KANE BROWN 1.8
FOGHAT 1.15
THE DAN BAND 1.22
MICHAEL CARBONARO LIVE! 1.29
WARRANT 2.5 WITH L.A. GUNS
WINTER DANCE PARTY 2.6
GET YOUR TICKETS AT THE ROCK SHOP OR ONLINE AT WWW.HARDROCKCASINOSIOUXCITY.COM
SAUL
ARSON CITY
THURSDAY NIGHTS 8PM
THURS | JAN 6
THURS | JAN 28
BEAUTY KILLED THE BEAST
SOLSTICE ON FIRE
THURS | MAR 3
THURS | MAR 10
REV
STONE PARK RITUAL
THURS | FEB 4
THURS | FEB 25
CHAMPIONSHIP
THE GATEWAY DRUG
THURS | APR 21
GHOSTSHIP
BLACK DEATH JET SET
THURS | APR 7
KELLY QUINN BAND
SAT | APR 30
THURS | FEB 18
THURS | FEB 11 TRUST
GYPSYLOVER
THURS | MAR 31
THURS | MAR 17
DUSTIN CONWAY BAND
DYSLALIA
THURS | JAN 21
THURS | JAN 14
LOCKED N LOADED
NO. 7 BAND
Watch the best local and regional bands compete to win a chance to play at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and $5,000.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT WWW.HARDROCKCASINOSIOUXCITY.COM OR AT THE ROCK SHOP. 111 3RD STREET
I SIOUX CITY, IA 51101 I HARDROCKCASINOSIOUXCITY.COM
Must be 21 or older. If you or someone you know needs gambling treatment, call 800.BETS.OFF.
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
3
Gig Workers Shouldn’t be Treated as Second-Class Employees Being an employee entitles you to basic things like the minimum wage, Social Security payments and the right to address collective interests with other workers. But economist Alan Krueger and former Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth Harris argue that workers who drive for Uber and Lyft, run errands for TaskRabbit or do temp jobs for Wonolo are not employees. They say workers in the on-demand economy should be protected from discrimination, but have no right to a minimum wage; that their employers should pay Social Security taxes, but not workers’ compensation or unemployment taxes. Yet many on-demand companies screen, train, supervise, set wages, discipline and fire these workers – hallmarks of an employment relationship. Burgeoning wealth inequality threatens our democracy and reduces opportunity. We won’t solve this serious problem by cutting the very guarantees that can rebuild the middle class.
FRONT END WEB DEVELOPERS
Gallup seeks Lead Front End Web Developers in Omaha, NE to design, develop, test and maintain Web-based applications. Build new platforms and watch them come to life. Min. req. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS or a Technology related field. Alternatively, will accept Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS or a Technology related field with 5 years experience in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Please apply online at: http://careers. gallup.com or send resume to: 1001 Gallup Drive, Omaha, NE 68102, attn.: Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP Employer-Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.
LEAD JAVA DEVELOPERS
Gallup seeks Lead Java Developers in Omaha, NE to lead team in designing, developing, unit testing and maintaining web-based applications with a focus on Java. Work with data warehouse/analytical processing and OLTP environments. Participate in team meetings to discuss the architecture of web-based applications. Min. req. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS, Engineering or related. Must have demonstrated ability in XML, SQL, and HTML and knowledge of multithreading processing, and SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture). Please apply online at: http://careers.gallup.com or send resume to: 1001 Gallup Drive, Omaha, NE 68102, attn.: Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP EmployerMinorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.
LEAD MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPER
Gallup seeks Lead Mobile Application Developer in Omaha, NE. As a key member of the mobile development team, will create amazing products from the ground-up that will impact the lives of millions of users worldwide. This role offers opportuni-
4
JANUARY 2016
When Can You File a Claim for Workers’ Compensation? You can file a claim for workers compensation benefits as soon as you become injured on the job or develop an illness that’s related to your work. To delay filing for workers’ comp benefits after you’re sick or injured can potentially allow a workers’ compensation insurance carrier to deny benefits. Things are complicated when you have an illness or injury that develops over time, like carpel tunnel syndrome (known as a continuous, or cumulative, trauma injury). In these cases, the clock starts ticking when you took time off work because of the injury or saw a doctor for the injury, and you knew, or should have known, the injury was caused by your work. Initiating the workers’ comp process involves notifying your employer and, in most states, filing a formal workers’ comp claim. Employer notification of an injury or illness should be made promptly and include details such as the date, time, and place of the injury, as well as how it occurred. ties to spearhead projects and take ownership of cutting-edge development work. Min. req. Master’s Degree in Computer Science, MIS, Computer Engineering or a Technology related field. Alternatively, will accept Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, Computer Engineering or a Technology related field with 5 years of experience in 2 or more of the following: HTML5 & CSS3; JavaScript & JSON; Knockout, JS or similar MVC framework; XML, JSON and Web Services and 2 years of experience in all of the following: Cordova and jQuery mobile apps; Using peripheral SDKs for iOS, Android or Windows; RESTful APIs to integrate mobile applications to server side systems; Demonstrated knowledge of major frameworks (Cocoa Touch, Core Services, and/or Core OS). Please apply online at: http://careers.gallup.com or send resume to: 1001 Gallup Drive, Omaha, NE 68102, attn.: Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP Employer-Minorities/ Women/Disabled/Veterans.
LEAD SYSTEM APPLICATION DEVELOPER-OLAP
Gallup seeks Lead System Application DeveloperOLAP in Omaha, NE to lead a team of System Application Developers - OLAP in data modeling and analysis; data warehouse systems; data support; interpretation of functional requirement to business outcomes; and development of data structures using PL/SQL, Java, and Object Oriented Design. Min. req. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS or related. Must have the demonstrated ability to use JAVA, C++, and database skills (SQL and Oracle). Please apply online at: http://careers.gallup.com or send resume to: 1001 Gallup Drive, Omaha, NE 68102, attn.: Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP Employer-Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans.
| THE READER |
omaha jobs
EPA Increases Protections for Two Million Farmworkers We depend on our nation’s two million farmworkers to help provide the fruits and vegetables we feed our families. But each year, thousands of farmworkers become ill or are injured
from preventable pesticide exposure. This exposure leads to sick days, lost wages, medical bills and absences from school. The EPA announced stronger protections this fall. The updated Worker Protection Standard, which was created 20 years ago, makes sure farmworkers know their rights through yearly training, have improved safety measures and access to information, and are protected from retaliation for speaking out. The new standards also don’t allow workers under 18 to apply pesticides. They require farm owners to provide specific amounts of water for washing and decontamination.
ProKarma Jobs
Senior Software Engineer # ETL1015
ProKarma, Inc. has multiple openings for the position of Senior Software Engineer based out of its U.S. headquarters in Omaha, NE. The employee may also work at various unanticipated locations. This is a roving position whereby the employee’s worksite and place of residence may regularly change based upon client and business demands; however, this position does not involve a travel requirement as performing the daily job duties does not require the employee to travel. S/he will analyze user needs and modify and develop existing software by using various computer skill sets. S/he will modify existing software to correct errors and improve performance and will develop and direct software system testing and validation procedures, programming, and documentation. The position of Senior Software Engineer requires a master’s degree, or its foreign equivalent, in Computer Information Systems, IT, Computer Science, Engineering (any), or in a technical/analytical field that is closely related to the specialty, plus at least one year of experience in the job offered or in an IT/Computer-related position. Alternatively, the employer will accept a bachelor’s degree, or its foreign equivalent, in Computer Information Systems, IT, Computer Science, Engineering (any), or in a technical/ analytical field that is closely related to the specialty, plus at least 5 years of progressively-responsible, post-baccalaureate experience in the job offered or in an IT/Computer-related position. The applicant must have professional experience with: Informatica Power Center 9.1/8.6.1/8.1.1, Teradata 13x/14x, Teradata SQL Assistant, Oracle 11g/10g/9i/8i, MS SQL Server Management Studio/SQL Loader, UNIX. The employer deems that any suitable combination of education, training, or experience is acceptable.
TO APPLY, SEND RESUMES TO: ProKarma, Inc. Attn: Jobs 222 S. 15th St., Ste 505N, Omaha, NE 68102 or email: postings@prokarma.com with Job Ref# in the subject line of the email
LEAD .NET APPLICATIONS DEVELOPERS
Gallup seeks Lead .Net Applications Developers in Omaha, NE to lead team in the design, development, and implementation of software applications, write application code in the Microsoft .Net environment according to the functional specifications defined, developing unit test around said code, and participate in team meetings discussing the architecture of the system. The position will also require you to be responsible for managing large development tasks, breaking down the task into smaller tasks, disseminating to other programmers on the team, and participating and leading code reviews. Min. req. Master degree in Computer Science, MIS, Engineering or related or foreign equivalent. Alternatively, will accept Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, Engineering or related or foreign equivalent together with 5 years of experience. Skills required in C#, ASP. NET and the .NET framework; SQL programming. Please apply online at: http://careers. gallup.com or send resume to: 1001 Gallup Drive, Omaha, NE 68102, attn.: Lisa Kiichler. Gallup is an EEO/AAP Employer-Minorities/ Women/Disabled/Veterans.
HYBRID TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR
Reefer Systems, Inc is seeking a Hybrid Technology Coordinator in Omaha, NE to be responsible for training on hybrid/electric technology utilized in semi-trucks and trailers and transport refrigeration units. Will design, plan and oversee orientation and training of existing and new technicians. Must have 15 years’ experience in hybrid/electric technology related to semi-trucks and trailers and transport refrigeration units, including knowledge of diesel engines, complex wiring programs, and multitemperature refrigeration units. Must have experience in training others in hybrid/electric technology. Resumes to: Reefer Systems, Attn: Nancy Todd, 13986 Valley Ridge Road, Omaha, NE 68138.
STORE MANAGER
Responsible for building a high performing team, providing an amazing customer experience and inspiring their team to be the best they can be.We expect our managers to create a culture within the store that is positive, upbeat, and enjoyable. Minimum 2-3 years of retail/restaurant management experience. Must be self-motivated and solution-oriented. Excellent merchandising skills and eye for detail. Ability to maintain good relationships with guests. Good communicator and motivator; able to work well with others and convey enthusiasm. Can train and inspire Team Members to excellence in their respective departments. Passion for the hospitality industry. For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
RESTAURANT GENERAL MANAGER
We are looking for a big leader who is able to build a team and further develop our existing team of top performers by training and developing skills, providing clear, consistent direction, and recognizing individual and team contributions. Candidate would oversee recruiting, training, management, P&L , and overall operations of corporately owned restaurant to ensure excellent customer service, high quality foods, people development, food safety, store cleanliness, and maximum profitability. For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
Movie Music Series Sponsors
February 13 | 7:30 PM | Holland Center Thomas Wilkins, conductor Music from Jaws, Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., and more!
402.345.0606 | OMAHASYMPHONY.ORG
omaha jobs
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
5
Gifford Park: Advocating for a Better Neighborhood
W
hen Chris Foster purchased his Gifford Park home in 1986, 33rd and California was an intersection most people avoided. Dilapidated properties served as the backdrop for drug dealing, prostitution and other illegal activity. The local PTA expressed its growing concern for the safety of children who walked through the commercial district on their way to Yates Elementary School at 32nd and Davenport. “The neighborhood took notice,” Foster said. In 1988, a group of PTA members and residents called Yates Parent Care formed the Gifford Park Neighborhood Association to begin addressing these issues. It marked the start of the area’s slow yet steady physical and cultural transformation that the association continues to nurture through planned events and opportunities for chance interaction. Today, Gifford Park is one of the city’s most respected and influential neighborhood groups. Foster, who serves on the association’s board of directors, readily admits that rough patches still exist. But he attributes Gifford Park’s successes over the years to a simple formula – hard work and taking advantage of opportunities to make positive change. Ask Foster what his definition of hard work is, and he’s full of concrete examples. When Gifford Park started its Neighborhood Watch group in the summer of 1990, it partnered with Mad Dads to form a “walk group” that patrolled on Friday and Saturday nights. “We’d start at 9:00 or 10:00pm and sometimes stay out until 3:00 or 4:00am,” Foster said. The group of volunteer men and women would stand together, literally, in front of buildings in the neighborhood’s commercial district to disrupt unwanted activity. “Our association believes you need both defensive and offensive strategies to make a dif-
ference,” Foster said. While the neighborhood watch players line up on defense, the offense consists of those who organize and execute events designed to bring the area’s diverse population together. Some of them are steeped in tradition, like the annual Easter egg hunt. “We’ve been doing that for 27 years – it’s as old as the association itself,” Foster said. Other activities have grown out of physical improvements made to the neighborhood by the association, like those linked to the Gifford Park Community Garden. And yet others stem from the actions of other entities in the neighborhood. When residents learned of plans by Omaha Public Schools (OPS) to build a new elementary school on the site occupied by and surrounding Yates – which OPS has operated as a refugee/immigrant and pre-K learning center
since 2008 – they got to work. Yates Elementary School closed in 1999, and the building housed Yates Alternative School from 2000 to 2007. “We hope that one day, Yates can serve our neighborhood and others as a multi-purpose community center,” Foster said. “We’ve had quite a number of refugees and immigrants move to the neighborhood because of the services offered at Yates. They’ve become an important part of our association, and we don’t want them displaced again.” In 1887, Henry Whitefield Yates, an Omaha banker and businessman, purchased a 2-½ acre plot bound by Davenport and Chicago streets on the south and north and by 33rd Street and 31st Avenue on the west and east. Hillside, a large mansion, was built on the site. After Henry’s death, Mrs. Yates sold a portion of the land to the Omaha School Board for one dollar to build a school named after her late husband. She retained the rest of the property and lived in the mansion until her death in 1929. Hillside was razed in 1944. In addition to lobbying to save Yates, the association is urging OPS to build the new elementary school at 32nd and Webster in a parking lot owned by Creighton University that will eventually be sold. The neighborhood has been told the construction timeline for the new elementary school is as follows: Januar y 2017 to September 2017 Building design October 2017 through December 2017 Construction procurement
One Omaha, founded in 2015, is dedicated to actively facilitating the development of neighborhoods in the City of Omaha through communication, education and advocacy. For more information: Julie Smith One Omaha program manager 402.547.7473 or Julie.smith@oneomaha.org.
6
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
Januar y 2018 through July 2019 Construction August 2019 Move in “We’re feeling a sense of urgency because the process is truly in motion,” Foster said. Earlier this month, Gifford Park delivered nearly 700 support letters to Creighton University President Daniel Hendrickson and Mike McCarthy, chairman of the Creighton Board of Trustees. If you’re interested in helping the association save the Yates, building, you can: l Sign the online petition at https://www. change.org/p/creighton-university-omahapublic-schools-save-historic-yates-buildingand-protect-refugee-immigrant-programmingin-gifford-park. l Like the group’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/giffordparkneighborhoodschooleffort. l Request a Save Yates yard sign (contact Foster at 402.290.8187/foster3413@cox.net or Eliza Perry at 207.590.9880/yrrepazile@gmail. com). l Write a letter of support to OPS and Creighton University officials, and email it to Foster at foster3413@cox.net: For more information on how to get involved with the Save Yates effort, contact Foster at 402.290.8187 or foster3413@cox.net. *Source: 10 Famous People Who Were Once Told They Couldn’t by Julianne Miao (11.30.2013)
JANUARY2016VOLUME22NUMBER10 08 OVER THE EDGE THAT WAS THAT 10 PHOTO STORY SHARING MOMENTS 16 PICKS COOL EVENTS IN JANUARY 20 ART THE A LIST 24 ART 2016 PREVIEW 28 THEATER YEAR IN REVIEW 31 HEARTLAND HEALING 2015 REWOUND 32 EAT HELLO AND GOODBYE 36 MUSIC YEAR IN REVIEW/PREDICTIONS 42 HOODOO JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS 44 HOODOO YEAR IN REVIEW 46 FILM 2016: WHAT LOOKS GOOD 44 HOODOO TOY TIME AND MORE 50 MYSTERIAN DOCTOR IS IN
Publisher John Heaston john@thereader.com Creative Director Eric Stoakes eric@thereader.com Assistant Editor Mara Wilson mara@thereader.com Assistant Editor Tara Spencer tara@thereader.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS heartland healing: Michael Braunstein info@heartlandhealing.com arts/visual: Mike Krainak mixedmedia@thereader.com dish: Sarah Locke crumbs@thereader.com film: Ryan Syrek cuttingroom@thereader.com hoodoo: B.J. Huchtemann bjhuchtemann@gmail.com music: Wayne Brekke backbeat@thereader.com over the edge: Tim McMahan tim.mcmahan@gmail.com theater: William Grennan coldcream@thereader.com SALES & MARKETING Dinah Gomez dinah@thereader.com Kati Falk kati@thereader.com DISTRIBUTION/DIGITAL
Clay Seaman clay@thereader.com OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS MANAGER Kerry Olson kerry@thereader.com PHOTO BY DEBRA S. KAPLAN
MOREINFO:WWW.THEREADER.COM
contents
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
7
overtheedge
lookingbacklookingforward From Trump and Caitlyn to Ferguson and Paris, it has been quite a year BY TIM MCMAHAN
W
hen you think back on 2015, what are the first things that pop into your head? Quick like a bunny. What are your most important memories of the past year? The first things that pop into my head: — The Paris massacre. Bleak television reports of kids at a rock concert getting gunned down in cold blood by terrorists. The scene in my mind is horrific — kids just like the ones I see at local rock shows running and pushing and trying to get out of the Bataclan Theater, mowed down like lambs to the slaughter, for nothing. — Trump and the Republican presidential campaigns. Here we are in January and Trump, god help us, is still there on top of the polls. Despite his xenophobic, misogynistic, bullying rhetoric, despite his complete lack of a vision and any reasonable, realistic ideas, he stands on top, thanks (I guess) to his constant chest-pounding declarations of how much smarter he is than the rest of the field. The Republican campaign has turned into an election for a grade school class president (no offense to grade-school students). — Global warming. Nobody cares. Not really. We hear the reports with dread in our hearts, like watching a giant astroid headed straight for earth, knowing there’s nothing we can do about it. Or so the media tells us. We turn off the lights, we drive less often, and the ice caps continue to melt anyway. — Ferguson, Missouri. People rioting in the streets. Angry. Burning and looting. And then, just a few weeks later, another report of a kid getting shot by a cop. Unarmed. In the middle of a freeway. Caught on video. On TV. Has the state of race relations gotten any better in the past decade? Ask a person of color. Then there’s Caitlyn Jenner. Amidst everything else, you couldn’t avoid the Jenner saga no matter how hard you tried. Are you, like me, wondering how the Kardashians became so famous for doing nothing? What’s it say about us that when asked to look back on 2015 the only things that come to mind are solemn, terrifying, critical and trivial mediadriven events? Why do so few good things pop into that empty head of mine? What did we achieve as a country, as a species? We didn’t land a man on the moon in 2015. We didn’t cure cancer. The Year of Our Lord 2015 may go down as one of the strangest in recent memory, and I haven’t even gotten to local and personal stuff yet. One thing that personally stands out about last year was The Reader going from a weekly to a monthly publication. Did anyone else notice? For me it meant going from writing 50 col-
8
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
over the edge
umns a year to just 12, giving me a lot more time on my hands, a lot less stress. And yet, I miss that open-maw of a deadline crawling on my back every Tuesday morning. The Reader joined a long list of publications that shrank or disappeared last year, to be replaced by online “content” and social media. I recently was out at my dad’s house going through some old stuff when I ran across a rusty file cabinet filled with 1960s-era Playboy magazines. What shocked me wasn’t the old-fashioned photos of nude hippie girls or the sophisticated Mad Men-style design — what surprised me was the size and thickness of each issue — as thick a local telephone book, stuffed with stories and photos and ads. Did people actually have time to read all that? Go to the magazine rack in your grocery store today and look at the sheaths of paper they call magazines. Even your average book is thinner than it used to be. No one reads anymore, at least not the printed word. Who has time? Not with binge-watching television shows, video games and the chore of constantly reading and updating everything on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. In the 1970s, Harlan Ellison — my favorite author — wrote that television would drive mankind to extinction by turning off our brains, turning us all into spectators, sucking away every last bit of our imagination. Harlan was wrong about TV. It’s social media that will eventually get us, blunting the shock of massacres, numbing our fear of global warming, propping up false leaders and turning us into lemmings headed toward the cliff. Yikes. I haven’t even gotten to the most notable thing about 2015 for me. Last year I turned 50 and my dad turned 80. It is weird and scary. My wife said, “I hope you’re not going to be one of those people who freaks out about his age.” I’m not, but getting older is strange because I don’t know how I got here, and now I get the feeling there’s no turning it off, there’s no slowing it down. There’s no turning back. So what do we have to look forward to in 2016? The election? I’ll miss Obama. I think he’s the best president we’ve had in my lifetime. All the things Republicans point toward as Obama failures — universal healthcare, the state of the economy, the state of unemployment — are all triumphs in my eyes. Whereas Republicans see nothing but flaws in Obama, I can’t think of an instance where I didn’t feel proud he was our president. He’s going to be a tough act to follow, whether it’s Hillary (likely), Bernie (unlikely) or Trump (puzzling, but very possible). My hope for 2016 is that there are no Paris-style massacres, no more riots in the streets, that we begin to figure out what’s wrong with this planet before it’s too late. And maybe, just maybe, we all begin to turn off our computers and our phones and start paying attention to the world and the people around us, a world that isn’t fed to us by someone we’ve never met. , Over The Edge is a monthly column by Reader senior contributing writer Tim McMahan focused on culture, society, music, the media and the arts. Email Tim at tim.mcmahan@gmail.com
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
9
SharingCapturedMoments A year of photography and reflection
A
s each year closes, I often think of the Joni Mitchell poetic song lyrics to The Circle Game from the ‘70s: We’re captive on the carousel of time, we can’t return we can only look behind from where we came and go round and round and round in the circle game. Each and every one of us is on a journey and the carousel is used as a metaphor for the years that go by, pointing out how we can look back, but we can’t return to our past. Through photography, we capture moments in time, so we can look back and reflect upon experiences, places and people in our lives. “Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.” W. Eugene Smith Having the incredible opportunity to document life through a lens and then communicate to people why something matters makes life rich. Photography can be a powerful witness to joys and sorrows, challenges and victories, beauty and hope, and commitment and love.
10
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
C O M M E N TA RY A N D P H O TO S B Y D E B R A S . K A P L A N
The year started with dreams for 2015 and were tempered by tremendous loss in families I treasured. Death from suicide, the unexpected loss of people in their prime, old age and cancer changed the lives of endless people for those who knew and loved them. In reflection, I witnessed the grief of mourning being replaced, with hope for the future. Time will continue to heal. “Photography to me is catching a moment which is passing, and which is true.” — Jacques-Henri Lartigue The awe for our Omaha community ever increases and deepens as people and places are captured through photography. The heart of people for charitable organizations and the non-profit causes and passions are without end. They cover diseases, poverty, food insecurity, children’s needs, education, the arts, music, food and culture. Images of people and places from east to west and north to south were documented. The joy of births, friends comforting each other, celebrations, witnessing the political process in our amazing country and celebrating love and commitment were all captured in images.
cover
Just the other day while capturing images of a family walking though trying circumstances, what impacted me was the way they gazed at each other with tremendous thankfulness. I then looked at their hands, with rings of commitment on imperfect hands holding on…whatever…love is love. Life…it’s all about connections and we all need these. We find them in our workplaces, our workout facilities, our restaurants, our stores, our places of worship, our giving back to others, our common purpose, and our families. Sometimes we find connections in the unexpected, if we have the eyes and heart to be open to give and receive. It’s through these connections that we find purpose and passion. As the new year of 2016 begins, have high hopes for for the future and open your eyes to see the details in the mental images and photographic images that you capture and view. We will continue to document and share images of our Omaha community in the coming year with hopes of communicating through words and photos the stories of our lives. On with the dance, as we go round and round and round in the circle game. ,
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
11
12
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
cover
LO
ON ND
TO LIVERP
OO
L HURRY! ONLY A FEW SEATS REMAIN! BOOK YOURS TODAY!
aPRIL 15-23, 2016 Step this way...and roll up to the ultimate Beatles experience! Boomer 1490 and Bellevue Travel present the Magical Mystery London to Liverpool Tour! We embark for London on Friday, April 15, 2016 for eight days a week of exciting land- marks in the group’s history! For Beatles fans a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the here, there and everywhere of the Fab Four’s history! You’ll have a ticket to ride aboard the double decker bus excursion to see dozens of Beatles sights in London and Liverpool. See the Abbey Road crosswalk, Apple Headquarters – sight of the Beatles famous
rooftop concert! Visit Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the boy’s childhood homes and so much more! Then it’s onto visit Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace & Piccadilly Circus! AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!!
Even a day trip to Windsor Castle – where the Royal family entertains Heads of State. All accompanied by your host, Beatles expert extraordinaire Rick Galusha. This amazing trip covers ‘every little thing’: airfare, hotel, admissions and breakfast. Hurry! All you need is love and a $250 deposit! Space is extremely limited!
FOR INFO aND bOOkINgs, PLEasE cONTacT: Julie Imgrund • Bellevue Travel 1508 JFKennedy Drive • Suite 101 • Bellevue NE 68005 • 402-292-6600 • julie@bellevuetravelne.com Let’s all come together for the Magical Mystery London to Liverpool Tour, April 22, 2016, from Bellevue Travel and Boomer 1490...it’s your ticket to ride!
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
13
14
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
cover
Omaha Performing Arts Presents
A reader’s theatre play by the Ephron sisters — the writers and producers of Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia and When Harry Met Sally.
An Afternoon with
Garrison Keillor
JAN. 22– FEB. 14, 2016 By Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman
Comedy, class and charisma February 14, 2016 | 3:00 PM | Holland Center | Kiewit Hall
402.345.0606
TicketOmaha.com
6915 CASS STREET | (402) 553-0800 | OMAHAPLAYHOUSE.COM sponsors:
media sponsor:
Hospitality Sponsor:
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
15
COURTESY OF MATT COX MYSPACE
Saturday, January 2 THE WILLARDS, TOWNSHIP & RANGE, 24 HOUR CARDLOCK AND MATT COX The Barley Street Tavern, 2735 North 62nd Street 9:00p.m., $5 www.barleystreet.com
Talk about a solid lineup. It’s not uncommon to have a grip of amazing music filling the venues of Benson on a Saturday night. It is however, not every night you get a 4-band bill that showcases a perfect blend of styles packed with some of the best Americana and roots rock Omaha has to offer. The stage at the Barley Street will feature multiple local music veterans, many of whom are in various notable acts. You’ll even notice some bands on this bill share musicians. The Willards are a band with a long history that’s still making an impression. Each and every performance highlights their amazing guitar work, stunning harmonies, and good ole catchy songwriting prowess. Travis Sing’s project Township & Range will be featuring classic country-style songs from their brand new record, while Matt Cox will no doubt deliver another one of his stirring performances that’s helped make him a local legend. Of course 24 Hour Cardlock will kick things into high gear with their rousing trucker songs, honoring long roads and lot lizards which in itself is worth the price of admission. — Wayne Brekke
16
JANUARY 2016
Saturday, January 9 DUMB BEACH, OCEAN BLACK, HAG O’Leaver’s, 1322 South Saddle Creek 9:30p.m., $5 www.oleavers.com If you’re looking for soft tender harmonies, intricate melodies, and heartfelt songs of love and tenderness… then don’t come to this show. If you’re more into pieces of the ceiling falling into your beer as distorted, high volume blasts of power chords pummel your face with the fury of an abusive lover, then this might just be the show you want to experience. Dumb Beach is a straight up, in your face rock band whose profile sites their General Manager as “Satan,” Booking Agent as “Lemmy,” and their Personal Interests as “Being a complete piece of shit.” Ocean Black provides a wall of noise that could kill a zombie hoard, while Hag remains simply an urban legend to scare children while stealing the souls of their unfortunate parents who come see them play. Yes, this is going to be THAT kind of show. Be warned. — Wayne Brekke Sunday, January 10 I HEAR AMERICA SINGING Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge Street 2:00p.m., $33 www.omahasymphony.org “I hear America singing…each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,” wrote Walt Whitman. This is from a famed poem which is set, appropriately, to American music by Pulitzer Prize- winning Steven Stucky. You can hear it performed by baritone Christopher Burchett and the Omaha Symphony led by Thomas Wilkins at the Joslyn Art Museum January 10th. Whitman’s title is also this concert’s, presenting Stucky’s four- part “American Muse.” Other parts set poetry by John Berryman, e e cummings and A.R. Ammons with cummings evoking a legend from this territory: Buffalo Bill. “I looked for texts that somehow dealt with Americaness,” Stucky said,” even the physical realties of the national landscape.” Music written in this country from
| THE READER |
picks
1937 to 1999 is featured. Virgil Thomson celebrates our legacy by calling forth familiar tunes and melodies such as “Dixie” “Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” and “We Won’t Go Home Until Morning,” in a suite from his score for the documentary film The River, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and inspired by the mighty Mississippi. Both men, by the way, came from the Midwest, Thomson from Kansas City, Missouri and Stucky from Hutchinson, Kansas. Almost as familiar as parts of Thomson’s score is David Diamond’s highly popular “Rounds for String Orchestra,” a sometimes jolly, sometimes sweet, sometimes deliberately echoing piece. Diamond is another composer whose work has always remained accessible. Matched in spirit and rooted in tradition is the fourth piece, Eric Ewazen’s “Chamber Symphony.”The New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra have all played his compositions. This one has “strong rhythm,” writes program annotator Paul Schiavo, calling the Symphony “colorful and melodious.” Mr. Burchett has quite a career, having been seen and heard opera-wise in New York, Boston, Virginia, Santa Fe and more. Concertconnected, he’s sung works by, among others, Bach, Britten, Beethoven and Vaughan Williams. The baritone is considered a champion of new scores. Case in point, and appropriate to this engagement, he’s heard on iTunes with Opera America Songbook. Underscored by appearing before in Omaha, with the Orchestra, he performed
songs by Broadway legend Frank Loesser. And, in 2008, Burchett sang in Opera Omaha’s production of Blizzard Voices by Paul Moravec. Undoubtedly everything in this concert belongs to the people who wrote it. It belongs to us too. Americans. — Gordon Spencer0 Friday, January 15 BIG AL BAND, BLOODCOW, DERECK HIGGINS AND AGRONOMO O’Leaver’s, 1322 South Saddle Creek 9:30p.m., $5 www.oleavers.com “Omaha’s most notorious 2-piece band,” The Big AL Band fronts another musical feast at O’Leaver’s with a menu that includes a legendary appetizer, bloody main course, and tasty rock and roll dessert. The ever prolific Dereck Higgins and Agronomo make an appearance with what’s sure to be a creatively inspired show. Not sure what they sound like, but Higgins has huge streetcred, so you know it will be interesting. Metal messiahs Bloodcow will be adding fuel to the fire celebrating Corporate Merger’s Birthday. The “notorious” BIG (AL) Band will cap the night with stripped down rock that goes great with multiple Mai Tai cocktails. The Big AL Band will also have a limited number of free “The Human Effect” EPs to give away while Bloodcow and Higgins will both have some sweet vinyl you’ll want to get your paws on. — Wayne Brekke Sunday, January 17 10TH ANNUAL OMAHA ENTERTAINMENT & ARTS AWARDS DoubleTree Omaha, 1616 Dodge Street 6:00p.m., $25 www.oea-awards.org
BARITONE CHRISTOPHER BURCHETT
It’s that time of year again, ladies and gentlemen. Music, art, and performance take center stage in the annual gala event that honors Omaha’s amazing creative
A PIECE BY CEDRIC HARTMAN, AN OEAA NOMINEE FOR BEST VISUAL ARTIST
culture. The public has spoken and the OEAA panelists have placed their votes, so come and see who walks away with a shiny glass trophy. Live musical performances will include Mariachi Zapata, Hector Anchondo Band, The End in Red & Through the Stone, BOTH, J. Crum, Latin Threat, Marcey Yates, Mola-B, The Madness Apparatus, and Dominique Morgan. Poetry performances will include offerings from Michelle Troxclair and Felicia ‘With Love’ Webster. Comedy will be provided by The Wisenheimers. Every year it’s an adventure in entertainment, especially with all the talented souls in one room. This year promises to be another night to remember, with a gathering that will include some of the most recognized names in local music, art, and theater. After the prizes are all given out, cap off the afterglow at the Slowdown for a special after party with the Kait Berreckman band and SharkWeek. — Wayne Brekke
Saturday, January 23 6TH ANNUAL BURNS’ NICHT WITH VAGO, THE PRAIRIE GATORS, 24 HOUR CARDLOCK, FTG The Barley Street Tavern, 2735 North 62nd Street 9:00p.m., $5 www.barleystreet.com Once again the Burns brothers and their band Vago host their annual Burns’ Nicht at the Barley Street. Named after the Scottish poet Robert Burns, Burns’ Nicht is traditionally celebrated in Scotland on January 25th, commemorating the bard who penned “Auld Lang Syne.” Burns’ Night at the Barley is a homebrewed concoc-
tion that has become a Benson tradition. Born from a house party, the event grew to a full concert and feast, including traditional Scottish dishes like neeps ‘n’ tatties, Cock-a-leekie soup, and yes, haggis, which is always outstanding (seriously, try it). Vago, The Prairie Gators, and 24 Hour Cardlock (loch) bring the tunes and the kilts, but not before an inspiring intro by bagpipers and an opening poem read by the Master of Ceremonies to rouse spirits. — Wayne Brekke Through January 16 OEAA VISUAL ART NOMINEE SHOWCASE Kaneko, 1111 Jones Street Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 8, 5:00-8:00p.m. www.oea-awards.org In anticipation of the 10th annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards ceremony on January 17 is an exhibition devoted to the work of this year’s nominees for awards in its Visual Arts categories. This show has a short run—open Jan. 8 through 16. Each year, the OEAA recognizes creative visual artists in nine different categories: Best Public Art; Best Solo, Two-Person and Group Exhibition; Best 2D, 3D, New Media and Emerging Artist; and Visual Artist of the year. Artists must have shown their work locally and furthered their careers during the period between September 2014 and August of this year. The exhibition will feature works drawn from among this year’s nominees. Thanks in great measure to the 37 artists included in Joslyn’s nominated Art Seen exhibition, the list of participating artists is too long to list, but here are some highlights: Cedric Hartman, Kristin Pluhacek, Bart Vargas, Watie White and Mary Zicafoose are all up for best visual artist. For more details, visit their website or Facebook page. — Janet L. Farber
may seem like a bygone period, this superb play reaches across time with developments and a depth of characters which make it alive and vital. A community of people with conventional roles is upended by an unbridled young man with a questionable past while real, threedimensional, very human beings try to go on living in their constrained environment. Playwright David Rush, much inspired by Inge, says this drama shows “that society’s rules are not always the best” and that it’s possible to be happier and more fulfilled by “breaking out of restraints.” On Labor Day weekend, a drifter, Hal Carter, arrives looking for work, also visiting his college friend Alan, who is dating local beauty Madge Owens whom Alan hopes to marry. It becomes clear that Hal and Madge are attracted to each other. A no-longeryoung schoolteacher, Rosemary, becomes disturbed by the magnetism between the young people, painfully reminding her that a long- time relationship with local businessman Howard seems to be withering on the vine. Inge wrote about his inspiration for this play. “When I was a boy in Kansas, my mother had a boarding house,” he said. “Three women school teachers were living in the house…Even as a child, I sensed every woman’s failure. I began to sense the sorrow and the emptiness in their lives, and it touched me.” With his portraits of people in heartland America, Inge has become known as the “Playwright of the Midwest,” gaining equal fame and admiration for Come Back Little Sheba, Bus Stop, and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. He also won an Academy Award with his script for Splendor in the Grass. Watching the vivid small community on stage can become a powerful and moving experience, far more intense than the movie version. This is live. This is life. — Gordon Spencer Thursday, January 21-Saturday, January 23 LISTEN FOR A CHANGE: SACRED CONVERSATIONS ON RACIAL JUSTICE Countryside Community Church, 8787 Pacific Street Thurs. 5:00-8:30p.m., Fri. 8:00a.m.-4:00p.m., Sat. 8:00a.m.-2:00p.m. $10 a session/$20 for all days www.centerforfaithstudies.org Trinity Institute (TI2016) is an annual conference held in NYC, but you have the opportunity to attend this conference right here in Omaha. The Center for Faith Studies is hosting this three-day conference via webcast. On Thurs-
day, Jan. 21 the conference will begin with Mass featuring work of Netsayi and preaching by Bishop Michael Curry. Dinner will be served after the service with keynote Michele Norris. Trinity Institute explores the most pressing issues of today’s world. This year the topic is structural racism, mass incarceration and policy change. The purpose of this conference is to discuss the issues in a facilitated conversation with people of Omaha and networking to build a better city. Friday and Saturday will feature speakers Nicholas Kristof, Emilie Townes and Anna Deavere Smith. Kristof is a New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Townes is Dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School and Smith is an actress, playwright, professor and 1996 MacArthur Fellow. These are just a few of the influential speakers during this conference, a local Omaha panel will be present as well. Attending all three days will cost $20, but you can choose to attend part of the conference for $10 a session. — Mara Wilson Monday, January 25 LINCOLN ARTISTS BYRON ANWAY AND JORDAN BUSCHUR Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam Street, Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 29, 5:00-7:00p.m. www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov Lincoln artists Byron Anway and Jordan Buschur put a little order to chaos in the latest offering at the Nebraska Art’s Council’s Fred Simon Gallery. Their exhibition,
Through January 17 PICNIC Chanticleer Theater, 830 Franklin Avenue Opens Friday, Jan. 8 Fri.-Sat. 7:30p.m., Sun: 2:00p.m., $10-$20 www.chanticleertheater.com In the chill and dark days of winter, a famed story set in summer shines anew. Chanticleer Theater wants to wake you to the brilliance of Pulitzer Prize-winning Picnic by William Inge. Since its debut more than 60 years ago, taking place in small town America in what
“FIGHT” BY LINCOLN ARTIST BYRON ANWAY
picks
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
17
SHEMEKIA COPELAND © PHOTO CREDIT SUZANNE FOSCHINO
Mass In, opens to the public on January 25 at 1004 Farnam Street, lower level. Anway will show large format watercolors and oil paintings that feature scenes of brawls and other dense crowd scenes inspired by events broadcast on the 24-hour news cycle. Buschur’s paintings are studies of volumes of a different sort—accumulations of items in junk drawers become her de facto psychological and consumerist portraits of family and friends. The artists will also collaborate on several new artworks for the exhibition. Together, their laboriously detailed works present a vision of the fluid relationships between order and bedlam, the ordinary and the phenomenal. — Janet L. Farber Through January 30 MICHAEL MONTAG: WORKS IN PROGRESS Connect Gallery, 3901 Leavenworth Street Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 15, 5:309:00p.m. Gallery Hours: Wed.-Sat. 11:00a.m.-5:00p.m. www.connectgallery.net
“WATER SPRITES” BY MICHAEL MONTAG
Michael Montag: Works in Progress will be featured at Connect Gallery from Jan. 6-30. The exhibit includes bronze works from micro to life-size that deal with religious figures, children, nudes, and birds, all in varies states of completion. During the opening reception Montag will demonstrate how he works in clay to develop new pieces.
18
JANUARY 2016
His bread and butter works are commissioned sculptures for churches, businesses and private collectors. Working through the steps required of this type of medium after developing the piece in clay, Montag has established an elegant figurative style. The pieces vary from small tabletop sizes to two and one-half feet to seven feet in height. His dream is to realize several of these maquettes in a monumental scale via commission. His larger works range from figurative to wildlife to abstract images that he has placed throughout the Midwest. A recent 9-foot sculpture has been installed in Lincoln, outside of the Lighthouse Building—with bronze children arranged on a stainless steel brace and covered with a cupola. Montag says what drives his work is a “fire of dignity, truth and love. It is our quest, as students of the human masterpiece, to expose this flame and harness its uncontainable light, guiding our journey together.” — Eddith Buis
Blues,” a lifetime honor passed on from the late Koko Taylor. See shemekiacopeland.com. — B.J. Huchtemann
reggae, soul, and ska during the set breaks. Look sharp, dance hard, and “Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down.” — Wayne Brekke
Through January 31 “TRANSPARENCE” Petshop, 2725 North 62nd Street Gallery Hours: By appointment, petshopgallery@gmail.com www.angieseykora.com
Through February 11 HARRY DUNCAN AS LETTERPRESS MENTOR: JUAN PASCOE AND OTHER FINE PRINTERS UNO Art Gallery, 6001 Dodge Street Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 15, 4:306:30p.m. www.unomaha.edu
“Transparence” is a solo exhibition by Angie Seykora, an instructor of sculpture at Creighton University, is an award-winning artist. She was selected for the fully funded Art-St-Urban Sculpture residency in St. Urban, Switzerland during the summers of 2014 and 2015. The exhibit, “Transparence” showcases recent works by Seykora that demonstrate her research with different textures, patterns and form. The work in “Transparence” is created with materials found in our everyday world such as vinyl, electrical tape and polyester. By using the effects of layering, taping, wrapping, knotting, and stacking, Seykora’s forms give each material new visual appeal while also showing their purpose. “Transparence” challenges Seykora’s audience to see beyond the surface of the materials and to reconsider their original uses. Support this Omaha based artist and find out if you can see through the material and possibly discover something more. — Mara Wilson
Saturday, January 30 SHEMEKIA COPELAND Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas Street 8:00p.m., $35 General Admission www.omahaperformingarts.org Shemekia Copeland has earned her place as a contemporary blues star. Her performances are full on, no holdsbarred and delivered with a powerful, sparkling stage presence. In recent months her latest disc Outskirts of Love (Alligator) has won her a Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album and three nominations in the prestigious Blues Music Awards. Copeland was honored with nominations including Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year and the career-defining, usually male-dominated B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year award. USA Today says, “Shemekia captures the timelessness of the blues while spinning it forward with remarkable maturity.” In fact, Copeland is now an established second-generation blues musician who began her solo career in 1998, following the path of her father Johnny Clyde Copeland, a respected bluesman. She made her stage debut at the historic Cotton Club with her father at the age of eight and by the age of 16 she had joined her father on tour, as his health suffered due to a failing heart. At the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival, the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois officially declared Copeland to be “The New Queen Of The
| THE READER |
picks
Harry Duncan created much influence in the poetry publishing and letterpress typography. The UNO Art Gallery will have an exhibition in celebration of the centenary of his birth. Duncan established Abattoir Editions at UNO and also taught from 1972 until his retirement in 1985. Books and broadsides founded by students, successors and apprentices of this man will be on display. Along with some of Duncan’s own work. Highlighting the show will be nearly fifty broadsides and books hand-printed by Juan Pascoe. In the early 1970s in Iowa, Pascoe worked with Duncan. Today, Juan and his press, Taller Martín Pesacdor, is heralded as the finest hand printer in Mexico. Pascoe earned the 2014 Tribute to a Bibliophile from the International Book Fair in Guadalajara (one of the three most important book fairs in the entire world). The exhibition will also host a twelve-minute video showing Juan, his work, and workshop. The Spanish language video has been subtitled by UNO art history student Alma Becerril Salas and UNO gallery coordinator Denise Brady. Another part of the exhibit will be the publication event for “All Along the Fence.” This is an unbound portfolio of poems was issued by Gibraltar Editions (Omaha) in tribute to Duncan’s poetry and typography edited and organized by Brady. Featured are seventeen poets printed by seventeen letterpress printers and collected together with an essay about Duncan by Michael Peich (Aralia Press, West Chester, Pennsylvania). The UNO Criss Library will show concurrently books and broadsides printed at UNO in Duncan’s Hand Produced Book class. — Mara Wilson
“TRANSPARENCE” - A SOLO EXHIBITION BY ANGIE SEYKORA
Tuesday, February 2 THE TOASTERS, JIMMY SKAFFA, THE BISHOPS, DJ ZACK SURREAL Lookout Lounge, 320 South 72nd Street 8:00p.m., $10 ADV/$12 DOS www.lookoutomaha.com Since the early 80’s, The Toasters have been icons of Ska. They’ve released 9 albums, been featured in loads of television spots, and celebrated their 25th Anniversary in 2007 with a studio album “One More Bullet.” Sultans of skankin’, the Toasters, bring a high-energy show fronted by founding member Robert “Bucket” Hingley. If that weren’t enough to get you into your English Creepers, local ska legends Jimmy Skaffa will be reuniting for a 20 year anniversary celebration show, while the Bishops make the stage at the Lookout “ground zero” for a skabomb blast they’ll hear out in West O. Between bands DJ Zack Surreal will be spinning the vinyl, adding a mix of
HARRY DUNCAN
Through February 14 LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass Street Opens Friday, Jan. 22 Wed.-Sat. 7:30p.m. and Sun. 2:00p.m., $20$40 www.omahaplayhouse.org
COURTESY OF THE TOASTERS’ FACEBOOK PAGE
“Think of it as a warm-up to Sex and the City 2,” said the L.A.Times about Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore, a “kind of affirming chick outing.” This theatrical collection of monologues might be a different type of warm-up for a chilly winter evening at Omaha Community Playhouse. In a spin-off from a 1995 book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman, a collection of tales unfolds, often comic, but sometimes sentimental or sad glimpses of women’s lives. A narrator sketches meaningful parts of past wardrobes which stir poignant memories. She weaves them into other tales by other people. According to a review in Variety, another character serves as a vixen, a third is a vulnerable gang member from Chicago, the next is a cancer patient, and the last is a mature woman dealing with by vivid times gone by. There are 28 different stories taking on wardrobe malfunctions, struggles with puberty, first dates,
LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE, AT THE OMAHA COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE
prom clothes, boots, disorganized purses, dressing room experiences and more. Such recollections prompt memories about mothers, boyfriends, husbands, exhusbands, sisters and grandchildren. In 2009, after the off-Broadway debut, this show ran for more than two and a half years, setting a record. The production won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. There have been subsequent performances on six continents. Nora Ephron was a journalist, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, director, and blogger. She was well-known for romantic comedies and nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Writing in Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally..., and Sleepless in Seattle. Her last film was Julie & Julia. Her sister Delia’s screen credits include You’ve Got Mail, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Hanging Up and Michael. She’s created novels for adults as well as collections of humor and essays. She’s also a newspaper and magazine writer.
Among Ilene Beckerman’s other books are What We Do For Love, The Smartest Woman I Know, Makeovers at the Beauty Counter of Happiness and Amores, Desamores…& Trapos. Some of the language on stage is strong stuff. It should wear well, though. — Gordon Spencer Through February 14 UNTITLED SERIES #7: A COMEDY Shelterbelt Theatre, 3225 California Street Opens Friday, Jan. 22 Thurs.-Sat: 8:00p.m. and Sun. 6:00p.m. (Sunday, Feb. 14 2:00p.m.), $12-$15 www.shelterbelt.org Omaha playwright Ellen Struve has designed a play whose background focuses on collecting art. In the foreground she portrays divorce, dating, scenes of failure and the awash patterns of Internet connections. You can sit and study the world premiere of Untitled Series #7: A Comedy at Shelterbelt Theatre. Struve explains that she’d just finished a play involving very serious issues and wanted a project full of fun. “The title is a metaphor for everybody getting to the middle of their lives or careers or relationships,” she says “realizing that they might not be entirely sure about the title of their story.” She also loves romantic comedy movies of the 30s and, putting divorced lovers in the center, she wanted to “capture some of that zip and zing.” Artists Mariah and Chris, have split marital-wise but are still living together because neither can replace their live-in-work space. Then Mariah is sent to China for a residency. When she returns, rumors, accusations and other stuff fill in the picture with many kinds of mix-ups as the couple frames a scheme to escape the boundaries of where they are. Struve is no stranger to these walls, which have also housed Nobody Gets Paid, Mrs. Jennings Sitter and Mountain Lions. She is a Nebraska Arts Council Individual Artist Fellow, a WhyArts and Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts Community Resident Artist. Her work has been seen at a Great Plains Theatre Conference (Prince Max’s Trewly Awful Trip to the Desolat Interior) Plus her play, Recommended Reading for Girls, premiered at Omaha Community Playhouse in 2013. The cast: Laura Leininger-Campbell, Mike Palmreuter, Jennifer Gilg, and Eric Salonis. Roxanne Wach is the director. Shelterbelt’s press release calls this “a Rube Goldberg machine of events.” As Stephen Sondheim reminds us “Art isn’t easy.” — Gordon Spencer
COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
picks
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
19
20
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
cover
art
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
21
22
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
art
art
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
23
ART
artmatters Coming attractions, issues for Metro visual art scene in 2016
B Y A DA M P R I C E A N D M I C H A E L J . K R A I N A K
A
preview of what’s to come in 2016 with regard to the Metro visual arts scene seems like a good time to intro two new arts writers to our team: Melinda Kozel, KanekoUNO Creativity Library Manager, and Adam Price, former director of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and currently codirector of Sandhills Institute. Both will bring a fresh pair of eyes and ears and a strong point of view to our pages and website. Kozel will help cover the burgeoning emerging arts presence in the Metro and Price will focus not so much on the art as on the artists, and on the conditions and circumstances under which they labor. Watch for Kozel’s first review in February. Below, Price surveys some of the questions we will cover in 2016, and yours truly offers a preview of exhibitions and events for the coming year. In just the last few years, the Omaha art scene has seen wide-ranging changes, including the opening of new exhibition spaces for local artists at Project Project, Sweatshop and Petshop, the creation of a local artist residency program at the Union for Contemporary Art, a major survey of Nebraska art by Joslyn Art Museum, the launch of professional development programs for artists
manup: Anja Sijbin, a selfdescribed conceptualist, will return to the Moving Gallery Jan. 28 with a set of drawings and more continuing the artist’s exploration of the Ideal Man.
24
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
art
at Omaha Creative Institute, and the announcement of a new creative trades district north of TD Ameritrade Park, orchestrated by the Kiewit Foundation. But are these developments enough to catapult Omaha’s visual arts community to the next stage in its growth? Over the next year, leaders in Omaha’s visual arts community will be asked by The Reader to offer their opinions in-depth about changes they feel will be necessary or desirable for Omaha’s art scene to reach its full potential. Some of their ideas will enjoy wide support and some will be controversial, but, hopefully, all will engender a robust conversation about where Omaha goes next. Among the questions already flagged by stakeholders in preliminary conversations: Why is there no MFA program in Nebraska’s largest city? Strong academic programs are often understood to be the life-blood of a creative community, bringing in a steady stream of new people and new ideas. For instance, many attribute the cultural revival in nearby Kansas City to the steady stream of graduates coming out of the Kansas City Art Institute, though also a fouryear college. Omaha enjoys the presence of multiple universities, but none that offer a graduate-level program in the visual arts.
Where is Omaha’s farm-system for its visual artists? Some cities are fortunate enough to have a mix of non-profit and for-profit art spaces that are consciously committed to fostering the growth of their home team. These institutions frequently invite outside exhibition committees to consider the work of local artists alongside those of their national peers, have the capacity to invest in simple things like regular open hours for visitors, and are determined to provide opportunities for critical and experimental work as well as for work that is viable within the commercial gallery system. The farm-system also boosts local prospects by calling local artists to the attention of visiting curators, and supports efforts to get local artists out into other parts of the country. Does Omaha’s cultural portfolio have the right balance between support for institutions and support for individual artists? National leaders like the Knight Foundation and the George Kaiser Foundation are developing programs that invest in individual artists and gathering data about the public benefits of such investments. Locally, despite deep and generous support for arts institutions, there is little direct investment in the artists themselves. Does Omaha have a healthy relationship between its artists and art patrons? Many artists complain that, with certain notable excep-
tions, local collectors “care about art but not about artists.” These artists point to the predominance in the Omaha market of deep-discount charity fundraisers, among other things, as evidence of an unhealthy connection between artists and patrons who, they say, are looking acquire work on the cheap. The result: depressed prices for local art year-round and a decline in the number of local artists who actually can spend more time in their studios improving their artistic practices. Where is the municipal support for the arts? Urban leaders include cities like St. Paul, Minnesota, which actually places paid artists within the staff of its Department of Public Works and provides them with a broad mandate to work across city agencies on all questions confronting the community. Even in relatively conservative jurisdictions, it is the norm for cities the size of Omaha to have paid staff working from a municipal arts council or office of cultural affairs. By contrast, Omaha authorizes only an allvolunteer Public Art Commission with virtually no budget and only a narrow mandate to approve and maintain art in city-owned spaces. As a result, the arts community loses a seat at the table for some of the most important dialogues occurring in our city, and we, collectively, are deprived of the cultural expertise that could be brought to bear on those issues.
Why aren’t Omaha’s artists doing it for themselves? Reflecting a divide within the cultural sector itself, some institutional leaders suggest that Omaha’s artists ought to be doing more to achieve their own goals. Future issues of “The Reader” will continue the above conversation in 2016, and it is hoped that you will add your input online at thereader.com and at facebook.com/ thereaderomaha and twitter.com/thereaderomaha. Meanwhile, you can expect Omaha’s major arts venues to have key events and exhibitions once again in 2016. Following its regional Art Seen exhibit in 2015, Joslyn Art Museum will continue its commitment to Nebraska artists with Material Voices, the fiberbased sculpture of Sheila Hicks and the first major solo of her work in her native state, which opens June 5 and continues to Sept. 4. A major highlight of the Bemis Center’s exhibition season will be a special group show opening in June also featuring 10 juried artists who participated in its recent auction benefit. Those selected include Heron Bassett, Phil Hawkins, Liana Owad, Kristae Peterson, Chris Prinz, Craig Roper, Barbara Simcoe, Michael Villarreal, Roberta Leaverton, and Joey Lynch with a special performance by Mary Lawson.
waterworks:
An example of Pierre Carreau’s MacroWave series below (high speed photography), is a featured attraction in Kaneko’s Water exhibition which opens Feb. 5.
continued on page 26 y
art
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
25
y continued from page 25
Kaneko will get the jump on both institutions with its first major visual and conceptual exhibition, Water, opening Feb. 5 and continuing with several events until April 23. While the exhibit explores water in multiple forms “through the lenses of art and science,” arts patrons will want to pay special attention to the contributions of the following visionary artists Iggy Sumnik, Joel Sartore, Matthew Dehaemers, Pierre Carreau, Susan Knight, Suzan Shutan, Ran Hwang and Ying Zhu who all share a creative interest in this vital element. High on the list of 2016 shows at new Gallery 1516--which just celebrated its grand opening in 2015 with Friends of Kent exhibit, hosting a talk by curator Dr. Molly Hutton Friday, Jan. 8 and closing this Sunday, Jan. 10— is its next MONA2/Omaha, a collaboration of both venues, opening in the Spring, possibly as early as March. This year MONA2/Omaha will feature Nebraska’s landscape and its artists. Gallery 1516 Director Patrick Drickey says they are working with local galleries, Anderson
colordance: In June, Joslyn Art Museum will feature Material Voices, fiber-based sculpture from Nebraskan Sheila Hicks, seen here with her installation “May I Have This Dance.”
O’Brien and Modern Arts Midtown to highlight artists whom MONA Director Audrey Kauders believes have depicted Nebraska topography in “diverse individualized approaches, sometimes so realistic one can recognize the exact location while others give a vague hint of impression.” The Union for Contemporary Art may have the most at stake this year as it anticipates its big move into its new digs at the Blue Lion Building on North 24th St. in September. This month UCA formally begins in Growth Campaign to complete the necessary fundraising. DIY curators John McIntyre and Laura Vranes will resurface at RNG Gallery in April with Once Upon a Time: Twisted Fairy Tales featuring female artists Nadia Shinkunas, Sam Danger White, Courtney Kenny Porto and Lauren Bird among others. In Benson we can look forward to two special shows at Petshop Gallery: April will feature an installation from Jamie Hardy that will continue her exploration into ephemeral effects of video installation and in June, Denver’s Whitney Stephens brings Little Danny Fanny, images and a zine of Playboy comics with inverted genders. The Metro’s emerging art scene also includes these scheduled shows at Project Project: photography from Geoff Johnson opening Jan. 9, a sonic and sculptural installation by Kurt Flecksing in February and March brings new paintings from Kansas City artist Cristina Muniz. Speaking of emerging, the Connect Gallery continues to serve the burgeoning UNMC/ Blackstone area with Norm Melichar in March, a look back to 50’s Mid-Century Modern and in April, Anne Burkholder and her Nebraska land and river scapes. And in the Old Market, the Artists’ Co-op will feature an exchange with a co-op gallery in Atenas, Costa Rica, the former showing its artists in February and the latter exhibiting here in June. The Moving Gallery will also be very busy this Spring hosting the return of Anja Sijben, Jan. 28, Erin Foley, March 10 and Jar Schepers, April 21. ,
traintime:
“Waiting for the L Train” from artist Erin Blayney, who will be exhibited in March at the Petshop Gallery in Benson.
26
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
art
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
27
flstagecraft theater
T
28
JANUARY 2016
he Omaha Community Playhouse’s seemingly calm year was turned upside down with the surprise announcement of (now former) Artistic Director Hilary Adams’ dismissal Dec. 10. The announcement came at a time when Adams looked to be finding her footing in the Omaha community, having directed a set of critically successful productions including Spamalot, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and Man of La Mancha. She also directed the recently slimmeddown 40th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol. Details were scarce from the higher ups at OCP with President Tim Schmad saying that Adams “just wasn’t a good fit”. “It was a combination of things,” Schmad said. “Hilary is a good director and has a great passion for theatre. But, in my estimation, it just didn’t fit with our overall goal. We appreciate what’s she’s done but there were some issues that we felt, going forward, that we had to make this decision.” There’s will more to read about Adams’ dismissal including a take by our own Warren Franke you can read online (as well as one of my own forthcoming). For now, let’s focus on the rest of the Playhouse year. The year started out on the mainstage with a run of the musical Little Women, directed by Susie Baer-Collins, before it headed out on tour with the Nebraska Theatre Caravan. In March, Kimberly Faith Hickman directed Jesus Christ Superstar and Ablan Roblin took the reigns for the comedy I Hate Hamlet in April. The season finished with Monty Python’s Spamalot before kicking back into gear with the aforementioned La Mancha. In February, the Howard-Drew Theatre saw many new faces perform at the Playhouse with Hands on a Hardbody written by Doug Wright, Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green. Edward Albee’s classic Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf stirred audiences at the end of the season in May before starting back up in August with Theresa Rebeck’s Mauritius directed by Jeff Horger. The year finished out with a guest appearance by the dog & pony dc theatre company bring the audience-interactive Beertown to Omaha. The rest of the season looks to be intriguing as the Playhouse board looks to hire their second Artistic Director in as many years. The Blue Barn Theatre had a very busy year completing their 26th and last season in their old space on South 11th Street before moving into their brand new facility on 10th and Pacific Street. The year started with Associate Artistic Director Randall Stevens directing the special event Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays featuring a large ensemble of Omaha theatre veterans. Artistic Director Susan Clement-Toberer then directed Joshua Harmon’s Bad Jews, a play about faith, family, and legacy is-
| THE READER |
theater
Omaha Theater: 2015 Year in Review BY WILLIAM GRENNAN
sues, in March. Toberer then tore out the entire stage and seating units to open the space for Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, a show that received severalend-of-the-season awards with performances from a who’s who of Omaha actors. The Blue Barn then debuted their new performance space in LIttle Italy with the Humana Festival pick The Grown Up by Jordan Harrison. Patrons had plenty of opportunities throughout the year to tour the new space, featuring huge doors on the backside of the stage, a porchyard area, and a perfor-
mance space that feels very similar to the former location. Check out Leo Adam Biga’s in-depth feature online. The rest of the year saw the return of 2003’s hit Little Nelly’s Naughty Noel by local playwrights Tim SIragusa and Jill Anderson and the addition of a new Porchyard Reading Series headed up by Creighton professor Dr. Amy Lane. The fall also marked the return of the special event Walk the Night: Where Madness Lies, the immersive theatrical adaptation of King Lear inside a 100-year-old convent. The Blue Barn seems to have settled into its new home nicely as they prepare for Frost/Nixon, The Christians and Heathers: The Musical for the rest of the season. Snap Productions started the year off in March with the Chad Beguelin comedy Harbor about a young girl and her trainwreck of a mother dropping in unannounced to her uncle’s home, directed by Michal Simpson. In June, the theatre produced the critical darling Calendar Girls, a show based on the true story of a group of British women of a certain age who decide to pose for a nude calendar to raise funds for
charity. The ensemble featured notable performances from the likes of Sally Neumann Scamfer, Erika HallSieff, Barb Ross, and many others. The latest season from Snap started off with In the Bones by Cody Daigle-Orians, a drama about a family trying to make sense of their soldier son’s suicide. The year finished with with Marilynn Barner Anselmi’s Mama’s Girls, a show about an 11-yearold transgender child and her family as they struggle through her transition from boy to girl. The show featured several post-show talkback sessions with local experts on the subject of transgender issues. The theatre looks to continue its season of diversityfocused repertoire with Mike Bartlett’s comedy C*ck followed by Madeleine George’s Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England. The Shelterbelt Theatre continued its run of locally-written theatre with Jeremy Johnson’s In the Jungle You Must Wait. The show featured a unique mix of both slam poetry and satire revolving around the janitor of an insurance company and its employees. July saw the full production of Beaufield Berry’s Happy Hour after it was featured the in the previous year as a Before the Boards staged reading. Speaking of Before the Boards, the series was marked this year by two notable readings in particular, Slabs by Kaitlyn McClincy and The Motherhood Almanac by Noah Diaz. Time will tell if either of the plays make it to full production in the near future. After wrapping up their year in October with Crystal Jackson’s The Singularity, the Shelterbelt is currently rehearing the newest comedy from Ellen Struve called Untitled Series #7. The local universities each had strong years with Creighton University producing one of the best musicals of the year, Cabaret. UNO Theatre had a hit on their hands with Freakshow, a play about a group of travelling freaks during the turn of the 20th century finding their place in the world. The Great Plains Theatre Conference has another strong year highlighted by several popular staged readings and unique performances like Cowles’ Scrimmage Anthology where a whole show unraveled before your eyes during an outdoor baseball game. The Rose Theater’s year was highlighted by the Disney musical Mary Poppins, featuring songs from the Julie Andrews classic as well as several new numbers. The theatre also featured the premiere of Max Sparber’s original script Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Band as well as the return of Balloonacy and Charlotte’s Web before finishing out the year with Peter and the Starcatcher. Of course, there were many more shows and many more events that happened across the Omaha area, too many mention here. It’s just goes to show how much there is to see and do in Omaha theatre every single year. ,
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
29
Smile
You we smile.
,
Thank you, Omaha! We’re proud to serve this great community as the Best Orthodontist. 8 years in a row.
W
ant to change the future? become a W
ant to change the future? become a
saveayou a seat.) .) (We’ll save(We’ll you seat
W
ant to change the future? become a
402-930-3000 • mentor@p4k.org
(We’ll save you a seat.)
402-930-3000 • mentor@p4k.org 30
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
10801 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68154 402.330.1152 igelorthodontics.com
ThatWastheYearThatWas Lessons from 2015
heartlandhealing
W
HEARTLAND HEALING is a metaphysically-based polemic describing alternatives to conventional methods of healing the body, mind and planet by MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN. It is provided as information and entertainment, certainly not medical advice. Important to remember and pass on to others: for a weekly dose of Heartland Healing, visit HeartlandHealing.com. .
BY MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN
hen these end-of-year retros come around, I feel like I’m turning into a whiner about all the crap that happened in the past 12 months. It’s so easy to come up with the foibles and follies that hit the news stream over the year. But I end up resigned to the reality that if we don’t know the problem, we can’t fix it. Am I whistling in the wind and ignoring the “If you spot it, you got it” axiom of the New Age? So let me start with a positive notice from 2015 and we’ll set sail from there. In the rear view mirror: May: the Pope steps up. What a development. His Holiness has become St. Greenpeace. In May, the Vatican published Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ papal encyclical urging all the planet to work in concert to “protect our common home.” 2015 isn’t the first year Francis has spoken about our obligation to save the planet but he has come up strongest when the chips are all on the table. His encyclical is devoted entirely to the holistic environment in which we all live and the scriptural dictum that has informed religions for millennia. The message is clear when the Pope describes the world “at the limits of suicide.” Environmental issues and human danger to the planet have been discussed for most of the past 150 years with little movement away from profit-motivated greed. With criteria for Catholic sainthood including performance of three miracles, if Francis can get governments to actually do something about our damaged environment, he’ll have a leg up on his first. Bold over: Keystone pipeline plugged. The cause célèbre of fabricated activist group Bold Nebraska was shot down by President Obama in November ending a years’-long battle among greasy Nebraska politicians, ethical environmentalists, opportunistic activists, citizens, Nebraska landowners, Native Americans and corporate interests on both sides of latitude 54°40’. A combination of conditions have led to a slowdown in scraping dirty shale from the earth’s crust both in Alberta and North Dakota and the apparent demise of the Keystone XL is one. A win for the planet. Soda Wars: Bye-bye bubbles. Remember the cola kerfuffle when New York mayor Michael Bloomberg tried to ban jumbo sodas? He lost. Cities across the nation tried so-called “sugar taxes” in an attempt to curtail Americans’ sugary slide
into obesity. Only San Francisco prevailed. Big Soda and the Sugar Cartel won every battle. But guess what? They’re losing the war. Sugary soda consumption has dropped so much that the New York Times called the decrease, “the single largest change in the American diet in the last decade.” 2015 saw the lowest per capita soda consumption since 1985. Water is gaining and almost equal. Now, if we could just get people to stop paying Coke and Pepsi for bottled tap water and consequently stuffing landfills and the oceans with 55 billion plastic bottles each year. The North poll. Canadians have spoken. They have elected their version of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in sending Justin Trudeau to Ottawa as their new Prime Minister. Trudeau is the liberal son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and former Rolling Stone groupie Margaret Trudeau. Not one to deflect by saying, “I dabbled in my youth,” or “I didn’t inhale,” Justin has admitted smoking dope as recently as 2010. It’s no surprise then that Trudeau has ordered his administration to begin formalizing the infrastructure necessary to legalize marijuana across all of Canada. Polls have shown that 70 percent of Canadians favor decriminalizing pot. When Trudeau’s directive results in legislation, our northern neighbor will become the first industrial-
heartland healing
ized nation to make pot legal. That’s “huge” as The Donald would say. Shake it up. Speaking of The Donald, the most radical event in national politics in 2015 has been the emergence of unfettered political buffoonery featuring Donald Trump. It’s an astonishing turn of events that is unparalleled in American history. Presidential politics has been a corporately paid-for, made for television reality show since that B-movie actor left Sacramento and one-liner’ed his way into the White House. But history will swoon when looking back on the 2016 race playing out. Trump has turned the joke of presidential politics and its corrupt electoral system into a complete farce. The significance of his mobilizing the angst of a broad swath of the agitated white middle class is important. The impact of social media as an emerging electorate and trend setter is demoralizing. It’s entertaining, for sure, but underneath is a depressing view of how broken national politics has become. If Trump’s stagecraft shakes it up, it will be worth it. Trump didn’t break it but he may reveal how screwed up it is. Et cetera for 2015. More weird drugs have come to market, including many that have the explicit purpose of addressing bad side effects of other drugs. If you take opioids for pain (and millions of Americans do,) you get constipated. Now you can get Relistor, Movantik or Amatiza (who makes UP these names?!) to move your bowels when Vicodin makes you anal retentive. That news is enough to make anyone crap. When you have to take drugs to take care of the drugs you’re already taking, you know your medical system is sick. Be well. ,
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
31
hellogoodbye
New Arrivals, Fond Farewells S TO RY B Y S A R A LO C K E P H OTO S B Y D E B R A S . K A P L A N
O
eat
maha was drowning in awards and accolades in 2015 for their foodie culture, local sourcing, extensive wine and beer craft, sustainability, and vegan friendliness. Being on-trend can often create a revolvingdoor effect in the restaurant industry, as fads change and doors close. We looked at some of the newest promising eateries in 2015, and how they are keeping Omaha at the pinnacle of food culture.
32
Macro MealPrep- Don’t Call it a Diet With CrossFit, Paleo, and IIFYM movements sweeping through gyms and fitness studios across the country, it wasn’t long before the food prep industry caught on. Muscle Maker Grill at 2835 South 170th Plaza introduced West Omaha to their health-inspired menu of wraps and salads featuring low cal sides and dressings as an alternative to the ubiquitous steak and pasta houses nearby. Evolve Paleo (18111 Q st) sought to cater to man’s primal side, with a menu of premade to-go lunches and catered dinners that tended more toward gluten free than historical accuracy. Limits on legumes, sugar, and soy made Evolve a trending check-in among the Paleo and Crossfit communities. Fuel Fit Kitchen at 15687 Spaulding brought decadence to dieting with their thoughtfully prepared meals. Gluten free meatballs, almond crusted chicken, and their fun and tasty ‘Everything Bars’ take the pinch out of avoiding grain, while their reasonably generous servings take the edge off of portion control.
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
eat
available at IThinkFit Gym, where the trainers fully backed and promoted the low carb, healthy-fat-full microwavable meals. The owner of Real Eats at 156 and Center, Michelle Cali, could be found at the Farmer’s Market all summer, seeking interesting, fresh flavors to add to the creativity of their chef-created menus, without adding to the calorie or sodium content. The meal plans include a Whole30 option for those seeking a fresh start to the Paleo lifestyle, or who are looking for a no-pressure introduction to an elimination diet. In addition to a gluten free menu, Real Eats offers delivery and pickup of Vegetarian and low-sodium meals, and refers to themselves as a ‘Grocerant’, for their many real-food items they keep on hand daily. Bake Another Little Pizza My Heart Now, Baby A small handful of do-it-yourself pizzerias popped up in 2015, giving Omahans exactly what they didn’t know they needed. The fast casual restaurants Uncle Maddios (2521 s 132nd) and Pie Five (1303 S 72nd St and 9820 S 71st Plz) feature a DIY approach to pizza prep. A line of fresh veggies, rich cheeses, and salty meats create as many options as you have cravings. Add as much of as many ingredients as you can handle before the friendly staff fires up and delivers your unique pie. An Ancient Trend Rears its Head The return of a 19th century tradition has been a fun and delicious adventure for Omaha. Javid Dabestani managed to convince about a dozen ramen artists to put their noodles together this summer for Ramen Fest Part Duex, an Ode to the hearty Japanese soup dish. Your humble Reader writer was lucky enough to be invited to judge this year’s event, which benefited the Omaha Food Bank.
Eat Fit Go went straight to the top, seeking out Chef Enzo Zurlo to collaborate on their macro-friendly menu. Their name spread quickly after an appearance at a CrossFit competition, and a second location at Aksarben Village is already under way. While waiting for their first brick and mortar at 304 N 179th street to open at the end of the year, their meals were
It’s Sunday, I’m in Love The unanimously winning dish came from Sunday Night Ramen. A weekend tradition of noodle soup among friends turned into the hottest meal in town this year, as a few coveted tickets to the intimate weekly gathering gave way to selling out a pop up event at Le Bouillon. Follow Sunday Night Ramen on Facebook to see where this elegant eatery pops up next! Swan-ky Noodle Archetype, Vmertz, and relative newcomer to the nightlife scene Nite Owl have all been home to what is considered the father of the pop-up ramen movement in Omaha. $20 tickets sell out fast for what Ugly Duck Ramen affectionately refers to as ‘Slurp Sundays’, an event featuring their weekly ramen special, Nite Owl’s cocktails, beer, and anything from steam pork buns to donuts. Nite Owl’s own menu is locavore, vegan, and vegetarian friendly, and served until 2 a.m. in The Blackstone District
Weirdough Pizza lives up to its name with oddly mouthwatering offerings such as Pistachio Pizza with ricotta salata, pistachio, and arugula, and The Northerner with béchamel, prosciutto, roasted potato, green onion, and cheese curds. Clever Greens is heart healthy in more ways than one, and they make eating your veggies fun and delicious. Cheeky dishes like Rock the Goat, which features goat cheese, walnuts, charred red onion, strawberry, spinach, and arugula, will make you smile before your dish has even arrived. Familiar faces at The Commons include Omaha fixtures Amsterdam Falafel and Kabob, Blatt Beer and Table (which will offer patio seating in the spring), and Aromas Coffeehouse. A ping pong table, foosball, and full service bar prove that hanging out at the mall is no longer just for hordes of teenagers. Flagship Commons (Westroads Mall) Mouthwatering Mangia Enzo Zurlo understands one thing better than he understands people, and that is delicious food. Crafting meals that feel old world in a cozy environment, Zurlo flexes his artistry with every stroke of the whisk. Dishes like Creamy Tuscan Bean Soup garnished with smoked Gouda and white truffle oil warm the belly and the heart, while the enormous pizza oven emanates the heavenly scent of pizza Napoli. Every meal tastes like love, and if you are lucky enough to snag a few moments to say hello to Zurlo himself, you’ll understand where that distinct flavor comes from. Enzo’s (8510 N 30th St.)
Ika Ramba! Many local restaurants have hopped on the Ramen bandwagon to try to capitalize on the trend, but few claim to actually specialize in it. Enter Ika Ramen, an offshoot of the locally sourced, sustainability-minded Taita. The Benson noodlery opened at the end of 2015 to rave reviews and a packed house. Carefully crafted bowls take time, but taste like a thousand years of tradition and love. Ika has what it takes to outlive the fad. Ika Ramen and Izakaya (6324 Maple) A Shipload of New Arrivals Yoshi-Ya is bringing their interpretation of the dish to Flagship Commons at Westroads. Several other restaurants have taken up residence in the daring new food scape, which opened at the end of 2015. Yum Roll, the newest sibling to Blue Sushi and Sake, features sushi, nigiri, sashimi, and an assortment of Japanese beer, sake, and tea. Juan Taco brings the food truck vibe inside with their minimalistic Mexi menu.
A Rough Start In the location of the former Maria Sangia’s, El Parian was born with hurdles to overcome. With Sangia’s forced closure after numerous reports of violence, noise complaints, and finally police involvement, El Parian has much to prove to maintain a family-friendly presence. Naming itself Omaha’s first authentic Mexican (read: Not Tex-Mex), the establishment has had problems finding a solid customer base. A website riddled with inaccuracies about the hours of operation, menu items, and even the wrong phone number make it difficult to plan an evening at the eatery, while curt customer service and chilly interactions with the staff make it even more difficult to enjoy the evening once you’ve arrived. All of that aside, I’m really rooting for this place. If you have any experience dining here (I have not, after several attempts, due to said inaccuracies, followed by staff rudeness toward my toddler which enticed me to leave without dining) please Email Crumbs@ TheReader.Com and let us know how it went! (El Parian, 302 S. 11th)
lished family foodery, but owner Nick Bartholomew has become Omaha’s sweetheart. Recently, The Market House has landed in Forbes ‘America’s 25 Best New Restaurants’ list in a stroke of well-earned recognition. The reverence with which Bartholomew continued on page 35 y
Who Rocks The House? Market House has taken up residency in what was once the beloved Vivace. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to cheer for the guy who takes over such a well-estab-
eat
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
33
ReaderAd_JanIssue2016_OmahaRollergirls_Layout 1 12/21/15 11:26 AM Page 1
Have you been wanting to try
Here’s your chance.... Join us for FREE
Zumba Classes
Wednesdays – 6:30 - 7:30 pm The Commons Community Center Enter through door #4 on the east side of the building
January 13, 20 & 27 February 3, 17, 24 (No February 10 Ash Wednesday) March 2, 9, 16, 30 (No March 23 Holy Week) April 6, 13, 20, 27 May 4, 11, 18, 25 7020 Cass Street Omaha, Nebraska 68132 (402) 556-6262 www.fumcomaha.org
ROLLER DERBY 2016 JAN. 22 • FEB. 20 • MAR. 26 • APR. 29 • MAY 14 34
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
y continued from page 33
transitioned his venture was inspired, and one could write love poems for days about the food alone. Live music, local sourcing, and a menu to die for make The Market House my favorite on our New Arrivals list. The Market House (1108 Howard) Saying Farewell Omaha has become a city known for foodie culture, but restaurants have about the same success rate as your standard American marriage. 2015 saw the end of restaurants both beloved and bemoaned by Omaha residents.
McFoster’s Leaves Their Mark December of 2014 saw the doors of the beloved McFoster’s Natural Kind Café close after 20 years. The plant-based menu was a trail blazer in city known world-wide for steak. After years of running a deficit, the company was sold in 2012. The new owners set to work cleaning up the image, the budget, and the business model, but when the dust settled the vegetarian eatery would have needed approximately a million dollars to remain in business. Owners and investors showed just how long you can continue operating on little more than good intentions and word of mouth. McFoster’s paved the way for vegetarian and eco-friendly establishments like Greenbelly and Modern Love, and the Facebook page continues to push eco-awareness to followers McFoster’s Natural Kind Café (302 S. 38th St.) Closed by Karma, or Cursed Location? In a seemingly inevitable turn of events, 2015 began with the end of The Old Market’s “Authentic Spanish” eatery, the tumultuous Maria Sangria’s. The restaurant operated with a decidedly club-feel, and had faced legal ramifications and even the revocation of their liquor and capacity licenses on multiple occasions. Everything came to a crashing halt on New Year’s Day at 2am when a scuffle turned to gunfire and a woman was injured outside of the establishment. The wheels were instantly in motion to shut down the rowdy restaurant, and within two weeks, the doors were officially and permanently closed. The location has been a bit of a revolving door for more than a decade, struggling to maintain a healthy dynamic, with a variety of bars and restaurants opening and closing in what should be prime real estate. In recent years, Safari Bar and Club Irie gave way to Denim and Diamonds, which was sold to Maria Sangria after police required pepper balls to break up a fight. The newest residents of the location, El Parian, have a long history of bad business to compete with in their newest venture. Maria Sangria (302 S. 11th) A Game-Ending Closure Bene Pizza and Pasta was a family owned and operated Italian food and arcade joint. A seemingly flawless formula of pizza and pinball wasn’t enough to counter the bickering in
the family, which spilled into the business. Several online reviews reference a hostile environment when the brothers were on site, some even alleging that one of the owners threatened to call the police when a family was unhappy with their food. Restaurant Impossible’s Robert Irvine came to referee and remodel the struggling business at the end of last year. Dozens of Omaha citizens rallied to help with the renovations, but by July, the family made the tough decision to throw in the towel after 14 years. A farewell note on their Facebook page serves as a virtual memorial to a place that was loved by many. (Bene Pizza and Pasta, 12301West Maple) An Old Market Tradition Passes the Torch Vivace, longtime beauty mark on the lip of the Old Market, sold the establishment to Over Easy’s Nick Bartholomew at the end of 2014. Bartholomew treated the establishment with the respect and reverence it has earned as an Omaha fixture, which once drew such stars as Jack Nicholson and Harrison Ford to the table. Bartholomew employed chef Mike Johnson through the end of the year to maintain Vivace’s menu until everyone had a chance to say goodbye. Former owners Ron Samuelson and Ann Mellon continue to run their other venture, M’s Pub. Vivace (1108 Howard St.)
Play it Again, Piccolo Pete! The ubiquitous Piccolo family have celebrated food and friendships for generations. The South Omaha establishment was initially purchased by Joseph Piccolo in 1922 as a blacksmith shop, and the family has worked tirelessly to serve Omaha families ever since. The owners have lovingly prepared meals and root beer floats for millionaires, celebrities, and casual passersby for 80 years, but in 2015 made the difficult decision to end their run on New Years Eve. Not a family to fade into history, Anthony Sheehan, the youngest of the Piccolo dynasty, has been operating a Piccolos food truck around Omaha, serving everything from a mostaccoli and meatballs to an Italian taco. An app is available to download from AnthonyPiccolos.com to keep interested parties in the loop about the food truck’s location and menu at all times. Welcome to modern traditions! Piccolo Pete’s (2202 s 20th St.) Bye Bye to By-The-Slice Benson’s by-the-slice pizzeria and short order Italian joint Baxter’s, reluctantly released their grip on Omaha at the end of October. The eatery was Omaha’s No. 2 favorite slice in 2015, but owners Brad and Johanna Marr decided to close and focus their energy on their other well-performing food venture, Lot 2. The new owner, Bryan Baumgart set to work immediately to open a new dining concept, while maintaining the love the Marr’s put into the establishment. Baxter’s (6113 Maple) For everything there is a season, and as the sun sets on these fine establishments, The Reader remembers. ,
The Missing Ingredient A May visit from the Health Department showed 21 violations at Ingredient’s Midtown Crossing location, 10 of which were considered critical. Thought of fondly as a deliciously healthy place to eat, diners were shocked to arrive for lunch to find a sign alerting them that said violations rendered the establishment unsafe. A report cited mold in caulking, the use of dirty gloves, unsafe food temperatures, and failure to sanitize surfaces where prepared foods were placed as some of the many unhealthy practices. Employees were given 4 days to complete a food safety course, but when inspectors followed up, staff had failed to complete this task, or any of the corrections given to them. Health Department staff walked Ingredient management through the necessary repairs and ensured the course was taken, but an evaluation of the establishment in June returned unsatisfactory results. Ingredient’s Facebook page states that “unforeseen complications” were the cause of the voluntary permanent closure. (Ingredient 3201 Farnam) A Verdict From The Court of Food The Mall Food Court is not yet cold in its grave, but the loss is mourned by few. As Westroads Mall continues to strive toward a more on-trend dining environment, many of the existing establishments are simply working to rehome themselves among the shops and kiosks we all know and love. Subway and Raising Cane’s have found new fronts from which to fling their fast food, while Panera maintains its private home near Von Maur. (Westroads Mall Food Court)
eat
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
35
music
GOODSTUFF
The best recorded and live music of the year BY TIM MCMAHAN
S
omeone recently told me that indie music is dying. The genre just ain’t popular no more ‘round these parts, he said. No one goes to indie shows, which are becoming fewer and fewer in number. We’ve all moved on. The first thing that crossed my mind when he told me about indie’s demise was “Maybe he’s right.” When was the last time that I went three or four weeks without going to a rock show at either The Waiting Room or The Slowdown since those clubs opened in 2007? Maybe never. Take a look at the gig calendars for One Percent Productions and The Slowdown and you’ll notice a lot of days are filled with pub quizzes, movie nights, even (believe it or not) professional wrestling events, instead of touring indie rock shows. These days local bands, cover and “tribute” acts comprise a large share of shows at Reverb, The Waiting Room and Slowdown along with clubs in the Benson district. When out-of-town acts are booked, they’re often pop acts, Americana/roots/blues bands or hip-hop crews. Why? Maybe those shows draw the biggest crowds. Hey, you can’t blame promoters and club owners for wanting to make a buck. But on the other side of the indie-is-dying argument is the Maha Music Festival — the annual indie-rock concert held at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village — which in 2015 for the first time officially sold out. If indie music is dead, no one bothered to tell the thousands of folks who showed up to hear Modest Mouse, Speedy Ortiz, Purity Ring, Alvvays and The Good Life, among others. Then there’s the fact that 2015 was the best year for indie rock releases in my recent memory. In fact, two of my favorite record labels enjoyed a comeback of sorts in 2015. First there’s Matador Records, the label that defined indie in the ‘90s with such acts as Pavement, Liz Phair, Yo La Tengo, Guided by Voices and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. There was a time when you went to the record store and bought whatever was on the shelves with a Matador insignia — sight unheard. Then sometime around the beginning of this decade Matador fell off the radar screen. This year the label came back strong with some of the hottest releases of 2015 from Kurt Vile, Algiers, Belle & Sebastian, Savages, Car Seat Headrest and Ceremony. Then there’s Saddle Creek Records, which had boasted solid releases from The Mynabirds, Twinsmith, Icky Blossoms, The Good Life and the biggest act the label has signed in years, Hop Along,
SUFJAN STEVENS
continued on page 36 y
36
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
music
shoplocalomaha.com
Absolutely Fresh & Shucks Fish House Advanced Home Health Care and Nursing Adam Michael Jewelry Aksarben Cinema Baby Junk Bel Air Fashions Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts Better Bodies Fitness & Training Bliss Boutique Body Basics Borsheims Callahan Financial Planning Company Candy Wrappers Canfield’s Comprehensive Financial Services Curb Appeal Salon & Spa
Dee-sign Garden Shop and Landscaping Design with You in Mind Denim Saloon Donaldson Painting and Home Improvement Dundee Bank Dundee Dell Early To Bed eCreamery Elmwood Pharmacy Fat Brain Toys Furniture Place & Kidz Kastle Glamour Up Homer’s House of J It’s Yours Pottery Jaipur Brew House Janousek Florist JobsGuide Inc.
Julio’s K 9 Lives Rescue Boutique and Gifts Le Wonderment Malbar Vision Malibu Gallery Mama’s Pizza MANGELSEN - Images of Nature Gallery Millard Lumber Mystery Rose Nicola’s Italian Wine & Faire Old Market Artists Gallery Omaha Glass Oriental Rug Palace Passageway Gallery Patrick’s Market Personal Threads Boutique Printing Plus Population-We
| THE READER |
Printing Plus Ralston Arena Rockbrook Camera RSVP Sarpy County Customs Scout: Dry Goods & Trade Sgt. Peffer’s Spirit World Stickman Graphics & Signs Studio Konchagulian The Bookworm The Imaginarium The Laurel Tree The Reader The Tea Smith Village Needleworks Villains Tattoo White Crane Gallery
JANUARY 2016
37
music 38
JANUARY 2016
y continued from page 36 whose Saddle Creek debut, Painted Shut, is included on just about everyone’s end-of-year lists (Including ranked No. 5 in 2015 by Paste Magazine). Welcome back. My conclusion: Indie rock isn’t dead, it’s simply suffering the same fate as, well, our economy. We live in an era when the separation between the haves and the have nots has never been greater. You’re either super rich or just trying to get by. The same thing can be said of the music industry. On one hand you’ve got Adele selling 5 million albums; on the other, you’re lucky if your band can scrape up enough cash to go on tour. The streaming age has created a vast gulf between the big money bands and everyone else, which may explain why there’s fewer indie bands touring, but doesn’t explain why fewer people are going to indie rock shows in Omaha. Maybe indie is headed back where it came from — underground. With the big rooms booking pop and cover bands, small venues are trying to pick up the slack. Milk Run opened this year specifically to host up-andcoming and small touring indie acts. Lookout Lounge is stepping up with important indie shows like the recent Car Seat Headrest and upcoming Titus Andronicus shows. Then there’s O’Leaver’s, the old standby given new life thanks to visionary new owners, a first-class sound system and a new beer garden that’s an oasis in midtown. When it comes to indie, maybe smaller really is better. That said, here are my favorite albums of 2015, in no particular order: Desparecidos, Payola (Epitaph) — Conor Oberst and his rag-tag crew rage against the machine as only they can. Anyone following the band already has heard the best tracks on the album, since most were released as singles over the past few years. Taken THE MYNABIRDS as a whole, the record is a solid collection of fist-pumping anthems as vital now as when the band first emerged in 2001. Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (Mom & Pop) — Barnett’s music, while singularly its own, owes a lot of its resonance to ‘90s indie rock, from Cobain to Phair. The song structures are deceptively simple, the guitar riffs hook you and Barnett’s lyrics are both clever and introspective. Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell (Asthmatic Kitty) — One of his most down recordings, the sound is classic Sufjan but stripped down and simplified, which is appropriate considering the album is a rumination and struggle to understand the death (and life) of his mother. A tough listen, but worth the effort. The Mynabirds, Lovers Know (Saddle Creek) — Marketed as a spiritual travelogue of her time spent traipsing the globe after touring with The Postal Service, Lovers Know is actually a devastating portrait of a broken heart — one of the best breakup records since Joni Mitchell’s Blue. Hop Along, Painted Shut (Saddle Creek) — It’s a record identified as much for Frances Quinlan’s quivering, soulful vocals as the songs that are contained on it, whose startling rhythms and riffs epitomize the best parts of ‘90s indie rock. Simon Joyner, Grass, Branch & Bone (Woodsist) — People are saying it’s the best album he’s ever made, and maybe they’re right. This is the first time I’ve felt that songs from one of his albums could be
| THE READER |
music
used in a movie soundtrack or would fit into rotation on a radio station — very likely not something Joyner was shooting for when he make the album, but wouldn’t it be a kick in the head? Digital Leather, All Faded (FDH) — The 11-song collection is the most realized, best sounding Digital Leather album since 2009’s Warm Brother. As with past recordings, it relies on old-school synth sounds that recall acts like Gary Numan, Devo and, maybe most surprisingly, The Cars. And it’s loud as f***. Natalie Prass, self-titled (Spacebomb) — A throwback to ’70s-style chamber rock, this acoustic-driven singer/songwriter stuff is like Jenny Lewis singing Joni Mitchell playing jazzy pop music. Gorgeous. Algiers, self-titled (Matador) — Gritty and dark, this Atlanta-based trio infuses ‘60s revolutionary protest soul with modern-day post-punk resulting in a hybrid that’s like Edwinn Starr (the guy who sang “War”) fronting Interpol. Resistance is futile. Father John Misty, I Love You, Honeybear (Bella Union/Sub Pop) — Fr. Misty a.k.a. J. Tillman sounds like a cross between Grant Lee Buffalo and ’70s-era Elton John mixed with modern-day songsters such as Iron & Wine or Shearwater (though Tillman is much funnier than those two rather stoic outfits). The product is old-fashioned but lyrically in tune with this modern world. John Klemmensen & the Party, Party All Night (self-release) — A fixture of the Omaha / Benson music scene, Klemmensen lets it all hang out, singing with a brazen honesty rarely heard on modern pop songs. Domestica, Domestica 3 (self-release) — In the context of modern rock, Domestica is as relevant as any other ’90s act such as Superchunk or even Desaparecidos. If ’90s indie punk is indeed coming back in style, Domestica could stand at the forefront of the revival, because they were there. And what year-in-review article would be complete without a list of the best live shows? Sleater-Kinney at The Slowdown, Feb. 13 — Despite taking a few years off the road, the band played as if they’d never left after The Woods came out almost a decade ago. So-So Sailors at 1200 Club, March 28 — The headliner of this Hear Nebraska fundraiser was ‘90s indie star Matthew Sweet, but it was So-So Sailors who mesmerized the room with an insanely good set of witty, intelligent, urbane songs about love and life from the heart of Nebraska. Foxygen at The Waiting Room, April 2 — The massive 9-piece barged through a set that epitomized ’70s glam with hints of psychedelic and Motown, playing as if every single member had snorted a Hefty garbage bag filled with Peruvian marching powder prior to the set. Soft Moon at Reverb Lounge, April 19 — It was dark dance music for an elite leather club circa 1992; the instrumentals were powerful while the songs with vocals were the most accessible and leaned closely to early Reznor territory. Fantastic stuff. The Rentals at The Waiting Room, May 15 — After the last encore, out came Matt Sharp, this time dressed as a Ghostbuster holding a marshmallow rifle, followed by someone dressed in a Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man costume. Hilarity ensued, along with a dead-on rendition of the Ghostbusters theme. Laibach at Slowdown, May 22 — The foreign-language songs were the most powerful, maybe because they were the most mysterious and — combined with the goth-synth music — the most disturbing. Big 50 Birthday show at Reverb, June 3 — What can I say, three of my favorite bands — Son, Ambulance, Wagon Blasters and Lupines — playing a benefit show for Hear Nebraska on the occasion of my 50th birthday. Hop Along at Slowdown Jr., June 4 — Frances Quinlan’s guttural, scratchy, feral-cat growl of a voice is a thing to behold. It is indeed mesmerizing. So is the rest of this band. Ceremony at Sweatshop Gallery, July 11 — In the heat and darkness, frontman Ross Farrar was in his element saying before he started the it already was the best show he’d played in Omaha. The continued on page 40 y
trump-er-y [truhm-puh-ree] noun 1. something showy but worthless | THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
39
HOP ALONG
y continued from page 38 band fed off the heat and energy, and the set boiled with a gothdance-punk intensity that Bauhaus would appreciate. High Up at Reverb Lounge, July 25 — Goddamn, Christine Fink is a major talent. I guess you’d expect nothing less coming from Orenda’s sister, but holy shit, she sings blue-eyed soul like she’s been doing it for a decade. Maha Music Festival, Stinson Park, Aug. 15 — If you put together the strongest line-up ever, you’re bound to draw the biggest crowd ever. That’s exactly what Maha did last year. The only question left after the roar of the crowded faded: How can they top it in 2016? Speedy Ortiz at O’Leaver’s, Aug. 15 — After playing the Maha Festival earlier that day, the band reminded us with that no matter how much fun festivals may be, they’ll never replace seeing a band at a small music venue. Desparecidos at The Waiting Room, Sept. 10 — Easily the best set I’ve seen them play — on edge, angry, musically precise. They performed all the best stuff off their two full lengths in what Oberst said was a record-breakingly long set, even though it only clocked in at just over an hour. If it truly was the last
time we see this band on an Omaha stage, they went out with a massive thunderclap. Head of Femur at O’Leaver’s, Oct. 4 — Frontman Matt Focht’s voice remains as gorgeous as ever, while the band’s vets surrounded themselves with new blood that represents some of the best talent in the region. It was special. Sufjan Stevens at The Orpheum Theater, Oct. 28 — Supported by a talented four-piece on keyboards, strings, horns and percussion, each song slowly built to a full-on symphonic rage that came back time and again to Stevens standing alone in the spotlight. Beautiful stuff, but as the person sitting next to me said, “Doesn’t he have any upbeat songs?” Dilly Dally at Reverb, Nov. 7 — Dilly Dally front woman Katie Monks channeled Courtney Love’s gravel-growl throughout the 45-minute set. But maybe more than Courtney, Monks reminded me of a younger version of Thalia Zedak of bands Come and Live Skull, but playing music for a new generation. Low at Reverb, Nov. 12 — Over the course of two decades Low has added more noise, more guitar, even a few pop-fueled moments, but ultimately retained their patented “slowcore” style — stripped down, simple, stark and beautifully dreadful. Anna McClellan at O’Leaver’s, Dec. 3 —McClellan in full brassy voice belted out each number like a classic torch singer but draped in flannel rather than lamé, a snapshot of Midwestern melancholy. ,
PREDICTIONS
music
Music Visions for 2016
40
JANUARY 2016
S
o now you know what happened in 2015. Here’s what’s going to happen in 2016. But first, let’s score how well I did with last year’s predictions. My crystal ball must have been broken because I didn’t do so good. 2015 Prediction: An all-out Spotify rebellion will break out next year, and it won’t be coming from independent labels who are getting gutted by the service, but rather (ironically) from big name stars who make the most money off Spotify. And you’ll have Taylor Swift to thank. Reality: Only a few stars joined Taylor and stayed off Spotify — Prince, Thom Yorke and Jason Aldean. The reason no one’s jumping off the streaming train — through mid-year 2015, music streaming has increased year-over-year by 92.3 percent, according to Nielsen Music. With the industry in shambles, who doesn’t want to ride that wave? 2015 Prediction: The vinyl craze will slow after a year that saw a 49 percent increase in U.S. vinyl sales vs. 2013 numbers. Younger music fans refuse to embrace a medium they see as an interesting but inconvenient gimmick that costs twice as much (or more) than what they pay to download the same album (if they pay at all). Reality: As of July, vinyl sales climbed another 38 percent year-overyear in the U.S., with vinyl now comprising nearly 9 percent of all physical sales (up from 4 percent), according to Nielsen. 2015 Prediction: More record labels will be forced to follow record label Fat Possums’ lead and open their own vinyl pressing plants due to the shortage of vinyl manufacturing options. Reality: Last month Third Man Records (founded by Jack White) announced it is opening a vinyl record pressing plant in Detroit, which will house eight brand new presses bought from a German pressing plant manufacturer.
| THE READER |
music
BY TIM MCMAHAN
2015 Prediction: Record labels will discover a way to add new value to CDs, either by offering better audio quality (hi-res audio), lower prices or new packaging options. Reality: Didn’t happen. In fact, according to Nielsen CD sales were down 10 percent by mid-year 2015 versus the previous year. 2015 Prediction: A rock band will produce the first-ever Oculus Rift music video. Reality: While artist such as Bjork and Squarepusher have produced 360-degree “virtual reality” videos, I’ve yet to see a band create something specifically for Oculus Rift or even Google Cardboard…yet. 2015 Prediction: Record labels will try to replicate Guardians of the Galaxy’s success by releasing new albums consisting entirely of charttopping oldies. Reality: Nope. 2015 Prediction: A reunited ‘90s band will release a new recording that will break into the mainstream in a big way. Will it be Sonic Youth, Buffalo Tom, Jane’s Addiction, Galaxy 500, The Grifters, R.E.M. or Commander Venus? Reality: None of the above. Instead, ‘90s alt rock is being regurgitated by today’s crop of indie bands. 2015 Prediction: Bands we’ll be talking about this time next year: Modest Mouse, Hop Along, U2, Desaparecidos, Low, Cursive, Prince, Savages, Lloyd Cole, The Mynabirds, The Replacements, The xx, The Rolling Stones, Tom Wait, For Against, PJ Harvey, Icky Blossoms. Reality: Hop Along is a critic’s darling, U2 is going back on tour, Desaparecidos cancelled their tour, Low just played Reverb, and Prince released a new album last week. 2015 Prediction: Bands we won’t be talking about: Iggy Azalea, Madonna, Metallica, Bright Eyes, Sun Kil Moon, The War on Drugs, Swans, FKA Twigs, Kanye, Led Zeppelin. Reality: Other than FKA Twigs, just about everyone else listed is MIA. 2015 Prediction: The Rolling Stones will be down one Stone. continued on page 48 y
JANUARY SHOWS JAN 8-9
ROB SCHNEIDER SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
JAN 14-17
J.R. BROW
JAN 18
CINDY KAZA SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
JAN 21-23
JOSH BLUE SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
Emmy-nominated actor Rob Schneider, well known for his trademark blend of character & comedic acting, has broadened his focus to include directing, producing & writing. Schneider is well known for his longtime relationship with Adam Sandler & Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison. In 1990 Lorne Michaels saw Schneider’s appearance on HBO’s “13th Annual Young Comedians Special” & hired him to be a regular on “Saturday Night Live.” During his four seasons at “SNL,” Schneider was nominated for three Emmys & a Peabody Award. JR Brow is a comedy composer who draws from his eclectic nineteen year collection of jokes, impressions, music, & characters to customize an experience that cannot be described with any one genre. Covering relationships, politics, religion, current events, & pop culture, with topics ranging from Green Day to rednecks; JR expertly blends seemingly opposing subjects into a hilarious mix. Brow is one of a few comics to please audiences of every state; an accomplishment that speaks to his range and abilitly to connect with any crowd.
Cindy Kaza is a clairvoyant (clear seeing), clairaudient (clear hearing) & clairsentient (clear feeling) who works across the country as an evidential medium. Evidential mediumship is a style of mediumship that puts heavy weight on the medium’s ability to bring through extremely specific evidence to the sitter. This evidence can include, but is certainly not limited to, names, personality traits, physical ailments, favorite past times, & phrases often used by loved ones in spirit. The purpose of this style of mediumship is to prove that the medium is truly connecting with the client’s loved ones in spirit.
Josh is a fast-rising comedian from NBC’s Last Comic Standing & Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia. He has gained a national fan base by using wry wit & an often-sarcastic sense of humor that enables himself & audiences alike to laugh at the disability he lives with, Cerebral Palsy. Josh Blue is a diverse & triumphant individual - hilarious stand-up comedian, standout star on TV, talented artist, & stellar U.S. Paralympic Soccer player – refusing to bow to any of the challenges that come from living with Cerebral Palsy. Blue jokes, “I realize that people are going to stare so I want to give them something to stare at.”
JAN 24-25
ADDICTS COMEDY TOUR
Enjoy the deep laughs emanating from surviving life’s darkest moments in this funny, poignant comedy show about the journey back to sanity. This is a new stand-up show about overcoming life challenges with laughter & strength. Drawing upon their shared friendship & experiences around often persistent addictions, nationally headlining & most in-demand recovery comedians Mark Lundholm & Kurtis Matthews tour together to share colorful stories about life, love, jail & rehab, & keep you laughing along the way. With over 50 years of recovery between them, these seasoned performers have a lot to share & laugh about.
JAN 28-31
STEVE-O SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
Steve-O has become a household name & it all started when he snatched a video camera from his father’s closet when he was fifteen years old. From there he started producing homemade skateboarding videos featuring dangerous stunts mixed with comical behavior. Steve-O immersed himself in standup comedy, which had been a parttime hobby. Successful performances at prestigious comedy venues such as LA’s Laugh Factory & New York City’s Comedy Cellar led to his current tour performing standup, stunts & bar-tricks.
SATURDAY JAN 2 The Six
TUESDAY JAN 12 Pete Fucinaro Group
FRIDAY JAN 22 Lemon Fresh Day
MONDAY JAN 4 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band
WEDNESDAY JAN 13 Bozak & Morrissey
SATURDAY JAN 23 D*Funk
THURSDAY JAN 14 Finest Hour
MONDAY JAN 25 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band
TUESDAY JAN 5 Billy Troy WEDNESDAY JAN 6 The Brits THURSDAY JAN 7 Knuclehead FRIDAY JAN 8 MoSyth SATURDAY JAN 9 Confidentials MONDAY JAN 11 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band
FRIDAY JAN 15 Rough Cut SATURDAY JAN 16 Soul Dawg MONDAY JAN 18 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band TUESDAY JAN 19 Billy Troy WEDNESDAY JAN 20 The Persuaders
TUESDAY JAN 26 Scott Evans WEDNESDAY JAN 27 Badd Combination THURSDAY JAN 28 Hegg Brothers FRIDAY JAN 29 5 Man Trio SATURDAY JAN 30 Charm School Dropouts
THURSDAY JAN 21 Finest Hour
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
41
of Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal and Kris Lager Band Saturday, Jan. 30, 9 p.m.
hoodoo ‘ don’ thesitate
MEMPHISBOUND:
HOODOO focuses on blues, roots, Americana and occasional other music styles with an emphasis on live music performances. Hoodoo columnist B.J. Huchtemann is a senior contributing writer and veteran music journalist who received the Blues Foundation’s 2015 Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Journalism. Follow her blog at hoodoorootsblues.blogspot.com and on www.thereader.com.
42
J
anuary may bring the urge to enter into postholiday hibernation, but there’s still lots of great national, regional and local music heating up area stages to keep you movin’ and groovin’. The 21st Saloon, 96th & L, offers many audience favorites starting with the Danielle Nicole Band Thursday, Jan. 7. The former vocalist for Trampled Under Foot, Danielle Nicole has been generating plenty of audience and critical buzz on her own. The Danielle Nicole Band released Wolf Den, featuring Grammy-winning producer-guitarist Anders Osborne, in the fall of 2015. Texas musician Hamilton Loomis is scheduled Saturday, Jan. 9. Kansas City’s The Nace Brothers plug in with their popular mix of originals and covers combining blues, folk and rock Thursday, Jan. 14. Saturday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m., the dance-floor-filling favorites The Bel Airs take the stage with their Delta blues, New Orleans’ rhythms and vintage R&B sounds. The Electric Church follows at 10 p.m. and this young group of blues-funk players includes BluesEd alums. Thursday, Jan. 21, the 21st and the Blues Society of Omaha host an IBC send-off party for the Hector Anchondo Band. East Coast/Nashville-based soulful blues singer Gina Sicilia will open the night with a set at 6 p.m. The Hector Anchondo Band is representing the Blues Society of Omaha for the second year at the Blues Foundation’s International
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
Hot Notes Blues vocalist Shemekia Copeland brings her extraordinary, powerful blues to the Holland’s 1200 Club Saturday, Jan. 30, 8 p.m. Copeland is a Grammy nominee for her 2015 recording Outskirts of Love (Alligator). She also received three Blues Music Award nominations this year including recognition in the prestigious, usually male-dominated B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year award category. See ticketomaha.com. The postponed Iris Dement show is rescheduled for The Waiting Room Jan. 30. Barley Street Tavern has a revamped website and plenty going on. Check out the updates at barleystreet.com. Don’t forget the 10th annual Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards happen Sunday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m., at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Omaha, 1616 Dodge Street. See oea-awards.org. ,
Plenty of Local, Regional and National Music Shines on Local Stages in the New Year BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN
Blues Challenge in Memphis Jan. 26-30. This is a prestigious opportunity that truly can help advance a band’s national profile. Hector Anchondo Band made it to the semi-finals last year, making the cut from over 200 bands down to just 50 bands, and landed a national booking agent out of the playing and networking opportunities. See blues.org for more about the Blues Foundation and the IBCs. Follow Hector Anchondo Band on Facebook to keep up with the band’s experiences in Memphis. Biscuit Miller & The Mix close out the month with a show Jan. 28. K.C.’s Nick Schnebelen Band featuring Omaha vocalist Heather Joan Newman, also an alum of the BluesEd program, plays The 21st Feb. 4. Local audiences know Schnebelen as the guitarist in the disbanded blues trio Trampled Under Foot. Thursday shows at The 21st are 6-9 p.m. Saturday shows start at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted, like The Bel Airs 6 p.m. start time. Zoo Bar Blues Keep up with the Zoo Bar’s January shows at zoobar. com. A few highlights include the Danielle Nicole Band Wednesday, Jan. 6, 6-9 p.m., The Wondermonds Friday, Jan. 8, 9 p.m. and Chicago’s Rockin’ Johnny Burgin Wednesday, Jan. 13, 6-9 p.m. The month closes with the powerhouse double-bill
hoodoo
SUZANNE FOSCHINO
CHIP DUDEN
Omaha’s Hector Anchondo Band rocks a send-off party Jan. 21 at The 21st Saloon before they hit the road to compete in the 32nd Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
RICHARD ALLEN
Mick’s Reunion Folks who remember when Michael Campbell’s Mick’s was one of the early nightclubs and music venues in the Benson revitalization should mark their calendars for the Mick’s Reunion show Saturday, Jan. 16, at Reverb Lounge. The date marks six years since the venue closed. It is now The Sydney. The free Jan. 16 show at The Reverb features Mick’s regular performers Sarah Benck, Korey Anderson and Michael Campbell, plus “candlelit tables, just like old times.”
BLUEsDIVA:
Chicago’s Queen of the Blues, Shemekia Copeland, plays the Holland’s 1200 Club Jan. 30. She’s a 2016 Grammy nominee for Best Blue Album.
VISIT NASCIGS.COM OR CALL 1-800-435-5515 PROMO CODE 96631 CIGARETTES
©2016 SFNTC (1)
*Plus applicable sales tax
Offer for two “1 for $2” Gift Certificates good for any Natural American Spirit cigarette product (excludes RYO pouches and 150g tins). Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer and website restricted to U.S. smokers 21 years of age and older. Limit one offer per person per 12 month period. Offer void in MA and where prohibited. Other restrictions may apply. Offer expires 12/31/16.
Omaha Weekly Reader 01-01-16.indd 1
12/18/15 11:08 AM
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
43
hoodooinreview Highlights from 2015
BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN
H
ere are some shows that stand out as notable music experiences for 2015, in no particular order. I missed a lot of concerts this year, too, so this is just the view from my corner of the dance floor. Elvis Costello at The Rococo in March playing acoustic or stripped-down electric versions of his hits. It was a lengthy show with plenty of humor, Costello proved to be personable and surprisingly charming and disarming.
zooguy: John Dee Graham shook up The Zoo Bar several times in 2015. Every show was amazing.
44
Johnny Boyd at The Reverb Lounge in March and September. West Coast crooner and former Indigo Swing bandleader Boyd’s beautiful, evocative voice is at its best on the ballads. But whether he’s singing classics from the Indigo Swing catalog or material from his recent solo releases, Boyd still has the magic that was the centerpiece of the ‘90s band. His voice soars on the sweet songs and snaps with electricity on the uptempo numbers, all with the backing of his current, stellar, Portland-based band. It’s nearly 20 years since I first saw him perform at Omaha’s old Stork Club venue, and Boyd’s music is still, fresh, heartfelt, achingly beautiful and irresistibly danceable. Jon Dee Graham at The Zoo Bar several times this year. Whether playing a perfect acoustic set or throwing down electric guitar with his Austin trio, Graham is a personal favorite and a constant inspiration creating insightful moments of tears and joy. Graham’s music is fierce, fearless and indispensable. Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal. Whether opening for the great Booker T. Jones at the Bourbon or stomp-
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
ing through band shows in the intimate settings of the Zoo Bar or Harney Street Tavern, this group puts down a powerful, heartfelt sound, proving Nebraska’s got soul. Josh and his band had a big year in 2015 while racking up a lot of road time. They are poised to take Nebraska soul even further in 2016, with a new disc coming out produced by Wilco’s Ken Coomer. Booker T. Jones. This iconic Memphis soul artist put on a tremendous show at the Bourbon Theatre. Completely ageless and timeless, showcasing his own chart-topping music and some influences with an excellent band. Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat. If you love original rocking blues inspired by the traditional music and you haven’t seen this Texas band, you need to put them on your short list. Electrifying, spot-on and soulful musicianship delivered with heart and innovation. SoCal’s great James Harman was back at the Zoo Bar in the fall with his longtime guitarist and producer Nathan James, their percussionist Tempo and a regional rhythm section. There’s no other singer-songwriter, vocalist, harmonica player and showman like James Harman. It was also great to see the wonderful Sue Foley & Peter Karp and their Karp-Foley Band back in the area with a summer gig at Waterloo’s Doghouse Saloon. Their engaging songs, top-flight musicianship and undeniable chemistry always make for a great show. Midtown Crossing hosted a day-long Zydeco and Louisiana music fest that offered a rare opportunity to see some famous, classic artists including songwriter Lazy Lester and Lil’ Buck Sinegal. Other favorites playing local stages with never-fail shows include Tommy Castro & The Painkillers and the great metro return of Little Charlie Baty, Anson Funderburgh and Mark Hummel as part of the Zoo Bar’s ZooFest Anniversary street fest. Scottie Miller Band killed it in a CD release show at The 21st. Kris Lager Band delivered their usual rockin’ show as one of the show closers at ZooFest. Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones featuring Dennis Gruenling. This top-flight east coast band plays jump, swing and traditional blues with spark, style and impeccable musicianship. They are a don’t-miss on my list and it was great to catch them for several local shows in the late summer.
hoodoo
Newcomers that wowed included Jarekus Singleton, Laura Rain, Jeff Jensen, Gracie Curran and The 24th Street Wailers. An emotional show was Walter Trout’s return to the metro for his first Omaha performance since his 2014 liver transplant at the Lied Transplant Center. Those in attendance included members of the transplant team. Trout showed that his guitar mastery is now delivered with even more heart. Blues Music Awards in Memphis in May. My second trip to Memphis, for the annual Blues Music Awards, was an opportunity to catch short performances from and rub elbows with a rather mind-blowing list of blues icons and personal favorites including Dave & Phil Alvin and Keb’ Mo’. 2015 was a momentous year for me. Being recognized in January with the Blues Foundation’s prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Journalism is a career-highlight. My first trip to Memphis in January 2015 offered many memorable moments. I’m incredibly grateful for all the good wishes and support I received along with the honor. Aside from the award ceremony itself, a few moments stand out, including the chance to tour the city and absorb the history with Tad Pierson and his American Dream Safari Cadillac tour of the city. We quite serendipitously landed a private tour of the historic Royal Studios by accident and that stop remains an incredible memory. See some photos from the visit at hoodoorootsblues. blogspot.com/2015/02/postcards-from-memphisjanuary-2015.html. In addition to those moments, meeting legendary blues producer and label owner Mike Vernon was an honor and started a friendship I greatly value. Vernon, at 71, is an inspiration for having music in his heart as the center of all his work as well as for both his life-long dedication to the music and his example of looking forward, not backwards, for always seeing more to do ahead. He’s quipped several times that he “doesn’t have time” to work on an autobiography, he’s got too much to do in the present. (He had his own Blue Horizon label as a very young man and is the producer behind some legendary work including the original Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green and the first John Mayall recording featuring Eric Clapton, though he shrugs these accomplishments off as doing what the music called for.) In 2015 as Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo he released Just a Little Bit, his second solo recording in decades, a salute to the blues artists who inspired and influenced him. Look for his latest release from the producer’s chair, working with vocalist Sari Schorr, coming in 2016. Vernon’s life and attitude is such a great personal reminder of how music really matters and how to live life to the fullest. ,
313 N. 13TH STREET / LINCOLN, NE
SHOWING IN JANUARY
CALL OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MOVIE TIMES AND PRICES
ALL MOVIES • $5
DRAFTHOUSE.COM/OMAHA | THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
45
ISeeYou,2016 O
h man, 2016 has gotta feel so nervous, knowing its elder sibling, 2015, was so flingingflanging good. Father Time has to be like “No, it’s totally okay if you want to go in to ophthalmology, 2016. Not everyone can be a brain surgeon like 2015.” I mean, 2015 resurrected Star Wars, introduced Imperator Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road) and had so many slightly more minor triumphs, 2016 is probably already working on a drinking problem. All you can do is take it “one day at a time,” 2016. Or, in the case of this preview, one month at a time, as we’re going to take a look at the best offering for each month of the next year. January January is typically slim pickings for good movie content, unless you count the spillover from 2015 that didn’t get a wide release yet. It’s like 2016 is trying to whip up a home-cooked meal, but we’re all still
46
JANUARY 2016
A month-by-month movie guide to the new year: From Natalie Portman to Benedict Cumberbatch B Y R YA N S Y R E K
pigging out on 2015’s leftovers. That said, Jane Got a Gun looks to have a wee bit of promise. I mean, Natalie Portman in a Western is going to put my butt in a seat every time. A woman asks her ex to help protect her current outlaw hubs from a deadly gang. Pew, pew, pew! I’ll ride off into the sunset for Ms. Portman any time. February The Big Lebowski is still the funniest movie I’ve ever seen. And that’s despite how many times people have tried to ruin it with unfunny merchandise, endless quotes and misquotes and various themed parties. Thus, when the Coen brothers announce a new comedy, it fills me with great excitement. That Hail, Cesar! also stars George Clooney and Channing Tatum and has a silly, breezy, early-days-of-Hollywood feel only adds to my excitement level. I’m so titillated, my shirt looks like Clooney’s bat costume.
| THE READER |
film
March Speaking of costumes, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is apparently going to come out with that title getting changed. This naked cash grab has looked interesting, then silly, then interestingly silly and promises to be either a good movie or a total train wreck, either of which is satisfying. Jesse Eisenberg appears to think he’s in Adam West’s 1960s Batman TV show, Ben Affleck is grayed and grumpy and apparently there’s a weird Gollum creature. Everyone will see this for good reasons or bad. April Quietly, Jake Gyllenhaal has become one of the best working actors. Demolition looks to be another notch on his “who you callin’ Bubble Boy” bedpost of success. An introspective look at a man experiencing tragedy, nothing about the subject matter really suggests anything special. But neither did the logline for Nightcrawler, and that movie showed Jake G
is hella great. Just know, JG, if you get the Oscar before Leo, I’d watch yourself. May I want all comic book movies to be great fun all the time. I have full faith that Captain America: Civil War will be. Featuring everyone who has ever worn spandex in a Marvel movie and lived to tell the tale, this brouhaha not only pits Cap against Iron Man, it introduces Black Panther and, oh yeah, reboots Spiderman. Honestly, some days I just want to build a time machine, go back to the lunchroom in middle school, and show preteen Ryan how cool things turn out. I mean, I’d also warn him about the thing in the shower in 9th grade, but also the movie thing. June Shane Black is a golden god. His dialogue is so hot, actors get third-degree burns on their tongues from it. Heaven to me is a new Black noir film every day. The Nice Guys gives Ryan
‘cutting’room
n If you haven’t heard or seen, they cast Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I and II, the play that continues the story of everybody’s favorite disfigured wizard. The big news? Hermione Granger will be played by Noma Dumezweni, a black actress. As expected, the racially tolerant, intellectually sophisticated denizens of the Internet reacted with calm aplomb. I’m kidding, they lost their racist minds. That prompted me to ask, if they object to Ms. Dumezweni taking over Emma Watson’s role because doing so isn’t “realistic,” do they not know the truth about magic and wizards? n Jeremy Renner will star in Undefeated, which will tell the story of boxer Rocky Marciano. I don’t really care to see yet another real-life biopic of a fighter. That said, I do anticipate this movie will feature Renner being repeatedly, forcibly punched in the face. So I’m there. n Netflix invented socks that can tell when you fell asleep watching the streaming service. This is apparently a part of their new line of “I’m Sorry You’re Going to Die Alone” products. Thankfully, this invention will save users from the indignity of pressing rewind or the burden of having a loved one who makes sure they don’t die in their sleep. n I liked Prometheus a lot. So I was excited when Ridley Scott announced a sequel. Prometheus 2 became Prometheus: Paradise Lost, and I was like “okay, cool.” Then it was announced to be heavily related to the world of Alien, unlike the last one. I was like “alright.” Then it got changed to Alien: Covenant. And I got confused. Then they announced that, although Rooney Mara would still be in it, she’s no longer the main character. That’s going to be Katherine Waterston. I eagerly await the next update, in which none of this has anything to do at all with Prometheus and is really just another Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. —Ryan Syrek Cutting Room provides breaking local and national movie news … complete with added sarcasm. Send any relevant information to film@thereader.com. Check out Ryan on Movieha!, a weekly half-hour movie podcast (movieha.libsyn.com/rss), catch him on the radio on CD 105.9 (cd1059.com) on Fridays at around 7:30 a.m. and on KVNO 90.7 (kvno.org) at 8:30 a.m. on Fridays and follow him on Twitter (twitter.com/thereaderfilm).
Gosling and Russell Crowe as playthings for Black to use. The first red-band trailer featured a hilarious scene involving a body splattering on concrete and Gosling on the toilet. So, yeah, I feel comfortable telling you this is going to be perfect. July The best part of the internet is that everyone using it is smart, kind and responsible. Much like when NBC ran “The Wiz” and dumb racists took to Twitter to suggest “Everyone would be pissed about an all-white version of The Wizard of Oz,” dumb sexists freaked when director Paul Feig announced the Ghostbusters reboot would be ladies only. Those women are Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. They are all hilarious. They are all bad-ass. I am all the way in for this one. August I get labeled a “DC hater” a lot. Because, if you didn’t know, there are still ongoing nerd gang wars between Marvel and DC comic fans. Nobody gets hurt, unless you count feelings. That said, I’m stupid excited for Suicide Squad, which brings back the Joker (Jared Leto), gives Margot Robbie the spotlight she deserves and looks Bat(man)shit insane. There’s a crocodile gangster man in a squad with a witch and Will Smith. Yes please, thank you. I would like to be watching this bonkers-ness now. September I gotta thing for Westerns. And one of the best (if not the best) is The Magnificent Sev-
en. Considering the original is a remake of Seven Samurai, nobody is allowed to be mad they’re remaking the remake. Co-written by “True Detective” scribe Nic Pizzolatto and starring Chris Pratt, Denzel Washington and Vincent D’Onofrio, I don’t see how this can be anything other than rootin’ tootin’ fantastic. The original was super violent. I can’t see why this one wouldn’t be as well. I mention that last part as a good thing but now realize that maybe it sounded like a bad thing. October The first Jack Reacher movie deserved better. It was a great Tom Cruise-as-movie-star movie and had goddamn living legend Werner Herzog as a villain who ate his own hand off. Sadly, there’s no Herzog up in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Still, a chance to watch Cruise revisit this noir-esque world makes me happy. Also, it’s going to really make your dad and/ or grandpa happy, as literally all white dads and grandpas love the book series. November Of all the Marvel movies, Doctor Strange has the most potential to me. All the superhero movies try to be “grounded” and “real.” Here’s a movie about a surgeon who learns magic to fight demons that come through other dimensions. That said wizard is played by Benedict Cumberbatch is only delicious icing on a potentially hallucinatory cake. Oh, and Rachel McAdams is in it. She makes everything 45 percent better just by being generally in the area.
The Iron Giant 1999
Forever Young A film series for kids of all ages. Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown 1980 (G) Jan 2, 3, 7, 9, 10 & 14 The Iron Giant 1999 (PG) Jan 16, 17, 21, 23, 24 & 28 Oscar Shorts! Animated Program Jan 30, 31, Feb 4, 6, 7 & 11 Beauty and the Beast 1946 Feb 13, 14, & 18 Swiss Family Robinson 1960 (G) Feb 20, 21, 25, 27, 28 & March 3 Pete’s Dragon 1977 (G) March 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 &17 Batman: The Movie 1966 (PG) March 19, 20, 24, 26, 27 & 31 Made possible with the support of
All showings at Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater. Info & tickets at filmstreams.org. December Now that Star Wars is actually, totally, really, honestly back, all eyes can turn to Star Wars: Rogue One, the first spin-off in the franchise’s history. Theoretically, they’re going to make a Star Wars movie every year. I say theoretically, because if Rogue One rips a fart, that plan will change dramatically. Luckily, this movie is an intergalactic heist movie about stealing the plans for the Death Star, which sounds so unspeakably cool, I’m drooling. As are the Disney accountants.
film
Sometime in 2016 Not being scheduled won’t stop me from hyping The Neon Demon, which is the latest from writer/director Nicolas Windig Refn. What he lacks in proper name spelling, he more than makes up for in style. As one of the 2-3 people who loved the crap out of Only God Forgives, the potential of Refn pairing up with Keanu Reeves for a quasi-horror movie about “beauty obsessed women” is more alluring than can be described. I tried to, but it came out as a series of increasingly weird, dark adjectives, which is actually pretty much what watching Refn movie feels like. ,
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
47
music
CONOR OBERST
48
JANUARY 2016
y continued from page 40 Reality: Not only are they alive and kicking, but the Stones did a brief tour last summer, and Keith just released a new solo album. 2015 Prediction: Omaha’s bar-club bubble will burst as one or more local music venue/clubs will change hands and stop offering live music. Reality: Well, Sweatshop has been dormant since it changed ownership. 2015 Prediction: Maha Music Festival organizers’ wish will finally come true and they’ll book “that band” that they’ve always wanted to play the festival. Reality: They didn’t get “that band,” but they did get a sold out concert. 2015 Predication: We’ll experience the first wave of rock ‘n’ roll “retirements” as a number of long-time well-paid singers/songwriters/musicians/bands will announce they’re getting out of the music business because they can no longer make a living at it, thanks to declining album sales and streaming services. Reality: Not only did no one retire, but Phil Collins said he’s coming back. Does anyone ever really leave the music business? 2015 Prediction: Look for a Kickstarter campaign from a former Billboard charttopping act (and I’m not talking about Creed). Reality: Other than De La Soul and TLC, successful pop acts have been avoiding Kickstarter. 2015 Prediction: While mainstream pop music becomes more sugar sweet, indie music will become more miserable. Depressing, dark acts like Pharmakon, Swans, Perfume Genius and Sun Kil Moon will be joined by even more miserable acts that will counter-balance pop’s bright banality. Reality: Either the darkness has lifted or I’ve been ignoring the gloom. 2015 Prediction: With the continued popularity of music contest shows like The Voice and American Idol, it was only a matter of time until a network decided to revive American Bandstand. Reality: Nope. In fact, this will be the final season for American Idol (or so they say). 2015 Prediction: Thanks to its airing on Palladia, someone will create an American version of Later… with Jools Holland. Reality: We’re still waiting for something / someone like Jools in the U.S. 2015 Prediction: Look for the launch of yet another new FM radio station in the Omaha market that plays CMJ-style indie. Reality: Not yet. 2015 Prediction: As the industry continues to crumble, more historically huge bands will sign deals with mid-level indie labels. Along those same lines, you’ll see more formerly “large” bands and performers selfreleasing material as they turn their back on labels altogether. Reality: Still not happening.
| THE READER |
music
2015 Prediction: No local or Saddle Creek artist will make it to the SNL stage next year (duh), but one (other than a Conor band) will make it on national TV. Reality: The only local to make it to the airwaves in 2015 was Desaparecidos. If I really stretched, I was 5 for 20. Maybe I was trying too hard? This year I’m limiting predictions to just 10. Here we go: 2016 Prediction: In the old days, if you wanted your music to get heard by the biggest audience you sought out radio stations in hopes they’d add your single to their play lists. With music streaming replacing radio as the new music promotional model, the new target is getting songs added to streaming playlists that have the most followers. For example, if you happened to get your song added to Spotify’s “Today’s Top Hits” list, your music would be heard in more than 6 million pairs of ear buds. Spotify’s “New Music Friday” playlists boasts 855,000 followers, according to Billboard. Just as important is getting the attention of DJs, curators and social media “influencers” with large followings. Labels are now hiring reps that do just that. 2016 Prediction: Streaming live performances will become a thing. Apps like Periscope give anyone with a smartphone an opportunity to share a live performance, but more than that, clubs, venues and music halls will begin to upload their soundboard feeds directly to streaming services, sharing concerts as they happen, making it possible to catch sets by virtually any band on tour. 2016 Prediction: This is the year that vinyl crosses the line from interesting novelty to serious revenue stream, as it becomes second nature for labels and musicians to consistently produce vinyl versions for their latest albums. As a result we’ll see the beginning of a second record-store renaissance. More shops will open. In-store performance tours will become as common as book-signing tours. Record Store Day will expand beyond two days a year. Vinyl is here to stay. 2016 Prediction: Apple Music wasn’t the game changer that everyone thought it would be, but it still managed to rack up more than 54 million users in 2015, according to Nielsen and was ranked as the No. 9 smartphone app. Watch as more services (including Facebook) get into the streaming music business, forcing Spotify and Apple to to figure out ways to gain bigger market share, ultimately cutting the price of premium streaming services in half (or lower). Free premium streaming may be just around the corner. 2016 Prediction: It’s not unusual that Tom Jones will take his final bow this year. 2016 Prediction: As costs continue to rise and income continues to shrink for record labels, watch as small and mid-sized indie labels begin to consolidate in an effort to share resources and broaden their reach. In this industry model, who would be a perfect suitor for Saddle Creek? 2016 Prediction: A long-time music reporter and Nebraska music scene fixture will either retire or get a new assignment. 2016 Prediction: When The Waiting Room and The Slowdown opened in 2007, those venues focused on booking indie shows. As interest in indie music dropped off in recent years, they’ve changed their course, only occasionally booking mid-sized to large indie rock show. That shift will continue in 2016 as more small and mid-sized indie shows will detour to small venues like Milk Run, Lookout Lounge and O’Leaver’s, who will become the de facto outlets for all things indie. With indie music headed back underground, is the rise in house shows and hall shows far behind? 2016 Prediction: Bands we’ll be talking about this time next year: My Bloody Valentine, Beck, PJ Harvey, Matthew Sweet, Green Day, The Arcade Fire, Stephen Malkmus/Pavement, The Faint, Warpaint and Spoon. Band we won’t be talking about: Kendrick Lamar, Kanye, Taylor Swift, Drake, Kurt Vile, Adele, Beach House, Lana Del Rey and U2. 2016 Prediction: The next network appearance by a Nebraska performer will again involve Conor Oberst, as we welcome the return of Bright Eyes. Will Conor finally make it on SNL? Wait and see... .
| THE READER |
JANUARY 2016
49
That Old Game
KILL
BED BUGS Buy Harris Bed Bug Killer/KIT. Complete Treatment System. Available at Hardware Stores BUY ONLINE/STORE AT: homedepot.com FREE TO LISTEN
As America’s appetite for sports increases, there will be a new, streaming sports station that specializes in old time sports. The first sport broadcast will be baseball, the American classic, played with the rules, customs, and costumes of the mid1800s. Soon will follow vintage football, played with leather helmets and more rough-and-tumble rules. Most popular will be bare-knuckle boxing, a bloody and long-lasting sport that can go for hours, as will Civil War-era wrestling. While these games will never eclipse the popularity of modern sports, they will develop a small but devoted cult audience, and superstars will emerge from the games and become world-famous, even outside vintage sports circles. Additionally, the channel will revive interest in longCOURTESY OF WWW.INHABITAT.COM forgotten cultural games, including various Viking sports and an early version of soccer that involves kicking a (simulated) human head around a field.
Our Slow Future
AND REPLY TO ADS Free Code: Omaha Reader
FIND REAL GAY MEN NEAR YOU
(402) 341-4000
Get ready to watch things happen very slowly for a long time. Slow television is about to find an audience in America thanks to streaming television. Odd though it may seem, some people enjoy television shows that consist of nothing in particular, such as the video from a long train ride, or the unedited process of roasting an animal, or other time-consuming activities where nothing changes very quickly. The most famous of this, of course, is videos of Christmas fires burning, which even today find audiences during Christmas. But tomorrow’s slow television stations will give viewers the opportunity to watch all sorts of
www.megamates.com 18+
50
JANUARY 2016
| THE READER |
things in real time. Audiences will be able to watch boat trips, long walks in the woods, and even groups of dogs at play. Many will find the less that happens in the video, the more they enjoy it. Some viewers will enter an almost meditative state watching things like the rise of the tides and the slow melting of ice cubes. There is a future to broadcasting, but there won’t be a lot happening in it.
Groups
The most powerful skill in the future will be the ability to build community. Certain professionals will rise who will be unusually skilled at using social media, or direct mail, or other mechanisms, to pull together groups of ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million, united by common interests and common goals. For the greedy, these communities can be monetized, by sealing them merchandise, or charging for events, or having them pay just to be able to participate in the community. For others, it will exist for its own purpose; they will find value in having a group of people who share interests and can meet regularly, even if only digitally. But for some, called “crowdmakers,” this will be an unparalleled experiment in social change. Some will make use of bloc voting and political work to push the government to become increasingly democratic. Some will gather groups to solve social issues, like homelessness. And some will harness the power of the public to introduce world-changing ideas and challenge their crowds to take these ideas and run with them. The future doesn’t belong to the individual. It belongs to groups. For more on these predictions and others by Dr. Mysterian visit www.thereader.com.