The Reader 01/27/2011

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011 VOL.17

49

cover 14

Bob Kerrey: At Ease

dish 18 Sea Change

theater 25 Mind Your Q.

music 33

invisible wounds

World of ‘Wonder’

OMAHA JOBS 2

With suicides up, the u.s. military increasingly explores alternative treatments for PTSD cover story by Hilary Stohs-Krause ~ Page 12

Weird 42

MOjo 44

FUNNIES 45

Full-time

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Work From Home Earn 3-5k monthly! Fast and easy since 1972. Quick start for only $149 www.prepaidlegal.com/hub /jcornerjr (402) 216-9905

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Ivy League Gardening Hydroponic/Gardening Store Retail Salesperson Bail1992@gmail.com Visit OmahaJobs.com today for details.

Fantastic Beginnings Child CARE/PRESCHOO NOW ENROLLING ALL AGES 4102 South 13th Street Title XX Welcome www. fantasticbeginnings.com (402) 408-0395

JOB FAIR – APRIL 6, 2011 MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW! OmahaJobs.com will be hosting their first of five job fairs for 2011 on April 6th at CoCo Keys Resort from 10a.m. to 5p.m. FREE to the public. Many great companies have already signed up to do recruiting that day.

Bring plenty of resumes and dress for success. Adults looking for employment, career change and education opportunites.

Please plan to attend Omahajobs.com job fair.

Assembly technician Claas Omaha Robbin. galdeano@claas.com Check out Omahajobs.com website for more details.

Florist Distributing Wholesale Floral Sales Person – Sales Associate mmontanye@fdionline.net Check out OmahaJobs.com website for more details.

Good Fellas NIGHT CLUB Dancers 402.341.9030 Check out Omahajobs.com website for more details.

Graphic Designer Work with creative team designing advertisements for our print publications such as The Reader, El Perico, Directorial Latino, Vision Latina, Today's Omaha Women and numerous other client print publications.

Check out OmahaJobs.com.

Premier Therapy Assoc.

Receptionist and Patient Care Tech c h r i s @ my p re m ie r t he ra p y. c o m for more information go to OmahaJobs.com.

N & W Transfer Inc. Driver debrahobscheidt@ yahoo.com For more information go to OmahaJobs.com.

Metro Area Cleaning C l e a n e r s smhuckins@hotmail.com for more information go to Omahajobs.com.

ACADEMIC PEDIATRIC ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON BC/BE fellowship-trained hand surgeons. The position involves patient care, teaching of residents and medical students, and research opportunities. For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Counsel Inhouse Counsel position will provide legal support to the organization on technology-related matters including the company’s Research & Development (R&D) function on Intellectual Property (IP) matters, with an emphasis on patent matters, including portfolio management, new filings and filing strategies, clearance and patentability evaluations. For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Account rep respiratory Leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. We have 42,000 employees worldwide in more than 60 countries, and our products are sold in over 140 countries. For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Application Specialist Environmental, Compliance & Internal Audit Responsible for gathering business requirements and assess to be business processes, then design and build software solutions which meet the business requirements and enable targeted business processes for environmental management and compliance, general compliance, and internal audit functions. For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Computers

Data Architect (First Data Technologies, Inc. – Omaha, NE) Provide a leadership role, incl technical direction for global co. engaged in transaction data processing & online analytical processing. Reqts: Bach deg or foreign equiv in Info Tech, Comp Sci, or rel + 5 yrs of exp in the position offd or rel. Must have 5 yrs of exp w/: DB2LUW (Linus/Unix/Windows), HADR (High Availability Disaster Recovery), IBM Infosphere Warehouse & DB2 Partitioned Data Warehouse Recovery.

Must have 5 yrs of exp using IBM Replication Suite of products incl SQL Replicator & EP Replication. Must have exp using IBM Homogenous Federation w/ SQL Replication. Apply at www.firstdatajobs.com. Go to “Search Openings” & enter Req. No. 16083BR.

Ambitious? Creative? Outgoing?

Drop your resume and goals to work@thereader.com Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

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Volunteer & events MANAGER Fontenelle Nature Association jhuffman@fontenelle forest.org check out Omahajobs.com website for more details.

Graduate Assistant The Department of Health, Human Performance, and Sport is soliciting applications for graduate assistantships in Exercise Science and Sport Management to begin fall semester 2011. For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Sales Representative StaTE FARM INSURANCE Thad Hamilton Agency Thad.hamilton.1tv7@statefarm.com Check out Omahajobs.com website for more details.

Tip Top Tux Store Manager & Part time sales assoicate Sharon@tttux.com Check out Omahajobs.com website for more details.

Matheson Linweld Automation Specialist ljones@mathesongas.com Check out Omahajobs.com website for more details.

Food Service Worker Assists with the preparation, presentation, and serving of food items. Assures all food stuffs, paper goods, forks, knives, etc. are stocked/maintained in preparation for the daily operation of assigned shops/areas.

For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Local data entry/ typists needed immediately. $400 PT - $800 FT weekly.

Flexible schedule, work from own PC. (800) 9204851 (AAN CAN)

Family Physician Department of Family Medicine is currently recruiting for two full-time academic faculty positions. Highly desired are faculty with clinical experience (one position to include OB experience) and a desire to further develop and share these skills. Candidates must be Board Certified.

Obstetrics is required for one of the positions.

For more information visit OmahaJobs.com.

Full Time Merchandiser position in Omaha, The position pays $14.90/hour and has benefits including health, dental, 401K and pension. for more information please visit OmahaJobs. com.

now offering dna testing and Professional drug screens

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Pioneer Publishing, a fast growing local media company with over 10 channels, both print and online, is seeking Marketing Solutions Experts for full-time, part-time and freelance positions. Successful candidates must be ambitious, creative, outgoing, super helpful with a passion for solving problems and building relationships. If you have a background in sales, marketing or customer service, especially in the bar, restaurant, automotive or media industries, we want to talk to you! We need team members who are ready to meet new people, understand marketing needs, close the deal and deliver ongoing value. Spanish proficiency is a plus.

Graphic and Web Design Openings Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, Expression Engine experience a PLUS. Work with creative team of Local Print and Digital Media. Varying M-F schedules. English and Spanish required.

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Publisher/Editor: John Heaston Content Director: Eric Stoakes, erics@threader.com Managing Editor: Sarah Wengert, sarahw@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, Lainey Seyler Senior Editorial Contributors: Leo Biga, Michael Braunstein, Warren Francke, B.J. Huchtemann, Michael Pryor, Jesse D. Stanek, Kyle Tonniges Editorial Contributors: Brian S. Allen, Chris Aponick, Avishay Artsy, Mike Babcock, Sarah Baker Hansen, 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, Michael J. Krainak, Jason Krivanek, Casey Logan, Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik, Jasmine Maharisi, Sean McCarthy, Rob McLean, Neal Obermeyer, Adam Payson, Hal Senal, Justin Senkbile, Patricia Sindelar, Darian Stout, Carson Vaughan, Brandon Vogel, Brady Vredenburg, 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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With suicides up, military increasingly explores alternative treatments for PTSD; plus a conversation with Bob Kerrey ~ Page 12

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Dining out just got easier Want to find the latest scoop on restaurants, reviews and all the dish?

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Neighborhood concerns bring changes to veterans’ housing development

T

by Brandon Vogel

“This wasn’t done on a whim,” he says. “We looked at a number of issues.”

The original design for the $20 million facility included five stories with 100 individual housing units. After meeting with neighbors and nearby neighborhood association leaders, the partners reduced the building to four stories and 75 units. Volunteers of America says it is setting up a community advisory board to seek continued input from the neighbors.

Ackerman estimates between 800 and 900 homeless veterans live in Metro Omaha. Only honorably discharged veterans will be considered for housing. And sex offenders and violent

ell a community that 75 military veterans are moving into the neighborhood, and they’ll likely be welcomed with open arms.

But see what happens when you tell the community that those vets are homeless.

The Volunteers of America and the Veteran’s Administration of NebraskaWestern Iowa jumped easily through government hoops to gain approval for a facility to house Omaha’s homeless veterans last year: The City Planning Board agreed to rezone a threeacre lot near 40th and Pacific; and the City Council unanimously approved the plan in December. Organizers plan to break ground on Veterans Village early this summer, with a scheduled completion date of fall 2011. artist’s rendering of the Veterans village But while the city was on board, some neighbors of the proposed facilcriminals will be prohibited. ity along the Field Club Trail weren’t so sure.

Mike Battershell, president of the nearby In September, the Field Club Homeowners League faxed 55 questions pertaining to the project Hanscom Park Neighborhood Association, to the Western Iowa-Nebraska VA, listing numer- thinks the $20 million project was better suited ous public safety, traffic, design and management for a less-developed part of Omaha.

“My biggest personal concern has to do with concerns. The VA responded with point-by-point answers in October, and collected more feedback the way we develop the community,” he says.

“This was a unique opportunity to say, ‘we’re goat a series of public forums later that month.

Will Ackerman, public affairs director for ing to invest in a part of the city that’s blighted.’ the Veterans Administration, says some of those It would’ve required more effort, but it would’ve recommendations were incorporated into the been a catalyst for change.”

Gina Freimuth, community relations director current design of Veterans Village. for Volunteers of America, says her organization

e d i t e d

a n d r e w

n o r m a n

Numbers behind the healthcare repeal vote

considered a number of sites before choosing the final location. Proximity to the VA Medical Center and public transportation were key factors in the decision. Those features should help the facility be more than a simple homeless shelter “The reason Veterans Village is being developed is because Omaha is locked into the shelter system,” Freimuth says. “Shelters are needed in every community, but supportive housing is the key to ending homelessness period. It is based on establishing a home and wrapping services around their needs.”

Residents will be eligible to live in the Veterans Village for up to two years. And each veteran will be assigned an individual case manger.

Freimuth says the VA partnership increases options for assistance.

“One veteran might need help getting jobs and understanding how to put together a resume,” she says. “Another might have health or mental health concerns.

We can help them qualify for benefits they can access. We’ll be there from beginning to end.”

Despite the initial concerns, Ackerman thinks the community feel among Midtown residents will help veterans become active in their new community.

“Midtown residents are very proud of their part of the community,” he says. “They certainly have a rich history, and, rightly so, they wanted to make sure the project was a good fit for the area.

“The VA mandate is to help veterans gain skills and, with the help of the Midtown community, I think we found the perfect place to do that.” ,

numberscruncher Number of calls of suspected child abuse to state hotline in 2009: 25,106 Percent increase in child abuse calls since 2000: 86 Nebraska’s national rank in providing child welfare services: 9th Amount of potential cuts to child welfare services listed in the new state budget: $345,000 Source: Kids Count 2010 report/Nebraska Legislature

B y

upfront

Homeless Heroes

topnews

courtesy veteran’s administration

notableevents

Q Unity Rally for the Good Life: Thursday, Jan. 27, 12:10 p.m., State Capitol, 1445 K St., Lincoln. Rally to oppose Arizona-style anti-immigration law. neappleseed.org Q Science Café: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m., The Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. UNMC doctor William Lydiatt answers the question “Do Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll Contribute to Head and Neck Cancer?” unmc.edu omahayoungprofessionals.org Q Hungry Club: Wednesday, Feb. 2, 12 p.m., Big Mama’s Kitchen, 45th and Bedford. Sharif Liwaru, president of the Malcolm X Foundation, speaks on the black rights leader. 812.3324

Last week’s Republican-led House vote to repeal President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform bill may have been more about politicking than effective legislating — Democrats will stall the repeal bill in the Senate, and Obama would easily veto it if it managed to make it to his desk. But headlines like “House passes health law repeal” that ran on Omaha.com Jan. 19 send a clear message to GOP voters that their dislike of the bill isn’t being ignored.

“It is now time to roll up our sleeves and write a health care law that will provide quality, affordable health care that is market-driven and without more taxes and government mandates,” Rep. Lee Terry said after voting for the “Repealing the Job-Killing Healthcare Law Act.” Terry joined 241 GOP colleagues, and his fellow congressmen from Nebraska, Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith, to support the bill.

But to understand the full message the repeal vote sends to Nebraskans, consider the following numbers: l Lee Terry has accepted $575,800 from the health sector, including $143,050 from health insurance companies alone, during his time in Congress. He’s received $89,813 from pharmaceutical companies. l Repealing the bill would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to 103,000 and 274,000 of his constituents — including at least 9,000 children — with pre-existing conditions. l It would increase the number of uninsured by about 27,000 people. l It would eliminate tax credits for up to 14,700 small businesses and 144,000 families. l And it would increase prescription drug costs for 7,300 seniors who fall under the part D drug “donut hole,” and deny new preventive care benefits to 76,000 seniors. l Jeff Fortenberry has received $278,488 from the health sector, including $44,131 from health insurance companies and $11,900 from pharmaceutical companies. l Repealing the bill would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to 100,000-261,000 people — including 8,000-35,000 children with pre-existing conditions. l It would increase the number of uninsured by about 16,000 people. l About 2,100 young adults would lose the opportunity to be covered under their parents' plan. l Nebraska's newest congressman, Adrian Smith has accepted $177,752 from the health sector, including $34,500 from insurance companies and $14,250 from pharmaceutical companies.

— Andrew Norman

Numbers showing contributions to congressmen from The Center for Responsive Politics. Numbers showing effects of repeal based on an analysis by the Committee for Energy and Commerce Democrats.

theysaidit they “When I think of the State Department, I think of many things they do well. But I would tell you, siting pipelines is not anything I would think of when I think of State Department expertise.”— Sen. Mike Johanns to the Washington Post on the U.S. State Department’s evaluation of the Keystone XL pipeline. The agency is expected to approve or deny the project this year.

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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 Daily considers lawsuit against anti-recall group

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Open daily 8am-5pm 1111 Bellevue Boulevard North Bellevue, NE Hwy 75, Chandler Road Exit 402.731.3140

Omaha Senator proposes alternative bill

Omaha World-Herald publisher Terry Kroeger wrote on Jan. 24 the he is considering legal action after anti-recall group Taxpayers Putting Omaha First used the paper’s logo and quoted stories in a political mailing sent to approximately 17,000 voters last week. According to Kroeger the newspaper occasionally grants permission for its content to be used in political mailings, but never without first reviewing the material.

The Taxpayers Putting Omaha First emerged Jan. 18 to help Mayor Jim Suttle fight the recall. The committee is made up of Omaha police union president Aaron Hanson and local attorneys Dan Stockman and Mike Dowd. The group says it has raised about $12,000 to fight the recall, with nearly a quarter of its donations BRENDA COUNCIL coming from members of the police union. Hanson said in a press release that the group is separate from the police union, which has not taken an official stance on the recall.

Critics of the mayor used the new police contract signed in August as a rallying cry for the recall effort, saying the deal, which reduced benefits for police officers but required the city to increase its pension contributions, was too expensive. Revenue from the new 2.5 percent restaurant tax initiated in October will be used to fund the city’s increased pension contributions.

Omaha State Senator Brenda Council is looking to Nebraska’s Congressional delegation for a little help when it comes to sorting through the controversy of local immigration law.

On Jan. 18, Council introduced a resolution to Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen’s Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act. Janssen’s Arizona-style bill, LB48, would require police officers to check a suspect’s resident status during routine stops or arrests if there is reason to believe the person could be in the country illegally.

But Council proposes that the state wait to enact local laws, often resulting in long and costly court battles, until a comprehensive reform of immigration policy is reached at the federal level. She hopes the resolution will be given a hearing on the same day as Janssen’s immigration bill.

Plice, Secret Service seize counterfeit cash Omaha and Bellevue police, together with the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Department and the U.S. Secret Service, seized more than $8,000 in counterfeit money from an Omaha home Jan. 23.

The investigation began when Bellevue police arrested a 16-year-old high school student on Jan. 23 after he used counterfeit money to pay admission at an Omaha Bryan High School sporting event last week. The arrest led authorities to west Omaha home of Emmanuel Machiek’s, 3435

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SLICK BUSINESS: Value of economic-recovery bonds the State of Louisiana has sold since Hurricane Katrina: $5,900,000,000 Percentage of the revenue that has been spent on projects in New Orleans: 1 Percentage spent on the Lower Ninth Ward: 0 On the state’s oil industry: 29 Augusta Ave., where officers uncovered the fake bills, guns and counterfeiting equipment.

Machiek, 22, was arrested and booked on firstdegree forgery charges. The Secret Service says they will seek a federal indictment in the case.

Final results from worldwide voting on the referendum — part of a 2005 peace agreement — are still being compiled. The U.S. Committee for Refugees estimates more than 2 million people died in the Sudanese civil war between 1983 and 2005.

Cyberbully ban considered in Nebraska

Omaha man arrested after standoff

Elkhorn Sen. Lavonn Heidemann introduced a bill (LB123) Jan. 18 that would expand the disciplinary powers of Nebraska schools in cases of cyberbullying.

Current state law allows schools to punish students for harassment via email, text message or other forms of social media only if the bullying occurred on school grounds or at school events. The new proposal would allow school administrators to punish bullies, regardless of where the harassment occurred, if it was determined the actions disrupted the school environment cyberbulling or threatened students or staff.

Patrick Cain, 58, was arrested at his home near 31st and State St. on Jan. 23 following a threehour standoff with the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force and the Omaha police department’s SWAT team. Cain was scheduled to appear in court the following day for sentencing on manslaughter charges stemming from the 2009 death of his wife, but had indicated to police officials that he would not show up. He faced up to 20 years in prison.

On Dec. 20, 2009 Evelyn Cain’s body was found inside a closet at the couple’s home.

Autopsy results showed she died from head trauma after Patrick Cain allegedly pushed her down a flight of stairs during an argument. He pled no contest to the manslaughter charges.

Omaha turns out largest U.S. vote on Sudanese referendum More than 99 percent of Sudanese citizens in Omaha voted to split their home country into separate nations as part of Southern Sudan Referendum vote between Jan. 9 and 15.

In all, more than 8,000 Sudanese natives voted in eight cities throughout the U.S. Omaha had the highest turnout nationwide with 3,076 voters casting ballots. The result in Omaha mirrored that of the rest of the U.S. vote with 99 percent of Sudanese citizens favoring secession from the north.

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Shooting Rounds David Williams, 20, survived after a being shot Jan. 20 near 36th and Spaulding. Frankie Lewis, 47, was arrested on felony assault charges in connection with the shooting. The investigation is ongoing.

— Brandon Vogel

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jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

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-Felicia Frezell, former client, current small business owner and advocate for women in need.

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| THE READER |

n Who’s ready for an early January weekend jaunt to frosty Winnipeg next year? If you’re a UNO hockey fan that trip could be a reality as the Mavs and the University of North Dakota are reportedly close to finalizing a deal to play a game in Manitoba’s capital city Jan. 7, 2012.

I’ll confess to not knowing much about Winnipeg other than it’s about three hours north of Grand Forks and therefore likely colder than Omaha, but I did spend some time on the city’s tourism website to cull some valuable facts.

Winnipeg is the coldest city in the world with a population greater than 500,000 meaning more people consciously choose to be miserable for months there than anywhere else.

The name Winnipeg is the Cree Indian word for “muddy waters” and totally changes how I’ll hear “Mannish Boy” forever. Top exports include furniture, car frames and badass hockey players which, I’m guessing, is the reason both UNO and UND are interested in going to Winnipeg in a month when the average high temperature is 9 degrees.

See you there. n In a blockbuster trade, local stations 1620 AM (KOZN) and 590 AM (KXSP) have agreed to swap malcontent radio hosts Colin Cowherd and Jim Rome starting Feb. 1. Actually, the sta-

tions are switching entire affiliations with KXSP becoming your new home for ESPN Radio and KOZN taking on FOX Sports’ programming.

So far the move doesn’t signal any changes for 1620’s local sports shows other than moving the Schick & Nick show up an hour to 8 a.m. to allow the full allotment of time for the mouth-breathing “clones” to call into the Jim Rome Show. Unsportsmanlike Conduct will remain in its usual afternoon drive time slot.

Most interesting, however, is that KXSP says it’s looking to fill its afternoon slot with local programming. It will be tough to unseat Unsportsmanlike Conduct as the “toprated local afternoon sports show” but now at least Kevin Kugler and Mike’l Severe will have to beat somebody for that title again.

And don’t worry Cubs fans, the Northsiders will still be heard — sans Santo, sadly — on 1620 while the Royals remain on 590.

Thankfully for both fan bases, the Cardinals aren’t on anywhere in Omaha.

— Brandon Vogel

thejump

“You need a support system. You cannot do it LJŽƵƌƐĞůĨ͘ dŚĞ zt ƌĞĂůůLJ ŚĂƐ ŵĂĚĞ Ă ĚŝīĞƌĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ my life.”

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

N E W

heartlandhealing

A G E

H E A L T H

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W E L L N E S S

Flu Season: It Doesn’t Add Up — and other news

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t’s a topic visited here many times. But a recent article in The Atlantic, titled “Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science: MUCH OF WHAT MEDICAL RESEARCHERS CONCLUDE IN THEIR STUDIES IS MISLEADING, EXAGGERATED, OR FLAT-OUT WRONG,” has led us down this path once more.

I’ve just spent hours scanning the web for a shred of … truth? We’re in the midst of what the techno-pharmaceuticalindustrial complex calls “flu season” and I’m trying to get to the bottom of things. I’m insulted by the constant numberwaving in mainstream media that claims 36,000 people die from influenza each year in the United States. We already know that the Centers for Disease Control’s own statistics confirm that the figure is inflated by a factor of about 500. We’re left to wonder why they still try to sell that 36,000 number.

While reading a recent news article that stated, “The Oklahoma State Department of Health says at least two people have died of influenza in recent months,” I shook my head in disbelief. If only two people in Oklahoma have died in months and we’re in the peak of flu season, how in the world are we going to get to the much-touted 36,000 that are supposed to die each year? Granted, Oklahoma is not New York (in many ways,) and not one of our more populous states. But I wanted to do a little collating myself so I started adding up some statistics found on individual state websites.

The numbers just don’t add up. Canvassing state health department websites for the truth is a task of Diogeneic proportion. Oh, you can find some truth but you’d better be good at sifting. Looking at numbers provided by individual state data, one is hard pressed to come up with a figure of 36,000 deaths each year from the flu. Consider: Nebraska reports that since October 3, 2010, a grand total of 174 cases of flu have been confirmed by laboratory analysis.

And quoting from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website, as of this week, “Zero deaths have been attributed to lab-confirmed influenza virus since October 3, 2010.” That’s zero, as in none. In the peak of flu season, no less.

Iowa has only 137 lab-confirmed cases of flu since September 1, 2010 and reported a grand total of 41 flu deaths in the 2009-2010 season.

In the populous state of Florida, fewer than 250 confirmed cases of flu in the past month.

For the entire flu season 2009-2010, Alabama, one of the hotspots for flu activity in the nation, reported exactly 53 deaths from flu.

Georgia, another hotspot state, reports a grand total of five deaths so far this entire season.

In Louisiana, yet another hotspot state, an official total of 96 deaths are attributed to influenza for the period 1999-2007! That’s 96 deaths in nine years.

In the great state of Illinois, from October 3, 2010 through January 8, 2011, the height of flu season, there has been exactly one death attributed to flu, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Heartland Healing

B Y

M I C H A E L

B R A U N S T E I N

For the entire 2010-2011 flu season, beginning October 1, 2010, the state of New York is reporting on its official website exactly two pediatric deaths attributed to influenza.

Excuses, excuses, excuses. The Centers for Disease Control has a dissembling and unguentary explanation for all this.

The 36,000 number of dead each year that is continuously bandied about in the media is justified by a singular bit of numerical legerdemain published back in 2003 using “statistical modeling techniques.” Actual numbers are acknowledged to vary.

One excuse for the inflated number is that the CDC adds deaths attributed to pneumonia and counts them as influenza. But on the website, the CDC answers this question: “Does CDC think that influenza causes most [pneumonia and influenza] deaths? No, only a small proportion of deaths in either of these two categories are estimated to be influenza-related.

[CDC estimated that] only 8.5 percent of all pneumonia and influenza deaths and only 2.1 percent of all respiratory and circulatory deaths were influenza-related.”

My math tells me that means a number closer to 36 hundred deaths yearly is more honest than 36 thousand.

And that if we used the Iowa yearly number of 41, times 50 states, we’ll get about 2,000.

If drug companies and public health agencies wonder why they are met with general distrust and disrespect, perhaps being truthful would be a good start toward regaining public trust.

In local news: A new clinic focused on alternative healing arts has opened in the Benson area. Hypnotherapist Tom Tyrakoski and wife Barbara Bockes have transformed the space at 5519 N.W. Radial Highway into a welcoming and peaceful place for natural therapies.

Tyrakoski said the clinic offers hypnotherapy, a detox program featuring a special detoxifying footbath, massage therapy, color therapy and more. Tyrakoski took over the comfortable eight-room space late last year and hopes to add more therapies. There are spaces available for practitioners, including a large community/workshop room. Contact Tyrakoski at 740.7431.

The fourth annual Omaha Health Expo is scheduled for April 30-May 1 at the Civic Auditorium. The successful show is aimed at mind, body and spirit wellness with an emphasis on alternative and holistic healing. A wide variety of therapies are highlighted by the 350-plus exhibitors and there are workshops and lectures. Attendance at the event is free to the public and exhibition space is still available. Organizer Bob Mancuso said last year’s event drew over 10,000. More information is at OmahaHealthExpo.com Following a multitude of requests, we have listened and acquiesced. Heartland Healing, in partnership with The Reader, will again publish a Healing Arts Directory. Published beginning in 1997, it will again feature the holistic and traditional therapies, providing information on how to find practitioners. It will be distributed in early May. Contact Kathy Flavell at The Reader, 813.3276.

If you have healing arts news, email Heartland2@ aol.com Be well. ,

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

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| THE READER |

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

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coverstory

invisible wounds With suicides up, military increasingly explores alternative treatments for PTSD

by Hilary Stohs-Krause

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brycebridges.com

hen Jeff Miller returned from Saudi Arabia in 2003, he jumped feet first back into society. The staff sergeant and security forces specialist with the 363rd expeditionary security forces squadron did everything expected of him: got married; got a job; had two children.

But something was wrong. He started having nightmares, flash anger — going from mildly irritated to explosively angry in minutes — and problems being in crowded places.

“Over the first year or so, my wife would say, ‘Gosh, you know you’ve got some anxiety, some separation issues,’ particularly with crowds,” says Miller, who until recently was the state legislative chairman for Veterans of Foreign Wars. “I didn’t want to go to a mall, or movie, or party … “ “I thought, that’s just me being me,” he says by phone from his Bellevue home, his voice revealing a deep conviction. “It took me almost seven years to recognize that I was actually being affected by PTSD.” Across the country, alternative methods for treating PTSD are being explored and studied, including meditation, yoga and breathing exercises, as soldiers and health practitioners alike find standard treatments lacking.

Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide and depression have jumped for American soldiers in recent years. Studies estimate as many as 1 in 5 veterans will have PTSD at some point in their lives, compared to 1 in 10 for Gulf War veterans. The number skyrockets to nearly 1 in 3 for veterans of the Vietnam War. Among all Americans, about 1 in 14 people will have PTSD at some point, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include flashbacks; bad dreams or sleep troubles; feeling guilt, depression or being emotionally numb; losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past; being easily startled, or on

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edge; and angry outbursts, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System cared for nearly 6,000 veterans in 2010, says public affairs officer William Ackerman. About 2,600 of those were veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The Omaha VA spent $535,201 in 2010 treating 1,001 PTSD patients, according to information obtained by The Reader through a Freedom of Information Act request. That’s the highest number of patients in the last eight years, and almost double the 586 patients who received care in 2002, the earliest data available.

And the consequences of such numbers can be shocking: Last year, for the first time, more U.S. service members took their lives than were killed by hostile forces.

The pain of surviving

And at this point, the military is willing to try anything, as the impact of PTSD and depression grows: From 2007 to 2010, suicides in the army more than doubled.

In June of this year, the number of confirmed or suspected suicides for the army alone reached one every 22.5 hours. Through November, the army has recorded 268 confirmed or suspected suicides in 2010 among both active and non-active duty personnel — up from 245 in all of 2009, 197 in 2008 and 115 in 2007.

The Omaha VA doesn’t keep track of suicides for military personnel stationed in Nebraska, but the number of unique patients who visited its mental health facility rose 37 percent from the fiscal year 2002 to the fiscal year 2010 — from 5,614 to 8,832.

How alternative techniques work

“We understand that these practices are imporFifty-three soldiers from Nebraska have died in the wars in Afghanistan and jeff miller Iraq, including nine from Omaha, according to the Washington Post’s “Faces of the Fallen” online database.

For those who survive, however, readjusting to civilian life can be difficult — even something as basic as getting rest. From 2008, the earliest data available, to 2010, the number of Omaha VA patients receiving medicine to help them sleep catapulted from 19 to 1,001.

Many veterans and counselors hope therapies such as yoga and animal companionship could help turn the tide. It’s hard to determine the extent to which alternative treatment for PTSD is used, but researchers say it’s definitely a trend.

“Anecdotally, we hear this more and more, that more (Department of Veterans Affairs) programs are offering programs such as pet therapy, equestrian therapy, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture,” says Paula Schnurr, deputy executive director of tant to our veterans, and we have an important the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National need for knowledge about how widely they’re beCenter for PTSD. ing used,” Schnurr says. “We also need to know The VA is preparing a survey to find out ex- how they work or what they work for.” actly how many veterans are engaged in these The only practice shown in definitive tripractices. It hopes to learn if treatments help als to have benefits for directly treating PTSD those with PTSD and depression, which occur is acupuncture, she says, though early open at roughly the same rates in veterans, and often trials regarding mindfulness components, overlap, she says. such as meditation and breathing techniques, Yoga, in particular, has proven popular. “look encouraging.”

Sean Bradrick has been teaching yoga for 25 “It comes from the Buddhist practice of livyears. For the last two or three, he’s contracted with ing in the present,” she says. “Oftentimes, when the Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center to teach people have depression or PTSD or other probmeditation and relaxation techniques to veterans. lems, they’re very much stuck worrying about “It’s not just for PTSD, but for people with the past or worrying about the future, and spend depression, people with schizophrenia, bipolar a lot of time and a lot of emotional energy on disorder,” he says. “It’s so good for so many men- things that have already happened or things that tal and physical ailments.” have not yet happened.”

Mindfulness practices teach people to live in the moment. They teach acceptance, preparation and how to deal with the present.

“Sounds kind of logical, right? Everyone should do that. But we don’t,” Schnurr says. “We spend too much time thinking about things we can’t control.”

While data isn’t available to show effectiveness of more physical practices like yoga or tai chi, Bradrick says soldiers he’s instructed have received enormous benefit.

“It’s based on using yoga as exercise for the body and using mediation as an exercise for the mind,” he says. “Everyone has anxiety; Gandhi had anxiety. But when anxiety reaches the level of PTSD … that’s where yoga and mediation can be used as a form of therapy, rather than just a superficial physical exercise.”

For example, hearing sirens might trigger a panic attack in an individual, leading to anxiety,

leading to a worse panic attack the next time. But through yoga and breathing techniques, Bradrick says that person can learn to control his or her anxiety by learning to still his or her mind, breath and heartbeat.

Some have called it a gift — others, a powerful medicine.

“Everyone’s different, of course, but generally speaking, I have probably a 90 percent rate of people that say by the end of the session that they feel like their anxiety and that their PTSD is much more manageable,” Bradrick says. “They feel like they have some control over it, where at the beginning they felt helpless to it.

“I’ve never had someone who’s made it through a whole session come up and say, ‘Hey, I feel worse than I did before I learned all this stuff.’”

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Focusing on the present

At Ease is a program for traumatized veterans started this year by Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. So far, they’ve worked with 53 people, including service members and their families.

Twenty-five percent of the soldiers fought in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A “significant portion” served during the Vietnam War. Program supervisor Debra Jones says At Ease encourages a family-based, holistic approach to PTSD, teaching coping skills and relaxation techniques.

“We don’t use yoga, because at the point clients are coming to us, their trauma is recent and significant and they don’t care to be touched,” she says. “Initially, one of the issues is that most of the returning combat veterans that are struggling with PTSD don’t feel safe anywhere. So we encourage them to identify and construct a safe place.”

Miller was recommended to At Ease by a private doctor, and he says meeting with a therapist has been “the greatest relief of my life since returning back from the Middle East.” He’s also practiced awareness and breathing techniques to help with his anger, saying they “definitely work.”

“That split second when a veteran has the opportunity to react to a situation … that split second of decision-making, what I’ve done is essentially take myself out of the equation for two seconds and really think about what’s important,” Miller says. “You take a very simple process and break it down. … It’s allowed me to process that info at face value, instead of lumping other things into it.”

It’s also allowed him to control his anger flashes, he says, bringing himself down from a 9 or 10 on a scale of 10 down to a 4 or 5. At Ease also collaborates with Omaha’s Take Flight Farms, which offers equine-based therapy and pet therapy.

“Anything, whether it be another human being or an animal, that a veteran can make a connection with is critical in the first phase of reestablishing trust and safety,” Jones says.

Drugs still dominate PTSD treatments Interest in alternative methods has increased for numerous reasons, experts say: for many, there’s little to no risk of side affects; treatments are non-invasive; and they’re done by the patient, instead of to the patient.

“There’s also an increasing emphasis on wellness, and many of these techniques are really about the idea of not reducing a disorder, but about living and staying well, increasing your quality of life,” says Schnurr with the National

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Center for PTSD. “Practices that are more physical may also be more appealing to younger veterans, because anecdotally, we know that many younger veterans are very involved in physical fitness activities.”

And many who don’t have criteria for depression or PTSD might still have adjustment difficulties, Schnurr says.

“My guess is that many of them are people who, even if they don’t have a disorder, want or need some help,” she says. “They notice a difference between now and before they were deployed.”

But experts stress that yoga, breathing techniques and other alternative remedies should not replace psychiatric or psychological therapy.

“These are not primary interventions,” Schnurr says. “These are helpful secondary interventions that may improve your quality of life. They may improve your sleep. They may improve how you feel about yourself.”

Bradrick agrees.

“I would never say, ‘Oh, do yoga and someday you won’t need drugs,’” he says. “Yoga and meditation can work alongside osteopathic psychiatry and biochemical drugs.”

At the Omaha VA, soldiers received 108,671 prescriptions in 2010 for antidepressant or antipsychotic drugs. That’s a decrease from 2009’s high of 116,670 prescriptions, but it’s still 78 percent higher than the 61,093 prescriptions given in 2000.

But painkiller prescriptions have dropped off considerably, from a 2001 high of 126,774.

They rose again slightly, from 2005 to 2009, reaching 97,389, but decreased again last year.

Veterans also need to keep in mind that methods like acupuncture and tai chi are still being studied, Schnurr says.

“It’s very understandable that people are seeking out these techniques. It’s just important for them to be informed consumers,” she says.

“Evidence about how they work and how well they work is still coming in.”

But despite the uncertainty surrounding these methods, more and more soldiers are eager to try them.

“There’s so much energy and interest, and I think good scientist are designing good studies to look at these things,” Schnurr says. “It’s a very exciting time.”

And it can’t happen too soon, Miller says.

Throughout the interview, he’s grown more contemplative, well aware of the toll PTSD can have on an individual.

“Not all wounds are visible,” Miller says.

“Wounds in a person’s soul or head can take a long time to heal … But (soldiers) might surprise themselves what they can find, what peace.” ,

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Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

at Ease

Bob Kerrey weighs in on PTSD, war, endings and beginnings

V

by Leo Adam Biga

ietnam War veteran and former Nebraska governor and U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey will be in Omaha Jan. 31 to salute At bob kerrey Ease, an Omaha program providing confidential behavioral health services to active duty military personnel and family members.

Founded by Omaha advertising executive Scott Anderson, At Ease is administered by Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. Kerrey, whose embattled New School (New York) presidency ended January 1, is the featured speaker for the At Ease benefit luncheon at Qwest Center Omaha.

Reports estimate up to one in five Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans — some 300,000 individuals — suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or major depression. Controversy over strict U.S. Veterans Administration guidelines for PTSD claims has led to new rules that lessen diagnostic requirements and streamline benefits processing.

Last summer Kerrey, a board member with the Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America (IAVA), publicly criticized a VA policy banning its physicians from recommending medical marijuana to patients.

“There are doctors who are strongly of the view that marijuana prescribed

| THE READER |

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and monitored can be beneficial for a number of physical and mental conditions,” he says. “And in those states where medical marijuana is legal I think the VA should allow it.

“If a doctor can prescribe medical marijuana for somebody who’s not a veteran, it doesn’t seem to me to be right for that doctor not to be able to prescribe it for a veteran.”

Kerrey, speaking by phone, says he keeps fairly close tabs on veterans’ affairs.

“I would say I stay more current on veterans health and veterans issues than I do on other issues. I’ve made a few calls on the Veterans Bill of Rights that (Sen.) Jim Webb pushed. I get called from time to time to help people that are having problems. It’s much harder to help somebody when you’re not holding the power of a senate office or a governor’s office.”

Kerrey strongly advocates the work of IAVA, founded in 2004 by Paul Rieckhoff, a former Army First Lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader in Iraq.

“It’s a very good organization for any Iraq or Afghan veteran that’s looking for somebody they can talk to,” says Kerrey. “They’re very careful not to duplicate what the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and the (American) Legion are doing.

“They don’t have buildings, they just have basically networks of Iraq and Afghan veterans who are trying to help each other.”

He suggests the number of veterans needing help for PTSD is so vast that only a combined public-private initiative can adequately address the problem.

“You start off with an estimate of 300,000 PTSD sufferers from Iraq and Afghanistan and multiply by it two or three, depending on how many family members are going to be affected, and you’re talking about maybe a million people,” he says. “This is a difficult thing for the Veterans Administration or other government entities to handle all by themselves. Non-governmental efforts are typically supplemental — all by themselves they’re not going to get the job done (either).” continued on page 16 y

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An Evening with Steven Soderbergh.

Academy Award-winning director of Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Out of Sight, The Informant!, and the Ocean’s Eleven trilogy.

Interview by Kurt Andersen, with an Introduction by Alexander Payne.

Sunday, February 20, 2011 Holland Performing Arts Center

Event Chairpersons: The Weitz Family

More information and tickets at filmstreams.org or (402) 933-0259 ext. 13.

All proceeds support Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater, Omaha’s nonprofit cinema.

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cover story

He views At Ease as a non-governmental response that can help address problems at the local level.

“It’s hard to figure out what to do for a million, but if you’re talking about 50 or 60 or a 100 or just one, there’s something you can do, and that’s what At Ease is doing through Lutheran Family Services. It’s a great example of how when you say, ‘I’d like to do something to help,’ there are venues, there are ways to help. It’s a terrific story.”

His remarks at the fundraiser will make that very point.

“My focus will be on how possible it is for a single individual, in this case Scott Anderson, a nonmilitary citizen with no direct contact with PTSD, to do something. And his program saved lives, it’s made lives better.”

In this belt-tightening era, Kerrey says nonprofit-volunteer efforts can make an especially vital impact.

“We hear so much about things unique to America that there’s a tendency at times to be skeptical. But our nation’s volunteer, not-forprofit efforts are unique in the world. The financial and volunteer time giving that occurs is a real source of strength that doesn’t show up on economic analyses,” he says, adding that veterans’ problems are “not going to be made easier if in a moment of budget cuts we cut back on mental health services.”

Attitudes about mental health disorders are much different now than when he returned from combat in Vietnam, where he led a Navy SEAL team. Kerrey was awarded the Medal of Honor. Thankfully, he says, the stigma of PTSD is not what it used to be.

“First of all, I think mental illness is seen much differently today — much more mainstream, much more comparable to physical illness. I think you’d probably have a hard time finding somebody in Nebraska that doesn’t have somebody who’s experienced a trauma producing some kind of disability.

“I would say the mental trauma is in a demonstrable way more disabling than the physical trauma. And the two can be connected. I think generally today people accept that. I’m sure there’s still a lot of people who think of PTSD as connected to Vietnam but I think that’s the exception rather than the rule. The rule is it’s seen more broadly as a condition that can affect anybody, both in and out of combat.”

Repeated deployments in Iraq and Afghan, he says, have added new stressors for “guys rotating in and out multiple times. It’s one thing to go over your first time and won-

der whether or not an IED is going to take you out, but to have to go over a second, a third, a fourth (time) — at some point it has to harden you when you get home. It has to have a terrible impact on you.”

He believes whatever care veterans receive must be personal and consistent.

“The most important thing is sustained support because what you need is somebody you can call when you’re having trouble,” he says.

Although he never suffered PTSD, he dealt with losing part of a leg and adjusting to a prosthesis. He endured physical pain and memory-induced night sweats. He says while recovering from his injuries “some of the most important things given to me were by volunteers who would just come in and say, ‘It’s going to be all right.’ It’s extremely important for another human being to be there and demonstrate they care enough about you to spend time with you.”

On other topics, Kerrey says the recent Tucson shooting may hold cautionary lessons.

Alleged gunman Jared Lee Loughner made threats against his target, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat sharply criticized by the right. Kerrey says while rhetoric is part of this society’s free exchange of ideas, labeling an elected official a danger may trigger an unstable person to act violently.

Meanwhile, Kerrey, who was to have remained New School president through July, has given way to David Van Zandt.

Kerrey remains affiliated with the school.

His fate as president was sealed when senior faculty returned a 2009 no-confidence vote. Until last summer Kerrey had been in negotiations with the Motion Picture Association of America to become the trade group’s president.

About his New School experience, he says, “I’m grateful for the chance to have done it. I learned a lot. I got a lot done. I made a lot of friends.” He also ran afoul of vocal studentfaculty blocs. His well-known political skills failed him in the end.

“I certainly didn’t expect my term as university president was going to be free of situations where something was going to be upsetting. I was not an altogether cooperative student when I went to the University of Nebraska. I’ve seen university presidents hounded, harassed, criticized before I became one, so it didn’t really surprise me.”

With the MPAA no longer courting him, Kerrey says he’s looking to do “something in public service — something I think is not going to get done unless I do it,” adding, “It’s much more likely I’m going to be spending more time back there (Nebraska).” ,

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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 seven 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

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Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

E

by Steve Brewer

veryone talks about the location of restaurants, but the space can be just as critical.

Del Mare features a new menu from its days as Prestige World Class, but the largest change is the walls that have altered the size of the dining room.

Prestige opened in 2006 in a 10,000-square-foot building at 169th and Pacific. It featured a large main room, nightclub and spacious patio overlooking Pacific Springs golf course.

I reviewed Prestige in 2007, and again in 2009 after a menu change.

On both occasions, I enjoyed the food but found the “something for everyone” menu made it difficult to excel in any one area. All that space sometimes made the dining room feel empty.

Last year, owner Gene Graves converted Prestige to Del Mare, with an “Italian + Seafood” menu. Executive Chef Don Doty developed the cuisine before leaving; he was replaced by his former sous chef José Lopez Balbuena.

My wife and I visited Del Mare on a Saturday night. We started with the Spinach & Artichoke Dip ($7.95) because both our server and the menu said it was popular.

The flour tortilla chips were fresh, and the dip tasted a bit like cayenne pepper-flavored tuna, with only a faint artichoke flavor. I enjoyed it, but others might find the title to be misleading.

“Del Mare” means “of the sea,” so ordering seafood seemed the logical choice.

My wife tried the Calamari Neapolitan Style ($15.95), with orzo pasta, basil and artichoke hearts in a white wine sauce. She said it tasted like spring in the middle of winter, with a light, refreshing flavor. Calamari can often be chewy, but this was expertly prepared.

I ordered the Swordfish Involtini ($19.95), stuffed with breadcrumbs and pine nuts. Swordfish can be dry, but the preparation seemed to offset that problem. The dish was topped with an olive red sauce. I normally avoid olives, finding that the flavor dominates all other tastes.

Here, the sauce was strong but not overpowering, and seemed to complement the fish.

In a later interview, co-manager Brad Peters also recommended the Seasoned Diver Scallops ($11.95).

| THE READER |

dish

“It’s one of our most popular items, and definitely my favorite,” he says. “I never thought scallops and Béarnaise sauce would complement each other, but they really do on this dish.”

Del Mare offers seven seafood entrees, along with six pasta dishes and four steaks. In addition, you’ll find six pizzas and nine sandwiches. That’s a broad selection, but it’s more focused than the weighty menu formerly offered by Prestige.

Timing seemed to be an issue. We arrived without a reservation, and waited about 30 minutes in the bar before being seated. That was obviously our fault, but then it took 45 minutes for our entrees to be delivered

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

Former Prestige space reinvents itself as seafood and Italian joint Del Mare

crumbs

84th Street Café Serving delicious cost-conscious food.

8013 S. 83rd Ave. • 597-5003 www.facebook.com/84thstcafe

n Even if, or especially if, you don’t know your Cabernet from your Chardonnay, you should really consider checking out HyVee’s Wine and Food Experience festival next month. The event is Saturday, Feb. 5, from 1-6 p.m. at the DC Centre, 11830 Stonegate Circle. You’ll be able to sample practically every wine Hy-Vee carries, the vast majority of which retail for under $20, with many under $15. Not only that, but in many cases you’ll get to talk to representatives from many of the wineries. You’ll also get to sample some special selections Hy-Vee doesn’t normally stock, as well as specialty foods and cheeses from over 75 booths. It’s $35 in advance and $40 at the door. That may sound a little steep, but you’ll get a tasting glass you can keep as well as a crash course in wine. If that’s not enough of a reason, all the proceeds from the event will be donated to local charities. You can get tickets at the Customer Service counter at your local Hy-Vee. — Kyle Tonniges

after ordering. Two separate servings of our appetizer were also inadvertently delivered to our table.

We eventually received our food, and a manager came out to apologize, explaining that several new kitchen staffers were being trained, which had led to delays and misunderstandings.

He also had two free slices of cheesecake sent to our table (he was not aware that we were doing a review).

The biggest change at Del Mare is the dining room. It is now perhaps one-third its previous size, with about 50 seats. That creates a cozier and livelier environment.

The remaining space has been walled off into an event room holding perhaps 100 people. The Reef lounge remains mostly unchanged, with a stage and an attractive two-sided bar.

Peters says the goal is to create a controlled fine dining atmosphere and to increase private bookings.

“Dividing it into three separate areas has been a positive change,” Peters says. “Food sales have gone way up.”

One quibble is that a television monitor was showing the NFL playoffs during our meal, distracting diners from their food and companions. Am I the only person in Omaha who thinks TVs should be limited to sports bars?

Del Mare is an improvement over Prestige, both in food and environment. It doesn’t try to

n Everyone wants an escape from Nebraska at the moment, right? The staff at downtown’s Boiler Room took a week out of the restaurant to travel to San Francisco to do some foodie research. Last year, the team visited Chicago restaurants and speakeasy-type bars to influence their menu and drink list. San Francisco is sure to inform The Boiler Room’s wine list and its emphasis on local and organic cuisine.

The restaurant reopened Jan. 24, after a week hiatus. Visit theboilerroomrestaurant.com or call 916.9274. n What most of us already know, Draft Magazine has made official. The publication listed the Crescent Moon as one of its best 100 beer bars.

The Crescent Moon and adjoining Huber-Haus and Max and Joe’s, plus neighboring Beertopia provide an incredibly diverse menu of national, international and craft beers, but the magazine credited the Moon with serving local drafts by Lucky Bucket and Empyrean. Visit beercornerusa. com for more information.

— Lainey Seyler Crumbs is about indulging in food and celebrating its many forms. Send information about area food and drink businesses to crumbs@thereader.com.

be an entertainment complex, but has settled for becoming a smaller and more focused restaurant within a big building.

Del Mare, 810 S. 169th St., is open Tues.-Wed. 11 a.m.11 p.m., Thurs. 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sat. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. and Sun. 4-9 p.m. Call 614.7660 or visit delmareomaha.com

| THE READER |

Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

19

8 days

Jan. 28-March 4

Drawing Omaha from Manhattan: An Exhibition by Edgar Jerins Lied Art Gallery, Creighton University, 2500 California Plz. Reception Jan. 28, 5-8 p.m. gallery open daily 1-4 p.m.

FREE, 280.2261, creighton.edu

It is clear that Edgar Jerins was a close friend and mentee of super-realist painter Kent Bellows — Jerins’ dramatic large-scale “narrative noir” charcoal images are hauntingly real, revealing more detail the closer you peer. Jerins, living and working in New York, also reveals his Omaha roots, utilizing his family, friends and life in Nebraska as subject matter. Six of the 10 images in this show are set in Nebraska and Kansas, according to the artist, who recently returned from Riga Latvia with the exhibit. His stark images of blue-collar Americans in their homes were a part of an exhibition hosted by the European Union as an effort “to recognize how people are suffering due to the economic crisis.” The show at Creighton’s Lied Gallery is a part of his stint as a visiting artist at Creighton.

— Sally Deskins

20

Jan. 27-feb. 2, 2011

t h e reader ’ s entertainment picks J an . 2 7 - feb . 2 , 2 0 11

FRIDAY28

rebelution

January 28

The Show is the Rainbow w/ Machete Archive and Prairies

Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. 9 p.m., $8, onepercentproductions.com Love or loathe, there’s one thing you can’t do with The Show is the Rainbow: ignore. Darren Keen’s histrionic antics combine angst and rock front man wriggling. He’s stripped back down to the one-manband format, singing and wailing his screeds over pre-recorded electronic music. It’s a format certainly unique in the Lincoln/Omaha area. Also on hand are post-rockers Machete Archive, an up and coming prog band, and Prairies, noisy garage punks with wonderfully lo-fi organ sounds thrown in.

— John Wenz

SATURDAY29 Jan. 29

Rebelution w/ Iration and Orgone Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. 8 p.m., $16 ADV/$18 DOS onepercentproductions.com

The Santa Barbara-based reggae band, Rebelution, has seen a sudden surge in popularity outside California thanks to its recent collaboration with Bay area hip-hop heavyweights, Zion I. Not to say these guys never put in the work. Since Rebelution’s 2007 debut, Courage To Grow, its fan base has been expanding exponentially due to endless touring and a catalog of independent releases. A combination of Sublime and Peter Tosh, Rebelution’s style is laid back and the kind of music you want playing in the background at a summer barbecue. Appearing on Zion I’s February release, Atomic Clock, Rebelution is currently doing select dates with Zumbi and Amp Live. “Our tour manager met Rebelution at a show.

They said they were fans of our music and were into the idea of touring together,” Zumbi of Zion I says.

“Our styles are way different, but we both try to spread a positive vibe.”

— Kyle Eustice

| THE READER |

picks

Jan. 29-30

Jan. 29 and Feb. 5

St. Cecilia Cathedral, 701 N. 40th St. Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., Sun. 1-4 p.m.

FREE, cathedralartsproject.org

Urban Storage Building, 1215 Leavenworth St. 6:30-11 p.m. both nights, FREE

Cathedral Flower Festival

A frigid Nebraska January isn’t hospitable to very much other than tropical vacation fantasies. Luckily for local dreamers, this weekend’s Cathedral Flower Fest provides a false sense of spring and a little south of the border spin. Xalapa, Mexico, dubbed the City of Flowers, or Flower Garden of Mexico, is one of Omaha’s sister cities and the theme for this year’s event, through a collaboration with Omaha Sister Cities Association (OmahaSisterCities.com). The Mexican Consulate, Lauritzen Gardens and several South Omaha businesses also contributed to the affair. Forty-plus vibrant floral displays, lectures, live music and more, will have the cathedral pulsing with life, light, color and the promise of spring.

— Sarah Wengert

Science Fair

Space. Give an artist some and see how far they can push the walls, figuratively speaking. There are no dimensions to imagination. See what happens when 90-plus artists are let loose on a like number of storage spaces in an urban warehouse where the only creative bounds are the ones the artists impose on themselves. Prepare for a visual and sonic experience ranging from individual pieces hanging on walls to multi-work exhibitions to installations to site specific performance art pieces to sets by local bands. Explore three floors of this magic box of a warehouse and discover a space-time continuum of creativity. Beware of exploding volcanoes. The show is a gesture from 2009’s Destroy Rebuild Repeat exhibit in Council Bluffs. A Josh Powell happening.

— Leo Adam Biga

the reader’s entertainment picks

Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

SUNDAY30

WEDNESDAY2

Jan. 30

Feb. 2

Holland Center, 1200 Douglas St. 4 p.m., $10-$35, 345.0606 omahaperformingarts.org

Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. 9 p.m., $8, onepercentproductions.com

Keep warm during a cold winter night by enjoying the gift of a cappella vocals from one of the most recognized college choirs in the country. The St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Anton Armstrong and accompanied by John Ferguson, consists of 75 mixed voices, and has performed for audiences all over the world, including Australia, France, Chicago and Dallas.

— Tina Richardson

Help and Hope for Haiti Signing

The Bookworm, 8702 Pacific St. 1-3 p.m., 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com It has been about a year since the tragic earthquake hit Haiti, and even though the news has wandered onto more recent events, those impacted last January still have a story to share. Haitian-born physician and UNMC Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Rubens J. Pamies will present a discussion on his new book Help and Hope for Haiti, which documents the firsthand accounts of several groups of volunteers from Omaha. The illustrated book paints an eyewitness view of the challenges faced by those trying to deliver urgent medical care to the people of Haiti. Dr. Pamies, along with several staff from UNMC, will talk about their experiences in Haiti, as well as sign copies of the book.

Proceeds will benefit the Haitian Relief Fund.

— Jarrett Fontaine

euforquestra

St. Olaf College Choir

Euforquestra w/ The LymphNodes Maniacs

If you love something, you must give it away for free. Somebody said that. Sting? I dunno. Anyway, that’s what Euforquestra did with its album Soup. Wanting to build a fan base for their afrobeat/funk infused sound, the group chose to let fans new and old have their new album for free on their site. The Iowa City/Fort Collins-rooted group is hoping to bring converts out to their show, a fusion of a bunch of world genres that amount to ‘dancing your ass off.’

— John Wenz

Feb. 2

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 302 S. 38th St. 7 p.m., FREE, mostdangerousman.org Before Julian Assange and Wikileaks, there was Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. During the height of the conflict in Vietnam, Ellsberg was working for the U.S. government as a high-level Pentagon official and Vietnam War Strategist. In 1969 Ellsberg began attending anti-war events while still holding his position at the Pentagon. It was during one such event that he was moved to tears after listening to a speech given by a draft resister named Randy Kehler, who said he was ‘very excited’ that he would soon be able to join his friends in prison.

The speech changed Ellsberg’s outlook on the world and turned his views of his own government upside down. In 1971, Ellsberg released to the New York Times a 7,000 page top-secret study of classified documents regarding the conduct of the Vietnam War, a paper he originally contributed to in 1967. What ensued was a maelstrom of government cover-ups, plots against his health and lawsuits directly stemming from then-President Nixon. This 2009 Academy Award-nominee for best documentary feature takes a piercing look into the world of government secrecy through the eyes of a high-ranking insider and leads directly to Watergate, Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam War. — James Derrick Schott

Jan. 30

.38 Special

Harrah’s Casino, Council Bluffs 8 p.m., 21+, $35-$50, 888.512.SHOW harrahscouncilbluffs.com Like the assembly line worker banging out the same widget for a generation or more, .38 Special has been playing the same hits since the 1970s. Led by Donnie Van Zant (yes, his older brother Ronnie fronted the original Lynyrd Skynyrd and younger brother Johnny heads the group now), they’re perhaps best known for their signature hit “Hold on Loosely,” but they also had a string of other chart-toppers, including three that hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Like many of their musical contemporaries (see: Styx, Kansas, REO Speedwagon and countless others), the band continues to peddle their music to aging Baby Boomers, eager to lap up nostalgia that harkens to their glory days of a slimmer waistline and a fuller head of hair. Despite last cutting a new record in 2004, there’s something magical about the music that keeps the fans packing the clubs and casinos and coming back for another heaping helping.

— Adam Froemming

Jan. 30

.38 special

picks

| THE READER |

Jan. 27-feb. 2, 2011

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| THE READER |

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Knight, Gilmer share common ground in art exhibit, Line by Line by Line

P

by Michael J. Krainak

olite society has a way of telling artists where to “draw the line” or not to “cross the line” in the name of political correctness, family values or so-called community standards.

As if artists in all fields didn’t have enough to worry about in Art by rob gilmer today’s economy.

Whether they mark, speak, walk, write or toe that proverbial line, all of them wonder, “Will it play in Peoria?”

Yet while artists balance on that fine line between censorship and consumerism, all of them hope you will get in line and come see their work.

No matter how an artist answers to “What’s My Line?” fashion designers, architects, graphic artists, dancers, actors, musicians, writers and visual artists will tell you it’s all about the show. Everything else will take care of itself.

At the risk of stretching the point even further, an exhibit at the RNG Gallery covers this territory, both in nature and society, in Line by Line by Line. This is a two-person show continuing through Feb. 6, featuring the sculptural “cuttings,” video and drawing of Susan Knight and the photography of gallery owner Rob Gilmer.

Though the “line” referenced in this show is more conceptual, it clearly demonstrates the risk each artist takes in hoping that viewers will buy

their line, both aesthetically and commercially.

In the past, Gilmer has exhibited mostly landscape and portraiture, work that is both personal and easily accessible. In this show the imagery is more abstract, the point-of-view less emotional.

On the other hand, Knight’s sculptural and monumental pieces have always been abstract and esoteric as they place even greater demands on a discerning audience. This exhibit is no exception as her work continues to be an object lesson in how the artist connects to her environment, especially water, air and light.

Overall, Line by Line by Line is an impressive show and with one notable exception, well cu-

rated, lit and hung in RNG’s three gallery spaces.

Mostly larger work, each of the 11 photos, drawings, and sculptural pieces enjoys its own wall, space or corner. This presentation is ideal, as each one is unframed, therefore allowing their “lines” to be more expansive. Knight even includes a video, a waterscape that ripples on and off the screen.

Movement, then, is a motif in this two-person show as each artist vividly demonstrates that even in a still photo or drawing and a stationary sculpture, a work of art is always in motion.

Horizontal lines broaden our field of vision and imagination just as vertical ones lift or lower our

spirit. Diagonal lines alter our perspective and curvaceous ones raise levels of anticipation, passion and energy.

For their inspiration, Knight and Gilmer draw upon natural and man-made environments. They say in their artist statement they were struck by the similarity of their birthdays, hers 1-1-11, his 1-11-11 and the repetition of vertical and angular lines. Ironically, unlike these equations, there are, as in reality, very few purely horizontal or vertical lines in this exhibit. Rather than reflect their birthdates, the dominant diagonal, angular and contour lines demonstrate instead their personalities and talent. Which, despite sharing a similar astrological sign, is quite different.

Knight shapes and crafts her lines, which emulate what she experiences in nature.

Yet her work is more cerebral and detached as she connects with nature’s own aesthetic rather than its representation.

She focuses on the essence of her environment in microcosm and then recreates it on a grander, more graceful scale.

There is a sublime beauty to the best of her work, which transcends any specific lake, surface or shore. Her lines are at once dense and delicate. They are formally structured and etched, yet impermanent enough to risk unraveling or blowing away in the next puff of wind.

Gilmer, on the other hand, is more sensual, immediate and spontaneous in POV and style. His lens discovers and then documents his connection to nature and society, shooting and composing full frame with little or no manipulation other than natural camera movement. His lines are those revealed to him in his viewfinder; but this time, though his imagery is still representational, like Knight he chooses continued on page 24 y

art

n There’s a lot going on at The Bookworm at 87th and Pacific in Countryside Village this week. Saturday, Jan. 29, bestselling romance author Victoria Alexander, aka Cherry Griffin, will sign copies of her latest book, The Perfect Mistress, at 1 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 30, Haitian-born physician and University of Nebraska Medical Center Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Rubens J. Pamies, along with several UNMC medical staff, will be at the store from 1-3 p.m. to talk about their experience providing care in Haiti in the aftermath of the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake.

They’ll also sign copies of their book, Help and Hope for Haiti, which offers an eyewitness take on the turmoil and their struggle to deliver medical and surgical care within a shattered infrastructure. Proceeds from the book benefit the Haitian Relief Fund.

Finally, if you’re looking for book suggestions, consider swinging by the store Wednesday, Feb. 2, for the “What Are You Reading” book chat from noon-1 p.m. where attendees will discuss what’s been scratching that proverbial literary itch. n For those of you keeping track, the American Dialect Society chose “app” as their word of the year. The runner-up was “nom.” One-hundred and fifty linguists weighed in on this important decision and gave their OK, so feel free to start using “app” and “nom” at will. n Speaking of apps, publisher Simon & Schuster recently created a FourSquare page (foursquare. com/simonschuster) that allows readers to get all sorts of info, ranging from free books to tips from authors on their favorite haunts. n If you’ve got some literary-inspired ink, you might be set for life in terms of books from your favorite publishers. Both Black Ocean and Octopus Books are offering lifetime subscriptions to their books if you get a tattoo inspired by one of their titles. Henna doesn’t count. If you’re tattoo-averse, you can always shell out $64 for a lifetime subscription to Octopus titles. n Remember that unofficial sequel to Catcher in the Rye — 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye that imagined what Holden Caulfield would be up to now? J.D. Salinger’s estate finally settled its lawsuit against author and publisher Fredrik Colting. He agreed to refrain from selling the book in the U.S. and Canada until Catcher enters public domain. He’s free to sell it anywhere else in the world, but he can’t refer to Catcher in the Rye or Salinger in the book.

— Kyle Tonniges

booked

Opposites Attract

culture

Comments? Questions? Want more? Email us at booked@ thereader.com

| THE READER |

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

23

art

y continued from page 23

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| THE READER |

art

to isolate on a detail of line, movement or mood rather than location.

In spite of their differences works often speak to another in unexpected ways. In the first room Knight’s moody video loop, “Magic Observations,” parallels Gilmer’s photo “Siding” literally and conceptually. The former is liquid poetry in motion as wave after strobing wave ripples to shore as it mimics the hori- ART BY SUSAN KNIGHT zontal house siding of the latter, whose lines and shadows seem to undulate by that same unseen force in art, the imagination.

Conversely, in that same room two additional pieces, “Roller Girls,” Gilmer’s colorful, rollicking mayhem on wheels and Knight’s large, horizontal “Trail,” a black and white and mostly gray drawing, are polar opposites. Both are uniquely ephemeral works. In the first Gilmer blurs color, line and motion in a trail of light and palette of red not unlike the ballet paintings of Terry Rosenberg. And Knight buries and blends the figurative deep inside layers of dusty cross-hatched and intersecting lines on her trail bed.

In the back room two large works continue this conversation of line and motion. On the east wall we have literally, “Crosswalk,” Gilmer’s black and white, birds’-eye view of a busy intersection. To its right is Knight’s sprawling sculptural filigree of cut paper, “Fusion.” Though both are abstract, Gilmer’s is bold, busy and graphic; its geometric street hatchings appear to fall into the viewer’s lap. Knight’s piece is organic, an

amoeba-like piece of flotsam and jetsam just washed in on the shore.

Look again, and intended or not, the lines in each workflow, meet and crossover in the center like an unfinished figure eight. Interestingly, and in character, Knight establishes it by design and structure; Gilmer does so more by chance, as one part of his equation is a line of tire tracks caught by his camera that

intersect with crosswalk markings.

The only distraction in this gallery is the placement of “Fusion” on the south wall jammed against a doorway to its right, thus cramping its style and our view. It’s especially disconcerting since the large west wall is left bare. If the cut paper were flexible enough one can imagine it flowing across this space and down across its ledge. Or perhaps “Fusion” could have hung on the east wall and “Crosswalk” on the west.

After all, if opposites do attract, let them square off along a line of fire and communication with the viewer in the middle of the conversation. , Line by Line by Line continues through Feb. 6, at RNG Gallery, 1915 Leavenworth St. (Use Dixie Quicks entrance.) Call 346.3549 for details.

theater Hometown girl to grace Orpheum stage in Mary Poppins

M

by Warren Francke

for musical theater programs but wasn’t accepted.

So she brought home a book listing the schools offering that major and looked at all the possibilities, including Ithaca College in New York, a small private school not far from Broadway.

The next day she picked up the book again and it fell open to the page with that college.

“I said, ‘OK, Lord, is that where you want me to go?’”

She would become one of its first AfricanAmerican graduates. And that wasn’t the last time she turned to her faith in God. When this writer wrote a profile of her father, Rudy Smith told how he and her mother shared the faith that brought them together. And then he added, “And my daughter’s faith is stronger than mine.”

Q. Smith agrees. “My faith is strong, but I got it from him. My parents kind of instilled it in me when I was young. Without it in this business, it would be very difficult to survive.”

ary Poppins is new to Omaha, but both the musical and the city are long familiar to one of its principal players, Q. Smith. Born here as Quiana and with the show for three years, she returns as the title character’s rival nanny.

You might even say our hometown girl plays the villain. Mary sings, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down,” but Q.’s nanny, Miss Andrew, forces “Brimstone and treacle” on the two children.

That doesn’t mean she won’t have a rooting section during its three-week run at the Orpheum Theater, especially on an evening when 100 or so family and q. smith in Mary Poppins friends from Salem Baptist Church join her parents, retired World-Herald photographer Rudy Smith and retired drama minister Llana Smith, for the performance.

It won’t be new to mom and dad, either. They’ve seen her in Chicago and Los Angeles, among other stops, and most recently when the company appeared in Des Moines.

“But a lot of people who grew up with me have never seen me perform,” she says.

As a professional, that is. Many saw her in plays created by her mother and grandmother for Salem, the big Baptist church on a hill in North Omaha. She toured Nebraska and Kansas with her mother’s group, including brother Shannon and a cousin.

And others were exposed to her talents at North High, where choral teacher Patrick Ribar “introduced me to musical theater.” She played one of the brothers in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat” and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. After two years at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she auditioned

For example, after rehearsal Wednesday night, they’ll start the Omaha run by performing Mary Poppins seven times in four days. “It’s quite challenging,” she says, and this time the challenge will include explaining to both family and friends that she doesn’t have a lot of spare time.

“I drink lots and lots of water. It takes about two hours for the body to hydrate. I stretch a lot and try to work out two or three times a week, but the whole show is a workout.”

Her preparation also features prayer and she tries to read scripture each morning. On Monday, the day off, “I don’t talk or use my voice.”

One difference while in Omaha: she won’t spend her per diem on either of the two housing options offered the cast. “I’ll stay at home” with her parents in Northwest Omaha.

Her roommate Tiffany from Virginia — “She’s like a second daughter to them” — will also join them.

“I did Les Miz with her,” Q. adds. She loved Les Miserables so much as a swing member of the ensemble that “I cried every day on my way to work” on Broadway. For joy and gratitude.

We were talking about these experiences while she was in Pittsburgh, where it had snowed the night before. “New York City is my favorite place,” she says, “but it’s a hard place to live.”

In her first year with Mary Poppins, she often didn’t know which of eight roles she’d cover until just before the show or even in the middle. For a while, she understudied “the oldest woman in the world.”

Even now, while we’ll see her in a key role with her own song, “Brimstone and Treacle,” you might spot her earlier as Queen Victoria in the “Jolly Holiday” scene.

But ask about her favorite number and she picks “Step in Time” with Mary, Bert the chimney sweep, the kids and all hoofing on the London rooftops.

But she finds the whole show “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” The Disney and Cameron Mackintosh production is presented as part of the Omaha Performing Arts Broadway Across America series. , Mary Poppins at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St., runs Jan. 27-Feb. 13, Tues.-Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 6:30 p.m., plus matinees Sat. 2 p.m. and Sun. 1 p.m. Tickets are $33-$72 available via 345.0606 and omahaperformingarts.org

theater

n What sounds good when it feels like you’ve been pushing snow around every few hours?

Sitting snug in an Irish pub with a bartender named Dev (Scott Kurz), sipping some stout and eavesdropping on Connor (Kevin Barratt) and Maeve (Laura Leininger) as they sort out life-changing decisions.

It may not be snowing when Distant Music by James McLindon opens Thursday in Brigit Saint Brigit Theater’s Downtown Space, but their latest Irish play sounds like just the thing to heat heart and mind on a cold night. Will Maeve the nun risk her vocation by providing a forbidden sacrament? Will Connor agree to a judgeship?

Will the bartender mind his own business?

You’ve got the next few weekends to find out with the help of three top talents. n It was no surprise to see Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek steal the show when The Odd Couple returned to the Omaha Community Playhouse.

And that’s no reflection on a solid supporting cast. I know his Felix Ungar is supposed to share the title billing with Oscar Madison, but the Neil Simon script gives a huge advantage to the finicky Felix who desperately faces the immediate crisis of being dumped by his wife.

Edward Cutler, a less experienced actor than Clark-Kaczmarek, doesn’t sell “slob” as creatively as his co-star portrays Ungar’s neatnik peccadilloes, and he readily credits Clark-Kaczmarek with giving him the best acting lessons of his life. Director Judith K. Hart probably realized it wouldn’t succeed if he got into a scene-stealing contest with Clark-Kaczmarek.

You may have seen the play before, but this Felix is a whole new experience, which runs through Feb. 13. For more on the production, see David Williams’ full review on page 26. n I’ve got to paste a reminder on my computer so I won’t forget it come next January. Every season I go somewhat begrudgingly to the latest From Shelterbelt with Love before the obvious dawns on me.

I always enjoy most of these little playlets, and any clunkers pass quickly. With FSWL10, there were no real losers and some clear winners at 3225 California St., through Valentine’s Day. And it didn’t hurt that Bernie and Kay Clark paired in two of the nine, while Chelsea Long appeared three times. I finally figured out what fascinates me about Chelsea, other than her cutiepie-ness. It’s the way she says, “Yep.” There’s less mystery about the appeal of the Clarks. They’re pros and we saw them serious in The Last Anniversary and silly as apes in Feeding Time at the Human House. Bernie tosses poop with the best of them.

— Warren Francke

coldcream

Mind Your Q.

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

| THE READER |

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

25

theater

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26

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

theater

T

by David Williams

here are times when a story may tell you more about the reviewer than what happened on stage. The opening of The Odd Couple at the Omaha Community Playhouse offers such an occasion.

One reason the Neil Simon classic is among my favorite comedies is that I get to celebrate my inner Felix Ungar. For one night, I am reminded there are others out there who are just like me: persnickety to a fault.

Have you ever re-written a grocery list because the columns of your first attempt weren’t symmetrically arrayed? Do you alphabetize your spice rack? Are coasters placed strategically throughout your home wherever someone could have even the remotest possibility of needing to set down a drink? For that matter — and this one really hurts — have you ever put a coaster on top of another coaster because you suspect the bottom one of lacking the requisite vigor for the task at hand?

Felixes of the world unite!

Heck, I spent the first two acts of the Judith Hart-directed effort obsessing over the fact that Felix’s belt may not have matched his shoes, a pairing that would never happen in Felixland.

Turns out I was wrong, a discovery made only after taking the extraordinary measure of sending a Playhouse emissary backstage during intermission to do a costume check.

Can you imagine such trifling nonsense? Can you imagine being the sort of person to have even noticed such piffle in the first place? For those who can, you are my brothers and sisters in the esteemed F.O.F. (Fraternity of the Fussy).

There is a method to this belt-matching madness. My review of a delightful production of the same work at another theater a couple years ago was built entirely on a foundation of (gasp!) Felix’s mismatched shoes and belt. The tidy one would never, ever wear a brown belt

with black shoes. I used that which normal people would never have noticed and constructed a piece that went on to expound on how every other aspect of that earlier production was utterly Felix-like in the flawlessness of its acting, execution and staging.

And that’s where things get ‌ complicated.

Those of you familiar with my scribblings over the years know I am a softy, a cheerleader of sorts; that I endeavor to find ways to avoid delivering anything but the kindest of reviews. A lot of that has to do with recognition that most community theater is borne of an army of volunteers doing their darned best to entertain you. It would seem unfair, I reason, if such noble efforts should be met by too much negative criticism.

Let’s leave it at this, then. A preview night audience provided a steady soundtrack of laughter for the Omaha Community Playhouse’s The Odd Couple. Who am I to nullify such genuine and heartfelt response?

Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek was truly splendid as Felix and is alone worth the price of admission. Costumer Georgiann Regan — sorry to have doubted you on the belt thing — serves up lots of fun ’60s duds, especially those Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men� bowling shirts and mod, Twiggy-inspired mini-dresses.

Other roles are solidly acted.

And Jim Othuse’s marvelous set may be a perfect example of how divorce affects decor. The juxtaposition in Oscar Madison’s apartment of feminine mauve walls and floral artwork against the steady encroachment of barroom-style sports photos practically screams, “A divorced man lives here!�

Of particular note was Othuse’s choice to use a shot of Mickey Mantle batting right-handed. Every F.O.F. member knows that the switchhitter’s power came from the other side of the plate. Indeed, 373 of his 536 career homeruns, a full 70 percent, were of the lefty variety and ‌ Oops! There goes the Felix in me again! , The Odd Couple at the Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., runs Wed.-Sat. at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. through Feb. 13.

Tickets are $35, $21 for students. Call 553.0800 or visit omahaplayhouse.com.

g h t i O N e n n l y O a midwestern town

Transformed Sunday, February 13th 6:30 PM Harrah’s Convention Center – Tickets $20 –

Tickets on sale NOW at: www.harrahscouncilbluffs.com

Post-show party at Stir Live & Loud featuring OEAA nominated DJ showcase!

Model dresses provided by:

Featuring Live Performances by:

• Best Singer/Songwriter and Best Jazz/Easy Listening nominee All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

• Best Performance By A Young Actor nominee, Ashton Taylor accompanied by Best Musical Direction nominee, James Boggess

• Best Slam Poet nominee, Felicia Webster

• Best Jazz/Easy Listening nominee, Steve Raybine • Best Rock nominees, The Filter Kings

| THE READER |

Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

27

Monster group show, Science Fair, opens this Friday

by Sarah Baker Hansen

O

Storage building, 13th and Leavenworth. Each participating artist has a storage unit space to do with as they wish. Powell says some of the units on each floor are currently rented for storage — he’s juggled artists around the two floors when open spaces became rented — and says it’s been challenging to put together an art show in a space that’s used for a distinctly different business plan.

The artists, too, have been challenged by the space. It is full of hallways bordered by corrugated metal walls. The unit ceilings are made of wire and there are only three outlets on each floor.

When artists asked Powell how to adapt their work to the space, he told them to get creative.

“A lot of times, I answered ‘I don’t know,’” he says. “I told people to hang work with Velcro

maha artist Josh Powell has spent the past month wrangling close to 100 artists together for what promises to be one of the city’s more memorable shows of 2011.

Powell, with help from fellow Omaha artists Joel Damon (recently named curator of the Bemis Underground) and Kevin Rooney, pulled together a group of largely unknown artists for Science Fair, which opens this Friday in a storage warehouse turned art gallery.

Powell said he and Damon, art by corrie suhr who curated last year’s Destroy Rebuild Repeat in two buildings in Council Bluffs, continued to look for alternative exhibition spaces. They also decided, before Damon had to drop out of the project to concentrate on the Bemis Underground, they wanted to include more artists.

“We thought 30 seemed like a good number,” Powell says. “We wanted to do something big.”

Their original idea of “big” soon became dwarfed by the number of artists interested in participating in Science Fair.

Powell tapped Rooney to help him find young, underrepresented artists or magnets, to wire work from the ceiling or to in the city, and Powell continued to work on re- use LED lights or flashlights that use batteries to cruiting artists who had shown before but who light work.”

Many of the exhibiting artists, he says, spent weren’t the big names in the community.

“We wanted this show to be about the people hours putting together their show. Others took more of a minimalist approach, hanging just one we don’t hear about all the time,” Powell says.

Rooney brought 30 artists to the exhibition, piece. He’s also invited performers and musicians to take advantage of the space during the many who aren’t showing elsewhere.

“Until now, you would have never seen these show’s opening.

Omaha artist Scott Blake won’t be showing artists in a ‘gallery’ setting,” he says. “You would only see them on local bands’ album covers, on what he usually does, and instead will display his walls of buildings, in bathrooms or Christmas personal collection of more than 500 postcards.

“The opening of this show is going to be presents. It’s very hard for the art crowd to discover these artists — to them it may not be insane,” Blake says. “This feels like the biggest group show I’ve ever been a part of. Josh and worth the effort.”

The show is far from traditional. It’s taking Kevin are doing this to celebrate the local art place on the fourth and fifth floors of the Urban scene, and not simply trying to cash in on it. I

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jan. 27 - feb. 2

| THE READER |

art

hope people do buy art at the Science Fair, but I think it is more important to come to the opening, walk around, see what people are working on, and get inspired.”

Powell mentioned a few can’t-miss units.

Artist Holly Kranker recreated her grandmother’s kitchen. An installation from Alex Meyers and paintings by Patty Talbert are worth seeking out. Caleb Coppock is working on a collaborative video piece. Tim Guthrie created a huge video piece inspired by Frankenstein that will be projected on the outside of the building.

“The show isn’t just sculptures and paintings,” Powell says. “There’s fashion designers, performance artists, installation artists, musicians.”

He hopes the diversity, and the buzz the show’s garnered, will draw even non-art types.

Rooney agrees.

“The Omaha art scene is so much more than the Bemis, KANEKO and whatever the hell else people think it is,” he says.

Powell says his ultimate goal isn’t a successful show Friday night, even though that would be nice.

It’s to spur more shows like this on a regular basis.

“People — artists — think they need to show in a gallery but they don’t know how to do it,” he says. “These young, ambitious artists want to show, and I can see this show spawning many more. Even though I plan to keep doing shows like this, I hope other people do, too.” , Science Fair opens Jan. 29, 6:30-11 p.m. at Urban Storage, 13th and Leavenworth. Exhibiting artists include ætherplow (feat. Katie F-S, Thom Sibbit and Susann Suprenant), Alex Jochim, Alex Myers, Amy Morin, Ben McQuillan, Brittan Rosendahl, Caleb Coppock w/ Travis Smith, Cally Casteel, Chase Bobier, Christina Renfer Vogel, Christine Stormbert w/ Anna Greer, Corrie Suhr, Craig Roper, Dan Crane w/ Eric Shew, Dan Lowe, Dan Richters, Daniel Muller, Dapose, Darcie Presnall, Dave Koenig, David Shreffler, Derek Courtney, Derek Presnall, Dominic Holmes, Doug Hayko, Dwight Nysewander, Emily Sutterlin w/ Sam Martin, Eric Berner, Eric Wilson, Erin Blayney, Gerard Pefung, Holly Kranker, Ian Kuhn, Iggy Sumnik, Jake Welchert, Jamie Hardy, Jar Schepers, Jennie Mason, Jesse Fisher, Jody Boyer, Joel M!GHTY Damon, Josh Powell, Kevin Rooney, Kianna Alarid, Kim Reid Kuhn, Kiona Basile Alexander, Kjell Peterson, Kristin Lubbert, Lallaya Lalley, Leslie Duigiud, Lucille Rae, Machaela Morrissey, Maggie Weber, Matt Dinovo, Mat-

n The Bemis Underground has a new curator. Joel Elia Damon took over the space after Brigitte McQueen left at the end of 2010. Damon says he’s excited to build on the Underground’s momentum while continuing to grow the space. “I’m extremely honored to be in this position,” he says.

And he’s jumping right in with the 2011 Bemis Center Regional Exhibition, a juried show. This is a first-time show that invites artists within a 100-mile radius of Omaha to submit up to five entries. Three artists will be awarded a $500 cash prize and an Underground solo exhibition in 2012. The juror is Kate Hackman, associate director of Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City.

The submission deadline is Feb. 11. For more information or to submit work, visit BemisCenter.org. n Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and a few local arts venues have special events planned for the romantic day. Lauritzen Gardens’ Valentine’s Day Dinner is slated for Monday, Feb. 14, 6-9 p.m., in the visitor and education center. Glowing candlelight, a fireplace and a wide variety of tropical flowers will accompany a multiple-course dinner. Meal options include Chateaubriand, roast beef tenderloin, raspberry balsamic chicken, grilled fresh salmon and a stuffed Cornish game hen, among many others. Meal selection, reservation and pre-payment are required, and the dinner is $50 per person. Seating is limited.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 346.4002, extension 201. n Art and Bubbly at the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln (Full disclosure: I work at Sheldon) is slated for Saturday, Feb. 12, 6-8 p.m. and for the second year in a row will give visitors the chance to enjoy sweet treats and a champagne tasting in the museum’s candlelit great hall. Last year’s event was limited to 80 people and this year’s event has been expanded; tickets are available for $25 per person by calling 472.1454 or by visiting SheldonArtBubbly2011.eventbrite.com. Proceeds from the event support the Sheldon Art Association.

mixedmedia

art Blind ’Em With Science

— Sarah Baker Hansen Mixed Media is a column about art. Get local art updates at weekfiftytwo.com. Send ideas to mixedmedia@thereader.com.

thew Carlson, Mike Loftus, Mike Roche, Mike Sheef, Miss Cake, Nicole Rubino, Nolan Tredway, Patrick Kinney, Patty Talbert, Peter Cales, Rachel Dick, Rob Quinn, Robert Gilmer, Russ Nordman, Saber Blazek, Sam Haug, Scott Blake, Seth Johnson, Shane Bainbridge, Shannon Carroll, Sora Kimberlain, Tana Quincy, Teal Gardner, The New BLK, Tim Guthrie, Tinca and Frances Joyner, Tyler Barry, Wanda Ewing, Wiley Jack and Will Anderson.

8

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Late ‘til Feb. 3: Meet the New Curator Feb. 10: Opera Informance Feb. 24: daOMA Lecture with Yves Béhar visit www.joslyn.org for more information Joslyn Art Museum and Dodge Street at Night (Photo courtesy of HDR Architecture, Inc.; © Tom Kessler Photography)

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

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| THE READER |

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

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art

OpeningS

CREIGHTON LIED ART GALLERY, 2500 California St., 280.2392, finearts.creighton.edu. DRAWING OMAHA FROM MANHATTAN: New work by Edgar Jerins, opens Jan. 28-Mar. 4, reception Jan. 28, 5 p.m.

LAURITZEN GARDENS, 100 Bancroft St., 346.4002, omahabotanicalgardens.org. WEEDS/PODS/SEEDS: New work by Kristin Pluhacek. THE LANDSCAPES: New work by Kristin Pluhacek.

Both shows through Apr. 17.

LUX CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 48th and Baldwin, Lincoln, 434.2787, luxcenter.org. LUXURIOUS: A JEWELRY TRUNK SHOW: Group show, opens Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m.

SHELDON ART GALLERY, 12th and R, UNL, Lincoln, sheldonartgallery.org. GALLERY TALK: Wendy Katz will discuss Poetical Fire, opens Feb. 1, 5:30 p.m.

ONGOING

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

ARTISTS ON THE EDGE: Group show, through Jan. 9 MUSES STUDIO, 2713 N 48th St., Lincoln. NEW WORK: Pam Hardimon, through Jan. ARTISTS’ COOPERATIVE GALLERY, 405 S. 11th St., artistscoopgallery.com. 35TH ANNIVERSARY RED CARPET CELEBRATION: Group show, through Jan. 30.

BEMIS CENTER, 724 S. 12th St., 341.7130, bemiscenter.org.

STILL LIFES: New work by Vera Mercer. ANOTHER NEBRASKA: Group show by the Nebraska Arts Council individual artist fellows. Both shows through Apr. 9.

BEMIS UNDERGROUND, 724 S. 12th St., 341.7130, bemiscenter.org. GROUP SHOW: New work by Kenneth Adkins, Dan Crane and Victoria Hoyt, through Feb. 26.

BENSON GRIND, 6107 Maple St., thebensongrind.com. NEW WORK: Ashley DeVrieze, through Jan. BURKHOLDER PROJECT, 719 P St., Lincoln, 477.3305, burkholderproject.com. 23RD ARTISTS CHOOSING ARTISTS SHOW: Group show, through Jan. 29. NEW WORK: Johanna Sawyer, through Jan. 29. THE SANTA FE COLLECTION: Ongoing.

CATHEDRAL CULTURAL CENTER, 3900 Webster St., 551.4888, cathedralartsproject.org. NEW WORK: Regional Latino artists, through Feb. 4.

DURHAM WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, 801 S. 10th St., 444.5071, durhammuseum.org. SCHOOL HOUSE TO WHITE HOUSE: THE EDUCATION OF THE PRESIDENTS: Through Mar. 27. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition, through Mar. 20.

FRED SIMON GALLERY, Burlington Building, 1004 Farnam St., nebraskaartscouncil.org. NAC IAF VISUAL ARTS SHOW: Group show, through Feb. 25.

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

CLEANING HOUSE SILENT AUCTION: Group show. FRESH PERSPECTIVE: Student work. Both shows through Jan. 30.

GOVERNOR’S RESIDENCE EXHIBITION, 1425 H St., Lincoln, nebraskaartscouncil.org. NEW WORK: Jason Jilg, through Feb. 4.

GREAT PLAINS ART MUSEUM, 1155 Q St., Hewit Plc., Lincoln, 472.0599, unl.edu/plains/gallery/gallery.shtml. DOUBLE VISION: New work by Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie, through Mar. 27.

HAYDON CENTER, 335 N. 8th St., Lincoln, 475.5421, haydonartcenter.org. THERE IS NO PLAN B: New work by Lenore Thomas, through Feb. 5.

HILLMER ART GALLERY, College of St. Mary, 7000 Mercy Rd., 399.2400, csm.edu. RECENT PAINTINGS: Jeffrey Spencer, through Mar. 4, reception Feb. 17, 5 p.m.

HOT SHOPS ARTS CENTER, 1301 Nicholas St., 342.6452, hotshopsartcenter.com. POTLUCK: Group show, through Jan. 30.

INTERNATIONAL QUILT STUDY CENTER AND MUSEUM, 1523 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, 472.7232, quiltstudy.org. MARSEILLE: WHITE CORDED QUILTING: Through May 8. REVISITING THE ART QUILT: Through Apr. 3, gallery talk Apr. 3, 3 p.m.

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, 333 S. 132nd St., 572.8486, jccomaha.org. SCREAM TRUTH AT THE WORLD: Emanuel Ringelblum and the Hidden Archive of the Warsaw Gutter, through Feb. 25.

KANEKO, 1111 Jones St., 341.3800, thekaneko.org. FREE. FOLDED SQUARE ALPHABETS & NUMERICALS: Sculpture exhibit by Fletcher Benton, through Feb.

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Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

KIECHEL FINE ART, 5733 S. 34th St., Lincoln, 420.9553, kiechelart.com. THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE (PART TWO): New work by Neil Christensen, through Feb. 5.

KRUGER COLLECTION, UNL Architecture Hall, 10th and R, Lincoln, 472.3560, krugercollection.unl.edu. THINK GREEN: Interior/green design and miniatures, through Mar. 18, 2011.

LAURITZEN GARDENS, 100 Bancroft St., 346.4002, omahabotanicalgardens.org. A TROPICAL PARADISE: Amazing tropical plants, through Apr. THE LICHEN, 2810 N. 48th St., Lincoln, thelichen.com. NEW WORK: UNL Sculpture student group show, through Jan. LUX CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 48th and Baldwin, Lincoln, 434.2787, luxcenter.org. VIS-A-VIS: Group show, through Mar. 1. PULP: Group show. SELECTIVE MEMORY: New work by Arjan Zazuety. Both shows through Feb. 26.

MODERN ARTS MIDWEST, 800 P St., Lincoln, 477.2828, modernartsmidwest.com. SMALL WORKS: Larry Roots, through Jan. 29.

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

by Joel Sartore, through Nov. 30.

MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART (MONA), 2401 Central Ave., Kearney, 308.865.8559, monet.unk.edu/mona. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM: Through Jun. 5, 2011. A GREATER SPECTRUM: African American artists of Nebraska, 1912-2010, through Apr. 3.

OF PEN, PAPER, PENCIL: Group show, through Feb. 27.

THE NEW BLK, 1213 Jones St., 403.5619, thenewblk.com. POSITIVE SPACE: Daniel Muller and Justin Beller, through Jan. NOMAD LOUNGE GALLERY, 1013 Jones St., 884.1231, nomadlounge.com. SCRATCHING THE SURFACE: New work by Nicholas Pella, through Jan. NOYES GALLERY, 119 S. 9th St., Lincoln, 486.3866, noyesartgallery.com. FOCUS GALLERY: Group show through Jan. 31.

OLD MARKET ARTISTS, 1034 Howard St., Lower Level of Old Market Passageway, oldmarketartists.com. SOUP AND NUTS: Group show, through Jan. OMAHA’S CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, 500 S. 20th St., 342.6163. ocm.org. BIG BACKYARD: Through Apr. 10.

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

TWEEN: Anne and Michael Burton, through Jan. 31.

PASSAGEWAY GALLERY, 417 South 11th St, passagewaygallery.com. NEW WORK: Beverage Magnet School student group show, through Jan. 31.

PIZZA SHOPPE COLLECTIVE, 6056 Maple St., 556.9090, pscollective.com. NEW WORK: Steve Schutz, through Jan. PROJECT ROOM, 1410 and 1416 O St., Suite #8, Lincoln, 617.8365, projectroom.us. NEW WORK: Matt Hilker, Ying Zhu, Maggie Tobin, through Feb., reception Feb. 4, 7 p.m.

RETRO, 1125 Jackson St., 934.7443. UNFINISHED THOUGHTS: New work by Meganne Horrocks, through Jan. RNG GALLERY, 1915 Leavenworth St., 214.3061. LINE BY LINE

BY LINE: New work by Susan Night and Rob Gilmer, through Feb. 6.

SHELDON ART GALLERY, 12th and R, UNL, Lincoln, sheldonartgallery.org. BETTER HALF, BETTER TWELFTH: Women artists in the collection, through Apr. 1, 2011. ORLAN & MIND OVER MATTER: Through Jan. 30. AN AMERICAN TASTE: THE ROHMAN COLLECTION: Through May 1. POETICAL FIRE: THREE CENTURIES OF STILL LIFES: Group show, through May 7.

TUGBOAT GALLERY, 14th and O, 2nd floor, Lincoln, tugboatgallery.com. F TO THE YES!: Group show with Alex Borovski, Alison Van Volkenburgh, Meghan Sullivan, through Jan. 29.

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD MUSEUM, 200 Pearl St., Council Bluffs, 501.3841, uprrmuseum.org. ABRAHAM LINCOLN COLLECTION: Through Mar. UNL HILLESTAD TEXTILES GALLERY, 35th & Holdrege, 2nd Floor, Home Econims Bldg., Lincoln, textilegallery.unl.edu. PERSPECTIVES AND POTENTIAL: Indian textiles and costumes, through Feb. 11.

UNL ROTUNDA GALLERY, Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, 472.8279. BENEATH THE SAND: A PHOTOJOURNEY OF OUR YEAR IN NAMIBIA: New work by Kelly and Larkin Powell, through Jan. 28.

UNO ART GALLERY, Weber Fine Arts Bldg., 6001 Dodge St., 554.2796. UNO ART FACULTY EXHIBITION: Group show, through Feb. 10.

W. DALE CLARK LIBRARY, 215 S. 15th St., 444.4800. HOMAGE TO LUIGI: Group show, honoring jazz musician Luigi Waites, through Jan.

| THE READER |

art/theater listings

FRIDAY 28

JIMMY SHUBERT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m., 9:45 p.m.

SATURDAY 29

check event listings online!

WESTERN HISTORIC TRAILS CENTER, 3434 Richard Downing Ave., Council Bluffs, 515.281.3858, iowahistory.org. OVER HERE, OVER THERE: Iowa and WWI, through Fall 2010. ART IN DAILY LIFE: The art of Native Americans, through Jan. 2011.

WORKSPACE GALLERY, Sawmill Building, 440 N. 8th St., Lincoln, sites.google.com/site/workspacegallery. NEW WORK: Priya Kambli, through Feb.

theater oPENING

A THICK DESCRIPTION OF HARRY SMITH, UNO Theatre, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6001 Dodge St., opens Jan. 27, 5 p.m., reception and reading with playwright Carlos Murillo.

AN EVENING OF CABARET W/ ANNE-MARIE KENNY & MITCH FULLER, The Field Club, 3615 Woolworth Ave. Opens Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., $20. Opens Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 29, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Jan. 30, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m., $55.

BLUE MAN GROUP, Lied Center, 12th & R St., Lincoln, liedcenter.org.

IN A DARK DARK HOUSE, Skullduggery Theatre, Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple St., pscollective.com.

Opens Jan. 28-29, Feb. 4-5, 8 p.m., $10.

MARY POPPINS, Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St., 345.0606, omahaperformingarts.org. Opens Jan. 27-Feb. 13, various showtimes, $23-$50, more information at ticketomaha.com.

THE SEAFARER, Nebraska Wesleyan, McDonald Theatre, 51st and Huntington, 465.2384, nebraskawesleyan.edu.

Opens Jan. 27-Feb. 6, Thu.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $10, $7.50/seniors, $5/students.

oNGOING

FROM SHELTERBELT W/ LOVE, Shelterbelt Theatre, 3225 California St, 341.2757, shelterbelt.org. Opens Jan. 20Feb. 14, Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 6 p.m., $15, $12/students & seniors, special rates available, visit shelterbelt. org for online sales.

G.I. CHRISTMAS, Millard Plaza Ballroom, 5339 S 139th Plz, 891.0779, millardplazaballroom.com. Opens Jan 7-8, 14, 21-22, 28-29, 7 p.m., $40.

LEADING LADIES, Bellevue Little Theatre, 203 West Mission Ave., 291.1554, bellevuelittletheatre.com. Opens Jan. 21-Feb. 6, Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $15, $13/ seniors, $7.50/students.

LITTLE WOMEN, Chanticleer Theatre, 830 Franklin Ave, Council Bluffs, chanticleertheater.com/index.php.

Through Jan. 30, Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $17, $14/seniors, $9/students.

THE ODD COUPLE, Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., 553.0800, omahaplayhouse.com. Opens Jan. 21-Feb. 13, Wed.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. & 6:30 p.m., $35, $21/students.

poetry/comedy thursday 27

DAVID PHILIP MULLINS, Metro Community College Writing Center, 2902 Edward Babe Gomez Ave., Con. 222, 7 p.m. Author will read from Greetings from Below.

PARK TEEN CENTER UNDERGROUND OPEN MIKE COFFEEHOUSE NIGHT, Park School, 855 S. 8th St., Lincoln, 7-8:30 p.m., 441.9471, $1. Open mic/slam poetry/acoustic music for Grades 8-12. (last Thurs. each month) WRITER’S WORKSHOP, F St. Rec Center, 302 S. 11th St., Lincoln, 5 p.m.

JIMMY SHUBERT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7:30 p.m.

VICTORIA ALEXANDER AKA CHERY GRIFFIN, The Bookworm, 87th and Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 1 p.m. Author will sign The Perfect Mistress.

JIMMY SHUBERT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Sunday 30

POETRY ON THE PRAIRIE, Prairie Building Auditorium, Pioneers Park Nature Center, Lincoln, 2 p.m., $5.

DR. RUBENS J. PAMIES, The Bookworm, 87th and Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 1 p.m. Author will sign Help and Hope for Haiti.

JIMMY SHUBERT, Funny Bone, Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport St., funnnyboneomaha.com, 493.8036, 7 p.m.

monday 31

BRAD GREGORY & DOROTHY G. GRIFFIN, Creighton University, Harper Center, Ahmanson Ballroom, 2500 California Plz., creighton.edu, 7 p.m. Lecture: “Theology, the Reformation Era, and the Secularization of Knowledge.”

DUFFY’S COMEDY WORKSHOP, 1412 O St., Lincoln, 474.3543, myspace.com/duffystavern, 9 p.m. Free comedy workshop (every Mon.) GESKE LECTURE W/ VERONICA L. PASSALACQUA, Ethel S. Abbott Auditorium, Sheldon Museum, 12th & R St., Lincoln, unl. edu, 7 p.m. Lecture: “Archival Encounters.”

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.)

tuesday 1

SCIENCE CAFE: “DO SEX, DRUGS, ROCK AND ROLL CONTRIBUTE TO HEAD, NECK CANCER?”, Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St., unmc.edu/sciencecafe, 7 p.m., FREE. Presented by William Lydiatt.

SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF, The Hideout, 320 S. 72nd St., 9 p.m. sign-up, 9:30 start, 504.4434, myspace.com/shootyourmouthoff, spoken word, comedy, music and chaos (every Tues.)

TUESDAYS WITH WRITERS, The South Mill, 4736 Prescott, Lincoln, 7 p.m., Open mic with featured reader Jen Davis Korn. (1st Tue.)

Wednesday 2

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC FOR MUSICIANS & POETS, Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, 1624 S. St., Lincoln, 8 p.m., 477.2007. Hosted by Spencer. (every Wed.) COMEDY NIGHT, Side Door Lounge, 3530 Leavenworth St., Omaha, 8 p.m., $5.

LUNCH AT THE LIBRARY, 4th Floor Auditorium of Bennett Martin Public Library, 14th & N St., Lincoln, 441.8516, heritage@lincolnlibraries.org, 12:10 p.m. Featuring Joe Starita, author of I Am A Man: Chief Standing Bear’s Journey For Justice.

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.) NAKED WORDS, Soul Desires Bookstore, 1026 Jackson St., 6 p.m., prairie.sky@gmail.com, open mic hosted by Heidi Hermanson. (First Wed.) NEBRASKA WRITERS WORKSHOP, Ralston Library, 5555 S. 77th St., 331.7636, ralstonlibrary.org. Poetry/scripting/ fiction. (every Wed.) PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS, McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Farnam, 7 p.m., FREE. This political thriller unravels a saga that leads directly to Watergate, Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam War. (every Wed.) POET SHOW IT, 1122 D St., Lincoln, 8 p.m. Local writers come and read. (every other Wed.) WHAT ARE YOU READING?, The Bookworm, 87th and Pacific, 392.2877, bookwormomaha.com, 12 p.m. (1st Wednesday.)

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JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

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Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

Cirque du Soleil inspires latest Plain White T’s album

T

by Chris Aponick

When it came down to deciding the album’s track listing, it wasn’t about the best songs or commercial potential. Songs like “Airplane” and “Killer” made the cut because they carried the album’s theme better than tracks that were left by the wayside.

“These songs will never be on the radio, but that’s OK because they feel the way we want them to feel,” Higgenson says.

As a songwriter, that approach brought a new angle to the process and brought a new freshness, too. The band was being artistic for no

he title came first for the latest Plain White T’s album, The Wonders of the Younger.

T’s songwriter and singer Tom Higgenson had just watched Cirque du Soleil’s “O” in Las Vegas when the phrase popped into his head. Higgenson says he didn’t quite know what the term meant, but he knew it was going to be the creative catalyst for the Chicago band’s sixth album.

He says the performance by the contemporary circus group took a strong hold on him.

“Something about that show really moved me. It made me feel like a kid again,” Higgenson says.

So Higgenson began working on songs, with the images of the acrobatic feats, clowns, mimes, pirate ships and carousel horses featured in the show guiding the feel he wanted to put into the music. The Wonders of the Younger came out on Hollywood Records in December 2010.

“Some of the songs I was writing were written very specifically to that theme,” he says.

Higgenson wanted to couple nostalgic images of youth with an adventurous, grander scope. He wanted something that was both dark and bright, “an album like a roller coaster ride,” he says.

“I wanted to make an album that gives people this feeling,” Higgenson says.

Plain White t’s To help shape the mood of the record, Higgenson decorated his studio space in the manner of a haunted, gaudy mansion, like other reason than the sake of the art they were something out of the board game Clue. He then creating, Higgenson says.

“It was a bit of a challenge, but at the same asked his band mates of things that reminded them of their childhood, then found those items time it made it more fun than it has ever been before,” he says. to place around the band’s workspace.

It’s a new stretch from a band that hit the top Higgenson would use some wordplay to put the theme into some songs, like referring of the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2007, with the to himself as a toy on “Boomerang,” which is massively popular “Hey There Delilah.”

Higgenson says he’s still grateful for the sucabout Higgenson coming back to the same girl cess that the song found. again and again, despite the couple’s romantic “It’s a once in a lifetime thing,” he says. woes. Other tracks introduce added layers and The band followed that up in 2009 with “1, arrangement like playful piano parts to give a 2, 3, 4,” which also charted on the Billboard Hot circus feel to the music.

100. That song’s success was also appreciated, as it kept the band from being written off as just another one hit wonder. “‘1, 2, 3, 4’ was a big F-U to all the non-believers,” Higgenson says.

The lead single for Wonder, “Rhythm of Love”, has also gotten radio play and it keeps growing. However, Higgenson hopes the next single, “Boomerang”, will do even better; the band has yet to have a big hit with one of its more upbeat, band-oriented songs.

“When that chorus hits, it comes in pretty

n Digital Leather is finally able to let loose plans for its follow-up to 2009’s Warm Brother. The new record, Infinite Sun, is due out in June or early July on Chicago label, Tic Tac Totally. After Shawn Foree and his bandmates recorded the album, they took to fundraising website kickstarter. com to pay mixing and mastering of the record. Those who donated get one of a limited line of records made specifically for donors. Foree says he wanted to get the full-length squared away, so he can begin his 2011 mission — to set a personal best for number of releases in a calendar year.

He already has a Scion A/V Garage and Vice Records co-release split single with the Cola Freaks lined up.

backbeat

World of ‘Wonder’

music n Ryan Olson of Gayngs brings his other project, Marijuana Death Squad, to Brothers Lounge, 3812 Farnam St., Saturday, Jan. 29. Olson has built his reputation in Minneapolis as a producer, before Gayngs took off last year. Marijuana Death Squad combines dance music with improvised elements and features two live drummers. The group is stopping on its way to Los Angeles for a residency at the ex-Spaceland venue, which is now the Satellite. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and is $5 at the door.

slamming, but it still has that vibe that people expect from Plain White T’s,” he says.

Still, Higgenson is just happy that there are plenty of people out there who have felt a connection to the band’s music already.

“If we have a song that’s just me and an accordion and it connects with people, we’ll put that out,” he says. , Plain White T’s w/ Parachute and Miggs play The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St., Saturday, Jan. 29, at 9 p.m. Tickets are sold out. Visit onepercentproductions.com.

music

n Blackheart Booking’s Lucas Wright and Lincoln musician Kevin Waltemath (Motherpile, Life of a Scarecrow) have joined forces to spearhead their own local label, DenyBeDoomed Records. So far, the label has put out two releases, Masses’ Smother Nature and a collection of Motherpile demo recordings. Both are available on CD. The Masses EP contains five songs, while the Motherpile compilation features seven cuts the band recorded in a basement. The DenyBeDoomed catalog is available at Antiquarium Records and Homer’s Music. Wright says he’s currently working on a label website, as well as future releases from The Answer Team and Life of a Scarecrow. Until the label’s website goes live, find DenyBeDoomed on Facebook, Wright says. n Rainy Road Records launched its no-frills answers to the record label website last week when rainroadrecords.com went live. The site features offerings from the tape and vinyl label, as well as distributing releases from several other small rock labels, including fellow local imprint Doom Town Records. The site offers downloads, a news blog, and its fine selection of mail order music goods.

— Chris Aponick Backbeat takes you behind the scenes of the local music scene.

Send tips, comments and questions to backbeat@thereader.com.

| THE READER |

Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

33

lazy-i t h e

o m a h a

m u s i c

Homegrown Good Life: Andy Norman launches HearNebraska.org

T

gibson ~ emg ~ dimarzio ~ zildian crate ~ epiphone red bear ~ hamer

50% oFF

shure 58

with stand

onlY $99

www.RainbowMusicOmaha.com

o understand the vision for HearNebraska. org — the new online music-directed website that is more than a website — you must understand its creator, Andy Norman.

HearNebraska.org launched Monday morning.

I’m not going to go into great detail here about the site because you can discover its multitudes on your own simply by typing the address into your browser.

I will tell you that its goal is to provide resources and a voice for bands, artists and members of Nebraska’s creative class — as well as the businesses that support them — in an effort to make the state a globally recognized cultural destination. I know that because I helped write the mission statement.

Full disclosure: I’m on the HearNebraska.org Board of Directors, so bally-hooing the site will seem somewhat self-congratulatory until you realize I get nothing from its success other than knowing that Andy and his lovely wife, Angie, are one step closer on their quest to acquire health insurance.

It didn’t have to be that way. Norman could be sitting in a fancy office on K St. in Washington, D.C., right now contemplating his next deadline had he followed his initial career path.

OK, let’s start at the beginning.

Shortly after graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2003, Norman headed to Omaha to work with former Omaha World-Herald columnist Jim Minge and a cadre of others (including The Reader’s own Eric Stoakes) to create Omaha City Weekly, an alt-weekly competitor to The Reader, in 2004. His tenure as managing editor at OCW was short-lived, as he ended up at The Reader in June 2005, where, among other things, Norman was my boss as the paper’s managing editor.

Three years’ worth of deadlines later, and Norman left The Reader in May 2008. “I was looking for a new challenge and didn’t want to work for any other paper or alt-weekly,” he says. “I just wanted to go back to school.”

He found a program that offered a Master’s in Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.

“Basically, they teach you how to find and produce environmental stories by taking dry science and making it compelling,” he says. Norman paid his tuition by working as a grad assistant and editor of MSU’s award-winning EJ Magazine. He went on to spend the summer of ’09 covering environmental legislation on Capital Hill for Congressional Quarterly.

It all sounds very impressive, doesn’t it? “I had picked environmental journalism because I was trying to position myself and my career,” Norman says.

s c e n e

b y

t i m

m c m a h a n

“I wanted to learn about new media; I wanted to know how to transition in a rough journalism climate that hadn’t even gotten rough yet. I thought I was ahead of the curve.”

But something funny happened on the way to picking up his future Pulitzers — the economy died, along with journalism. “The housing bubble busted and the economy went to shit and no one was buying newspapers anymore,” Norman says. “It was all about sports and entertainment. Lifestyle reporting was safe. Environmental journalists and foreign correspondents were disposable.”

Norman hadn’t even graduated from MSU yet and he was already second-guessing a career in environmental journalism. Instead, he and Angie were having drinks in a dive bar in Lansing and the conversation turned as it always did, to Nebraska music.

“We talked about how no one in Michigan knew about Nebraska music, and if they did know something it was only about Saddle Creek Records,” Norman says. “The idea popped up to create a statewide website that increased Nebraska’s music presence nationally.”

He took the idea to his advisors at MSU, and HearNebraska.org became Norman’s master’s project — a project that had nothing to do with the environment. “My advisors were incredibly supportive,” Norman says. “They said if you can make a job out of this or if it helps you get a job, we’re in no position to stand in your way. There was this air that no one had a f***ing clue what was happening in journalism or how to navigate the waters, so they were open to it, and I had a pretty good pitch.”

Among his biggest supporters were Cliff Lampe, one of the founders of nerd/geek tech site Slashdot. org, and Jonathan Morgan, a reporter for the New York Times and the Detroit News, who was behind a neighborhood hyper-local online application.

So after receiving his master’s in May 2010, Norman began to piece together the non-profit from his new home, back in Lincoln. Despite the unmistakable death knell of print journalism, with his credentials Norman still could have landed a cushy reporting gig somewhere. Instead, he followed his more financially modest dream.

Why didn’t he go for the money grab? “It’s not what I want,” Norman says. “I want to live comfortably. It would be great to have health insurance, but I lived in D.C. for a summer and worked for one of the best political papers in the country and I saw the lifestyle and how fast everything moved and how much I would have had to focus on my career as opposed to my family and friends, and that’s not what I wanted. I didn’t want to chase those ambitions.

“I’m proud of Nebraska, and I realized in Michigan that I had become this huge cheerleader for the state. I want to help it grow. I’m a Nebraska guy. It just makes sense to be here.” ,

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.

34

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

lazy-i

B L U E S ,

R O O T S ,

A M E R I C A N A

A N D

hoodoo

M O R E

B Y

B . J .

H U C H T E M A N N

PWF Update and Hot Music for Cold Nights

band are Zoo co-owner Jeff Boehmer (bass), occasional Reader contributor Josh Hoyer (sax/keys), Chris Siefkes (harmonica) and Bo Rose (drums).

oodoo previously announced the Playing With Fire concert series is winding down, with only one concert planned for this summer. The show is set for Saturday, July 16, with a justsecured booking that should be a real crowd pleaser.

Soulful Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings are set to headline. They will appeal to blues and soul fans as well as the younger crowd. The nine-piece Brooklyn band is rooted in the classic soul and funk sound of the 1960s and ’70s. Jones has been called “the queen of American revivalist soul” with an energetic stage show that harkens classic James Brown. They’ve been around for a while but they were the buzz band at 2010’s SXSW and are breaking into the jam band circuit.

They have been featured on Austin City Limits. Check them out at SharonJonesandtheDapKings.com and circle July 16 on your calendar. It’s going to be a night of hot soul and blues.

Don’t Miss Davina

Lawrence, Kansas, songbird and boogie keyboard queen Kelley Hunt has DAVINA chosen Lincoln for one of a handful of pre-CD release concerts. Her new disc Gravity Loves You hits streets Feb. 15. Hunt hosts a special Lincoln CD release this Thursday, Jan. 27, at Lincoln’s Red 9, 322 S. 9th Street. Learn more at Red9Live.com. Hunt’s press release says the CD delivers “old-school funk to Philly soul to the intense gospel-influenced ballad style that is a Kelley Hunt trademark.”

The event is a benefit for Lincoln’s People’s City Mission. Hunt is offering $5 off the price of the new disc or other merchandise for those bringing a non-perishable food or cash donation for People’s City Mission. Learn more about Hunt’s new record at KelleyHunt.com.

Lift Lounge Blues The New Lift Lounge will continue to host the Thursday 5:30 p.m. blues shows for the near future.

Thursday, Jan. 27, The Randy Oxford Band from Washington plays at 7 p.m. They are going to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge, representing the Washington Blues Society. Veteran bandleader, trombonist and multiple Pacific Northwest award-winner Randy Oxford leads the band. A rousing horn section and vocals by exciting singer Jada Amy give this band its distinctive sound. You might remember them from last summer’s Playing With Fire July concert. Lincoln’s Lil’ Slim Blues Band opens the show at 5 p.m. Lil’ Slim, AKA Shawn Holt, is the son of Magic Slim and is carrying on his dad’s stinging Chicago guitar style. Rounding out the

Job#: 48697.3 2:56 PM Ship: 1/7/11 Insert: 1/13/11 Bleed: none Artist: Lawrence Rev: 2

Hunt Pre-CD-Release Show

Next week offers two opportunities to catch Davina & The Vagabonds. The Minneapolis-based band is a sultry, jazzy and swingin’ combo featuringthat features the expressive Davina Sowers on keys and vocals. They hit the Zoo Bar for the 6-9 p.m. show Wednesday, Feb. 2. Thursday, Feb. 3, they heat things up at the New Lift at 5:30 p.m.

One Twin Cities reviewer writes that Davina “sounds like the daughter of Leon Redbone and Betty Boop trained on piano by Randy Newman … Sowers delighted with some sassy originals and sly covers [like] Billie Holiday [and] Fats Domino.”

The band features two horn players, bass, drums and Sowers on keys and vocals. They mix up jump-blues, swing and New Orleans jazz with the sweet and saucy Sowers at the center of it all.

RAVE ON

Rockabilly Night

Get ready for the first of a planned series of monthly rockabilly nights. The first show is Thursday, Jan. 27, at Gator O’Malley’s, 12143 West Center Rd. K.C.’s rockabilly DJ Johnny 2Tone spins music 8-10 p.m.

At 10 p.m. The Blacktop Ramblers perform. Check out the Omaha Rockabilly page on Facebook to keep up with future events.

Hot Notes

Property: Harrah's Council Bluffs Project: Rave On Show: 1/6/11 Vendor: Omaha Reader dMax: Trim: 4.9" x 7.47" Live: 4.625" x 7.22 VO: ~ x ~ Final Mats: PDF File Desc.: (1/13) Omaha Reader 4.9” x

H

Become a member of the Blues Foundation at blues.org in order to vote in the national Blues Music Awards.

Voting ends March 1, 2011. Winners will be announced at the May awards ceremony in Memphis.

Tickets are on sale now at OmahaPerformingArts. org for the Holland’s Saturday, Feb. 5, show with trumpet master Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Popular European Strat-slinger Ana Popovic plays the 6 p.m. show at the Zoo on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Blue House hits the Horseshoe Casino’s Whiskey Roadhouse Saturday, Jan. 29.

The Brad Cordle Band is enjoying well-deserved raves from local audiences. Catch them Friday, Jan. 28, at Gator O’Malley’s, 12143 West Center Rd., and at Goodnight’s Pizza Saturday, Jan. 29, near Slowdown at 14th and Cuming.

Amazing multi-genre jam band Euforquestra gets The Waiting Room cooking Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Kris Lager Band has some local gigs this weekend, including The Waiting Room Friday, Feb. 4. ,

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.

February 3 & 4

Harrah’s Ballroom

8pm

See Billy McGuigan perform all of Buddy Holly’s classic hits!

Tickets on sale online at HarrahsCouncilBluffs.com or by phone at 888-512-SHOW.

&

Must be 21 or older to attend shows or to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem?

Call 1-800-BETSOFF (In Iowa) or 1-800-522-4700. ©2011, Caesars License Company, LLC.

hoodoo

V3_48697.3_4.9x7.47_4c_Ad.indd 1

| THE READER |

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 1/7/11 2011

35

10:46 AM

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 27

6DWXUGD\ )HEUXDU\

$QG &ROODSVH ZLWK VSHFLDO JXHVWV

6HHGV RI 'LVFRUG ,Q WKH $WWDFN (QVODYHG 6DQLW\

ELLMATIQ RECORDS, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, FREE. POWERFUL SCIENCE, PEACE OF SHIT, STATIC SOUL,

(rock) 8 p.m., Bourbon, $5, $7/under 21.

OPEN JAM, 9 p.m., Chrome.

CLAWFOOT HOUSE WOMEN MUSICIANS SALON, (singer-

songwriter/rock) 6 p.m., Clawfoot House.

NEW MOON SONGWRITERS NIGHT, (singer-songwriter) 7

p.m., Crescent Moon Coffee.

SHITHOOK, (karaoke) 10 p.m., Duffy’s, FREE. GARY DARLING, (country) 8 p.m., Firewater Grille, FREE. NASHVILLE REJECT, THE DAZEY DANCERS, (cover/rock)

8:30 p.m., The Grove, FREE. SPIKE NELSON TRIO, (jazz) 6 p.m., Jazz Louisiana Kitchen.

DETHMASK, IMMORTAL MALICE, ESCAPE THE FIRE,

AMERICAN GUNFIGHT, (rock/metal) 9 p.m.,

Knickerbockers.

LUKE JOHNSON, (acoustic) 8 p.m., LIV Lounge, FREE. BRAD HOSHAW, (acoustic) 9 p.m., Myth, FREE. LIL SLIM, RANDY OXFORD BAND, (blues) 5 p.m., New Lift

Lounge, $10.

GEORGE WALKER, (jazz) 6:30 p.m., Ozone, FREE. SWAMPJAM, (blues) 8 p.m., Pour House, FREE. KELLEY HUNT, STAGE9, (blues) 7 p.m., red9, $20.

CANNONISTA, THE BLACK HAND, MR. IMPORTANT,

SKIN’D, AS EMPIRES BURN, SURREAL THE MC,

(rock/hip-hop) 8 p.m., Sokol Underground, $7.

READER RECOMMENDS

BLUE BIRD, ALL YOUNG GIRLS ARE MACHINE GUNS,

ORION WALSH, (rock/folk) 9 p.m., The Sydney.

JR HOSS, (acoustic) 9 p.m., Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. GUNK GETS PHYSICAL W/ KOBRAKYLE, $PENCELOVE,

INFLECT, (DJ) 9 p.m., Waiting Room, $5.

KICKIN’ COUNTRY, THOMPSON SQUARE, (country) 8 p.m.,

Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE. PIANO HAPPY HOUR, 5 p.m., Zoo Bar, FREE.

FRIDAY 28

JAMES EHRMAN, ZAK C, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, $5.

HIFI HANGOVER, (cover) 9 p.m., Arena, FREE. MUZIK AMBIENCE BY JACQUES, (piano) 4-7 p.m., Big

Mama’s Kitchen.

READER RECOMMENDS

HOT BUTTERED MOJO, (blues/rock) 9:30 p.m., Bones, FREE. 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, THE HOLY GRAIL, CATHERER,

BLACK MARKET FETUS, WASTEOID, WOODEN COAT,

SOUP OF THE DAMNED, (rock/metal) 8 p.m.,

Bourbon, $10/adv, $12/dos.

CHASING DAYLIGHT, (cover) 9 p.m., Brewsky’s Park Drive.

STEP CHILD, (rock) 9 p.m., Chrome.

OPEN MIC W/ JES WINTER, (rock) 4 p.m., Clancy’s, FREE. JAZZ AT THE MOON, (jazz) 7 p.m., Crescent Moon Coffee.

SAS, HANA KORNBLUH, (rock) 8 p.m., Cultiva Coffee, FREE. JR HOSS, (acoustic) 5 p.m., Cunninghams, FREE. LEMON FRESH DAY, (cover) 9:30 p.m., Cunningham’s.

JITTERBUGS’ NIGHT OUT, (jazz/dixieland) 9 p.m., Eagles

Lodge, $10.

4 STRINGS OF SWING, (acoustic) 6:30 p.m., Espana, FREE. ACOUSTIC GROOVE, (rock) 9 p.m., Firewater Grille, FREE. DEREK VENTURA, (cover) 6:30 p.m., Gorat’s, FREE. NIGHT SHAKERS TRIO, (jazz) 7 p.m., Jazz Louisiana Kitchen.

MARK THORNTON, MILLIONS OF BOYS, (rock/singer songwriter) 9 p.m., Knickerbockers.

VDJ WYATT BRICE, (DJ) 9 p.m., Lit Lounge.

THE PERSONICS, (cover) 9:30 p.m., Loose Moose, FREE.

36

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

music listings

BATTLE OF THE MIDWEST BANDS W/ COLDSWEAT, THE

TRAGIC FALL, (rock) 5:30 p.m., Louis, $10.

AQUARIUS BIRTHDAY BASH W/ DJ KWICKSTARR, DRE

DAY THA TRUTH, KNOCKS MONTANA, FONZ THE MID

WEST BEAST, (hip-hop) 10 p.m., Louis.

QUARTUS, (cover) 9 p.m., Ozone, FREE. ADAM CRAIG BAND, CACTUS HILL, (country/rock) 8:30

p.m., red9.

MOON JUICE, (cover) 8 p.m., The Reef, FREE. DOOMSDAY, OVERDRIVE, FIZZ, MONKEY PUZZLE, (rock)

9 p.m., Shamrock’s.

I AM THE PENDRAGON, DISGUISE, ALEATORICALLY

UNITED, CROSS-TALK, JAKE SORENSON, (rock) 8

p.m., Slowdown, $10.

READER RECOMMENDS

THE GREEN LIGHT DISTRICT, BOATS AND HOES, 2 GUYS

AND A GIRL, WAKING THE NEIGHBORS, BRAD

WARNER, (rock) 7 p.m., Sokol Underground, $7.

TEN CLUB, (rock) 9 p.m., Stir Live, $5.

CHESHIRE GRIN, (cover) 9 p.m., Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. WEST WIND PRCA DANCE, (country) 9 p.m., Uncle Ron’s.

READER RECOMMENDS

THE SHOW IS THE RAINBOW, THE MACHETE ARCHIVE,

PRAIRIES, (experimental/instrumental/punk) 9 p.m.,

Waiting Room, $5.

FAST TRACK, (rock) 9 p.m., Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE. THE Z-JAM HOUSE BAND, (blues) 9:30 p.m., Zoo Bar, $4.

SATURDAY 29

PALINDROSEFF, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, $5.

HIFI HANGOVER, (cover) 9 p.m., Arena, FREE. SPLIT LIP RAYFIELD, KRIS LAGER BAND, (rock/jam) 8

p.m., Bourbon, $12/adv, $15/dos.

LEGACY, (cover) 9 p.m., Brass Monkey.

READER RECOMMENDS

MARIJUANA DEATH SQUAD, THE F***ING PARTY, (rock)

9:30 p.m., Brothers, $5.

STEP CHILD, (rock) 9 p.m., Chrome.

ACOUSTIC MUSIC SERIES, (acoustic) 7 p.m., Crescent

Moon Coffee, FREE. STEVE KEHLER, PEACE LOVE & STRYCHNINE, (rock) 8

p.m., Cultiva Coffee, FREE. 4 STRINGS OF SWING, (acoustic) 6:30 p.m., Espana, FREE. DEREK VENTURA, (cover) 6:30 p.m., Gorat’s, FREE. CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S “GOLD RUSH”, (orchestra) 8 p.m.,

Holland Center, $15.

THE NITE SHIFT BAND, (rock) 9 p.m., Island.

SWAMPBOY BLUES BAND, (blues) 7 p.m., Jazz Louisiana

Kitchen.

MARK PINTO, VIBENHAI, H.E.M.P., (rock/jam) 9 p.m.,

Knickerbockers.

DJ SUIT JONES, (DJ) 9 p.m., Lit Lounge, FREE. THE PERSONICS, (cover) 9:30 p.m., Loose Moose.

WITNESS TREE, CHASING TURTLES, (rock) 9 p.m., Louis.

UNDERGROUND HYPE, (hip-hop) 9 p.m., Oasis, FREE. LEMON FRESH DAY, (cover) 9 p.m., Ozone, FREE. DFUNK, (cover) 9 p.m., red9.

UNDER COVER, (cover) 6 p.m., The Reef, FREE. DOC THROTTLE, (rock) 9:30 p.m., Shamrock’s.

READER RECOMMENDS

REBELUTION, IRATION, ORGONE, (reggae) 8 p.m., Slow

down, $16/adv, $18/dos.

ENSLAVED SANITY, SUPERIOR, DIRE GNOSIS,

SOFTWARE, VERENDUS, (rock/metal) 7 p.m., Sokol

Underground, $7.

BROKEN CROWN, HOOKSHOT, (rock) 9 p.m., Stir Live, $5.

THE LABELS, (cover) 9 p.m., Two Fine Irishmen, FREE. WEST WIND PRCA DANCE, (country) 9 p.m., Uncle Ron’s.

PLAIN WHITE T’S, PARACHUTE, MIGGS, (pop/rock) 9

p.m., Waiting Room, $17.

BLUE HOUSE, (rock) 9 p.m., Whiskey Roadhouse, FREE. STRING DEMONS, (blues) 5 p.m., Zoo Bar, $4.

COWBOY INDIAN BEAR, TIE THESE HANDS,

ELI MURDOCK, (rock) 9 p.m., Zoo Bar, $5.

SUNDAY 30

SUNDAY GOLD W/ GREG K, (DJ) 9 p.m., 415, FREE. 80’S NIGHT W/ OL’ MOANIN’ CORPSE, (DJ) 8 p.m.,

Bricktop, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

WELL DRUSSED MAN DISGUISE, BAD SPELER, MOGELIE,

(rock/electronic) 9 p.m., Duffy’s.

LIVE GUITAR, 6 p.m., Espana, FREE. .38 SPECIAL, ROCK PAPER DYNAMITE, (rock) 9 p.m.,

Harrah’s Convention Center, $35.

THE ST. OLAF CHOIR, (choral) 4 p.m., Holland Center,

$20-$35.

BRAVO! BOSENDORFER PIANO CONCERT W/ NED KIRK,

3 p.m., O’Donnell Auditorium, $10.

THE MATT COX BAND, (folk/blues) 9 p.m., Pizza Shoppe

Collective, FREE. A BENEFIT FOR ROBINO BARNES W/ THE TRAVITY BAND,

JAKE SORENSEN, CROSS-TALK, ALEATORICALLY

UNITED, DISGUISE, I AM THE PENDRAGON, (various)

6:30 p.m., Sokol Underground, $10.

GORILLA PRODUCTIONS BATTLE OF THE BANDS, (rock) 4

p.m., Waiting Room, $8/adv, $10/dos.

THE HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND, (blues) 9 p.m., Zoo Bar.

MONDAY 31

SOUP AND SONG W/ KYLE & ANDY, (variety singer songwriter) 8 p.m., Barley St. Tavern, FREE. MONDAY NIGHT BIG BAND W/ PETE MADSEN, (jazz) 7:30

p.m., Brewsky’s Jazz Underground, $6, $5/students.

READER RECOMMENDS

DIM LIGHT, NATURE BOYS, THE PRAIRIES, (rock) 9:30

p.m., O’Leaver’s, $5.

MOVIE NIGHT: THE LAST WALTZ, 8 p.m., Waiting Room,

FREE. PIANO HAPPY HOUR, 5 p.m., Zoo Bar, FREE. Z-JAM OPEN STAGE, 9 p.m., Zoo Bar, FREE.

TUESDAY 1

BASS TUESDAY WITH DJ BLAC, (DJ) 9 p.m., Bricktop.

OL’ MOANIN’ CORPSE, (DJ) 9 p.m., Duffy’s.

READER RECOMMENDS

CHIARA STRING QUARTET, (classical) 7:30 p.m., Kimball

Recital Hall, $20, $10/seniors, $5/students.

DIRK QUINN BAND, (rock) 9 p.m., Knickerbockers.

TIM KOEHN ACOUSTIC JAM, (acoustic/blues) 7 p.m.,

Louis, FREE. JR HOSS, (acoustic) 6:30 p.m., Ozone, FREE. CHRIS SAUB, (acoustic) 8 p.m., The Phoenix, FREE. MARK “SHARKY” SANFORD, (piano) 6:30 p.m., The Reef,

FREE. TROUBADOUR TUESDAY W/ EMILY BASS, TIM SCAHILL,

GRANDPA SCIENCE, NICK SEMRAD, (singer songwriter) 9 p.m., Zoo Bar, $4.

Wednesday 2

POISON CONTROL CENTER, IRKUTSK, SHIPBUILDING

CO., (rock) 8 p.m., Bourbon, $5/adv, $7/dos.

THE DICEY RILEYS, (celtic) 7 p.m., Brazen Head.

DUELING TROMBONES W/ PETE MADSEN & MARC LA

CHANCE, (jazz) 7:30 p.m., Brewsky’s Jazz

Underground, $6, $5/students.

DB REDUCTION, (acoustic) 9 p.m., Cruiser’s, FREE. ONCE A PAWN, BEAUTY IN THE BEAST, KYLE HARVEY,

(rock) 9 p.m., Duffy’s.

THE ZEBRA JAM, (rock) 9 p.m., Gator O’Malley’s, FREE. JOHNNY RAY GOMEZ, (aldies) 6:30 p.m., Ozone, FREE. OPEN MIC, (rock) 9 p.m., Sean O’Casey’s, FREE.

READER RECOMMENDS

EUFOQUESTRA, LYMPHNODE MANIACS, (jam/world/funk)

9 p.m., Waiting Room, $8.

BLU SIMON, (rock) 9 p.m., Your Mom’s Downtown Bar. DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS, (blues) 6 p.m., Zoo Bar,

$10.

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 Downtown Blues, 1512 Howard St., 345.0180 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., 884.5410, 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 Zoo Bar, 136 N.14th St., Lincoln, zoobar.com

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music listings

| THE READER |

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

37

Reasons to experience

Reasons to experience

#103 No Harajuku girls. !

Get Real

#52 Frees your mind. !

Get Real

LIVE THEATRE

www.theatreartsguild.com

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Reasons to experience

Reasons to experience

#74 No commercials. !

Get Real

#14 It’s totally legal. ! l a e R t Ge

Reasons to experience

Reasons to experience

LIVE THEATRE

www.theatreartsguild.com

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#151 No two shows are alike!

! l a e R Get

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No airbrushed nudity.

! l a e R t Ge

2011

www.theatreartsguild.com From 6 p.m., January 28 to 6 p.m., January 29 (24 hours) UNMC Ice Rink — 42nd and Emile

Reasons to experience

LIVE THEATRE 38

Jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

Reasons to experience Visit www.phdomaha.org for more information and to register.

LIVE THEATRE

E D I T E D

Ashton Kutcher dates the Black Swan

D

by Justin Senkbile

irector Ivan Reitman is best known for ridiculous, male-dominated comedies like Ghostbusters and Stripes, but his latest, No Strings Attached, is like a romantic-comedy masterclass. Not that it’s a masterpiece of the genre, but it so expertly strikes all the right nerves that it’s still a little irresistible.

One drunken night and one impulsive morning are all it takes to bring former acquaintances Adam (Ashton Kutcher) and Emma (Natalie Portman) into a relationship. Not that they’d ever label it as such. At Emma’s insistence, and in accordance with her exhaustive list of rules, they’re simply “friends with benefits,” and nothing else.

Their strictly sexual situation seems to take a lot of scheduling because Emma is a doctor and Adam works on a “Glee”-esque TV show, but everything goes fine at first … even after he’s fallen head-overheels for her (he is a guy, after all, and she’s Natalie Portman). It isn’t until the hardline Emma’s feelings get confused that things really start to get complicated.

It’s the average story of a happily single woman fighting against

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

and eventually coming to terms with her feelings of affection. And it really is a movie about Emma: Adam is a barely formed character, so much so that the most anyone is ever able to say about him is that he “has a good heart.”

No Strings Attached works, but not because it’s funny, surprising or particularly real. As in the old days of Hollywood, it works entirely because of its two stars, actors that folks of any sex or sexual orientation would be flattered to imagine themselves with. This movie was designed to do little besides amuse us and tug at our heartstrings, and the latter is something Portman and Kutcher seem able to do easily. And the two definitely have some good chemistry, although the fact that she’s a much more talented actor is blatantly obvious.

As for making us laugh … well, the jokes aren’t amazing, but the supporting cast seems intended to make up for that. Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) and Greta Gerwig (Greenberg) are well cast as two of Emma’s roommates, and rapper Ludacris isn’t terrible as one of Adam’s friends.

But the real gem is Kevin Kline as Adam’s father, a sweet but ego-high ex-TV star who’s in the habit of dating his son’s ex-girlfriends.

One thing worth noting is that No Strings Attached takes place in the real world, or at least one that’s more real than the usual romantic comedy setting, where everyone’s rich and gorgeous. Here, everyone’s just middle class and gorgeous. Emma confesses that she works 80 hours a week, and Adam proudly states that he paid for his car himNO STRINGS ATTACHED self, a surprise considering his dad’s wealth. Not much, but it’s a welcome improvement on the usual.

To put it plainly, we’ve all seen this movie before.

Thankfully, Portman and Kutcher are able to freshen it enough so that if you liked it the first few times, you’ll likely enjoy it again. ,

GRADE: C+

B Y

R Y A N

S Y R E K

■ If it’s hard to keep a good woman down, imagine how hard it is to stop a “Wonder Woman.” Answer: Really hard.

When Joss Whedon’s pitch for a new big screen version was treated with all the respect of a Joss Whedon project, David E. Kelly stepped in and took it to TV … where everyone initially passed on it as well. But it all worked out when Kelly remembered that NBC is still technically in existence.

That’s right, the people who brought you “The Cape” are going to bring you “Wonder Woman.” I wonder if they’ll rename it “Bracelets” or just “Boobs.”

■ Speaking of where movie and TV news intersect: Steven Spielberg is getting his motorcycle ready and is loading it on the ramp backed up to the ocean. Why? I can only assume that the new hour-long musical drama (called “Smash”) he dreamed up and will be producing for (you guessed it) NBC may represent the actual moment that this nation’s passion for musical dramas jumps the shark. I was going to make a Jaws joke here, but let’s keep that good movie away from this bad idea.

■ When I heard Will Smith was spearheading the attempt to rework the musical Annie into a vehicle for his hair-whipping daughter Willow to star in, I thought: this is the continuation of his plan to have his offspring inherit the world. Then I heard Jay-Z was in talks to redo all the music for it, and I thought: “Well, if we have to cede the world to the seed of Smith in order to get a Jay-Z musical, I think I’m good with that.” Sorry future generations who will inevitably bow before Jaden and Willow as though they were royalty, but I need me a Jay-Z musical version of Annie.

— Ryan Syrek

CUTTINGROOM

Falling in Lust

film

Cutting Room provides breaking local and national movie news … complete with added sarcasm. Send any relevant information to film@thereader.com. Check out Ryan on 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 Another Year

First-Run (PG-13) Directed by Mike Leigh.

Starts Friday, January 28

“Not quite every year brings a new Mike Leigh film, but the years that do are blessed with his sympathy, penetrating observation, and instinct for human comedy.” —Roger Ebert (4 out of 4 stars)

I Love You Phillip Morris First-Run (R)

Directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. Featuring Jim Carrey & Ewan McGregor.

Through Thursday, February 3 “The funniest, most subversive film of the year.” —Peter Debruge, Village Voice

Forever Young Family & Children’s Series The Marx Brothers:

A Night at the Opera 1935 January 22 - February 3 (Saturdays, Sundays, Thursdays)

Coming Soon:

Somewhere First-Run (R) Directed by Sofia Coppola Starts Friday, February 4

“A miracle of a movie!”

—Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

film

| THE READER |

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

39

film m o v i e

r e v i e w s ,

c o m m e n t a r y

a n d

DVD Discovery: They’re a nasty bunch in Animal Kingdom

L

by Ben Coffman

et’s give it up for the ladies. Once the purview of mustachioed men with Italian last names, the “cops and crooks” movie genre has flung open the doors to the clubhouse.

Last year gave us several films in the genre with strong female leads instead of damsel-in-distress love interests. Playing an Aussie-accented version of The Godmother in the under-appreciated Animal Kingdom, Jacki Weaver joins Noomi Ra- animal kingdom pace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) and the young Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) as muscular mademoiselles whose characters loom larger than their diminutive onscreen presence.

Now out on DVD, Animal Kingdom tells the story of the Cody clan, a 1980s crime syndicate in Melbourne, Australia, based on the real-life Pettingill family, a veritable herd of white-trash Corleones. When the film begins, 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (played by relative newcomer James Frecheville) is chillin’ on the couch with his dead mother, trying to decide his next move. Unfazed by his mother’s heroin overdose, he dials up the only family that he can remember — his maternal grandmother Janine Cody (played by the aforementioned Weaver, whose smile is so unsettling because it barely changes when she goes from nurturing to nasty). At first blush, J’s pincushion of a mom may seem like an unlikely candidate for mother of the year, but her wisdom quickly becomes apparent when we meet her family, whose mug shots are likely weekly fixtures on “Australia’s Most Wanted.”

reportcard Black Swan A It’s like Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” … only with more sexytime.

READER RECOMMENDS

40

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

film

m o r e

e d i t e d

b y

r y a n

s y r e k

The morose J soon meets two of his three uncles: Darren (Luke Ford), who’s only older than J by a few years, and Craig (Sullivan Stapleton), a tattooed speed freak with a penchant for drug dealing (rather than the theft/larceny streak that runs in the family). His oldest uncle Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) is in deep hiding, as the Melbourne cops, also a crooked bunch, have taken a “dead or alive” philosophy towards acquiring him. Guy Pearce (Memento, The Road) lends the movie its biggest star power as Leckie, a seemingly honest detective in a department noted for its corruption.

Although the story may sound familiar, writer/director David Michôd weaves a narrative filled with complicated interpersonal relationships and nuanced characters that defy clichés. Labeling the whole clan as irredeemable would have been too easy, especially given the sordid source material, but Michôd opts for a more realistic depiction, delicately sketching an intricate family dynamic, with Janine at its center.

This puts the diminutive Weaver in a make-or-break position. Rather than channeling The Goonies’ Mama Fratelli archetype, Weaver dials down the wild-eyed intensity, creating a character more calculating than crazy.

For her portrayal of a matriarchal moll, the Academy deservingly nominated Weaver for best supporting actress.

Despite its relatively low numbers in the “body count” and “bullets fired” categories, Animal Kingdom is still a brutal and ugly copsand-robbers flick, albeit one that is more closely grounded in reality than The Town, its closest American analog. Who would’ve thought a woman’s touch would leave us feeling so icky? ,

GRADE: A-

The Green Hornet It’s somewhere between spoof and superheroism, and between savor and swat.

C

The King’s Speech BNot the best movie of the year, but lots of people will tell you it is.

Catfish (ON DVD) I can’t say much about this possibly fake documentary other than it has nothing to do with fish.

A-

The Social Network (ON DVD) No one can deny the brilliance of Sorkin’s script … well, maybe Mark Zuckerberg can.

The Fighter If you can be punch-drunk on crack, Bale nails it.

B+

True Grit AYippee ty yi yay! The best Western since The Unforgiven.

B+

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| THE READER |

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

41

newsoftheweird

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

On Bored

Ironies

T

wo hundred boredom “activists” gathered in London in December at James Ward’s annual banal-apalooza conference, “Boring 2010,” to listen to ennui-stricken speakers glorify all things dreary, including a demonstration of milk-tasting (in wine glasses, describing flavor and smoothness), charts breaking down the characteristics of a man’s sneezes for three years and a PowerPoint presentation on the color distribution and materials of a man’s necktie collection from one year to the next. Another speaker’s “My Relationship With Bus Routes” seemed well received, also.

Observed one attendee, to a Wall Street Journal reporter: “We’re all overstimulated. I think it’s important to stop all that for a while and see what several hours of being bored really feels like.”

The Redneck Chronicles (1) The Key Underwood Memorial Graveyard near Cherokee, Ala., is reserved as hallowed ground for burial of genuine coon dogs, which must be judged authentic before their carcasses can be accepted, according to a December report in The Birmingham News. The Tennessee Valley Coon Hunters Association must attest to the dog’s having had the ability “to tree a raccoon.” (In March, a funeral for one coon dog at Key Underwood drew 200 mourners.) (2) Safety Harbor, Fla., trailer-park neighbors Joe Capes and Ronald Richards fought in December, with sheriff ’s deputies called and Capes arrested for assaulting Richards. The two were arguing over whether the late country singer Conway Twitty was gay.

A sculpture on display at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minn., was stolen in December. The piece, by artist John Ilg, consisted of wire mesh over a frame, with 316 rolled-up dollar bills stuffed in the mesh. The piece was titled, “Honesty.” Attitudes have changed in the two years since the piece was first presented, at the Minnesota State Fair, when visitors liked it so much that they added rolled bills to the display.

■ Elected officials caught violating the very laws they have sanctimoniously championed are so numerous as to be No Longer Weird, but the alleged behavior of Colorado state Sen. Suzanne Williams following her December car crash seems over-the-top.

Though a strong seat belt and child-seat advocate, Williams was driving near Amarillo, Texas, with her two unbelted grandchildren when her SUV drifted over the center line and hit another vehicle head-on, killing that driver and ejecting Williams’ 3-year-old grandchild, who survived with injuries. A Texas Department of Public Safety report noted that Williams was seen scooping up the child, returning him to the SUV and belting him in.

Names in the News Suspected of stealing scraps of copper in Riverside, Ohio, in December: Jesus Christ Superstar Oloff, 33. Arrested for sex abuse against a 6-yearold boy in Oklahoma City in October: Lucifer Hawkins, 30. On trial in December for extortion in Britain’s Southwark Crown Court (threatening to reveal a sexual affair): Ms. Fuk Wu.

>7FFO >EKH

Mon thru Fri 2-7 try our WorLD FAMouS Bloody Marys 4556 Leavenworth st. • 402-551-4850 42

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

weird news

COPYRIGHT 2010 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).

Latest “Rights”

By his own testimony, John Ditullio is a hateful neo-Nazi who despised his next-door neighbors in New Port Richey, Fla. (a white woman with an African-American friend and a son who was openly gay), but when the son was murdered and the mother attacked in 2006, Ditullio denied involvement, and though he earned a hung jury in his first trial, his retrial was scheduled for November 2010. For each day of the trial, a makeup artist was hired (paid for by the government at $135 a day) to cover up Ditullio’s swastika neck tattoo and crude-phrase cheek tattoo so as to keep jurors from being unfairly prejudiced.

Nonetheless, Ditullio was convicted in December and sentenced to death.

Bright Ideas The Toronto Public Library began its “Human Library” project in November with about 200 users registering to “check out” interesting persons from the community who would sit and converse with patrons who might not otherwise have the opportunity to mingle with people like them. The first day’s lend-outs, for a half-hour at a time, included a police officer, a comedian, a former sex worker, a model and a person who had survived cancer, homelessness and poverty. The Human Library actually harkens back to olden times, said a TPL official, where “storytelling from person to person” “was the only way to learn.” n If Life Gives You a Lemon, Make Lemonade: (1) When Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of the Formula One racing circuit, was mugged in November and had his jewelry stolen, he sent a photograph of his battered face to the Hublot watch company and convinced its chief executive to run a brief adver-

tising campaign, “See What People Will Do for a Hublot.” (2) The treasurer of Idaho County, Idaho, turned down the November suggestion of local physician Andrew Jones — that more cancers might be detected early if the county sent colonoscopy suggestions to residents along with their official tax notices. The treasurer said residents might

find the reminders “ironic.”

Update

Charles Clements, 69, appeared in this space two months ago in a report on his having deliberately shot to death a 23-year-old neighbor whose fox terrier had answered a call of nature on the perfectly manicured lawn of the reportedly obsessive Clements. According to witnesses, the victim was displaying macho bravado just before the shooting, but Clements admitted he was not under attack when he fired. Dec. 29, a judge in a Chicago suburb rejected requests for a 20-year sentence and ordered Clements to serve only four months — out of jail, on probation.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra • Mondays 8 PM Live at the Concertgebouw • Tuesdays 8 PM Modern Classics • Fridays 6pm Midnight Special • Fridays Midnight Metropolitan Opera • Saturdays Noon Classical Guitar Alive • Sundays 10 AM Composer Spotlight • Sundays 11 AM Going Beyond Words • Sundays Noon From The Top • Sundays 5 PM New York Philharmonic • Sundays 6 PM

WWW.KVNO.ORG

A News of the Weird Classic (January 1998)

A Police Officer’s Dream Come True: Vincent Morrissey’s police brutality lawsuit went to trial in New Haven, Conn., in December (1997), and West Haven police officer Ralph Angelo was on the witness stand, claiming that Morrissey himself had provoked the encounter by swinging at Angelo. Morrissey’s attorney, skeptical of the testimony, asked Officer Angelo to demonstrate to the jury how hard Morrissey had swung at him.

Before the lawyer could clarify what he meant by “demonstrate,” Officer Angelo popped the lawyer on the chin, staggering him and forcing an immediate recess. ,

weird news

| THE READER |

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

43

planetpower W E E K L Y

H O R O S C O P E S

K

ung Hei Fat Choi! Happy Chinese New Year of the Cat, Feb. 3, falling (as the Chinese New Year always does) the day after the New Moon in Aquarius, which is at 8:31 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2, taking us from the wild, intractable, ferocious El Tigre to the domesticated, aloof, serene La Gata. Get the message? Time to take it home. Here kitty, kitty â&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MojoPoPlanetPower.com

CREIGHTON Welcome to Our House!

MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BASKETBALL

WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BASKETBALL

u Saturday, Jan. 29 @ 2:05 p.m.

Creighton vs. Indiana State

u Thursday, Jan. 27 @ 7:05 p.m.

Creighton vs. Missouri State u Saturday, Jan. 29 @ 6:05 p.m.

Creighton vs. Wichita State

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball home games played at Qwest Center Omaha (10th & Cass St.) Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball home games played at the Ryan Athletic Center/D.J. Sokol Arena (19th & Webster St.)

Tickets: 280-JAYS

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SUNDAYĂ&#x160; >Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x2022;>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17D;äĂ&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;Ă&#x192;°Ă&#x160; >Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17D;\äxÂŤÂ&#x201C;Ă&#x160; THURSDAYĂ&#x160; iLĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x2022;>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x20AC;`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;Ă&#x192;°Ă&#x160; Â&#x2C6;Â?Ă&#x153;>Ă&#x2022;Â&#x17D;iiĂ&#x160;7>Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x2021;\äxÂŤÂ&#x201C;Ă&#x160;

SUNDAYĂ&#x160; iLĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x2022;>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;Ă&#x192;°Ă&#x160; iĂ?Â&#x2C6;V>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; >Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;>Â?Ă&#x160; Â&#x2DC;`Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;-Â&#x153;VViĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;/i>Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;\äxÂŤÂ&#x201C; ALL HOME GAMES PLAYED AT THE " Ă&#x160; 6 Ă&#x160; 1 /", 1 Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä/ Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160; * /" ww.omahavipers.com

44

JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2011

| THE READER |

mojo

k AQUARIUS (1.21-2.19) Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your turn to burn. Any sunshine is from your sign. You are the Water Bearer, the sharer of the electric light-blue hue of altruistic lightning/electricity hurled from the third eye (an â&#x20AC;&#x153;enlightenedâ&#x20AC;? pineal gland, the brain of the brain) toward deeper, scientifically relevant TRUTHS. Invention, intuition, enlightenment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; these are the fruits for those who can see beyond the physical limitations of our first two eyes. Aquarius is the sign of the dreams we create in this 3D world we seem to share. Take care of the loose ends until the New Moon in your sign Wednesday, Feb. 2, and then wake up and make a move to prove it. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discuss how next week, when once again we speak. l PISCES (2.20-3.20) You are very, very sleeeeepy â&#x20AC;Ś Yawwwnnnn â&#x20AC;Ś Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too early. Coffee? Nahh, a drink? Might help me think.

I think â&#x20AC;Ś a drink! Ahhh, now I can think. When you wake up (next week), youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a month away.

From what, you say? a ARIES (3.21-4.20) Mars is in Aquarius until Feb. 22. You will be tested for what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned up until then. Most of you Aries are too pragmatic to envision much of anything metaphysical, arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you? You will be tested. Mars conjuncts Neptune, corresponding to fire and water. The combination can nourish, when used to cook. It can purify, when used to bathe. Too much water puts out the flame. Too much fire evaporates the water. Now, please read Aquarius and become a Fire/ Water Bearer for a month. b TAURUS (4.21-5.20) Your time to embrace any Mayan truths will coincide with the Aquarius New Moon, Groundhog Day and the Chinese New Year Feb. 2-3, as your ruling planet Venus conjuncts the Hunab Ku, the Galactic Center of our Milky Way and source of the ultimate BIG DEAL (when it conjuncts the Sun around Dec. 23, 2012) weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expecting less than two short years from now. Transcend until then, and then be born again next week, when once again we speak. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Kul Muti Ahau (my Mayan name) c GEMINI (5.21-6.21) Take care of any personal loose ends and details this week. Wait until others

B Y

M O J O P O

show you either the way or the vocabulary for their next changes. Then youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know/see what part youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re meant to play/be. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be strange, unexpected, exciting and deranged â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all the things you love, right? How does the MOJO know? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got an electrifying possibility to explore, from the Aquarius New Moon Feb. 2, until Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. d CANCER (6.22-7.22) Clean up your post-seasonal celebration festivity clutter as the drunkards return, one by one, to drink and mutter. How does the MOJO know? Get me another beer and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tell you. Clean up this week and be ready next â&#x20AC;Ś buuurrrp! Thanks. e LEO (7.23-8.22) Uh-ohhh â&#x20AC;Ś better hide. Too much opposition. Put all assets in your partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accounts, on account of you ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t got nothing that counts for nothing this next week â&#x20AC;Ś or three. Start by trusting me. This be the truth from Michael P. f VIRGO (8.23-9.22) Your plans (Mercury) are in the realms of creativity, the pleasure creativity can bring and the many fruits of your creativity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which, of course, refers to whatever children (if any) youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve accrued. Time to play? g LIBRA (9.23-10.22) Please read Taurus. The Mayan magique (Venus conjunct the Hunab Ku), if any, hits you right at the beginning of February, in the realm of your brothers and sisters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; your tribe amidst your everyday world of social interactions. You must be subtle in order to entertain subtle info. Is there anything within yourself trying to arouse your attention?

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the seed of calamity for those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t LISTEN for the subtlety. h SCORPIO (10.23-11.22) Transcendence begins at home. Use astrology and the like (the occult) to center yourself for this coming Year of the Cat. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re part of the Aquarian Age (and of course you are, or you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be reading this, would you?), itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to reinforce your metaphysical base as your place in your social â&#x20AC;&#x153;realityâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who you are in your shamanic, brujo-like, Wiccanish, mystic persona. i SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.21) Time to start something. Oops â&#x20AC;Ś somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s due â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or ladies, should I say â&#x20AC;&#x153;overdueâ&#x20AC;?? Wahhh, wahhh! Baby time? Get used to it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your own personal spring. Spring into life! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always early. j CAPRICORN (12.22-1.20) Ready for the BIG CHANGE? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ready for you. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got three short months until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time (April 3) for you to (seemingly) stand against the world. Think about it. Get ready, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll talk about it some more next week, when once again we speak. ,

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| THE READER |

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| THE READER |

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| THE READER |

jan. 27 - feb. 2, 2011

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