

LINDA JENSEN, Omaha Public Library, W. Clarke Swanson Branch, 9101 Dodge Rd, omahalibrary.org, 6:30 p.m. Author of The Bow Wow Chronicles: Growing Up in a Wild and Wonderful Family. SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF, The Hideout, 320 S. 72nd St., 504.4434, myspace.com/shootyourmouthoff, 9 p.m. Spoken word, comedy, music and chaos (every Tue.) WWI HISTORY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP, The Bookworm, 87th & Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday 27

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC FOR MUSICIANS & POETS, Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, 1624 S. St., Lincoln, 8 p.m., 477.2007. Hosted by Spencer. (every Wed.) MIDWEST POETRY VIBE, Irie, 302 S. 11th St., 9 p.m., poetry, R&B, Neosoul music, live performances, concert DVD and food and drink. (Every Wed.) PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL: BUGSY MALONE, McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Farnam, 7 p.m., FREE. With a cast of child actors -- including Scott Baio as the titular Busy Malone -- director Alan Parker’s audacious musical sends up Prohibition-era mobster flicks. (every Wed.) UNTAMED SHREWS, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m.

TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY APRIL 23 AT 10 AM!

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april 21 - 27, 2011

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APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

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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). ©2011, Caesars License Company, LLC.

Signposts to ‘Arabia’ Black Lips work with producer Mark Ronson on new album, due out in June

by Chris Aponick

Ronson, who also produced the new Duran Duran album. Alexander says it won’t be a shedding of the band’s true spirit for studio-honed polish. Instead, it’s more of the band focusing intently on how they make a record. He says the band wanted to work with an outside producer and it clicked with Ronson the second he told them that he was a fan and didn’t want to alter the way they sounded. “ We spent a year working on making it awesome,” Alexander says. “It sounds like

ecrecy still shrouds most of what is contained on the Black Lips’ sixth studio album, Arabia Mountain, but two prerelease video clips point towards the black lips two different directions for the Atlanta flower-punk act. The video for “Go Out & Get It,” sung by drummer Joe Bradley, is a garage popper filled with goofy, drunken antics from on board a cruise ship and beach side during February’s first annual Bruise Cruise, a festival of garage rock bands that took place on a cruise ship. It’s the Black Lips that most people have seen or read about in print. The cruise and the video include both current Lips’ tour mates the Vivian Girls. The band-packed cruise felt like a vacation with friends, says Black Lips co-vocalist/guitarist Cole Alexander. “It was a drunken excursion,” he says. the Black Lips, but better. It enhances what is Meanwhile the Jared Swilley-sung “Modern good about us.” Art,” the first taste of the band’s collaboration The band pitched the idea of working with with producer Mark Ronson, comes with a video a big-time producer on their label, Vice Records, that explores the band’s identity as dark-hearted throwing out Ronson’s name next to other big occultists willing to dabble in black magic voo- names, including Dr. Dre. doo. There’s an acid freakout middle, a human During the sessions, the band used raw meat skull and found footage of exploding ordnance. for percussion, had someone come in and play a The band has always been driven towards ex- saw and even used a human skull for a reverberaploring that side. There’s a spiritual force that al- tion chamber. An experiment with a Theremin ways needs to be reckoned with, Alexander says. was scrapped, as well. “We’re always trying to tap into that,” he “We’re always trying to find new stuff to acsays. “Whether it’s real or not.” quire to put on the record,” Alexander says. “Modern Art” is a song that also goes a The band found the skull at Obscura, an long way toward showing just what might be antiques and oddities shop on Manhattan’s in store for the rest of the tracks produced by Lower East Side.

“We definitely sought it out,” Alexander says of the skull purchase. The next step was rigging the skull to process vocal and guitar parts through. Once the band figured out just how, Alexander says they immediately liked the effect. “The echo reverberation is very similar to what you would hear in your own head,” he says. Opposite of the Ronson sessions, the band also recorded in California with Mike McHugh, who tracked the Black Lips’ breakthrough album, 2005’s Let It Bloom. “We wanted to get that magic powder back on there,” Alexander says. Though Alexander says the band has definitely gotten better at their respective instruments, there’s never been a growing feeling that they were becoming a professional band. In fact, Alexander says since Day 1 of the Black Lips, he knew he’d be in this for life. When asked, that’s exactly how Alexander puts it. “Day one. Think about it.” He pauses, then makes sure he’s being fully understood. “You got to write ‘Think about it’ after ‘Day One.’” The band likes to get paid for playing music, but that’s not what it’s all about. Alexander says the band is only still barely getting paid for their art. “If we don’t get paid, we’ll still play music,” he says. In lieu of getting rich, Alexander has a list of just what he wants the Black Lips to be known for. “Fear, mayhem, panic, innovation and pseudo-science. We are part of the Flat Earth Society.” , The Black Lips w/ the Vivian Girls and Solid Goldberg play the Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St., Monday, April 25, at 9 p.m. Tickets are $13. For more information, visit onepercentproductions.com.

music

n Blue Bird, fronted by singer Marta Fielder, have released a new EP, Metamorphosis. The five-song set is the band’s first release and is available as a download via CDBaby.com. The band recorded the EP at ARC Studios with A.J. Mogis. The seven-piece band describes their sound as mixing “influences of folk, soul, doo-wop, and Americana into intricately woven pop songs.” n The coolest local music thing I’ve seen lately: The Youtube video blog of local musician Dereck Higgins (currently of InDreama). In between live videos of bands like Conduits and Icky Blossoms, Higgins recounts recent vinyl purchases in a record room that looks like a treasure trove. While the comments seem to indicate that his audience is mostly other in-the-know audiophiles, just watching Higgins joyfully express a lifetime of learning and loving music is worth watching. Check out his YouTube page at Youtube.com/ dereckvon. Thanks to HearNebraska.org for the head’s up on this. n Shelterbelt Theatre, 3225 California St., is coupling live jazz performances with a series of short plays called Nobody Gets Paid. The play, written by Ellen Struve, compiles tales of the jazz life inspired by her travels with her husband, saxophonist Kevin Pike. The 10:30 p.m. shows run three consecutive weekends, starting this Friday and Saturday. Musical performers include the Kevin Pike Quartet, the Steve Helfand Trio, the Doyle Tipler Trio and the Matt Amandus Trio. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit Shelterbelt.org. n Omaha indie-poppers Thunder Power are still trying to kick start their way into ARC Studios to record their debut album with producer A.J. Mogis. The band has booked the time, but are hoping to raise $2,000 via Kickstarter,com to help pay for the sessions. Once recorded, the band plans to release the album via Slumber Party Records. n No line-up announced yet, but Red Sky Festival is plugged into the worldwide web now. That site is redskyfestival.com. With a little more than 80 days until the festival starts, let’s hope a lineup announcement is soon. n Dear Waiting Room Lounge, Thank you for the Cold Cave show July 31. Sincerely, every ‘80s-obsessed kid who insists he/she isn’t really goth, but kinda is. (Me included.) P.S. More Matador bands please.

backbeat

music

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

| THE READER |

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

lazy-i T H E

O M A H A

M U S I C

Dodging traffic and tornados with The Rural Alberta Advantage

he Rural Alberta Advantage keyboard player, Amy Cole, had every reason for sounding distracted. You try riding through road-rage fueled traffic on Interstate 5 in Los Angeles in a van pulling a trailer while the rest of your band is shouting directions in the background — the same silver 2003 Dodge Caravan, incidentally, which carried The Rural Alberta Advantage to Omaha for the first time two years ago. Now just two years later, the band was headed to Coachella to kick off the festival’s outdoor stage. “It’s really important to us,” Cole says of Coachella. “We’re excited to be on the bill with all these other artists. It’s crazy to us that we’re allowed to be part of it.” Her modesty is somewhat out of place, especially when you consider that the band’s first album, Hometowns, was lauded with an 8.0 by indie tastemaker Pitchfork, who called them “the best unsigned band in Canada before Saddle Creek snapped them up.” The trio’s sophomore effort, Departing, released just last month on Saddle Creek, is even more thoughtful, more tuneful, more refined than its predecessor. With the festival still a few days away at the time of the interview, something tells me the hip Coachella crowd is going to drink up their whirlingdirvish-on-the-verge-of-spinning-out-of-control stage vibe. Cole said she hadn’t thought much about Coachella. “We’ve been on tour,” she says. “We’ll probably talk about the set list tonight.” Just the night before, the band finished the second of two sold-out nights at the 350-capacity Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, one of the bay area’s most famous clubs. If there’s a difference between 2009 and now, it’s the number of shows The RAA now plays and the number of people turning out for them. “Everything is increasing, but it doesn’t feel different,” Cole says. “The energy feels the same.” Just then a muffled shout of “He’s standing right there” came from someone else in the van, maybe RAA frontman Nils Edenloff or drummer Paul Banwatt. Cole broke off the interview for a moment, explaining that they we’re trying to pick up her boyfriend from in front of a hotel. Confused noise ensued. Doors opened and shut. And then, muted laughter. “OK, I’m back, what did you ask me?” I get the feeling I was getting in the way of a long-awaited reunion, loving hugs and much-needed catching up. Instead, here was Cole having to “deal with” some

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M C M A H A N

music writer in Omaha. I probably would have just hung up on me. Instead, she talked about how life on the road is the worst part of being in a band. There’s no question that you’re going to miss a lot when you play a couple hundred shows over the course of two years. “Being away from your friends and family is hard,” she says. “You’re missing out on the stuff that other people get to do, but at the same time, not everyone gets to do this. It’s never 100 percent fun all the time, but we still enjoy what we’re doing, playing songs for people.” We abruptly switched gears. Cole told me that making the new album was in some ways similar to making their debut. Producer Roger Leavens again was along for the ride. But unlike that first album, where they had four months to record it with no set deadline and no label breathing down their necks, Cole said they had to consider getting something to Saddle Creek. “This time we did a lot more writing and recording simultaneously,” she says. “Whereas Hometowns had already been written, and we’d been performing the songs for years (before entering the studio). This time people are hearing the songs for the first time.” One exception is “Tornado ‘87.” “That one we’ve been playing live a long time,” Cole says. “It was a keyboard-driven song that we tried to record before, but it never sounded right. Then one day we tried it on guitar...” The song was inspired by a freak F5 tornado that struck Edmonton on July 31, 1987, killing 27 people and laying waste to 300 houses. Over simple acoustic guitar, Edenloff croons: “Oh Lord I lost you I held you tight / Oh I will hold onto your love in the night / And the black sky will come before our eyes / Oh I let’s lay down in the basement tonight.” And then Banwatt cracks out rifle-shot drums, as Cole lays on keyboards and her own wind-swept vocals. The song has RAA’s trademark dust-devil sound that’s garnered comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel and Deer Tick, among others. Cole says the once-dreaded song has become a favorite of hers, and is especially meaningful in places like Nebraska, which are susceptible to just such meteorological occurrences. Unlike RAA’s home of Toronto. There certainly was no chance of any tornadoes striking Indio, Calif. “We rented a house and plan on spending the whole weekend at the festival,” Cole says, “at least when we’re not lounging around the pool. It’ll be nice to stay in one place for awhile.” , The Rural Alberta Advantage plays with Lord Huron and Gus & Call Thusday, April 21, at Slowdown Jr. Tickets are $10 and thow starts at 9 p.m. Check out theslowdown.com for more information.

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

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

hoodoo

b l u e s ,

r o o t s ,

a m e r i c a n a

a n d

Gaffney Remembered, Magness at Zoo Bar & More

itting down to write this on April 17, I am remembering Chris Gaffney, who passed away three years ago on this date. He died after a brief but valiant battle with inoperable liver cancer. Gaffney was one of the most formidable singers of country and soul in his generation. He was just beginning to get the recognition he deserved. Thankfully his music remains with us. Just look up Chris Gaffney on youtube to have a listen to this great singer. He was one of my musical heroes and he became a friend too. He was a member of the Zoo Bar family during his solo career and returned often both with Dave Alvin’s band and then with his own band, The Hacienda Brothers. The Hacienda Brothers was co-fronted by Gaffney and Dave Gonzalez of The Paladins fame. The Hacienda Brothers final release, Arizona Motel (Proper American), showcases the power and soul in Gaffney’s voice. I highly recommend the disc as a great introduction to Gaffney. Find out more about the life and music of Chris Gaffney at HaciendaBrothers.com or at DaveAlvin.net. Gaffney’s best friend Dave Alvin produced a tribute to Gaffney, The Man of Somebody’s Dreams (Yep Roc), in 2009, which you can sample at Alvin’s site. Gaffney’s great songwriting is celebrated through performances by many of his friends.

Duarte & Zito Bring Guitar Power If you’re reading this on Wednesday, April 20, you can still catch incomparable blues-rock-funk-jazz guitarist Chris Duarte at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar, 6-9 p.m. On Thursday, April 21, Duarte plugs in at The 21st Saloon, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Meanwhile, The 21st Saloon presents a special Wednesday show on April 20, 5:30-8:30 p.m. with the guitar-driven blues of Mike Zito. Zito takes the stage at the Zoo Bar for a special early show on Thursday, April 21, 6-9 p.m.

Marvelous Janiva Magness

On Tuesday, April 26, remarkable vocalist Janiva Magness hits the Zoo Bar stage at 6 p.m. Soulful and sultry, Magness is a multiple winner in the national Blues Music Awards. She is nominated for five more this year. In 2009 she received the top honor, The B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award. Her disc The Devil is an Angel, Too (Alligator) was named the number one blues disc of 2010 by Living Blues magazine.

hoodoo

m o r e

B y

B . J .

h u c h t e m a n n

receiving the highest scores from the judges in the second preliminary round was the Lil’ Slim Blues Band. Judges for the second round were musician Karen Earhart of Kearney, BluesEd founder Doug Backer of Omaha and Jeff Wagner from the Central Iowa Blues Society. The guest judges use the criteria and point system set up by the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge. The Brad Cordle Band scored the highest points in the first round on Sunday, April 10. Judges were local musicians Matt Amandus, Seth Ondracek and Greg Jones, musician and part-owner of the Barley Street Tavern. The final preliminary round happens on Sunday, May 1, at The Waiting Room. Performing are the Luther James Band (2 p.m.), the Paul Scott Hoagbin Trio (3 p.m.), 112 North Duck (4 p.m.) and Elwin James & the Wayouts (5 p.m.). The finals for the Nebraska Blues Challenge are on Sunday, May 15, at the 21st Saloon at 5 p.m. Finalists from the three preliminary rounds will perform again, with the judges’ selection that night winning the chance to represent the Blues Society of Omaha in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February 2011. See OmahaBlues.com and Blues.org for details.

Zoo Bar Highlights

The Lil’ Slim Blues Band, featuring guitarist Shawn Holt, son of Magic Slim, is on deck at the Zoo for the Friday, April 22, 9 p.m. show. Coming up at the Zoo are Guitar Shorty on Wednesday, April 27, for the 6 p.m. show and the Bel Airs next weekend, Friday & Saturday, April 29 and 30. The 6 p.m. early show on Wednesday, May 4, is Too Slim & The Taildraggers. There’s an acoustic show with Kris Lager & Friends at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4.

Family Owned

Over 30 Hookahs in Stock Service, Fix & Repair

21st Saloon Blues

Wide Selection of Starbuzz Shisha

I previously mentioned Mike Zito on Wednesday, April 20, and Chris Duarte on Thursday, April 21, at the 21st Saloon. The 5:30 p.m. blues shows continue with the high-powered roots music of Too Slim & The Taildraggers on Thursday, May 5, and the fiery guitar of Michael Burks on Thursday, May 12.

New Vaporizers NO2

Hot Notes

Blues Challenge Continues

One of the top soul-blues singers in the country, Curtis Salgado, performs at the Bourbon Theatre on Sunday, May 14. See ETix.com. The Sunday Roadhouse & One Percent Productions present Lucinda Williams at Slowdown on Monday, May 16. The Sunday Roadhouse series has founding BR5-49 member Chuck Mead at the Waiting Room on Sunday, May 8, at 5 p.m. See SundayRoadhouse.com for more info. ,

The Blues Society of Omaha’s first-ever Nebraska Blues Challenge continued with a second round in Lincoln on Sunday, April 17, at the Zoo Bar. The band

Visit HoodooRootsBlues.blogspot.com for more Hoodoo updates.

Magic Flight Vaporizers Compact, Portable & Concert Friendly

(402) 934-1111 Mon - Sat: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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.

lazy-i

| THE READER |

april 21 - 27, 2011

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

livemusiccalendar

SEND CALENDAR INFORMATION — including addresses, dates, times, costs and phone numbers — to The Reader’s calendar editor. Mail to or drop off information at P.O. Box 7360 Omaha, NE 68107; email to listings@thereader.com; fax to (402) 341.6967. Deadline is 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to issue date.

thursday 21

thu 4/21/2011

fri 4/22/2011

sat 4/23/2011

tues 4/26/2011

fri 4/29/2011

Cold Steel w/ dirty FloureSCentS, the MitCh GettMan Band, and eli MardoCk Show @ 8:00 luCky luCiano w/ Stylo, latin threat, roMero, and el GeniuS Show @ 9:30 hardCore extreMe FeaturinG: terror, StiCk to your GunS, trapped under iCe, CloSe your eyeS, your deMiSe, and Bent liFe Show @ 6:00 hed pe and MuShrooMhead auditoriuM Show @ 8:30 BowlinG For Soup w/ the dollyrotS and Sheridan Breakdown Show @ 8:00

CHRIS DUARTE, (blues) 5:30 p.m., 21st Saloon, $10. TALIBANG, MATT FRAMPTON, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, FREE. BETSY WELLS, MUSICAL CHARIS, ORION WALSH, BLVD PARK, (folk) 9 p.m., Barley St. Tavern, $5. JONATHAN FRIEDHMAN, (country) 9 p.m., Firewater Grille. BAMF W/ ARMY OF 2600, TURTLE MOON, MODUS VIVENDI, SUPERINVADER, TENDEAD, (various) 8:30 p.m., The Hideout, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

JUDGES, NO THOUGHT, FLIES, THE EVIL THAT MEN DO, SENECA DRIVE, (punk/rcok) 7:30 p.m., The Hole, $6. ASSEMBLY LINE GODS, SQUINT, DECADENT NATION, THE BREAKPOINT METHOD, (rock) 8 p.m., Knickerbockers, $10. SUSIE THORNE, (jazz) 9 p.m., Myth, FREE. SWAMPJAM, (blues) 8 p.m., Perry’s Place, FREE. AMERICAN COUNTRY SHOWCASE, (country) 5 p.m., Rednecks, FREE. THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE, LORD HURON, GUS & CALL, (indie/rock) 9 p.m., Slowdown, $19. COLD STEEL, DIRTY FLUORESCENTS, THE MITCH GETTMAN BAND, ELI MARDOCK, (rock) 8 p.m., Sokol Underground, $8. AARON LEWIS, (rock) 8 p.m., Stir Live, $30. JR HOSS, (acoustic) 9 p.m., Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, THE SO-SO SAILORS, (indie/rock) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $22. HANDSOME ROB, (cover) 9 p.m., Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE. BLU SIMON, (blues) 9 p.m., Your Mom’s Downtown Bar. MIKE ZITO, (blues) 6 p.m., Zoo Bar, $10. LOND TALL DEB AND THE DRIFTER KINGS, (blues) 9:30 p.m., Zoo Bar, $5.

FRIDAY 22

ZACH TILLER, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, $5. ON THE FRITZ, (cover) 9 p.m., Arena, FREE. THE YUPPIES, BABY TEARS, HIGH DIVING PONIES, DEATH OF A TAXPAYER, (rock) 9 p.m., Barley St. Tavern, $5.

READER RECOMMENDS

MusicOmahaShow.com

The Documentary three-part episode

With Special Guest:

Andrew Jay

From Rock Paper Dynamite

april 21 - 27, 2011

FOUR SONG FRIDAY, (acoustic) 8 p.m., Benson Grind. MEDITERRANIA, (rock) 9 p.m., Bourbon, $5, $8/under 21. BRENDAN RILEY, SEAN CONWAY, (celtic) Brazen Head. HIFI HANGOVER, (cover) 9 p.m., Brewsky’s Park Drive. BAND CAMP, (cover) 9 p.m., Chrome, FREE. THE CARNIVORES, THE GREEN TREES, BIG ELEPHANT, (rock) 8 p.m., Cultiva. BLVD PARK, MUSICAL CHARIS, THE BETTIES, ORION WALSH, (folk/rock) 9 p.m., Duffy’s. BRAD CORDLE BAND, (blues) 9 p.m., Gator O’Malley’s. MATT WALLACE FUSION FORCE, (jazz) Havana Garage. MARIACHI LUNA Y SOL, (mariachi) 6:30 p.m., Hector’s. BAMF W/ MITCH GETTMAN BAND, SECRET KITTEN AND THE HOLY STEAMROLLER, SCRU FACE JEAN, ALL YOUNG GIRLS ARE MACHINE GUNS, BIG AL BAND, (various) 8:30 p.m., The Hideout, FREE. FADED BLACK, AGAINST THE ARTIFICIAL, SECTION 8, (rock) 6 p.m., Knickerbockers. UNDER SHALLOW GROUND, SEPPEKU, DEAD ECHOES, GAROTED, (rock) 9 p.m., Knickerbockers. LEMON FRESH DAY, (cover) 9 p.m., Ozone, FREE. DUNDEE STRANGLER, FACE THE TYRANT, THE NIGHTMARE PARADOX, TENACITY, (metal) 9 p.m., Shamrock’s. TEN CLUB, (cover) 9 p.m., Slowdown, FREE. STRINGS & CHORDS, (acoustic) 7 p.m., Soaring Wings. LUCKY LUCIANO, STYLO, LATIN THREAT, ROMERO, EL

| THE READER |

music listings

GENIUS, DJ MISTA SOULL, O.M.C., KING KLIFF, AB DA USTLER, M.O.C. & XP, DUECE, J KEYS & BACON, (hip-hop) 9:30 p.m., Sokol Underground, $20. SIDEWISE, (rock) 9 p.m., Stir Live, $5. CHESHIRE GRIN, (cover) 9 p.m., Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. WEST WIND, (country) 9 p.m., Uncle Ron’s. MACID, THE CLINCHER, MINUS ONE, (rock) 9 p.m., Venue 162, $5. BACK WHEN, LITTLE BRAZIL, TALKING MOUNTAIN, SELF EVIDENT, (indie/rock) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $7. THE RUMBLES, (cover) 9 p.m., Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE. WIN LANDER, (acoustic) 9 p.m., Your Moms Downtown Bar, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

KILL COUNTY, (folk) 5 p.m., Zoo Bar, $5. THE LIL SLIM BAND, (blues) 9 p.m., Zoo Bar, $6.

SATURDAY 23

CHE GARCIA, COMMRADE, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, $5. FORK IN THE ROAD, (cover) 9 p.m., Amerisports Bar, FREE. MOON JUICE, (cover) 9 p.m., Arena, FREE. JOHN KLEMMENSEN AND THE PARTY, TRAVELING MERCIES, TINA SPARKLE, (rock) 9 p.m., Barley St. Tavern, $5. EARTH NIGHT W/ THE BETTIES, JARANA, SON OF 76, DJ SPENCE, (various) 7 p.m., Bourbon, FREE. STEP CHILD, (cover) 9 p.m., Chrome, FREE. FORT WILSON RIOT, I AM THE NAVIGATOR, OLD TIRE SWINGERS, (rock) 8 p.m., Cultiva. LEARNING TO FALL, GIANT RUBBER SHARK, HEMINGWAY’S LION, (punk/rock) 6 p.m., Duffy’s. PAISTY JENNY, (rock) 8:30 p.m., The Grove, $5. CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS, (blues/jazz) Havana Garage. BAMF W/ DORKAS, PLATTE RIVER RAIN, ASO, DESIRE TO DESTROY, BIG AL BAND, (various) 8:30 p.m., The Hideout. REGGAEJUNKIEJEW, ARTILLERY FUNK, LAGGARDS, BEAVER AND THE HOTTAGE CLUTCH, (rcok) 7:30 p.m., The Hole, $6. JOSH HILL BAND, MY BROTHER, (rock) 6 p.m., Knickerbockers. B FOUNDATION, VIBENHAI, KATASTRO, (jam/rock) 6 p.m., Knickerbockers, $10.

READER RECOMMENDS

SONICC, (DJ) 9 p.m., Nomad, $5. HONEY & DARLING, THE EMPTY SPACES, BLUE LIGHT SHINES BRIGHT, (indie/rock) 9:30 p.m., O’Leaver’s, $5. THE VYBE, (cover) 9 p.m., Ozone, FREE. FRANZ JOSEF HAYDN’S THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS, (spiritual) 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church of the Cross. ECKOPHONIC, (cover) 9:30 p.m., red9. ANAL C***, WASTEOID, HOMINOID, GRABASS, WOODEN COAT, ACID MOUTH, (rock) 8 p.m., Sandbox, $12. MATT GAGNE BLUES EXPERIENCE, (blues) Shamrock’s. TIM HALPERIN, TARA VAUGHN, (singer-songwriter) 9 p.m., Slowdown, $10. HARDCORE EXTREME FEATURING: TERROR, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, TRAPPED UNDER ICE, CLOSE YOUR EYES, YOUR DEMISE, BENT LIFE, (punk/rock/metal) 6 p.m., Sokol Underground, $11/adv, $13/dos. THUNDER POWER, KITE PILOT, (indie/rock) 9 p.m., Stir Live, $5.

READER RECOMMENDS

MOSCOW MULE, KYLE HARVEY, (rock) 9 p.m., Studio... Gallery, $8. SECRET WEAPON, (cover) 9 p.m., Two Fine Irishmen. A LAST MINUTE GUNK, (DJ) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $5/after 10:30 p.m. THE RUMBLES, (cover) 9 p.m., Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE.

BRAD CORDLE BAND, (rock/blues) 9 p.m., Your Moms Downtown Bar, FREE. JERRY PRANKSTERS, (cover) 9 p.m., Zoo Bar, $6.

SUNDAY 24

SUNDAY GOLD W/ GREG K, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, FREE. SCRU FACE JEAN, (hip-hop) 7 p.m., Bourbon. $7. 80’S NIGHT W/ OL’ MOANIN’ CORPSE, (DJ) 8 p.m., Bricktop, FREE. KILL COUNTY, MASSES, (folk/rock) 6 p.m., Duffy’s, $5. THEMES, JOHN KLEMMENSEN & THE PARTY, WINNERS, (rock) 9 p.m., Duffy’s.

READER RECOMMENDS

BAMF W/ WITNESS TREE, KLARK KENT, MINNAHOONIES, THE SHALLOWS, SUPERINVADER, (various) 8:30 p.m., The Hideout, FREE. SWAMPJAM, (blues) 3 p.m., Millard VFW, FREE. FORT WILSON RIOT, (rock) 9:30 p.m., O’Leaver’s, $5. OPEN MIC NIGHT, 8 p.m., Shark Club, FREE. EASTER FUNDAY W/ KOBRAKYLE, MELLO MIC, (DJ) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $2. KARAOKE, 8 p.m., Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE.

MONDAY 25

SONGWRITER SHOWCASE & OPEN MIC, 8 p.m., Barley St. Tavern, FREE. ACOUSTIC OPEN STAGE, (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m., Bourbon, FREE. TIM KOEHN ACOUSTIC JAM, (blues) 8:30 p.m., Dueces Lounge, FREE. ROOSTER MCCABE, (rock) 9 p.m., Hideout. TIM REYNOLDS, TR3, (rock) 9 p.m., Knickerbockers, $13/ adv, $15/dos. MIKE GURCIULLO AND HIS LAS VEGAS LAB BAND, (jazz) 6:30 p.m., Ozone, FREE. THE BLACK LIPS, VIVIAN GIRLS, SOLID GOLDBERG, (punk/rock) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $13. TIJUANA GIGOLOS, SONS OF ‘76, THE BETTIES, KID B, (various) 6 p.m., Zoo Bar, $6.

TUESDAY 26

VIC NASTY, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, FREE. OWEN PYE, DANIEL CHRISTIAN, (singer-songwriter) 6:30 p.m., 815. NOISE NIGHT, (rock) 9 p.m., Barley St. Tavern. ACE OF BASS: JACO PASTORIUS, PETER GRAVES, ANDY HALL, (jazz) 7:30 p.m., Cornhusker Marriott. TRINIDAD, (hip-hop) 10 p.m., Duffy’s. WANNA BE HEARD OPEN MIC, (acoustic) 6 p.m., Oasis. DANNY GARCIA, (acoustic) 6:30 p.m., Ozone, FREE. HED PE, MUSHROOMHEAD, LIVAN, BETTER LEFT UNSAID, (rock) 8 p.m., Sokol Auditorium, $20/adv, $25/dos HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, AFTER MIDNIGHT PROJECT, HANDGUNS, SELF CENTERED, AURASING, (rock) 8 p.m., Waiting Room, $12. JANIVA MANGESS, (blues) 6 p.m., Zoo Bar, $15. MONOPHOBICS, REGARDING FURY, (rock) 9:30 p.m., Zoo Bar, $5.

Wednesday 27

FOE, (hip-hop) 8 p.m., 415, $5.

READER RECOMMENDS

DUSTY VINYL SOUL NIGHT W/ DJ KOBRAKYLE, (DJ/R&B) 9 p.m., Barley St. Tavern, $2. TIM KOEHN ACOUSTIC JAM, (blues) 8 p.m., Brass Monkey. THE DICEY RILEYS, (celtic) 7 p.m., Brazen Head. TOUCH PEOPLE, THE SHOW IS THE RAINBOW, BAD SPELER, HIGH ART, (experimental) 9 p.m., Duffy’s. PERFECT STRANGERS, ONCE A PAWN, FOR EDWARD, POWERFUL SCIENCE, (rock) 9 p.m., Knickerbockers. JOHN MELLENCAMP, (rock) 7 p.m., Omaha Music Hall, $44.50-$128. THE LINKS, (oldies) 6:30 p.m., Ozone, FREE. JUNIP, ACRYLICS, (indie/rock) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $15. GARY DARLING, (acoustic) 9 p.m., Your Moms Downtown Bar, FREE. GUITAR SHORTY, (blues) 6 p.m., Zoo Bar, $10. TSUMI, BLUE PARTY, NO BONES, (rock) 9:30 p.m., Zoo Bar, $5.

VENUES

Ameristar Casino, 2200 River Rd., Council Bluffs, ameristar.com Arena Bar & Grill, 3809 N. 90th St., 571.2310, arenaomaha.com BarFly, 707 N. 114th St., 504.4811 Barley Street Tavern, 2735 N. 62nd St., 554.5834, barleystreet.com Bourbon Theatre, 1415 O St., Lincoln, 730.5695 Duffy’s Tavern, 1412 O St., Lincoln, 474.3453, myspace.com/duffystavern The Hideout, 302 S. 72nd St. Knickerbocker’s, 901 O St., Lincoln, 476.6865, knickerbockers.net LIV Lounge, 2279 S. 67th St. livlounge.com Louis Bar and Grill, 5702 NW Radial Hwy., 551.5993 McKenna’s Blues, Booze & BBQ, 7425 Pacific St., 393.7427, mckennasbbq.com New Lift Lounge, 4737 S. 96th St., 339.7170 O’Leaver’s Pub, 1322 S. Saddle Creek Rd., 556.1238, myspace.com/oleaverspub Ozone Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, 72nd and F, 331.7575, ozoneclubomaha. com.

Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple St., 556.9090, pscollective.com Qwest, 455 N. 10th St., qwestcenteromaha. com Side Door, 3530 Leavenworth St., 504.3444. Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St., 345.7569, theslowdown.com Sokol Hall, 2234 S. 13th St., 346.9802, sokolundergound.com The Sydney, 5918 Maple St., 932.9262, thesydneybenson.com Stir, 1 Harrahs Blvd., Council Bluffs, harrahs.com Venue 162, 162 W. Broadway, Council Bluffs, 712.256.7768, myspace.com/ venue162 Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St., 884.5353, waitingroomlounge.com Whiskey Roadhouse, Horseshoe Casino, 2701 32nd Ave., Council Bluffs, whiskeyroadhouse.com Your Mom’s Downtown Bar, 1512 Howard St., 345.0180 Zoo Bar, 136 N.14th St., Lincoln, zoobar. com

UPCOMING SHOWS

The story that leads to Junip’s 2010 release is one of patience and perfectionism, frustration and persistence, sheer bloody-mindedness, inspiration and success. The place to which it takes you, however, is one of pastoral contemplation, autumnal grace and inscrutable, haunting serenity. A cosmopolitan three piece from Gothenburg, Sweden – featuring Tobias Winterkorn (keyboards), Elias Araya (drums) and José González (vocals & guitar).

WedneSday, 4/27/11 9:00PM @ the Waiting rooM

JUNIP

SPOtlIGHt SHOW

w/ Acrylics

thurSday, 4/21/11 9:00PM @ the Waiting rooM the neW PornograPherS

Friday, 4/22/11 7:00PM @ the Waiting rooM Found Footage FeSt

Saturday, 4/23/11 9:00PM @ the Waiting rooM a LaSt Minute gunK

Sunday, 4/24/11 9:00PM @ the Waiting rooM eaSter Funday

Monday, 4/25/11 9:00PM @ the Waiting rooM the BLaCK LiPS

tueSday, 4/26/11 8:00PM @ SoKoL auditoriuM hed Pe / MuShrooMhead

tueSday, 4/26/11 8:00PM @ the Waiting rooM haWthorne heightS

thurSday, 4/28/11 8:00PM @ the Waiting rooM CoX CLaSSiC ShoWCaSe

w/ The So-So Sailors

w/ Kobrakyle & Mello Mic

w/ Livan & Better Left Unsaid

Early show

w/ Kobrakyle & Mello Mic

w/ After Midnight Project, Handguns, Self Centered, & Aurasing

4/29/11 CORNMEAL 4/30/11 CANNONISTA 4/30/11 MOGWAI 5/04/11 THE FELICE BROTHERS 5/04/11 HUNX AND HIS PUNX 5/05/11 JONATHAN RICHMAN 5/06/11 THE NADAS 5/06/11 OF MONTREAL 5/07/11 BLUE OCTOBER ACOUSTIC 5/07/11 THE OMAHA ROLLERGIRLS

Friday, 4/22/11 9:00PM @ the Waiting rooM BaCK When

w/ Little Brazil, Talking Mountain, & Self Evident

w/ Vivian Girls & Solid Goldberg

5/07/11TUNE YARDS 5/08/11 CHUCk MEAD 5/11/11 JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD 5/13/11 THE FORESTERS 5/14/11 ANONYMOUS AMERICAN 5/15/11 DESSA 5/16/11 TSOL 5/16/11 LUCINDA WILLIAMS 5/18/11 Ok PARTY COMEDY 5/19/11 NATHEN MAXWELL AND THE ORIGINAL BUNNY GANG

More Information and Tickets Available at

WWW.ONEPERCENTPRODUCTIONS.COM

music listings

| THE READER |

april 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

E D I T E D

Hanna would kill for a hug

by Ryan Syrek

Hanna’s entire upbringing is laid bare in the space of a single day. As her burly beard-endowed father, Erik (Eric Bana), spars with her without restraint and demands her recitation of a half-dozen languages, it becomes obvious that she’s separated from normal tween life by more than the lack of a Bieber obsession and cell phone dexterity. Genetically bred to be a warrior by the C.I.A., again played as the relentless pricks of cinematic espionage, Hanna was stolen by the agency from Erik and sequestered in a wood shack in the arctic to train for the day she would be released

hile many folks can hum the tune that is the ballad of the distant father, until your pops assaults you while you’re disemboweling the reindeer you murdered because he told you to, it’s best not to sing your personal song of woe to Hanna HANNA (Saorise Ronan). Because she may stab you in the eye hole. Dressed in the trappings of spy games and science fiction — spy-ence fiction, if you will — director Joe Wright and writers Seth Lochhead and David Farr aren’t coy with their intended allegory. Forgoing another simple retread of Joseph Campbell’s thousandfaced hero, Hanna is a modern pop-culture Grimm’s fairy tale. It trades red hoods and basket deliveries for 9-milimeters and throat slashing. Sporting an art-house sense of style and a relentless Chemical Brothers’ score, Hanna is from captivity. Having recently attained the false more than a pleasant spring diversion: It’s the first omniscience that comes with turning 16, Hanna declares herself ready and is thrust into society great mainstream movie of 2011. The brutality of our introduction to Hanna, the for the first time. Having never seen electricity or aforementioned Rudolph vivisection, is instantly heard music, her introduction to modern living contrasted by a projection of sweet naivete from is a bit unsettling. But she has a plan … albeit one Ronan. Her piercing blue eyes cut you as violently complicated by a “wicked witch.” Said witch is Marissa (Cate Blanchett), the muras the multiple knives she wields but also convey a genuine childlike softness. The first suggestion of derer of Hanna’s mother and overseer of the C.I.A.’s the film’s brilliant pacing comes when the scope of icky baby-improvement initiative. Obsessed with

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

dental hygiene and notably undone by her Prada affinity, Marissa is to Hanna as Javier Bardem’s Anton was to Josh Brolin’s Llewelyn in No Country For Old Men; she relentlessly stalks her pray while sporting a questionable haircut and an unbelievable accent. And so Hanna engages in a two-part journey, running for her life while coming-of-age. Sporting countless pitch-perfect scenes — including one in which light switches mystify our young heroine and one in which a kiss is appropriately reserved for use a bit later — Hanna is as brutal in stripping its titular figure’s soul clean as it is in its infrequent but damn-thrilling action sequences. The violence-driven character sketch is a tough nut to crack, but Wright smacks it open with the blunt force of beautiful performances. Bana once more does easily forgotten but exceptional yeoman’s work, while Blanchett’s delightful villainous caricature contrasts beautifully with Ronan’s nuanced and sophisticated delivery. One brief aside. The MPAA in their boundless hypocrisy and even-more-boundless stupidity bestowed Hanna a PG-13 rating, despite featuring such treats as a corpse suspended by its ankles. So if you’re keeping track at home: F-bombs scored The King’s Speech an R, but filleting human flesh is still appropriate for the training-bra set. But this isn’t about damning the MPAA; it’s about praising a deftly fearless, breathlessly paced, beautiful modern fable with as much bite as bark. No shock given the subject matter, on a list of this year’s best so far, Hanna is number one with a bullet. ,

GRADE: A

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■ If you want to get my attention, the words “deadly vagina serpent” will do it. Those three words were used in a description of a film featured in Splatterhouse Movie Night, an ongoing series at the P.S. Collective (inside the Pizza Shoppe in Benson) that will be starting on April 25 at 8 p.m. My second favorite part of the email I received on this subject was the note that minors are not allowed, given the “blood and boobage that will ensue at any given moment.” I don’t know about you, but I like the thought of being wherever “blood and boobage” may just suddenly break out. Splatterhouse is free, so hit up PSCollective.com for details to ensure you are where the blood and boobage are. ■ The cult hit Heavy Metal Parking Lot will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a public screening at The Waiting Room Lounge this Friday (April 22) at 7 p.m. as the opening act for the Found Footage Festival, which is a festival of found footage. What? Not everything has some double meaning. For information about tickets (which are 10 bucks) and other features of said festival, check out FoundFootageFest.com and consult 8 Days towards the front of the paper. You never know what you’ll find. Footage. You’ll find footage. ■ I have no clue if Film Streams is thinking global, but they’re sure-as-heck acting local. Insofar as the nonprofit theater is asking local filmmakers (defined as those from Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota) to submit their films for entry into the 2011 Local Filmmakers Showcase to be held in August at Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof theater. Hit up FilmStreams.org for more info. They’ll take music videos, feature films, short films … anything really! I probably shouldn’t say “anything,” as I’m pretty sure I just guaranteed the theater is going to be receiving at least one intimate home video from a very confident couple.

CUTTINGROOM

Kids Slay the Darndest Things

film

— Ryan Syrek 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 the radio on CD 105.9 (Fridays at around 7:30 a.m.), on his blog at thereader.com/film/ C19 and on Twitter (twitter.com/thereaderfilm).

This Week Bill Cunningham New York First-Run Directed by Richard Press. Starts Friday, April 22 “A magisterial documentary about urban life and creativity.” —The New Yorker

“Fascinating. A must-see.” —The Sartorialist

“ILLUMINATING & INSPIRING!”

Jane Eyre

First-Run (PG-13) Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. Now showing!

“A splendid example of how to tackle the daunting duty of turning a beloved work of classic literature into a movie.” —A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Great Directors: Fellini Juliet of the Spirits

1965 Three shows only! April 23, 24, 27

—André Leon Talley, Vogue

ﬁlm

The Met: Live in HD Capriccio Strauss Live: Saturday, April 23, 12pm* Encore: Wednesday, April 27, 6pm *A Prelude Talk by Opera Omaha will begin at 11am on the day of the live broadcast (April 23).

Family & Children’s Series Singin’ in the Rain 1952 April 16-17, 21, 23-34, 28

| THE READER |

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

film Street Art m o v i e

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Documentary honors Bill Cunningham, New York Times fashion photographer by Michael J. Krainak

INVITES YOU TO SAVE THE DATE FOR A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING OF

LOG ON TO THEREADER.COM

ALCON ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS A 2S FILMS PRODUCTION A WILD OCEAN FILMS PRODUCTION A LUKE GREENFIELD FILM KATE HUDSON BY ALEX WURMAN GINNIFER GOODWIN JOHN KRASINSKI “SOMETHING BORROWED” COLIN EGGLESFIELD STEVE HOWEY MUSIC MUSIC COCOSTUME SUPERVISORS DAVE JORDAN AND JOJO VILLANUEVA PRODUCERS YOLANDA T. COCHRAN AND STEVEN P. WEGNER DESIGNER GARY JONES EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION FILM DIRECTOR OF EDITOR JOHN AXELRAD, A.C.E. DESIGNER JANE MUSKY PHOTOGRAPHY CHARLES MINSKY ASC PRODUCER ELLEN H. SCHWARTZ PPRODUCED RO BY HILARY SWANK MOLLY MICKLER SMITH BRODERICK JOHNSON ANDREW A. KOSOVE AARON LUBIN AND PAMELA SCHEIN MURPHY Y SCREENPLAY DIRECTED BASED ON THE NOVEL “SOMETHING BORROWED” BY EMILY GIFFIN BY LUKE GREENFIELD BY JENNIE SNYDER URMAN

AND REGISTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN No purchase necessary. 50 passes will be distributed via a random drawing on Friday, April 29. All entries must be received by midnight Thursday, April 28. Rated PG-13 for sexual content including dialogue, and some drug material.

www.somethingborrowedmovie.com

april 21 - 27, 2011 Film: Something Borrowed Paper: Kansas City Reader Run Date: Thursday, April 21

| THE READER |

reportcard

The King’s Speech (ON DVD) BNot the best movie of the year, but lots of people will tell you it. READER RECOMMENDS

The Adjustment Bureau A sweet fable with angels dressed as “Mad Men” fans.

B+

The Lincoln Lawyer C+ Matthew McConaughey is back … and more mediocre than ever.

IN THEATERS FRIDAY, MAY 6!

hat fashion magazines and reality TV shows expose in design studios and on the runway, 82-year-old photographer Bill Cunningham has found on the streets, night and day, of New York City. Vogue, Elle, “Project Runway,” “On the Line” and their ilk may have the cachet and ratings, but Cunningham’s weekly photo essay, “On the Streets,” in the New York Times has been in fashion for decades with a distinctive style of its own. Bill Cunningham New York, directed by Richard Press, documents this street artist by day and glamour photog by night who doesn’t differentiate much between the two. Think of Cunningham as one part populist, one part paparazzi, and who, like the French, believes that the human body is a canvas and that culturally we are, at least in part, what we wear. Daily, the photographer traverses the streets and sidewalks on an old Schwinn bike capturing intuitively a fashion motif just before or while a new trend and features it in his weekly montage spread. This documentary shows Cunningham to be both impish and fearless in front of rising and falling hem and necklines, gravity-defying waistbands and a palette of patterns and plaids that vary from couture to outré. At night Cunningham seldom misses an opening or charity event as he hobnobs with the power structure and social elite with the same discerning eye and revealing lens. As Vogue editor Anna Wintour comments on screen, “We all get dressed for Bill.” Wintour is one of several interviewees, including fellow photographer, 98-year-old Editta Sherman and founding editor of Details magazine, Annie Flanders, who

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speculate on what makes him click with both his public and this mercurial industry. But it’s Cunningham who has the last word. He tells director Press his camera was a gift from a friend who advised him to use it “like a pen.” For the next 60 years or so, Cunningham did just that, letting his imagery speak thousands of words about the human condition and people’s need to express themselves while entering their workaday conformity. For him and his subjects, “ready to wear” means ready to be seen on a much larger runway. Ironically, Cunningham is no fashion plate or clothes horse, but he does have a “look,” more pragmatic than fashion forward, and in the end, stands out nonetheless. His “uniform” consists of a simple loose-fitting, blue jacket with pockets o’ plenty first seen being worn by street workers in Paris. That and an orange safety vest for his bicycle sojourns. At night, he’s one of the proverbial PIB’s, people in black, but stands out because of his smile and personality. Simplicity describes Cunningham’s photo style as well as he is more interested in revealing his city than interpreting it. He remains so detached from his work and the spotlight that for years he lived in a rent-controlled, artist studio apartment in Carnegie Hall with file rather than kitchen cabinets and a bathroom down the hall. No one could accuse him of being a Renaissance man so narrow his focus and interests. His art defined him though he objects repeatedly in the film that he’s not an artist, let alone a “real photographer.” The French disagreed and recently made him an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters which almost brought the reticent photo-artist to tears. A more crying shame was Cunningham’s eviction from his ascetic digs by the less appreciative owners of Carnegie Hall and his subsequent reinstallment in a posh apartment overlooking Central Park. A nicer view but a rather odd one for someone more at home at street level. , Rango Not since Culture Club has a chameleon so captivated a nation.

A-

Somewhere (ON DVD) CConsidering the film goes nowhere, maybe the title is a clever joke? Sucker Punch B Total gibberish ... but such breathtakingly beautiful total gibberish. Vision (ON DVD) A portrait of the artist as a young nun.

Have a Ball Werner Park perfect fit for minor league baseball

By David Williams

element of a host city’s urban development. But those already downtown-heavy numbers are deceiving and belie the real import of baseball being played in the shadows of hotels, bars, restaurants and other walking-distance attractions. Two of the non-urban parks, those for the Round Rock Express and the Gwinnett Braves, are situated where there is no true “downtown” alternative to begin with. Round Rock is a suburb of Austin, Texas, and the misnamed Gwinnett Braves — much like the misnamed “Omaha” nine that actually plays in Sarpy County — has its home not in Gwinnett, but in Lawrenceville, both suburbs of Atlanta. The Colorado Springs Sky Sox should also get a waiver for eschewing the city for a foothills

iders on fiberglass mounts gently bobbed up and down on a candy-coated carousel down the left field line as the Omaha Storm Chasers’ Danny Duffy anointed Werner Park Saturday night with a right-downthe-middle called strike to Nashville Sounds second baseman Eric Farris. Basketballs bounced on a court beyond the left-center gap later in the third when top prospect Mike Moustakas doubled home Eric Hosmer, another player kansas city royals legend GEORGE BRETT AT perhaps not long for the WERNER PARK on saturday minors, as the duo joined Duffy in becoming answers to trivia questions on the subjects of first pitch, first RBI and first run scored in ballpark history. Whiffle balls whiffled beyond the center field wall three hours and fifteen minutes after Hall of Famer George Brett lobbed a ceremonial first pitch to Hall of Famer Bob Gibson as the Omaha Royals Storm Chasers inaugurated their new home with a nail-biting 2-1 victory before a reported crowd of 6,533, a number just beyond the fixed-seat capacity of the berm-bounded and cornfield-surrounded stadium. Baseball purists may scoff at the intrusion of such kid-friendly amenities into what was once site and a home plate that allows stunning vistas America’s Pastime, but the Family Fun Zone di- of the majestic Pikes Peak and its rocky cousins. Though I am quite convinced that Las Vegas versions promise to help put butts in seats — or at least on faux horseback — for a franchise that itself is, despite my several visits there that would finished a tepid 19th in attendance among 30 otherwise suggest ample proof to the contrary, a largely mythical place with no corporeal exAAA clubs last season. Among the Storm Chasers’ 29 peers, 26 have istence of its own, but even their 51’s managed built stadiums since 1978. Nineteen have fol- to find a way to build downtown dugouts. And lowed the downtown model where baseball has perhaps we also should exempt New Orleans, been interwoven as a vital economic driver, a key whose Zephyrs play in one of the most populous

of AAA cities, for taking a suburban location in a densely-packed, river-girded city that limited other choices for such land-gobbling grass, steel and concrete expanses. A truer look at the numbers then means that, when they reasonably could, 23 of those 26 “new” stadiums have subscribed to decidedly urban thinking when it comes to site selection for their AAA ballclubs. It has long been an inescapably scary belief of this writer that the Storm Chasers’ decision on Werner Park can be only one of two things — a trend-bucking stroke of imaginative genius or a tragic mistake. As for another of my phobias — add karaoke, dancing, plaid and iambic pentameter to

thejump

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n Has there ever been a better battery in the history of Omaha baseball than George Brett and Bob Gibson? The pair of Hall of Famers opened Werner Park — one day after the scheduled debut was rained out — in what had to be the most talent-rich first pitch in the city’s history. Maybe there was a barnstorming team, led by a Babe Ruth or Satchel Paige or someone of the ilk, that visited Omaha in the early 20th Century that could’ve come close for pitcher-catcher star power but Gibson and Brett both have Omaha ties. Gibson, of course, was a star at Creighton University while Brett spent the 1973 season with the hometown Royals. It was an odd sight to see Gibson lined up behind the plate, 60-feet, 6-inches from where a generation was accustomed to seeing him, not to mention having Brett on the mound, but I enjoyed the role reversal. The Storm Chasers staff has done a good job making history work for them in the context of all the newness this season and having Brett pitch to Gibson might have been the perfect encapsulation of a long ramp-up to last weekend’s debut. And if you haven’t had the chance to see Mike Moustakas play in person yet, I recommend you do that as soon as possible. Moustakas has been off to a slow start this season hitting .214 through last weekend, but he’s undeniably a future star. Not to get out of control, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him throwing out first pitches in Omaha 30 years down the road. n The problem with being bearded most of the time is that there’s no way for me to celebrate the arrival of hockey playoffs in the customary fashion. Like a lot of Americans I struggle to keep up with hockey until the playoffs arrive — come on Bruins, this is embarrassing — but that time is here both in the NHL and the USHL. The Omaha Lancers open their Western Conference semifinal series with the Sioux City Stampede on Wednesday night at the Civic Auditorium. Game 2 in the series is schedule for Friday, Apr. 22. Both games start at 7:05 p.m. Omaha and Sioux City split eight games this season with both teams going 3-1 at home. Omaha has the home ice advantage in this series but that’s the beauty of playoff hockey. It’s a crapshoot. Tickets are available at Lancers.com. — Brandon Vogel

the list — I have a secret to impart. My fear was that the new home of the Omaha Storm Chasers would take on the mien of a decidedly minor league park. And those fears came to fruition … in spades … and, boy, am I glad they did. I don’t know what I was thinking on this one. Werner Park is a gorgeous facility. My favorite oddity? The curiously peaked wall of the jutting left field gap that I’ll dub “The Triangle of Terror.” A perfectly intimate setting for watching a nicely

sports

The Jump takes you behind the local headlines. Email jump@thereader.com and look for daily updates at twitter.com/brandonlvogel.

turned 4-6-3 double play up close and personal, the park is a fitting antithesis to its cavernous ancestor, now a mere boarded-up shadow on a wind-swept hill more than 15 miles to the east. Let’s just hope that there is a maddeningly long, Disney-esque queue all summer long and for years to come at that bejeweled carousel just beyond the left field foul pole. ,

| THE READER |

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

CREIGHTON Welcome to Our House!

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

u Creighton vs. Southern Illinois Friday, Apr. 22 @ 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 23 @ 2 p.m. Sunday, Apr. 24 @ 1 p.m.

u Creighton vs. Kansas Tuesday, Apr. 26 @ 6:30 p.m.

Baseball home games played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha (13th & Cuming St.)

Tickets: 280-JAYS

WWW.GOCREIGHTON.COM

newsoftheweird

T H E WO R L D G O N E F R E A K Y B Y Z 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

Rattle & Roll

aney Wallace, 16, won the beauty contest at the 53rd Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas, in March and the next day fulfilled the first duty of her reign: to behead and skin a western diamondback. “You have to make sure you don’t pop the bladder,” the 2011 Miss Snake Charmer said shortly after taking a few swipes with a machete. “That (would be) a huge mess.” (Three years ago, News of the Weird informed readers of the annual beauty-contest/muskrat-skinning festival in Maryland’s Eastern Shore region, in which the “beauty” part and the “skinning” part are separate — but in which that year, two teenage girls entered both, with Dakota Abbott edging out Samantha Phillips for the crown.)

Compelling Explanations Record companies have enjoyed recent successes in court by suing individuals who have shared music by trading files through specialized websites that avoid paying copyright licensing fees, including Lime Wire (which shut down last year). Thirteen record companies won a summary judgment last year, and, applying a formula they believe was set out in federal law, the companies demanded that Lime Wire pay damages of up to $75 trillion — an amount more than five times the entire national debt. In March 2011, a federal judge said the companies should modify the formula and lower their expectations. Waterloo, Iowa, schoolteacher Larry Twigg was arrested for “lascivious conduct” with a teenager, a crime that requires proof of “sexual motivation.” Though Twigg allegedly had a teenage boy strip, take a chocolate syrup “bath,” make a “snow angel” while in his underwear, and play a video game nude, his lawyer said in March that

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

weird news

the court-appointed psychiatrist would testify that Twigg had no sexual motivation. Convicted heinous Minnesota sex offender John Rydberg, 69 and still detained after having served his sentence because he is still a “danger,” exhibited an upbeat demeanor for a three-judge panel in March, hoping for release. He said his number of victims was far fewer than the “94” he previously admitted to, explaining that he offered a purposely high number because he was afraid underplaying his crimes might make it appear that he was lying. “What can I say?” offered Rydberg. “I’m a work in progress.”

Ironies On March 30, several hours before addressing the nation on TV about Libya, President Obama received a prestigious open-records award presented by five freedom-of-information advocate organizations for running a commendably “transparent,” accessible administration. However, news about this award came about only because the presenters leaked it to the press. As noted by The Washington Post the next day, there was no White House notice to the press; the presentation was not on the president’s calendar; no photos or transcript were available; and the award was not mentioned on the White House website. Go Figure: The author of most of the text of The New York Times obituary on Elizabeth Taylor, published on March 23, was Times reporter Mel Gussow, who passed away almost six years before Taylor. At George Washington University’s men’s basketball game on March 5, accountancy department professor Robert Kasmir was honored at halftime for being one of the elite financial

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

donors to the university, but he was not around for the end of the game. He was ejected from the stands in the second half for harassing a referee about the officiating.

$6 million, and as of early March 2011, the lowestprice single-family home on the market there was listed at $559,000, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The home is located in a trailer park.

Leading Economic Indicators

The Litigious Society

According to a February 2011 analysis of 2007 IRS statistics by a columnist for Tax Notes, the average taxpayer residing in New York City’s posh Helmsley Building (owned before her death by Leona Helmsley, who once reportedly said that “only the little people pay taxes”) paid only 14.7 percent of his income in federal taxes while New York City janitors and security guards (such as those employed by the Helmsley Building) paid about 24 percent. Helmsley residents were taxed less for Social Security and M e d i care, and much of their $1.17 million average income was in capital gains, which are taxed at the same rate as the wages of modestly paid (up to $34,000 a year) workers. In February, Wisconsin state Rep. Gordon Hintz was caught up in an ongoing investigation of prostitution at the Heavenly Touch Massage Parlor in Appleton that resulted in six arrests. Police merely issued Hintz a municipal citation (indicating that he might just have been in the wrong place at the wrong time). Nonetheless, Hintz refused to discuss the matter. “I am willing to take responsibility for my actions,” he said, but “(m)y concern right now” is not to be “distract(ed) from the much more important issue” of “stand(ing) up for Wisconsin’s working families.” People With Too Much Money: The average sale price of a home in Aspen, Colo., in 2010 was about

The family of the late Roger Kreutz filed a lawsuit in St. Louis in March over the fatal head injuries he received when a car knocked him down in a Starbucks parking lot in 2008. The driver was Aaron Poisson, who was trying to get away from Kreutz, but Poisson was not sued. According to the lawsuit, the cause of the fatal injury was negligence by Starbucks — because it had mindlessly placed its tip jar in full view on a counter, thus (according to the theory of the lawsuit) goading Poisson into snatching up the money and running out the door, and inspiring Kreutz, as a good Samaritan, to chase Poisson and try to retrieve the employees’ tips.

WWW.KVNO.ORG

A News of the Weird Classic (March 1991) Dee Dee Jonrowe, leading the Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in January (1991) in northern Minnesota, took a wrong turn and went 300 yards before recognizing her error. The mistake cost her only a few minutes, but stopping to calculate where she was allowed her team to have an unsupervised rest, and by the time she was ready to turn the sled around, two of her dogs had begun to copulate. She was forced to wait on them for 25 minutes and lost the lead. ,

>7FFO >EKH

MON THRU FRI 2-7 Try our WORLD FAMOUS Bloody Marys 4556 LEAVENWORTH ST. • 402-551-4850 weird news

| THE READER |

APRIL 21 - 27, 2011

planetpower

United Way of the Midlands

w ee k l y

h oroscopes

hat Jesus complex? I’m just hangin’ out in my front room. Happy Easter everyone! And at last, have a Happy Spring! See ya at the always-rainy day Earth Day? Maybe they should hire an Astrologer? If you’re so inclined, at last it’s time to fast, get right and travel light. There are no mistakes. Peace and Love Shall Conquer All. I love you all.. — MOJOPOPlanetPower.com

b TAURUS (4.21-5.20) Welcome back into your sign. But don’t start the party yet. Quietly hip-hop into the rack with the one you’d LOVE to attack from the back. Friday eve early and wake up Saturday late with a BANG! Hey, if that’s your THANG, the aspects don’t improve for a while so you might as well lay ‘round and smile in the rack till the Sun makes its comeback. Easter Sunday. What the Hell? Ring your own church bell. The Lord has once again risen and it’s time for your new decision. It’s mid Spring and love(n) is your thing. Your ruler Venus 8/30/2010 just 11:35:37 AM Aries till mid-May so you’re entered toooo engorged to listen to what I say. So fire away anyway! I’ve heard the word. Your rebirth is due for you May 3rd. c GEMINI (5.21-6.21) Hey read Taurus. It May have nothing to do with your chart, but a little (the right amount of ) love will always help with your art? You are at the heart an artist; are you not? Well, if not, isn’t it time for you to start? Mercury, along with the rest of the Universe, seems in Aries, the sign of new starts, till mid-May conjuncting into Taurus hand-in-hand (and conjuncting Jupiter!). I knew there was/must be a reason for you to read Taurus! They are the voice of the love and you are the wit and/of the way. d CANCER (6.22-7.22) Wait a week. Trust me. Let others continue to make/break the mistakes around you and thereby you’ll avoid the feeding frenzy as the sharkies are due to arrive to/and clean up the afterbirth of Spring. May 3rd you(‘ll) get the word. (Could it be.... Love!?) It happens at a party or a gathering of some kind; maybe at a Taurus’ house, a lecture or ameeting? Open your “3rd ear” on May 3rd for the Holy Word. e LEO (7.23-8.22) Please read Cancer. Your career is/will be on the line in two weeks time. Till then maybe you could quit stuffin’ your muffin? We don’t buy you’re “just Spring cleaning the fridge.” Maybe it’s not food you seek? We’ll fin’d out in a week when once again we speak? I’ll quit eatin’ if you’ll quit eatin’ (for Sprin’g cleanin’) and we’ll both have room and in’clin’ation to fin’d what we’re truly seekin’ as/at a more Spiritual destination? Here comes the Sun! Happy Easter, Misters and Sisters! f VIRGO (8.23-9.22) I’ve heard that if you’ll wait till the 23rd you’ll know even more to even the score. Blend your senses. See with your fingers, feel with your eyes and this weekend you’ll hear about a/your BIG surprise! Could be an inheritance, maybe an insurance payoff or some channel of unexpected money? Oh-oh! I smell love/money/ Spring/sex — and not necessarily in that order! f LIBRA (9.23-10.22) Your ruler Venus and the planet of mentality and communication, Mercury, are traipsing

3.6875_bwAD_C_2010.indd 1

april 21 - 27, 2011

| THE READER |

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b y

mo j opo

through your opposite sign hand-in-hand till mid-May (16th) and conjuncting Jupiter (May 11th) along the way. Something BIG cometh this way! Your power is in your partners; no pun intended ... well, maybe a little....? Oops ... another. Love is seeking you in a BIG way from across the Milky Way Galax(a)y. Anything for a rhyme — anytime. Opposites attract! Lay way back... h SCORPIO (10.23-11.22) Low profile for a while. Your turn in the barrel. You’ve got two to three short weeks to get it together with/for your partner. They’ll be in charge. Let them. Work on it and get into shape to hold up your end, or his or her end? Wait and play it cool in the background ‘til the Moon in Scorpio is Full, May 17th, sets at dawn. Till then, practice by repeating after me: “How May I serve thee?” There’s a clue in there for you, Boo Boo? i SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.21) Please read Taurus and then Gemini and then Libra. Jesus, you do get around?! You’re gonna help it happen whether you dig it or not, Captain. That way they can’t blame you ‘cuz you don’t/won’t know what you’re doing? Show them all the philosophical value of the opposite point of view without an ounce of care or concern. That’ll make ‘em burn? Now it’s your turn to read Aries, please? j CAPRICORN (12.22-1.20) The Moon is in your sign from Friday the 22nd at dawn till Easter Sunday at lunch. Use it! That’ll prove your personal Spring. It’ll be time to bet your everything on/to see what your Spring May bring. It’s all falling into place/space. Use it before you lose it k AQUARIUS (1.21-2.19) The last 14 years illusion has gone on. Neptune has moved into Pisces out of Aquarius. What happened (or started to) in 1996-97? Now is the time of/for your new starts. You’ve got seven years to prove/discover your leadership abilities or lack of these. What happened the first week in January? Time this Easter weekend to communicate with your brothers and sisters. You’ll never know unless you go. This be the truth from MojoPo. l PISCES (2.20-3.20) OMG! Here comes the power you crybabies were/are always crying for! “Why doesn’t every[any]body believe [in] me!?” Sound familiar? Sound too familiar? Your mystical ruler, Neptune, just entered your sign for the next 14 years. Here comes the magique that a free and purified subconscious can afford us. The power will still prove to be subtle, since only about 3 percent of humanity can handle it. a ARIES (3.21-4.20) Almost done with crazy? Good timing. You’ve got till June to expand your personality and then switch gears to pay for this whole circus. The use of computers shall somehow provide the keys to/for your next seven-year realities. You’re going to be required to use your head, not abuse your head by butting/ramming into/through other people and their Vou Dou. Taurus, Geminis, Virgos and Libras are all trying to catch up to you. They catch up May 10th/11th. Party at your crib? Luck’s with you till June. Use it before you lose it. Your lucky numbers are 8 and 5 and your color will run red. ,

• April 21, 2011 • Ebooks will begin to regularly outsell books published on paper, starting this year. Additionally, because of the ease and low cost of ebook publishing, there will be an explosion of ebooks -- as many as 3 million per year for the ﬁrst ﬁve years or so of this ebook revolution, as everybody with a collection of two dozen poems, or a novel they wrote as part of National Novel Writing Month, or a collection of unpublished short

stories takes to the web. This will taper off dramatically after ﬁve years as people realize that it is hard work to write a fulllength book, but they’re lucky to sell a dozen or so copies. But, for a while, the ebook revolution will be like the blogging revolution of the last decade, or the zone revolution of the decade the preceded it -- an opportunity for people who might not be published otherwise to create content and ﬁnd an audience.

funnies

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