SATURDAY, JUNE 4
FRIDAY, JUNE 17
SATURDAY, JUNE 18
SUNDAY, JULY 17
FRIDAY, JULY 29
OPEN TO ALL AGES
WITH LEE ANN WOMACK
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
WITH BETTY WHO
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26
BUY TICKETS AT THE ROCK SHOP OR ONLINE AT WWW.HARDROCKCASINOSIOUXCITY.COM
111 3RD STREET
I SIOUX CITY, IA 51101 I HARDROCKCASINOSIOUXCITY.COM
Events held at Battery Park are open to all ages. No carry-in food or beverages allowed. Management reserves all rights. If you or someone you know needs gambling treatment, call 800.BETS.OFF.
| THE READER |
JUNE 2016
3
MUTUAL OF OMAHA
is seeking I/S Server Management Systems Engineer (Omaha, NE) to be responsible for the support, installation, integration, configuration and day-to-day operations of a large Data Center/Windows Server environment using Intel Server and VMware Virtual Infrastructure. Monitors the completion of server back-ups and assists with configuration and implementation of servers. BS in CS, Electrical EE or related with 5 yrs of exp or a MS in same and 3 yrs of exp in support, installation, integration, configuration and day-to-day operations in a large Data Center environment. Must have strong skills and working knowledge of Windows Server Operating Systems, Active Directory, Group Policy, TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, VMware Virtual Infrastructure (vCenter, vCloud, ESXi, vCOPs, vCM, vSphere replication, SRM), PowerShell, VBScript, command shell, disaster recovery, and Microsoft SCOM and SCCM as well as Cisco UCS experience and knowledge (Environment Design, UCS Central, Cable Fabric Interconnects, UCS Blade chassis and blades, UCS Domain, FEX Switches, Cisco IOS), strong troubleshooting skills, server hardware knowledge, storage technologies (internal, SAN, NAS), and enterprise backup and systems management so-
lutions (TSM, TSM for Virtual Environments) skills. Send resumes to: Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co, Attn: Susan Towles, Mutual of Omaha Plaza, 3 – Law, Omaha, NE 68175.
PAID IN ADVANCE!
Make $1000 A Week Mailing Brochures From Home! No Experience Required. Helping home workers since 2001! Genuine Opportunity. Start Immediately! www.TheIncomeHub.com (AAN CAN)
BILINGUAL GRAPHIC AND WEB DESIGNER
A fast growing, very committed to the community organization, we have immediate openings for bilingual graphic and web designers to service a growing list of digital clients (from websites to online display ads) and strong print publications that make a difference. Fun work environment. Great perks. Fluent in Spanish and English. Opportunities range from freelance/internship to part or full time. Compensation based on experience and skills. High growth potential. For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
GENERAL PRODUCTION
These first- and second-shift positions are for Tyson Foods’ Madison, Nebraska, location. Duties may include heavy, detailed knife-work, saw operation. REQUIREMENTS: • Stand 8-10 hours a day • Ability to lift up to 40 pounds • Ability to use both hands simultaneously TYSON FOODS’ BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Competitive wages with the potential to earn up to $18.15 per hour • Excellent benefits package • Paid vacation • 401(k) • Stock Purchase Plan • Tuition Reimbursement CONTACT: Apply at www.tysonfoodscareers.com or at: Tyson Fresh Meats 1200 Industrial Parkway Madison, NE 68748 www.tyson.com Tyson Foods is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
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JUNE 2016
| THE READER |
omaha jobs
FINANCIAL ADVISOR
Paid advisor training for four and half years. (This is not a draw against commissions or a payback system). Benefits including medical, dental, vision, and 401k with company match. Office space in our building free of rent and fees for other office supply materials. A wide variety of products both on the insurance and investment side. Succession Planning for your practice and much more. For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
HOUSEKEEPING SUITE ATTENDANT
Are you interested in connecting with real people from all over the world each and every day, becoming part of a fun and exciting team? We are currently looking to hire housekeeping suite attendants for the upcoming season. For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
We are adding a Software Engineer to the team. This group supports health care related claims recovery. We are seeking an experienced individual who can work in a collaborative environment but also take a project and run with it. Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office products required.
For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT - PRN
Our Designated Nursing Assistant/Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A) is responsible for providing direct resident care including nursing/ clinical care, personal, nutritional and restorative care in the skilled nursing operations and other areas throughout the community as appropriate. We deliver high-quality care with a personal touch and encourage our residents to enjoy life to the fullest. For more information, visit OmahaJobs. com.
REGISTERED NURSE
You would be accountable for the pre-procedures, intra-procedures and post-procedure clinical nursing care of patients receiving conscious sedation for invasive interventional procedures. The accountability involves the application of specialized, clinical nursing knowledge and skills in a self-directed manner in the delivery of direct patient care. Focus areas in this practice setting also include pain management and patient/family education. This position requires on call status for after hours and on the weekends/holidays For more information, visit OmahaJobs.com.
MATERIAL HANDLING This position is for Tyson Foods’ Madison, Nebraska, pork processing facility. REQUIREMENTS • Must be able to handle heavy lifting • Must be willing to learn to operate a forklift • Must be able to work in a cold environment • Must be able to handle repetitive movement, • including walking, standing, stretching and climbing TYSON FOODS’ BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Competitive wages • Excellent benefits package • Paid vacation • 401(k) with company match • Stock Purchase Plan with company match CONTACT: Apply online at www.tysonfoodscareers.com, or at our Madison, Nebraska, plant, 1200 Industrial Parkway. www.tyson.com Tyson Foods is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
ProKarma Jobs Business Systems Analyst #BSA0416 ProKarma has mult openings for Business Systems Analyst in Omaha NE; or may work at various unanticipated sites. Roving: worksite & residence may change; but daily job doesn’t require business travel. S/he will analyze user requirement, Information Technology System requirements gathering, functional specification, high-level design, defining the solution, test planning, and coordination of system rollouts by using various computer skill sets. Requires bachelor’s, or for. equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Eng (any), or relt’d tech/anlytcl field + at least 2 yr exp in job offrd or IT/Cmptr-relt’d pos. Requires prof. exp in software application development projects by using following technologies: Use cases, Test cases, SQL Queries, Sequence Diagrams, UML diagrams; and one of the following: Microsoft.Net /Java/J2EE/Tibco; and SQL Server or Oracle. Suitable comb. of edu/training/exp accptble.
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
ProKarma Jobs Senior Software Engineer #SRJAVA0416 ProKarma, Inc. has multiple openings for Sr Software Engineer in Omaha, NE; may also work at various unanticipated locations. Roving position-employee’s worksite & residence may change based on client & business demands. No travel requirement; performing daily job duties doesn’t require travel. Analyze user needs & modify/develop SW using computer skill sets; develop & direct SW system testing & validation procedures, programming, & documentation. Requires master’s, or for. equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Eng (any), or related tech/ analytical field + at least 1 yr exp in job offered or IT/Computer-related position. Employer also accept bachelor’s, or foreign equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Eng (any), or related tech/analytical field + at least 5 yr progressive post-bachelor’s exp in job offered or IT/Computer-related position. Requires prof. exp with: Java, J2EE, JMS, SOA, Web Services, Weblogic/WebSphere/App server/JBoss, Oracle/SQL Server, Maven, HTML. Suitable combination of edu/training/exp 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
ProKarma Jobs
Systems Engineer - #SE0416
ProKarma, Inc. has multiple openings for Systems engineer in Omaha, NE; may also work at various unanticipated locations. Roving position-employee’s worksite & residence may change based on client & business demands. No travel requirement; performing daily job duties doesn’t require travel. Maintain/ administer computer networks & related computing environments, including systems SW, applications SW & all configurations. Requires master’s, or foreign equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Electrical/Telecom Eng, Electronics & Communication Eng, Eng (any), or related tech/analytical field + at least 1 yr exp in job offered or IT/Computer-related position. Employer also accept bachelor’s, or foreign equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Electrical/Telecom Eng, Electronics & Communication Eng, Eng (any) or related tech/analytical field + at least 5 yr progressive postbachelor’s exp in job offered or IT/Computer-related position. Requires exp with: LINUX/UNIX administration & Setup, SW tools using RedHat satellite, Cfengine, Red Hat Mrg, Nagios, windows & VMware environments. Suitable combination of edu/training/exp 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
ProKarma Jobs Senior Software Engineer #SRNET0416 ProKarma, Inc. has multiple openings for Sr Software Engineer in Omaha, NE; may also work at various unanticipated locations. Roving position-employee’s worksite & residence may change based on client & business demands. No travel requirement; performing daily job duties doesn’t require travel. Analyze user needs & modify/develop SW using computer skill sets; develop & direct SW system testing & validation procedures, programming, & documentation. Requires master’s, or for. equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Eng (any), or related tech/analytical field + at least 1 yr exp in job offered or IT/Computerrelated position. Employer also accept bachelor’s, or for. equiv, in CIS, IT, CS, Eng (any), or related tech/analytical field + at least 5 yr progressive post-bachelor’s exp in job offered or IT/Computer-related position. Requires prof. exp with: Object oriented analysis & design, Microsoft.Net Technologies, C#, ASP. net, ADO.net, XML, Web Services, Oracle/SQL Server. Suitable combination of edu/training/exp 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
omaha jobs
| THE READER |
JUNE 2016
5
ONE Report Establishes Baseline for Neighborhood Growth
L
ast year, Omaha neighborhood groups logged a minimum of 28,139 volunteer hours valued at a conservative $649,166. Julie Smith, program manager at ONE Omaha, knew this number would be high, but she now has a statistic to quote when discussing the impact of neighborhood groups on Omaha’s success. It’s just one of the findings outlined in the Omaha Neighborhood Report, released earlier this month by ONE Omaha and Nebraskans for Civic Reform (NCR), the initiative’s fiscal agent. The report, authored by Smith, assesses the current capacity and contribution of the city’s neighborhood groups and establishes baseline data in key areas so progress can be measured by ONE Omaha in future years. It also discusses top challenges/common concerns raised by neighborhood groups and the need for intentional collaboration, civic education and inclusivity. “You can’t provide meaningful programming if you don’t know what the capacity and interests of the people you serve are,” said Adam Morfeld, NCR’s executive director. “This datadriven report will allow ONE Omaha to develop future neighborhood services based on need versus theory.” During the report’s data collection phase, 131 neighborhood groups and six neighborhood alliances were contacted. Of this number, 81 completed surveys and were placed in one of four categories - emerging/fading, novice/in decline, intermediate and expert - based on its participation in neighborhood activities. Below is the breakdown by category: Emerging/fading: 19 groups Novice/in decline: 41 groups Intermediate: 15 groups Expert: 6 groups “This is in no way a judgment of individual associations, but rather a mechanism for providing them with the type of tools they need to achieve their goals,” Smith said. “As our report indicates, needs differ from group to group, so a one-sizefits-all approach simply won’t work.” Of those neighborhood leaders interviewed for the report, 87% said they were facing challenges and require support. Their responses mirror where their particular group fell on the neighborhood lifecycle scale, its interpersonal characteristics and how it scored in comparison with other Omaha neighborhood groups on the capacity scale, Smith said. Those interviewed listed six areas of challenges/concern and expressed the need for assistance from ONE Omaha in the following areas (the accompanying percentage denotes how many association leaders cited the concern): l Recruiting and maintaining involvement from all generations, specifically younger age groups in their neighborhood organization, 43% l Administrative costs to keep the neighborhood organization viable, 18% l Inclusion in the city’s physical development process, 14% l Park maintenance in annexed neighborhoods and covenants/bylaws that expire after SIDs dissolve, 12%
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JUNE 2016
LAKE CUNNINGHAM HILLS SOMERSET
SADDLE HILLS
CHERRY HILLS
RAMBLERIDGE SUNNY
WALNUT TORREY RIDGE PINES
SLOPE IRON RIDGE ROANOKE SUNNY HILLSBOROUGH GREENTREE VIEW TRANQUILITY
VIEW
ARBOR OAKS
EAGLE RUN WOODLYN PARK
HIGHLAND PARK SEVEN PINES
WHISPERING RIDGE
SUNRIDGE 1
BENT CREEK
WINDRIDGE ESTATES
CHAPEL HILL ROGERS RIDGE
SKYLINE RANCHES
SKYLINE WOODS
FIRE RIDGE PACIFIC POINTE
PACIFIC SPRINGS
RIDGES
PEPPERWOOD SEVILLE
SPANISH VILLAGE
LEAWOOD WEST
HILLS SPRING
MERRIFIELD RIDGE VILLAGE WESTERN TRAILS LEAWOOD HIDDEN SOUTHWEST RIDGE
HARVEYCRESCENT OAKS ARMBRUST
POINTE
VILLAS AT HAWTHORNE
BAY SHORES
SOUTH SHORE HEIGHTS
PRAIRIE POINTE
MISSION HILLS
OAKS
WALNUT LAKE
GROVE PHEASANT WALNUT RUN LINDEN PLACE
WEDGEWOOD
MONTCLAIR TRENDWOOD PARKSIDE & ROYALWOOD GEORGETOWN ESTATES
STONY BROOK
MEADOWBROOK
BROOK HOLLOW
HOMES SUNSET HILLS
MILLARD HEIGHTS
HAPPY HOLLOW
OAKDALE
OLD MILLARD EAST OAK HILLS
BENSON GARDENS
GOLDEN VALLEY OLD COOPERATIVE LOVELAND
SILVERWOOD
SKYLARK CRYER MONTCLAIR WEST PRAIRIE ROCKBROOK KINGSWOOD LANE
WESTWOOD HEIGHTS
WESTSIDE LOVELAND
BELVEDERE POINT
THE
FORT HARTMAN REDMAN NORTHWEST OMAHA NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION COUNCIL
FORT FONTENELLE OMAHA CENTRAL VIEW PARK MONMOUTH TRIPLE ONE PARK
BENSON
HILLS
OAK HEIGHTS APPLEWOOD HEIGHTS
Future, Douglas County’s Build with Health initiative, Omaha by Design’s 10-Speed program, the Mayor’s Hotline and the Omaha Mobile App. Smith said ONE Omaha is working with city departments, neighborhood groups and nonprofits to strengthen collaborations and public
must be cross-promoted by stakeholders invested in public participation processes. l Resident groups must address inclusivity to be truly representative of their neighborhood residents and ensure decisions are being made equitably. l Relationships between city administrators and residents should be strengthened to the benefit of each. “The Omaha Neighborhood Report offers an education on the value of neighborhoods to the health of a city,” said David Thomas, assistant planning director for the City of Omaha. “It is a blueprint, of sorts, for promoting civic education, for encouraging community engagement and for building effective neighborhood associations. Its aim is to further the degree to which citizens are creatively engaged in Omaha’s civic life.” The report also cited several local examples aimed at encouraging neighbors and others to engage in public decision-making processes, including The Citizens Academy for Omaha’s
ONE Omaha, a publicprivate initiative founded in 2015, is dedicated to actively facilitating the development of neighborhoods in the City of Omaha through communication, education and advocacy. Nebraskans for Civic Reform serves as its fiscal agent. For more information, visit www.oneomaha.org.
NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION
NORTHBEDFORDANDFACT
EVANS
PLACE
WAVERLY PARK
NEIGHBORS IN ACTION
LAIRD STREET
E R DANNER KOUNTZE PARK
BINNEY WIRT SPENCER FLORENCE MILLS
CLAIRMONT JOHN CREIGHTON BLVD CLUB OMAHA VIEW LONG HEIGHTS MILITARY AVENUE PROSPECT
COUNTRY CLUB COMMUNITY COUNCIL
SCHOOL
RADIAL VILLAGE CONESTOGA PLACE HILLS CONCORD HIGHLANDER PROSPECT ORCHARD HILL BEMIS ORIGINAL SQUARE WALNUT HILL PARK MONTCLAIR
NORTH GOLD COAST
OLD BLACKSTONE EAST MARKET WEST MORTON FIELD CLUB COLUMBUS PARK LYNCH MARKET
PARK
LEAVENWORTH PARK THORNBURG PLACE
AKSARBEN ELMWOOD PARK
WESTGATE
PADDOCK ROAD COMMUNITY CLUB MOCKINGBIRD
l Code enforcement complaints about neighbors with poorly-kept property, 10% l Bridging barriers between multiple ethnic groups, 9% Among the report’s key findings: l Omaha’s civic education opportunities
| THE READER |
CREEK
MEMORIAL PARK
WEST FAIRACRES DEER RIDGE PARK
GREENFIELDS
SCARBOROUGH
OAKBROOK
MILLER PARK MINNE LUSA WOODHURST WAKONDA REDICK AVENUE
MAPLE KEYSTONE COMMUNITY AMES FAIRFAX OMAHA VILLAGE TASK FORCE OIC METCALFE HARRISON PEONYDUNDEE JOSLYN GIFFORD DOWNTOWN FAIRACRES CASTLE PARK NORTHEAST REGENCY PARKELMWOOD KIMBERLY PLACE
CANDLEWOOD LEE VALLEY HORIZONS
CAMBRIDGE FOUNTAIN HILLS MEADOWS OAKS PACIFIC BANYAN
ACRES
WILLOW WOOD
SUNRIDGE 11 LINDENWOOD LINDEN PARK BRYN MAWR RIDGEFIELD
COUNTRY CLUB
HILLS COLE
WOODBRIDGE
STANDING BEAR TOWNHOMES EAST
WYMAN HEIGHTS
RAVEN OAKS
WESTBROOK
MEADOWS BEALS
FIELD CLUB NORTH
FORD BIRTHSITE
PARK
SOUTH
DEERPARK
ROBINHANSCOM BURLINGTON HIGHLAND PARK HILLPARK
KAREN WESTERN
ROAD H AND L
WIERCREST
SPRING LAKE
COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP HIGHLAND BROWN SOUTH PARK INDIAN HILLS
participation processes. “These elements are key to making the City of Omaha as great as it can possibly be.” To download the report, visit www.oneomaha. org. .
M AY 2 0 1 6 VO L U M E 2 3 N U M B E R 1 4 08 COVER STORY THE MUSIC ISSUE 21 PICKS COOL EVENTS IN JUNE 24 GREEN SCENE SOLAR QUESTIONS 26 HEALING THERE IS NO GOD 38 EAT FOOD TRUCK INVASION 46 CULTURE GIRLS INC EXPANDS 50 ART SHOW ME THE ART 54 ART OLD MARKET STREET ART 56 HOODOO JUNE HIGHLIGHTS 58 FILM MOVIE MUSICALS 61 OVER THE EDGE SILVER AND GOLD 62 MYSTERIAN DOCTOR IS IN
Publisher John Heaston john@thereader.com Creative Director Eric Stoakes eric@thereader.com Managing Editor David Williams david@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 |
JUNE 2016
7
Vinyl with a Vengeance A Tour of Local Record Shops BY TODD MURPHY
T
he once endangered species of vinyl has enjoyed a major resurgence over the past decade, evidenced by Omaha’s thriving vinyl record stores. The tangible interaction of seeing, reading, handling and sharing an LP (long-play vinyl record) takes music from ordinary background sound to an immersion in the art of music. True to its tactile nature, playing real vinyl records can be an experience. True confessions of a record nut: I hunt records in almost every town I visit and I make playing a record a social event with friends. The vinyl record never went away. It took a long nap as the recording industry pursued newer formats, effectively getting many of us to spend our hard-earned money repurchasing our favorite music on cassettes and then CD’s. That was a short-lived victory. Napster, then iTunes, then Pandora and Spotify ended the music industry’s run on hard formats. Stream-
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cover story
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ing took over, but not without an interesting side effect. Vinyl is back and growing. I travel all over the U.S. and Europe shopping used record stores, and I can attest to the fact that our local shops offer a feeding frenzy for those who opt for platters over Pandora. But let’s first review a few basics if you’re just getting started (again) in vinyl. Get a decent turntable That means anything $100 and above may qualify, but not a Crosley player. A used Technics, Pioneer, or Kenwood can make vinyl sound great with a new cartridge/needle and belt (about $35 invested, if needed). You can also buy great new turntables for under $200. Check out the Uturn Orbit, and go from there. uturnaudio.com Look at the vinyl Spotting the obvious scratches and worn grooves is easy. New vinyl can sound great, but some new pressings have been rushed and reissued from subpar digital copies. That’s as technical as I’ll get for this article, but some quick research can help you steer clear of the badly reissued vinyl records. Now let’s tour some of the local vinyl hotspots: Vinyl Therapy (fka Hip Stop Records) 1225 Jackson St., Omaha Nestled in the back of The Antique Annex in the Old Market, Jesse Cundiff opened Vinyl Therapy as Hip Stop Records in May 2014. The new arrivals bin is usually stocked with essential nuggets that anyone could play. Here you’ll also find a good cross-section of classic rock, metal, punk, hip-hop, jazz, blues and other genres. “When picking used records for my store I look for clean records continued on page 10 y
RalstonArena.com • 402.934.9966 • 7300 Q Street • Omaha cover story
| THE READER |
JUNE 2016
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at a great price,” said Cundiff. “I like to pass those deals on to my customers.” They stock a modest selection of new vinyl. Prices are right and the music and gear conversation is both informed and lively. This is a must-visit store for anyone starting a new collection with many classics at good prices. Almost Music 3925 Farnam St., Omaha Just down the street from the infamous jukebox at Brothers Lounge and across the street from Archetype Coffee in the Blackstone district is my personal go-to shop for used vinyl. Brad Smith opened Almost Music in September 2013 and usually has around 10,000 LPs out for sale at any time. He curates a great array of punk/indie records along with the best classic rock and jazz. “From what I’ve heard from others, what makes my store different is that I don’t put out a lot of ‘thrift-store garbage’ type stuff,“ said Smith. The staff has a keen insight into record labels, special releases, reissues, and all that goes into assembling a nice collection. Best of all, they rule in near-mint offerings and meticulously clean and re-sleeve every item before it hits the floor. I have yet to acquire an LP there that didn’t sound amazing. Drastic Plastic 1209 Howard St., Omaha This is longtime mecca for anyone who wants new vinyl, especially anything in the punk, postpunk, and alternative genres. Drastic Plastic is a real player on the new vinyl scene as they’ve
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| THE READER |
cover story
been reissuing some of the best punk and postpunk classics since the mid-1970s. From Angry Samoans to X, you can find it here. The staff of music-lovers are passionate, but without any hint of attitude. No Jack Black in High Fidelity here, just super-helpful people in a clean, large store. (More about Drastic on page 14.) Homer’s Music 1210 Howard St., Omaha Where it all began! Bruce Hoberman opened the original location in 1971 and Tom Weidner purchased the company in 1992. Mike Fratt is the current general manager. Any music lover who lived in Omaha after man landed on the moon undoubtedly spent a lot of cash at a Homer’s, now with their single flag-ship store in the Old Market. They have a ton of used vinyl (check the condition) and a great selection of new product, including around 15,000 new LPs and 17,000 new CDs. “I consider us a fullservice record store,” explained Fratt. “What makes us different -- commitment to a great selection of all types of music and striving for superior customer service. If you have a question or want a record, we want to answer that question or get that record for you.” If you can only stop at one store (and don’t have the energy to walk across the street to Drastic Plastic), you can find a lot of the best classics and many of the new or reissued albums here. While overstuffed bins can make it hard to browse, it’s still almost impossible to walk out without an armful of treasures. continued on page 12 y
©2016 SFNTC (2)
VISIT NASCIGS.COM OR CALL 1-800-435-5515 PROMO CODE 961937
CIGARETTES
*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.
San Deigo Reader 04-01-16_06-01-16.indd 1
| THE READER |
JUNE 20163/16/16
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Record Benders 2241 Franklin St., Bellevue Just off Mission Avenue in Bellevue is this hidden gem. Record Benders works the estate sales, used record market and record shows to amass a serious collection that spans all types of music, so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you can’t find something. This is also a nice destination for inexpensive, reconditioned turntables. As the name denotes, this store also is the only one I know of that can try to cure a warped record. Their specially designed press has been known to work magic and is worth a go before you give up on cherished vinyl that has seen better days. Recycled Sounds 322 N. 76th St., Omaha This much-revered Lincoln landmark recently moved back to Omaha, far from its former Old Market haunts in what is now Urban Abbey. Good for us! Stuart Kolnick is the owner/operator with 40-50,000 LPs (12” and 7”). ”I like having a rather wide and eclectic mix of records from the 50s thru the 2000s” said Kolnick. It’s the sort of place where once-in-a-lifetime finds are all but commonplace. They have a great selection of all musical styles that can be had for very reasonable prices. This is also the store to
for music memorabilia, posters, show bills and much more. Half Priced Books 12355 W. Center Rd., Omaha You probably won’t find knowledgeable vinyl geeks to help you find the record you need. Nor will you find a robust variety of genres. But I keep this store on my list of regular stops because they carry many reissued jazz, blues, and rock albums. They also buy LP’s just as they do books (cha-ching!). Imaginarium Two Locations Benson and the Old Market I love the Imaginarium. Opened by Jim Kavan in April 2010, they have 6000 LPs between their two locations. They often have a small to medium area of used LP’s. You probably won’t find much in the way of near-mint goods, but you’re sure to stumble upon some really cheap plastic. Look also for vintage stereo gear at a fair price. “We have several different vendors who sell records, so customers also get to experience several different styles, something that sets us apart from other stores,” said Kavan. continued on page 14 y
JUNE 21 • ORPHEUM THEATER Contact Ticket Omaha By Phone at 402-345-0606 or Order Online at TicketOmaha.com
A FOOD DRIVE EVENT
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JUNE 2016
| THE READER |
cover story
WWW.WIDESPREADPANIC.COM
Season Ticket Packages as low as $37 – On Sale Now!
DECEMBER 12 - 20
A TRIBUTE TO
JOURNEY
View the entire lineup at omahasymphony.org
402.345.0606 | THE READER |
JUNE 2016
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Kanesville Kollectibles 530 S. 4th St., Council Bluffs This one is a love/hate story. Open since 1978 and run by Tim Behrens, Kanesville claims over 1 million records. ““Our store is different because we carry all types of music instead of just rock and jazz,” said Behrens. Some people enjoy rolling up their sleeves for a deep dive spending the day picking through their massive collection of used records where, with patience, you’re likely to find just about anything. In theory, merchandise is organized by genre, but that’s just a theory. On my only visit I was discouraged to find that the post-punk works that I sought could be found, “here,” and “over there” and “now that I think about it, there may be more in that crate over there.” Many collectors swear by the place and it has many devoted diggers willing to excavate with gusto the various strata of relics. Thrift Stores For the thrift store circuit, the selection is usually limited to your aunt’s Christmas albums, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and scratched Montovani. Either they pull the good stuff before it hits the floor, or other shoppers pounce before I find anything of interest, but isn’t unexpected discoveries key to the thrift store experience? ,
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Drastic’s New Digs After 34 years of selling music and accessories of the underground culture, Drastic Plastic is quite literally going underground in opening a second brick and mortar store. Drastic Plastic Underground will be located below Homer’s Music at 1210 Howard Street in the Old Market. A targeted opening date of June 1 has been set. The new space will focus exclusively on music. Neil Azevedo, manager of “all things Drastic,” explained that Drastic Plastic has stayed relevant by diversifying into areas of interest as defined by the owner, Mike Howard. T-shirts, other apparel and novelties have always been a big part of Drastic Plastic’s success, but the continued growth of licensed shirts coupled with the resurgence in vinyl records is the reason Howard has decided to split his product lines between two stores. All vinyl, CD’s, box sets and more will be found at Drastic Plastic Underground. The existing site will become Drastic Plastic Clothing & Gifts. For those who grew up in Omaha in the ’80s and ’90s, Drastic Plastic was the destination for punk, post-punk and alternative music genres. Jeff Runnings, Drastic Plastic Underground general manager, explained that Drastic Plastic’s philosophy of celebrating counterculture is unchanged and that the new store is the logical extension of a comprehensive strategy that has spanned “the record label, the t-shirt licensing, the retail shop and apparel.” The irony of situating the new space below another long-time music mecca is not lost on Runnings. “I don’t see us in competition with other stores because our aesthetic sensibility is driving everything we are doing,” he said. “The only thing better than finding one record store on a street is finding two.” ,
12TH ANNUAL
FESTIVAL
SPRING WINE, BLUES, BEER, AND BALLOON
SATURDAY, JUNE 4TH
Featuring our award-winning wines, live blues, beer and hot air balloons. Fun for all ages! $25 for adults, $15 for children 12 & up. FESTIVAL LINEUP FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC
7:00-9:30 PM, $5 COVER
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4:00 PM: Jason Vivone & The Billy Bats 5:30 PM: Norman Jackson Band 7:00 PM: John Primer 8:30 PM: Watermelon Slim 9:30 PM: Jam Session
Located just 10 minutes south of Omaha in Springfield, Nebraska Tickets available at the gate or at E-tix.com
402-253-2479 | soaringwingswine.com
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Where are the hip hop fans?
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TKO
G U E S T C O M M E N TA R Y B Y G E N E “ T K O ” P O I N D E X T E R
s a long time hip hop fan and artist, jumping onto the Omaha hip hop scene in the summer of 2013 was a life changing period. I go by TKO and I represent Blu Boi Muusic, along with the founder Smurph Muusic. I, like many people apparently, was unaware of the level of talent in my own city, which brings me to the topic of discussion: Where are all the hip hop fans? People generally look down on hip hop for various reasons. Many people fear the subject matter, thinking it could lead to rowdy or even violent events, and no one wants to pay their hard-earned money to experience that. Then there are people who are just unaware or have a “they’re just local” mentality. People show up in droves to support the latest hot national act (Strange Music, Kevin Gates etc.) that comes to Omaha, but they don’t acknowledge the fact that once, upon a time, their current favorite artist was a local artist as well. From a fan standpoint, there is so much talent and so many good people involved in our scene. We just need Omaha to wake up. A few artists have been able to break through and achieve an admirable level of attention, but as a whole, there are far too many great performers that people are missing out on. BOTH, for example, is a duo consisting of a rapper and a producer and they have been able to capture fans and well-deserved media support. Latin Threat is arguably the artist with the most breakthrough potential, with the advantage of the Latin commu-
nity’s support and his being a part of Omaha’s Disorderly Conduct Music. There are many other artists who are on the verge of really making an impact. Artists like Greco, whose album Mind, Body and Soul is something I can safely say is a triumph. With J Shah, you have an artist able to switch styles from incredibly fast to very slow and cater to hip hop traditionalists, while still being able to adapt to the current music sound. Marcey Yates and the Raleigh Science team (which I am also a part of), J. Crum & his incredible band ALTR, Troublesome Two (Fr!day & Lucid) and the Grownkidz are a few more names I recommend, but there are really far too many to name. The true struggle is gaining fans. Not everyone is able to come out. The current string of hip hop hits have distanced many of its fans from the ‘90s. Those same fans of hip hop’s past have grown up and moved on, but there is so much raw talent that real hip hop fans would love out here and people are missing out on it. As a kid in high school, I was a huge hip hop fan and would have died to be in attendance and experience this much talent. So why can’t we, as a genre, tap into high school teenagers as well as the college population? These events and the artists’ success are ultimately based on music lovers having access to, being aware of, believing in, and wanting to support their homegrown talent. Our job is to crack the code and remove the fear of danger so people can enjoy great music and have a good time. , Editor’s Note: Check out TKO and other local artists at the SumTurJam June 25 and the New Generation Music Festival Aug. 5.
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An insiders perspective? G U E S T C O M M E N TA R Y B Y J E S S E D E A N
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JESSE DEAN OF NARCOTIC SELF
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hen I was asked to write about the Heavy Music Scene in Omaha, I was actually a little overwhelmed. What could I say that would have a positive impact? Or an impact at all for that matter. This is a place I’ve grown in and care about very deeply. What can I point out to people for them to take a serious look at how to help build upon it? How can I bring us closer together? The first thing I thought to do would be to urge this local music community to treat the Omaha scene as something sacred and special. I assure you, Omaha has it made! We have the absolute best music community. Musicians have better opportunities here than maybe anywhere else in the country. We’re also a community that genuinely cares and wants to help artists. What is holding us back? Well… the thing “holding us back” might be the one thing that has brought our community closer together, and provided more opportunity. Omaha is isolated. This isolation makes it very difficult to travel and create networks. Omaha is a far sprint from more major cities like Denver, Minneapolis, or Chicago. But traveling to those cities can quickly show you how much harder it gets to even get a gig at all in other cities. I urge fans, musicians, bartenders, booking agents, and club owners and everyone else to make a effort to talk about MUSIC, SONGS, BANDS. Bands in surrounding cities, Bands in your city! When was the last time you bought an album and fell in love with it? Shared it with your friends and had something to talk about and share? Just doing this can create a huge movement.
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Lets also be real, though. The game has completely changed. Music as a whole is suffering, and heavy music is not making anyone large stacks of cash to put it lightly. Our daily, constant bombardment of media is hard to cut through and compete with. Kids these days have 3D movies and videogames when they’re not obsessing with how many “likes” their selfies might get. Some sweaty metal head with a guitar isn’t enough to compete with that anymore. We now live in a age of musicians with face paint, masks, animated video walls and gimmicks to sell tickets to concerts. Not to mention $75 concert Tshirts. BUT! The power of music still exists. And lets not forget that a song can change the world. So I say to everyone in our community; make a difference with your music! Stop complaining and pointing your finger at whatever and get back to work! Get out of the house and promote yourself! You have to sell tickets to your shows! YOU SELL THEM!! Don’t say it’s a promoters job, a venue’s job, or say “if only” this or that. Do EVERYTHING yourself and do it the best you can. And to be clear I do not mean “pay to play” nor am I saying not to. I mean do things for you. Get your own show, and get every single person you possibly can through that door! The popularity contests between band dudes and your self-proclaimed underwear model girlfriends are a dead end. Don’t get me wrong like I said, my aim is to promote positivity and help create unity in the music in Omaha. I myself even have been guilty of getting side track by all the hype of “how its supposed to work for bands.” I just see how much lack of music there is in music anymore. The amount of time spent on everything besides music far outweights what is spent on creating music. Maybe the game changer can come from getting back into music first and foremost. ,
Conor Oberst goes country B Y T I M M C M A H A N
W DOLORES DIAZ AND THE STANDBY CLUB
hat do you do for fun when musically you can do anything you want? You put together a country cover band. That’s what Conor Oberst did with his wife, Corina Figueroa, and their two roommates, Roger Lewis and Miwi La Lupa. The project began last November strictly as a lark. Among the belongings La Lupa brought with him when he moved to Omaha from Brooklyn was a copy of Them Old Country Songs, a 1972 “various artists” classic that includes songs by the likes of Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. “We love this record,” Oberst said last week over drinks at his Dundee bar, Pageturners Lounge, while fellow Standby Club member Dan McCarthy pounded out ragtime tunes on the bar’s upright piano. “I’ve not been a person to cover a lot of songs. It was nice to learn new ones. I’ve never played songs with this many key changes before.” Oberst said Figueroa has a great voice and loves to sing, so it made sense to give the band a try. “She’s sang with me a few times before,” he said. “She was super excited at practice, but for that first show, she was extremely nervous. We all were.” The rest of band is made up of people Oberst said are part of his extended household: Phil Schaffart, Oberst’s partner on the road and in running Pageturners; Mike Mogis and Ben Brodin, whose studio, ARC, is practically an extension of Oberst’s home, and Cursive’s Matt Maginn, who at one time also lived with Oberst. “No one in the band is a country player in any way, shape or form,” Oberst said. “Even Mike (Mogis) doesn’t consider himself a country player. He
doesn’t know all the Nashville things. The guy who’s most dialed in is Ben. He can play anything.” Oberst said unlike playing in one of his other bands, this band has access to an unlimited musical catalog. “I never realized all the virtues of being in a cover band,” he said. “We’re never going to run out of good songs.” It’s unlikely this band will ever enter a recording studio. “It sounds like a joke, but I feel like we’re a good band for parties and weddings and funerals and all that kind of stuff,” Oberst said. “It would seem weird to record covers, and I don’t know if we’d ever have originals, definitely not for this show.” La Lupa, who sat next to Oberst during the interview, said the band may be “just for fun,” but that it takes the music seriously. “Someone wrote a review after our first show and said it sounds like we didn’t practice or something, and we were all kind of bummed,” La Lupa said. “We practice more for this band than any other band we play with..” The band’s name, The Standby Club, grew out of a phrase used by a friend of Oberst’s who does film editing of live sporting events. “He always says ‘standby,’ and began using the phrase in everyday life,” Oberst said. “The Standby Club — I thought it would sound dope.” As for Figueroa’s musical nom de plume, Oberst said she was afraid about going on stage. “I suggested putting on a persona, like a Superman cape,” he said. “Dolores Diaz is a Spanglish version of Doris Day and has an old Hollywood sound to it.” “And it works out because the name ‘Dolores’ signifies heartbreak,” La Lupa said, adding that the name means “sorrow” in English, a fact that surprised Oberst, who quickly added, “We’re going to have some nice T-shirts made.” ,
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The Reader’s Top Bands List of 2016 B Y R E A D E R M U S I C E D I T O R S
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e followed last year’s format and worked with the top bands from our two long-time music contributors. Look for some expanded music coverage in our immediate future where we’ll also be keeping a close eye on this list to tell you more about these artists.
TWINSMITH
Tim McMahan’s Top Bands New in 2016 Anna McClellan Bien Fang Brad Hoshaw Chemicals Closeness Dumb Beach Gordon Jeff Runnings Matthew Sweet Relax It’s Science Super Ghost Thick Paint Those Far Out Arrows Uh Oh Wagon Blasters Tim McMahan’s Top Bands Returning in 2016 Bloodcow Clarence Tilton Digital Leather
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Hand Painted Police Car High Up Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal Little Brazil Lupines Matt Whipkey Sam Martin Simon Joyner and the Ghosts Sucettes See Through Dresses The Good Life Twinsmith BJ “I-Hate-Lists” Huchtemann’s Top Bands New in 2016 CJ Mills Jack Hotel Tim Budig Band BJ “I-Hate-Lists” Huchtemann’s Top Bands Returning in 2016 All Young Girls are Machine Guns Electroliners Hector Anchondo Band Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal Kris Lager Band Matt Cox Mesonjixx Michael Campbell Sam Ayer & The Love Affair Shawn Holt & the Teardrops
MONICA LIZANO IN “LIFE IN COLOR” AT ARTISTS’ COOPERATIVE GALLERY
Through June 26
LIFE IN COLOR
Artists’ Cooperative Gallery 405 S. 11th St. artistscoopomaha.com The Artists’ Cooperative Gallery’s mission of supporting regional artists and connecting their community took a global approach this year with an artistic and cultural exchange program developed with Costa Rica. A desire to introduce the artist coop model to Costa Ricans led to a partnership with the Cultural Exchange Department in San Jose. Five Omaha Coop artist-members (Judith Anthony Johnston, Katrina Methot-Swanson, Lori Elliott-Bartle, Cheri Gins-
berg and Linda Hatfield) exhibited work and helped create a similar cooperative approach with artists and community builders in the region. The complement to the exchange begins in June, when five Costa Rican artists exhibit their work in Life in Color at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery. The exhibiting artists include Isidro Con Wong, who infuses elements of his Chinese ancestry with the inspiration he takes from the family farm he grew up on in Costa Rica. Elisa Morera’s work reflects a variety of styles. While focusing on items in realism like flowers and portraits, her work can take on impressionist or even surrealistic tones to evoke emotion and inward reflection. Martha Espinoza taught herself by studying the great masters but became drawn toward abstraction and symbolism following her husband’s death in 2011. The connection of the figures in her work may be puzzling at times but ultimately reflect a harmonious world. Born in Costa Rica, Beatriz Bearden came to the United States as a
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young girl. The journey she made as a child and subsequent travel has inspired work that reflects the diversity humanity and captures moments that reflect her subjects’ lives. Monica Lizano tells stories through her work using vibrant color and symbolism. Fish appear often in her work, conveying the energy and emotional process we take in our lives. The Cultural Exchange Program’s coordinator, Judith Anthony Johnston, hopes to keep this relationship growing. She says there is a plan to create sister cities between Omaha and Alajuela, Costa Rica and continue creating gallery exchanges. Longer term goals will hopefully include new countries to partner with. Life in Color will be a great opportunity to discover new artists and see first-hand the effects of artistic engagement. “Communicating our cultural inspirations and perspectives makes for a meaningful art experience and I hope we see more exchanges in the future,” she said. — Melinda Kozel
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DALE WATSON VIA WWW.DALEWATSON.COM
Sunday, June 5 OMAHA CHAMBER MUSIC First Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street 3:00 p.m., $5-$20 www.omahachambermusic.org Tango. One word. Astor Piazzolla. Two. They go together. Three. Step off from there. Let the sound seep into your soul. The wide world now embraces the beat, the throb, the sensuality originating with that Argentinian master. Classical music players aim to replicate his pieces. So do those in the spirit of jazz. Members of the Omaha Symphony combine with others in Cuatro estaciones porteñas, anglicized as Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, written between 1964 and 1970. Porteña or porteño means “port,” in this case referring to the port area of Bueno Aires, the birthplace of tango. These Four Seasons seem to seamlessly merge with the sense of Vivaldi’s dynamics, sassy rhythms connecting to flavors of the Baroque as Summer shines into view. Autumn becomes melancholy; a cello makes that clear. Winter slows in its tracks for a spell. Then Spring dances around a fugue. Speaking of the cello, when Piazzolla started along his personal path, he came up with a new sound akin to chamber works, with jazz-like improvisations, which included the cello, not heard before in any tango. Jose Bragato’s instrument was integral to that new thing, becoming a years-long mainstay. Immersed in the concept, Bragato soon orchestrated the pieces for many different instrumental combinations. In his early compositions, Piazzolla, classically inspired, had gone in many directions, leaning towards earlier music too, playing Bach on his bandoneón, taught how by an Hungarian classical pianist and student of Rachmaninoff. It’s no surprise then that this concert starts with such inheritance, a Bach Brandenburg Concerto. Like the Argentinian, the German composer created his own versions of dance forms without any intention of getting people on the floor to rhythmically move about. On future OCM Sundays this month expect delights from Ravel, surprises by Prokofiev and Stravinsky. Plus more. — Gordon Spencer
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Sunday, June 5 TYLER, THE CREATOR Sokol Auditorium, 2234 South 13th Street 8:00 p.m., $30 www.oddfuture.com
The rapper, producer and Odd Future member Tyler, The Creator is set to perform at Sokol in support of his third studio release Cherry Bomb. The alternative west coast rapper first made noise with his 2011 release Goblin and continued to attract more fans with his second studio release Wolf. Tyler, The Creator’s alternative hip-hop sound accompanied by shock-value bars has generated buzz since his first release. Lyrical themes in his music include topics such as racial and social identity, insecurities and self-hatred. He has performed at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Coachella and is set to play at Bonnaroo in June. Tyler, The Creator won the 2011 MTV Video Music Award for best new artist. — Trent Ostrom Friday, June 10 2ND ANNUAL $100 ART SALE FUNDRAISER Project Project, 1818 Vinton Street 7:00 p.m. www.facebook.com/projectprojectomaha
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Project Project, an experimental space on Vinton Street in South Omaha that focuses on promoting and enhancing the experience of art, music and lectures in the community, is hosting its 2nd Annual $100 Art Sale fundraiser. Featuring a wide variety of work from across the country, the $100 Art Sale helps to fund the DIY mission of saying “yes to as many artists as possible,” said Joel Damon who, along with Josh Powell, co-founded and operate the venue. All artworks will be sold for $100 on a first-come, first-served basis. Get there early, Damon advises, as last year the line was a block and a half long. Free water, beer, wine and Project Project “Punch Punch” will be provided. Project Project is a 100% volunteer emerging arts endeavor, part of a growing vibe on Vinton that now includes Darger HQ and Gallery 72 virtually next door and The Appolon and Oracle Art Supply just across the street. All funds raised during the $100 Art Sale will be used to pay rent, insurance and to provide as many opportunities as possible to artists for shows and events in the coming year. — Michael J. Krainak
Friday, June 10 & Saturday, June 11 NEBRASKA FOLK & ROOTS FESTIVAL Branched Oak Farm, 17015 NW 70th Street, Raymond, NE Friday 5:00-11:15 p.m., Saturday noon-11:00 p.m., one-day pass $20, two-day pass $30 www.nebraskafolkandroots.com Folk-Americana virtuoso songwriter and musician Darrell Scott from Nashville headlines Saturday night. He is a sought-after artist whose credits include a stint with Robert Plant’s Band of Joy. Colorado-based indie-folk songwriter-performer Gregory Alan Isakov & The Ghost Orchestra headline Friday night. This year Isakov is releasing a moving, inspirational album of his work recorded with the Colorado Symphony that has been previewed on NPR. Other artists on the two-day, two-stage festival include The Bel Airs, Denver’s Edison, Kris Lager Band, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, CJ Mills, Jack Hotel, Mesonjixx, Mike Semrad, Matt Cox Band, Mezcal Brothers and more. There will also be workshops plus vendors for food, art and merch. See nebraskafolkandroots.com for details, lodging options and advance tickets. — B.J. Huchtemann Monday, June 13 DALE WATSON Reverb, 6121 Military Avenue 8:00 p.m., $15 www.dalewatson.com Dale Watson, the legendary Texas troubadour, will be in Omaha to share his musical talents as one of the last true honky-tonk artists. The music Watson brings to the stage is true country music. On this tour he travels with, “His Lone Stars” and together Watson and his band perform songs off his latest album, Call Me Insane. Two decades of performing has given Watson the credibility as a oneof-a-kind country music man who can be compared with the greats like Willie Nelson and George Strait. Watson was born in Alabama, but raised in the Lone Star State and he recorded his latest album in Austin. Dale Watson and His Lone Stars were featured on an episode of the
SHEILA HICKS: MATERIAL VOICES
popular ABC show, “The Bachelorette.” Watson and his band have had many other mentions and appearances this year in print and on TV. Even if you are not a diehard fan of Watson, if you have any interest in the original country singer legends, you will want to buy a ticket and lend your ears to this talented musician for the evening. — Mara Wilson
isolated, enlarged and designed from bold circles encapsulate strong reactions to contemporary flash points. As a wry comment on American Capitalism, Vargas adds that this exhibition will make all works available for purchase, along with stickers, t-shirts and limited edition digital prints. — Janet L. Farber
June 16 CEELO GREEN Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. 9:00 p.m., $33 www.waitingroomlounge.com
Through August 7 HOTHOUSE Darger HQ, 1804 Vinton Street Opening Reception: Friday, June 17, 6:00 p.m. Gallery Hours: Sat. noon-5:00 p.m., Sun. noon3:00 p.m. www.dargerhq.org
Contemporary R&B artist CeeLo Green is bringing the “Love Train Tour Pt. 2” to Omaha. Over the course of his career, Green has been heavily involved with the development of hip-hop, soul and contemporary R&B. Green first began as a member of the hip hop group Goodie Mob, whose first three albums became gold-certified. Green released his first solo album Cee-Lo Green’s Perfect Imperfections in 2002, but found mainstream success in 2006 after joining the soul duo Gnarls Barkley, whose single “Crazy” peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, Green found solo success with his Grammy nominated song “Forget You” off the album The Lady Killer. From 2011 to 2013, Green was one of four judges for NBC’s “The Voice.” Since being on “The Voice,” Green released the solo album Heart Blanche. — Trent Ostrom Through July 31 BART VARGAS: A YEAR OF LIES AND OTHER STORIES Garden of the Zodiac, 1042 Howard Street Opening Reception: Thursday, June 23, 7:00 p.m. Gallery Hours: Tues.-Sat. noon-8:00 p.m., Sun. noon-6:00 p.m. www.facebook.com/TheGardenOfTheZodiac Every four years, the voting public gets treated to a form of spectacle unmatched elsewhere in the world in the form of our presidential election. The 24/7 news cycle especially provides an endless stream of coverage destined to entertain, inflame, and possibly inform the electorate about those seeking our highest government offices. None of the humor, paradox and satire that has become part and parcel of this quadrennial exercise escapes the notice of artist Bart Vargas, who promises to present “an exhibition of political paintings that examine and critique the current state of affairs in his beloved homeland of the United States.” Vargas’ colorful, Pop-inflected work often involves text and symbols that when
Hothouse continues the venue’s duo exploration of artists who complement each other while working aesthetically diametrically opposed. Darger HQ founder/director Launa Bacon also favors such paradoxical collaborations that feature artists with diverse backgrounds. Elizabeth Kauffman, assistant professor at Maryland’s Salisbury University and Luke Severson, ceramics instructor at UNO, are the featured collaborators in Hothouse. While Kauffman works on detailed watercolors on paper, Severson creates sculptures in robust materials such as concrete. What seems to unite the two artists mostly can be inferred in the show’s vey title as “hothouse” or “hothousing,” a controversial form of education for children involving intense study of a topic in order to stimulate the child’s mind. Critics remain divided on the practice, and while child development is a shared motif in the exhibit, the work is often more reflective of one’s search for meaning in light of life’s contradictions at all levels. As Kauffman puts it, “….we all seek to validate our experiences with others. It is this interaction between what I know to be true and what you know to be true that I find so interesting, especially when those truths are at odds.” If anything, Severson is even more conceptual with his unexpectedly familiar sculpture seeking to “manipulate the communicative strength of recognizable objects and forms, creating sculptures in a confluence of material, thought and experience.” — Michael J. Krainak
collide. In the video the artist places animals in a paradox by exposing them to the human world. The video was shot in motel rooms. The animals were removed from their natural habitat and brought into this human environment. This 24-minute video comprised of surrealist vignettes begin to reveal each animal’s instincts. Animal behavior is comprised from these instincts, it is what makes them who they are. Just to name a few of the instances in the movie, Joslyn has given a few previews in their description of this exhibit: a beaver finds his way to the running water in the bathtub; an unruly bison sends furniture toppling over with its massive head; a cougar tears into pillows and rabbits frolic. migration (empire) is an epilogue to Joslyn’s Go West! exhibition and the impact humans have had on the landscape and animals inhabiting it. It is also said to reflect on notions of what signifies the American West. Aitken explains: “It’s almost like a survey of the landscape. . . It’s a cinematic portrayal of an idea that’s somewhat fictional, futuristic, yet set within our current reality.” — Mara Wilson
STILLS FROM MIGRATION (EMPIRE) BY DOUG AITKEN
sculpture to take advantage of the soaring architecture of the Foster wing. — Janet L. Farber Through May 2017 HORSES OF HONOR Midtown Crossing at Turner Park Public Art Exhibition www.midtowncrossing.com
Through September 4 SHEILA HICKS: MATERIAL VOICES Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge Street Opens Sunday, June 5 This is a ticketed exhibition www.joslyn.org With Sheila Hicks: Material Voices, Joslyn Art Museum adds a fiber-rich exhibition to Omaha’s art diet. In fact, this show supplements the usual fare in two important ways: bringing attention to a medium (textiles) often underrepresented in fine art museums, as well as shining a light on an internationally renowned artist with Nebraska roots. Sheila Hicks was born in Hastings in 1934 and went on to study art at Yale University. Her encounters there with luminaries of color theory (Josef Albers), preColumbian art (George Kubler) and architecture (Louis Kahn) provided structure for her own early explorations in indigenous weaving techniques in Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Morocco and beyond. Settling in Paris where she still makes her home, Hicks would go on to become a singular force in transforming colorful, hand-worked fibers into distinctive sculptural expressions. The Joslyn exhibition will feature work spanning 50 years of Hicks’ oeuvre, ranging from wall-hung tapestries to clusters of small fiber orbs. Also known for her large-scale installations, Hicks will be making a site-specific, ceiling-hung
Horses of Honor Omaha, a public art exhibition in the Midtown Crossing area honoring the lives of fallen officers of the Omaha Police Department, was unveiled in May and will remain in view for approximately one year. The project, which mirrors the Horses of Honor inaugural program held in Chicago, includes eight life-size horse statues that are individually designed by Omaha area artists. The life-sized, riderless horses, seven honoring individuals and one dedicated to all fallen Omaha police, are sponsored by local Omaha businesses or organizations. All are currently on display in prominent locations throughout Midtown Crossing’s Turner Park. The project will culminate with the sale of the horses in the spring of 2017 and proceeds will benefit the Omaha Police Foundation. The one-year anniversary of Omaha police officer Kerrie Orozco’s death, May 20, 2016, was the official unveiling of the project. — Michael J. Krainak
Through September 4 DOUG AITKEN: MIGRATION (EMPIRE) Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge Street Opens Saturday, June 4 www.joslyn.org Doug Aitken’s migration (empire), 2008, is focused on the idea of what happens when human and animal worlds
HORSES OF HONOR ARTIST BOB DONLAN
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BY CHERIL LEE
Shining the light on solar panels: Common questions asked and answered
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olar panels are getting sleeker, more defined and more efficient all the time, so today developers are able to put up smaller panels that actually collect more sunlight than in the past. If you’ve been thinking about having a solar array installed at your home, chances are one or more of the following questions have crept up. Here we offer you a list of the most common questions about solar panels and arrays, answered by Graham Christensen, president of GC Resolve, LLC. It’s been cloudy for days, are my solar panels doing anything? Christensen explained they will still generate electricity through the clouds unless blizzard conditions cut most of the sun out. For the most part though, your solar panels will still generate some electricity even on a cloudy day.
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The good news is when you’re out of energy from the solar panels, there’s a seamless transition to the grid. The solar panels are designed to work with the grid. “If the grid goes down, the panels automatically shut off to protect the linemen and folks working on the problem. When everything is normal, solar panels will produce as much electricity as is needed on the residence. If additional electricity is needed, homeowners are able to draw electricity from the grid simultaneously,” said Christensen. Buying and having battery storage installed with your system helps with this issue. With battery storage, individuals would be able to produce electricity on their own. Whatever electricity they don’t need, they could store in an energy bank (the battery storage) and then if the electricity went out, they could revert to that stored energy.
The same thing applies to night time or days when you run out of sunlight to capture. If you have energy stored in batteries, you could use that to power your home when the panels aren’t producing. “New technologies are becoming available on the market that are smaller, more compact and more affordable. So a lot of people are starting to ask how batteries fit into an array. We can retrofit current system with batteries if they’re designed that way on the front end,” Christensen said. Omaha is a windy city. How do high winds affect solar panels?
“First of all, any kind of financing or grant work we ask the government for requires us to comply with certain codes and that includes ensuring that the solar panels we install are wind tolerable,” he said.
heartlandhealing 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. .
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We never die BY MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN
hen I was 9 years old, my sister took me to work with her on a summer Saturday. She sat me down in the Children’s Department of the old Omaha Public Library where she worked in the catalog department. Kids’ books were in their own special room with big wooden tables and solid wooden bookshelves. She told me I could read anything in there and went upstairs after asking the librarian to keep an eye on me. I was elated. It was the first time I was going to be able to pick out a book to read all by myself. Before that, it was always a school book or one my parents had given me. I sidled over to the shelves and spotted a big, red book titled, Our Friend the Atom. It was by Disney and that was good enough for an adolescent raised on “The Mickey Mouse Club” and “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.” From that book, I learned something that would shape the way I looked at the world from then on. Eternal life: It’s something religions talk about, usually in specific terms and with qualifiers that determine when and if any of us will enjoy it. Souls, spirits and the like are said to be relegated usually to some kind of “afterlife” that is described in varying terms. The trouble with all of those religion-based scenarios is that they require adoption of some sort of tenets seeming to separate the world that we live in now from the world that we (presumably) would live in after the body ceases to function in the way we have grown to expect. But what we’ve been calling “death” isn’t really what we think it is. There is nothing the matter. In order to accept my explanation, (and I’m pretty sure it’s right,) all you need is a dollop of common sense and a simple understanding of science and nuclear physics. See, what Disney’s book revealed to me is the simple scientific reality that our bodies, and indeed all of the seemingly solid, physical matter we know as “the world”, exist actually as the entity known as energy. Modern science, (and for the record, the ancient understanding of the rishis of India and wise men of many cultures,) teaches that energy persists and is in all things. Breaking down the body into its smaller and smaller constituent parts, we find finally that the body is atoms and that no matter how much further we break down those tiny parts, we find nothing that is solid matter. It just keeps getting into layer upon layer of energy. Those “particles” science keeps finding? They’re not solid. They’re just energy balls that contain even smaller energy balls. There is no matter to be found. Losing weight. So live with it. You already know this: you’re not your body. You’re not solid matter. You are, plain and simple, without argument, nothing but energy. Period. Even what you call a “body” is nothing but energy. The energy that is you, energizes the atoms that are your body. Adjust or shift that energy, and the effect can be seen in the way the little balls of energy (atoms) of the body interact. (No surprise then that ancient sciences like acupuncture and ayurveda emphasize working on the energetic level to induce what we call “health.”)
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heartland healing
So you are energy. And in addition, you have self-awareness. You are energy that has consciousness. Most of that consciousness is focused on the body and the things around us that appear to have matter. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that most all the world is entranced by the illusions that lie before our eyes. Which means, of course, that we are fooling ourselves. So, we are energy beings. And that energy that we are has consciousness. Now carry this thinking just a little further. Way further. Outer space kinda further. Outer space seems empty, right? Wrong. There is no such thing as “empty.” Every single nook and cranny of the entire universe is inhabited by… energy. In the sparsest reaches of the universe, energy exists. There is nowhere where energy isn’t. Here’s the jump: If you are energy and have consciousness, awareness, then isn’t it reasonable to consider that the energy that flows through the entire Universe has awareness, too? Yes, it is. Coming to terms. So now we come to religion. Religion is nothing more than a set of dictums that lay out terminology and semantics, wrapped in the trappings of ritual and liturgy. Religion is just words. One religion calls the all-pervasive, neverending energy that flows through the Universe “Yahweh.” One calls it “Allah,” another “God”. Others say “Elohim”, “Jehovah” or “Brahman.” Science calls it the Unified Field. New Agers call it Divine Being or Whatever. All are just words for the same thing. So become an atheist for a minute. Just call it “Energy that has consciousness and flows through all things.” So far, we can accept that we are energy. That we have consciousness. That there is an Energy that pervades all things. Take a leap and admit that, since we’re energy and we have consciousness, then it’s probable that the massive Energy that flows through all things has consciousness. Now we’re getting somewhere. Energy also has a scientific reality in basic physics that it can neither be created nor destroyed. That said, when our personal energy shifts and no longer coalesces as a “body,” is there a reason our consciousness shouldn’t remain “aware?” So what should we do? Awareness is just that: being aware. If you don’t know something, you don’t know what you don’t know. If all you believe and know of and have experience with is that image of energy that we call a “body,” then you don’t know what you don’t know. And if what you don’t know includes not knowing that you are energy that cannot be destroyed, only shifted, you’re not going to be aware of that, are you? So, when you’re done with the body, and you are not aware that you are nothing but energy, you risk spending a lot of time being unaware. Devote some time in the now to become more aware of that energetic, eternal self that is you so that when the body is cast aside, you don’t wake up brain-dead. Be well. ,
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
OPENING WEEKEND SATURDAY JUNE 18TH MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY
OMAHA DESIGN CENTER 1502 CUMING ST.
2 BLOCKS FROM THE STADIUM
TICKETS SOLD AT THE DOOR OR VISIT WWW.DEFYGRAV.COM
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8th Old Market Farmers Market
fooddayomaha.com
Nominate A Food Day Champion! awards.fooddayomaha.com
Healthy food and healthy food policy is a growing movement in our community and to recognize the hard work and vision of those organizations and individuals leading the charge locally, we’ve created the Food Day Omaha Awards to celebrate our advocates in 5 areas:
w Producer of the Year w Restaurant of the Year w Retailer of the Year w Nonprofit of the Year w Food Day Champion of the Year Please nominate the individual or organization that best exemplifies and represents the mission of Food Day. The top 5 nominees will be celebrated and one from each category will be recognized at Food Day Omaha on October 8 in the Old Market. Working with the public nominations, the Food Day Omaha Awards Committee, a group of 9, will select the final awardees.Â
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Friday, June 10th • Saturday, June 11th • Sunday, June 12th
Join Us at the 42nd Annual Omaha Summer Arts Festival • Fine Art
• Children’s Fair
• Fine Craft
• Artist Demonstrations
• World Music
• Food & Beverage
Explore OSAF and win great prizes! (Saturday, June 11, only)
Visit the Info Booth for full details. Sponsored by:
FREE! Downtown Omaha • Farnam Street • 10th to 15th Streets
SummerArts.org
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS CenturyLink Artists’ Market & Omaha’s ArtSeen Friday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. TasteFest Friday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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he city’s largest free event with 135 professional, juried artists, a full lineup of free concerts and a kids-only shopping experience, Omaha Summer Arts Festival (OSAF) offers three days of arts immersion. With more than 3 million people from throughout the Midwest visiting the Festival since its inception in 1975, OSAF continues to be voted by Omahans as the city’s top festival. The 42nd annual OSAF, presented by First National Bank, returns to downtown Omaha June 10-12 on Farnam Street alongside the Gene Leahy Mall. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 10, and Saturday, June 11, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 12. The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is presented by First National Bank and sponsored by the Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund, Presenting Media Sponsor WOWT NBC Omaha, Artists’
Market Sponsor and Official Technology Provider CenturyLink, Children’s Fair Sponsor Nebraska Methodist College, Youth Arts Presenter The Sherwood Foundation, and World Music Pavilion underwriters the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. OSAF is also supported by Park Omaha. The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is a magnet that draws people together to celebrate art in all of its forms and varied expressions. Its mission is to present culturally diverse, highquality arts programs, performances and exhibits in downtown Omaha for the general public to enjoy and appreciate free of charge. Omaha Summer Arts Festival, Inc. is a non-profit arts organization led by a volunteer board of directors comprised of 15 area businesses, arts and community leaders. The Festival is professionally managed by Vic Gutman & Associates, the region’s premier event management company.
World Music Pavilion Friday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Young Artist Exhibition Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Nebraska Methodist College Children’s Fair Saturday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Douglas Street Downtown Library
Gene Leahy Mall Food Fri. & Sat. 10 - 6 Sun. 1 - 6
Gene Leahy Mall Trucks!
Booths 66 - 82
Booths 93 - 140
Booths 83 - 92
Artists’ Market
Artists’ Market
Discover Parking Solutions with Park Omaha App
Farnam Street Booths 40 - 14
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Children’s Fair
Artist Demonstration
Restrooms
Food Vendor
Volunteer Check-In
ATM
Stage
Info Booth & Store
Children’s Fair
An Ocean of Fun at the Children’s Fair n Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, the Nebraska Methodist College Children’s Fair takes place at 11th and Farnam Streets. Dozens of hands-on activities and art projects for children ages 3 to 10 are offered with the theme O-Fishally Artists. Area organizations including Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, El Museo Latino, YMCA of Greater Omaha, Girls Inc. and many more offer a wide range of art-related crafts and games during the Festival. Admission and designated activities are free. Tickets for additional hands-on crafts and other activities can be purchased for 50 cents each, with most requiring one to four tickets.
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Brulé Stage
13th Street
Harney Street
14th Street
15th Street
World Music Pavilion
Booths 13 - 1
10th Street
Booths 53 - 41
11th Street
Booths 65 - 54
Young Artist Exhibition
www.SummerArts.org
SAF is proud to partner with Park Omaha to offer information and discounts on parking in the Downtown area. To make parking easier, visitors can download the free Park Omaha app. With the app, users can pay for parking without leaving their vehicles and receive text messages and in-app reminders before meters expire. Exclusive for OSAF attendees, receive two dollars off rates at Park 1, Park 2 and Park 3 (offer applied upon entry to the parking garage). For more details and the discount code, visit www.summerarts.org/ directions-parking. Visit parkomaha.com for a list of all available public parking downtown.
Discover Original Art for Every Budget at The CenturyLink Artists’ Market
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ith the visual arts as its cornerstone, OSAF features 135 artists from across the country. The artists were selected from over 450 applicants by a jury of local and regional art enthusiasts and professionals. The CenturyLink Artists’ Market offers an opportunity to purchase unique fine arts and crafts including painting, jewelry, clay, glass, sculpture and photography. Visitors can expect a variety of high-quality artwork in a price range to fit all budgets.
Channel Your Inner Artist at ArtSeen
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maha’s local ArtSeen is thriving and each year OSAF invites local galleries and artist groups to display and sell their work while they interact with the community through demonstrations and hands-on public art projects. 2016 ArtSeen participants will include Old Market Artists Gallery, Passageway Gallery, Blacksmith Shop Omaha, Apollon and Blue Pomegranate Gallery. ArtSeen booths will be interspersed throughout the Festival site with artists demonstrating candle carving, blacksmithing, painting and more. In addition, each of the ArtSeen booths will offer a handson art project such as an adult-sized coloring book, candle dipping, leaving your mark on large vases, “leafing” your wish on a large metal tree and creating postcards through Kards of Kindness.
2016 JURIED ARTISTS
Free Concerts All Weekend Featuring Local and National Bands
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he 2016 OSAF World Music Pavilion presents a full lineup of 13 free concerts during the three-day event. Join the fun in the all-ages Pavilion with ice-cold craft beer and wine available for purchase. Special thanks to our World Music Pavilion sponsors Heartland Chevy Dealers, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Premier Midwest Beverage CompanyLagunitas Brewing Company and Nebraska Lottery.
FRIDAY, JUNE 10
NOON Omaha Musicians’ Association Jazz All-Stars Featuring longtime Omaha songstress Camille Metoyer Moten, the Omaha Musicians’ Association Jazz All-Stars will be performing with veteran musicians Joey Gulizia on drums, Mark Luebbe on bass, and Dan Cerveny on keys. They will play a mix of jazz standards, R&B classics and smooth ballads to open the Festival.
3:30 P.M. Blue House with the Rent to Own Horns Blue House with the Rent to Own Horns is an internationally known blues band that has been at the forefront of the Omaha music scene for 26 years. They have recorded five albums which showcase the band’s powerful horns and vocals with a solid groove. Members of the band have performed with a long list of musicians and groups from Ray Charles to Maroon 5. Don’t forget your dancing shoes!
5 P.M. Hector Anchondo Band Quoted as “the next big thing,” Anchondo is the band that has everybody talking. Known as Midwestern road dogs, Anchondo plays to anyone who appreciates their eclectic blend of Latin/reggae/rock and ska. With their skilled musicianship and high-energy live shows, Anchondo is standing out and quickly emerging out of the Midwestern circuit turning heads and
gaining legions of fans everywhere they go. The ball has been rolling fast for Anchondo since they started six years ago playing several spots at the SXSW music festival as well as several stops on the Warped Tour.
7 P.M. Bernard Allison As a true “son of the blues,” Allison possesses the requisite guitar feel and vocal intonations along with the massive horns sound necessary to push his blues into the next century. Bernard Allison totes the same smokin’ six-string shooter that his late father Luther Allison assaulted the blues with. He is blessed with his father’s soulful voice, spiritual devotion and a musical freedom which experiments with the blues.
SATURDAY, JUNE 11
11 A.M. Gurukulam Center for Indian Arts Bharatanatyam is possibly the oldest classical dance repertoire. It is said to have originated in the temples of southern India thousands of years ago. The music used for this dance is a form of south Indian classical music called “KarnaaTa.” Clear geometrical movements with complicated footwork executed in a half sitting position marks the unique technique of this style. The songs are almost always spiritual in essence, which are interpreted through various hand gestures and facial expressions.
12:30 P.M. The Time Burners A husband & wife rockabilly duo from Lincoln, who met playing music in their high school years and have been together ever since. The Time Burners are a perfect blend of rockabilly and classic country with original music.
2:00 P.M. Winchester
Utah-based band with original music full of pop hooks and a soulful vibe. The two-time Battle of the Band’s champion relies on his
catchy songs and witty banter to win his audience. Winchester grew up listening to classic pop and rock radio. The hooks and soulful vibe show through in not only his original songs, but in the classic rock and relevant pop covers as well. His music is a refreshing take on everyone’s favorite songs.
3:30 P.M. Studebaker John A Chicago blues original who plays from the heart and always takes his own distinctive approach to contemporary blues. As a songwriter and musician, Studebaker John has emerged as a major creative force in the world of the blues today. Ahead of the pack, with vision and foresight, creating a new standard and landscape for this music’s future… with John at the wheel, the future is now!
5:00 P.M. The Lucky Losers Danger meets sophistication in the soulful music of The Lucky Losers, San Francisco’s premier male/female duetfronted band. Accompanied by a d y n a m i c f i v e - p i e c e ensemble from St. Louis, veteran artists Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz deliver an inventive, hypnotic, spin on ’60s Chicago blues and Stax Volt-styled R&B.
7:00 P.M. Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters Washboard player Dopsie Jr. has been hailed as the Mick Jagger of the marsh with his bubbling, melodic gumbo concocted from Cajun/Acadian music, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and melodies. Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and The Zydeco Twisters have continued to develop in their own right. Junior Dopsie is considered to be the best rub board player in the world, and is a charismatic and electrifying stage performer. His dancing, splits, and audience participation antics make the band’s
performances exciting and keep listeners involved and dancing.
SUNDAY, JUNE 12 11:30 A.M. Prairie Gators
The Prairie Gators take you on an accordionfueled virtual trip through Cajun country and French Louisiana music history. A typical Prairie Gators set stokes the fires of Cajun-zydeco-Creole cultures, but is often prone to a bit of musical wandering itself, venturing into traditional folk, country, rockabilly and a slew of “train” songs…. something for everybody.
1:30 P.M. Luigi Inc Luigi Inc is a five-piece jazz combo founded by the late jazz legend Luigi Waites. Luigi Inc has the distinct honor of maintaining one of the longestrunning gigs in the country, performing over 1,650 consecutive Sundays at Mr. Toad’s Pub in Omaha’s Old Market. Waites passed away in 2010, but as the late jazz icon would have it, the music continues on with saxophonist Curt McKean, guitarist Jeff Scheffler, guitarist Steve Gomez, drummer Steve Knight and trumpeter Doyle Tipler.
3:00 P.M. Prairie Cats Based in Omaha, the Prairie Cats return to the OSAF stage after six years to bring their highenergy original swing to the masses. The eightpiece band delivers an all-original “pop-swing” mix of jump-blues, big band, rockabilly, Latin and bop, delivered in an all-out rock attack. But it all swings, Jack…make no mistake about it.
BRULÉ
É
Festival Activities
weekend. Performing Saturday and Sunday, The Spoon Man offers a hilarious interactive comedy that’s a spoonful of family fun. Performing for over 25 years, The Spoon Man’s performance contains outrageous impressions, a sing-along competition and the opportunity for everyone to get “spooned.”
Featured Illustrator
Deals and Prizes and Brulé! Oh My! On Friday, June 10, music fans are invited to a special TGIFF (Thank Goodness It’s Festival Friday) celebration featuring a full lineup of blues music and a special promotion in the World Music Pavilion. From 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Festival offers three drink tokens for $10 (a $12 value) with the tokens good throughout the weekend. A Festival Passport Program is offered on Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Festivalgoers 19 years and older can visit the OSAF Information Booth, located at 13th and Farnam Streets, to pick up a passport that provides clues to a series of locations throughout the Festival site. Completed cards can be returned to the Information Booth to be entered to win one of a variety of prizes including concert tickets, gift cards and more. The drawing is held at 6:30 p.m. on the Luigi Waites Main Stage. Entrants need not be present to win. Always an OSAF favorite, Brulé performs on the Landmark Plaza throughout the weekend. The seven-time Native American Music Award-winning group thrills the audience with a mergence of cultural rock and theatrical instrumentations. Strolling performers Sam Malcolm and The Spoon Man also contribute to the Festival atmosphere. Malcolm’s performance is a perfect combination of stand-up comedy, world-class juggling skills and a big smile, which makes his show entertaining and fun for everyone. Off-the-cuff comedy, audience participation and a jaw-dropping grand finale make for a show to remember. Malcolm performs throughout Festival
The Festival has continued its longstanding tradition of featuring an original illustration created specifically for OSAF. Alison Fox from Naperville, Illinois, is this year’s Featured Illustrator and has been a stainedglass artist for more than 35 years. Fox’s work should be familiar to many festivalgoers, as she has been a mainstay in the OSAF Artists’ Market for many years. “I am so honored to be the 2016 Featured Illustrator. OSAF has always been my most favorite art show and I look forward to doing it each year,” Fox said. “This is just the icing on the cake!” Visit Fox at booth #105 in the CenturyLink Artists’ Market.
Follow Your Nose to a Variety of Food Trucks, Snacks and Desserts
In addition to a full weekend of entertainment, visitors can purchase beer, wine and other ice-cold beverages at the World Music Pavilion. TasteFest features a variety of local restaurants and vendors offering menus from seafood, pizza, gyros and hot dogs to kettle corn, funnel cakes and German-roasted almonds. For the second year, OSAF also presents a Food Truck Court at 14th and Farnam Streets with local vendors including La Casa Pizzaria, Maria Bonita Mexican, Sweet Lime Thai Food Express and Hy-Vee Curbside Cuisine.
A Shopping Experience for the Youngest of Art Enthusiasts
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rt Collectors in Training (ACT) offers children an opportunity to purchase original artwork donated by the professional artists participating in the Festival. After their purchases, young buyers and their families are encouraged to meet the artists who created their work by visiting them at their booths in the Artists’ Market. Last year, more than 200 children participated in this thriving program, which encourages the appreciation of the arts at a young age. OSAF partners with The 402 Arts Collective to coordinate and staff ACT. Volunteers from The 402 offer guidance and inspiration to the children as they select their artwork and then encourage them to visit with “their” professional artist. The 402 Arts Collective brings people together to create and cultivate a vibrant network of artists who are committed to impacting the culture and serving the Omaha community.
Recognizing Metro’s Talented Youth at the Young Artist Exhibition
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ore than 30 metro schools are represented at the 21st annual Young Artist Exhibition. Artwork created by students in grades 6 through 12 is displayed in the Michael Phipps Gallery at the W. Dale Clark Main Library during the Festival. Scholarships, recognition awards, art supplies and special prizes are presented at a reception for students, teachers and parents on Saturday of the Festival.
A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors!
PRESENTED BY:
Sponsored By:
Supported By:
Holland Foundation
Mammel Foundation
Special Thanks To: 402 Arts Collective • Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture • Katherine Anderson • Broadmoor Development • Chastain Insurance Agency, Inc. • City of Omaha Parks & Recreation - Brook Bench • Dick & Elaine Elston • Jason Fischer • Lindsay Foltz • Alison Fox Fraser Stryker PC LLO • Stephanie Heller • Hy-Vee - Madison Avenue • Images of Nature • Leslie Bruning • Johnsen Sign Company Steve Krueger • Christine & Pete Lochren • Lund Co. - Paul Rutherford • Malibu Gallery • Mangelsen’s • McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp, P.C., L.L.O. • Nebraska Dept. of Revenue - Sheila Kelly • NuStyle Development Corporation • Omaha Blues Society • OMNE Productions • Passageway Gallery • Peter Kiewit Conference Center • Adam Sawyer • Spaghetti Works • Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops • Karen Stiehl Osborn • Stokes Grill & Bar • Jeff & Paula Yoachim Omaha Summer Arts Festival, Inc. Board of Directors President • Jennifer Harrahill, WEX Health Vice President • Kevin Langin, First National Bank Treasurer • Leah Carlson, Deloitte & Touche LLP Directors Todd Boswell • First National Bank Pat Dytrych • Target Candice Friedman • OBI Creative Michael Godek • Godek Painting and Sculpture Wendy Hamilton • Girl Scouts-Spirit of Nebraska Molly Hartford • Ervin & Smith Justin Kadlec • WOWT NBC Omaha Denise Mazour • McGrath North Danielle Penke • Solutionary Amy Reiner • The Blue Barn Theatre Lea Schuster • RDG Planning & Design
Omaha Summer Arts Festival, Inc. Festival Management Festival Management: Vic Gutman • Executive Director | Elizabeth Balazs • Festival Manager Heidi Walz • Operations Manager | Emily Peklo • Senior Festival Coordinator | Christine Dunn • Festival Coordinator | Molly Halvorson • Festival Coordinator | Sarah Jones • Festival Intern Pennie Martindale • Bookkeeper
Marketing: Todd Boswell • Candice Friedman • Wendy Hamilton • Jennifer Harrahill • Justin Kadlec • Denise Mazour • Lea Schuster Elizabeth Balazs • Christine Dunn
Festival Committees Executive Committee: Jennifer Harrahill • Kevin Langin • Leah Carlson Vic Gutman • Elizabeth Balazs
Visual Arts: Todd Boswell • Michael Godek • Emily Peklo • Molly Halvorson
Children’s Fair: Julie Freeman • Molly Hartford • Amy Reiner (Chairperson) Mura Thatcher • Molly Halvorson Development: Vic Gutman • Elizabeth Balazs Molly Halvorson • Emily Peklo
Performing Arts: Kevin Langin • Elizabeth Balazs • Buck Weyerman
Young Artist Exhibition: Emily Longe • Cathy Witt (Coordinator) Derek Witt • Dylan Witt • Stacy Witt Molly Halvorson • Emily Peklo
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eat
mealsonwheels Local entree-preneurs take it to the streets
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ne local restaurant owner has raised quite a controversy over the location and taxation of food trucks in the Old Market. Michael Henery has filed a suit against the city claiming that food truck owners have cost him customers, and that laws regulating which establishments pay a 2.5 percent restaurant tax are unconstitutional. Owner of Michaels in the Old Market, Henery is suing the city for not enforcing his interpretation of a parking ordinance, and seeking approximately $100,000 in restaurant taxes his business was subject to under what he refers to as an ‘arbitrary� law. Henery claims that the tax forced him to raise prices and that the ability to charge less for their wares gives food truck owners an unfair advantage over brick and mortar establishments.
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STORY BY SARA LOCKE | PHOTOS BY DEBRA S. KAPLAN
Henery is a lonely crusader against the traveling table, however, as most brick and mortar owners have shown a great deal of support for the cooking caravans. In fact, while redeveloping The Blackstone District, owners specifically created a design with food truck vendors in mind, hoping to create a welcome place for them to park. An established food truck park on 11th and Nicholas hosts a rotating list of trucks, and several Omaha business parks look forward to the daily arrival of a host of nomadic snack shacks. City ordinance only specifies that trucks follow the same parking regulations as citizen vehicles, including not obstructing traffic, feeding meters, and following time allotments. continued on page 40 y
FRIDAY
JUNE 3rd 6-9 PM First Friday is a free event celebrating local creativity in Omaha's most historic neighborhood.
Ride Ollie The Trolley No Charge!
Visit galleries to explore fresh perspectives and meet the artists. For event information, go to FirstFridayOldMarket.com or email: mmgmetalsmith@cox.net
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Hit Squad
SATURDAY, JUNE 11 Taxi Driver
TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Grace & Logan
THURSDAY, JUNE 2 The Mighty Jailbreakers
MONDAY, JUNE 13 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 The Brits
FRIDAY, JUNE 3 Hott 2 Trott SATURDAY, JUNE 4 Bozak & Morrissey MONDAY, JUNE 6 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band TUESDAY, JUNE 7 Pete Fucinaro Group WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 Bozak & Morrissey THURSDAY, JUNE 9 Us & Them FRIDAY, JUNE 10 MoSynth
TUESDAY, JUNE 14 Billy Troy WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 Daybreak THURSDAY, JUNE 16 Hegg Brothers FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Outlaw Road SATURDAY, JUNE 18 D*Funk MONDAY, JUNE 20 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Funk Trek FRIDAY, JUNE 24 Waiting For Weekend SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Eckophonic MONDAY, JUNE 27 Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band TUESDAY, JUNE 28 Billy Troy WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 Bill Chrastil THURSDAY, JUNE 30 Brian England
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y continued from page 38
This Mobile Mangia Machine Isn’t Going Away...
With over 50 food trucks currently owning permits in Omaha, a number 3 times greater than in 2010, this new tradition has a great deal of traction. These trucks are going places, and with the elevation in creativity and quality, I’m excited to go along with them. Many trucks are sourcing local and organic ingredients. Reimagining standards, like Peanut Butter Johnny’s, brings freshness to nostalgia. Fauxmaha makes vegan fun with their clever plant-based hot dogs, while Scotty’s Go-Go Grill elevates the humble dog and fries by bacon-wrapping a frank before serving it with a sweet pepper relish and duck fat garlic parmesan frites. Many restaurant owners welcome the challenge to step up their game, and the result is a fun competition for our attention. And when a fleet of amazing chefs compete, diners win.
United We Roll
Chicago Dawg House owner Kelly Keegan has assembled The Omaha Food Truck Association, a crack team of Mobile entrée-preneurs, to unite as one voice in the community helping to create legislature to protect the mobile meal
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houses. Most of the vendors have expressed that the city and citizens have been very helpful and open to aiding in the creation of an inclusive environment, and they are willing to do the legwork to get it done right.
This summer, a handful of festivals look forward to welcoming the mobile menus
Taste of Omaha (100 Riverfront Drive, June 3, 4, and 5) hosts dozens of tents and stands from Omaha food vendors, and like take your daughter to work day, the trucks line up beside the established restaurants hoping to be noticed. Beer Fest (Stinson Park at Aksarben Village, 67th and Center Streets, June 10-11) is ready to supply your post-suds sustenance. Mobile vendors will be on hand all day from Battle of the Beards to Beer Academy. That same weekend, the Tandem events of the annual Santa Lucia Festival and he Summer Arts Festival will take place downtown. The Lewis and Clark Landing hosts Santa Lucia (June 9-12), which will feature a scattering of trucks and vendors, while The Gene Leahy Mall will welcome the 42nd annual Summer Arts Festival (June 11-12). A food truck court will be held at the corner of 11th and Farnam near the Children’s Fair. continued on page 42 y
Dundee retailer Scout: Dry Goods & Trade has been perfecting the art of “buy, sell and trade” since 2008, owner Kelly Newell says, and before summer ends the business will be expanding from its current space at 5019 Underwood Avenue—which will be known as Scout South— right across the street to soon-to-be Scout North at 5018 Underwood Avenue. “It will still feel like Scout, but a little diff erent,” Newell says. The second, larger location is expected to open right around July 1st. It’s been a year of growth for the company, which also began selling merchandise in Lincoln earlier this year through Home & Closet Vintage at 33rd and B Streets. Scout buys modern and vintage men’s and women’s clothes and accessories from sellers in the community.“We are similar to consignment except we are technically ‘re-sale’; that just means
we buy items outright from customers,” Newell explains, adding that sellers receive store credit or cash for their items before they leave “without the hassle of having to wait for the items to sell.” For buyers, all items are pre-screened for quality and season-appropriate merchandise is on display. Not only does the practice of re-sale keep great clothing and accessories in circulation, Scout’s business model includes a commitment to environmental awareness and reusing and reducing materials whenever possible: cow-feed buckets for seating, rescued paint for interior walls, even flooring and counter surfaces created with scrap lumber.
potential for the addition of new merchandise categories like home accents and decor in the future, Newell says. Scout (South) is open through the expansion project seven days a week from 11:00 to 7:00 . To keep track of Scout North’s progress and grand opening activities, visit ilovescout.com or follow Scout on Instagram or Facebook. The expansion “takes everything to the next level,” Newell says. “It will be more fun and interesting and we’ ll better serve customers.”
Scout is a BYOB shop (bring your own bag). Two locations will make possible not only a greater volume of goods, but also creates the | THE READER |
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Cabela’s hosted a Food Truck Rally at the end of May, and Junktoberfest in Bellevue bragged about a Food Truck Food Court in the old Southroads building parking lot. In October, Omaha will host the First Annual Omaha Food Truck Rodeo in Benson. The cast of culinary characters has not yet been finalized, but you can keep track and get excited by joining the event site on Facebook. In addition to these events, area business associations have arranged regular food truck visits for their patrons and passers-by. Beginning July 7 and ending in September, Gene Leahy Mall will host Food Truck Thursdays with a rotating vendor list. Papillion hosts Food Truck Fridays featuring a different truck every week. The Twisted Vine serves as Grub Hub for the weekly wares. The Blackstone District is known for being welcoming of new restaurants and foodventures, and the Blackstone Bazaar June 4, as well as their food truck brunch events are only further evidence of their hospitality. The last Sunday of every month, Blackstone Business District hosts a Food Truck Brunch. Parking on 40th and Farnam, the vendors will accept 10 percent off coupons, which are available at most Blackstone business the day of the event. To stay up to date on vendors, follow The Blackstone District on Facebook.
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| THE READER |
eat
Keeping tabs on the location of your favorite food truck is a daunting task, darn those wheels! Always check the website, Twitter, or Facebook of your favorite vittles vendor before hitting the road, or just head out and see what grabs you! Maria Bonita is an offshoot of the Mexican brick and mortar on 51 and L, while Anthony Piccolo’s Mobile Venue is the grandchild of the recently closed and decades-beloved Piccolo family restaurant. LaCasa Pizzaria has taken tradition to the streets, and Johnny Ricco’s brings Brooklyn to the yard. A Taste of New Orleans caters Cajun to your car, while Island Seasons runs a Caribbean caravan. Mosaic Pickle strives to represent as much culture as they can from the back of a van, serving Asian, BBQ, Mexican and Soul. LocalMotive sources from area farms, elevating street food to heart-andsoul healthy status. The truck keeps two standard locations with opposite hours (one afternoons, the other as late as 3 a.m.) and pops up wherever hungry people need good food. The food truck game is strong in Omaha, and with area chefs flexing some serious street smarts, the future of mobile mangia is muy caliente! ,
JUNE SHOWS JUN 8
THE SHOW WITH ADAM & SEAN
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
The SHOW is a music comedy duo from Los Angeles featuring the talents of Adam Chambers & Sean Durrie. They each moved to Hollywood on the same day. One from San Diego, one from Omaha. They met that very day & became best friends. Together they write & sing songs about Dinosaurs & Dating, not exactly in that order. They have appeared at numerous clubs & colleges across the country.
JUN 9 & 12
DANNY KALLAS
JUN 10-11
JOEY DIAZ
JUN 16-19
MARK CORDES
JUN 23-26
PETE LEE
Loud. Soft-spoken. Intelligent. Dumb. Gritty. Goofy. Those are some adjectives that have been used to describe comedian Danny Kallas. His act’s all over the place; from absurd silliness to smart satire. Danny’s material is delivered in his thick, blue-collar accent & he sounds like he could easily be your neighborhood mechanic. Danny is co-creator, producer, & member of the stand-up comedy collective Comedians You Should Know.
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
Joey Diaz got his start in comedy while serving a short stint at a correctional facility in 1988. While there, if the movie projector wasn’t working, he would do stand up to fill the time. Learning he had skills to make an audience laugh, he pursued comedy after his release & begun performing at an assortment of comedy clubs. Diaz continues to tour & perform at the biggest comedy clubs in the country. Diaz’s raw style of comedy is highlighted with recurring sketch roles on Stand Up Revolution & Jimmy Kimmel Live. Mark Cordes is an inventive comedian and humorist. He has been hailed by critics as a “One Man Laugh Factory”. Having toured and worked with stars David Sanborn, Kenny G, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr, Little River Band, and dozens of others, it is evident that his humor and versatility is in great demand. Mark is a master jokesmith - sophisticated, clever, and clean, with impeccable timing, comfortable charm, and innovative, intelligent material.
Pete Lee’s comedy is candy coated with a dash of mean. He mixes cutting punchlines with an underdog perspective to absolutely roast himself on stage. His likable style and self-deprecating humor have made him one of the hottest acts today. He made his television debut on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend. In addition to standup, Pete also loves writing, directing and editing web shows. A few years back, Pete created a web show called Unsportsmanlike Conduct, which attracted the attention of the NFL..
JUN 29
WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGING AND WE HAVE THE CHAMPAGNE
FLOWING!
CHRISTOPHER TITUS SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT
Currently touring his new show “Angry Pursuit Of Happiness” Titus has done the work, paid the dues & has the history to show that he is one of the best comics working. Not happy to just write bit after unrelated bit Titus always brings a cohesive, complete show. Titus’ comedy is part rant, part confession, part therapy but always funny. His reputation is one of a hard, funny comic who takes no prisoners & gives the audience everything he has. He has gone after the world, relationships, families, & the human race & himself.
Stop in for any of our 4 flavors on tap and don’t forget Monday’s Half-Off glasses of our famous bubbly!
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOMY!
COME CHECK OUT OUR NIGHTLY SPECIALS
15 blocks off Dodge on 50th St ( Turn right at Peanut roundabout ) | THE READER |
JUNE 2016
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| THE READER |
MONA2omaha
Including works by Albert Bierstadt, Augustus Dunbier, Jessie Nebraska Gifford, Dan Howard, Keith Jacobshagen, Wright Morris, John Spence, Thomas Worthington Whittredge, and more!
A SELECTION OF NEBRASKA LANDSCAPES from the Museum of Nebraska Art
GALLERY 1516 1516 Leavenworth, Omaha Phone 402-305-1510 Hours: Friday Saturday Sunday 11 am - 5 pm First Friday 11 am - 8 pm
Terra Firma On view through June 12, 2016
Detail: Larry Ferguson, #131-96-6 - Black Angus, Holt County, Nebraska, silver print (9/25), 2002 Gift of Nebraska Arts Council, Governor’s Arts Award - 2008, Museum of Nebraska Art Collection
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culture GAMECHANGER:
The $15 million new addition to the North Omaha Girls Inc. center will enable the nonprofit to serve more youth and community members through after school programming and enhanced facilities. It is a game changer for an already highly successful organization who long ago outgrew its pre-exisiting home, a nearly century old building short of space and amenities. The addition makes a bold statement that girls matter. “I think we’ll see more teens in our programs because this expansion separates them from the younger girls and provides more opportunities to get drawn into our programs,” said Roberta Wilhelm (right, inset) , Girls Inc executive director.
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BigMoves
New Girls Inc. Center offers expanded facilities and programs STORY
BY
LEO
ADAM
BIGA
|
PHOTOGRAPHY
A
poor inner city North Omaha neighborhood recently gained a $15 million new investment in its at-risk youth. The Girls Inc. of Omaha center at 2811 N. 45th St. long ago outgrew its digs in the former Clifton Hill Elementary School but somehow made do in cramped, out-dated quarters. Last month the nonprofit dedicated renovations to the old building as well as the addition of an adjoining 55,000-square-foot structure whose extra space and new facilities allow expanded programming and invite more community participation. The changes prompted the complex being renamed the Katherine Fletcher Center in honor of the late Omaha educator who broke barriers and fought for civil rights. The addition is among many recently completed and ongoing North O building projects worth hundreds of millions dollars in new development there.
| THE READER |
culture
This local after-school affiliate of the national Girls Inc. takes a holistic approach to life skills, mentoring, career readiness, education enrichment and health-wellness opportunities it provides girls ages 5 through 18. Members are largely AfricanAmerican, many from single parent homes. Others are in foster care. Young girls take pre-STEM Op-
BY
DEBRA
S.
KAPLAN
eration SMART through the College of Saint Mary. Older girls take the Eureka STEM program through the University of Nebraska at Omaha. There are also healthy cooking classes, aquaponics, arts, crafts, gardening, sports, field trips and an annual excursion outside Nebraska. Girls Inc. also awards secondary and post-secondary scholarships. The addition emphasizes health and wellness through a gymnasium featuring a regulation size basketball court with overhead track, a fitness room, a health clinic operated by the University of Nebraska Medical Center, a space devoted to yoga, meditation, massage and a media room. Amenities such as the gym and clinic and an outdoor playground are open to the public. The clinic’s goal is to encourage more young women, including expectant and new mothers, to access health care, undergo screenings and get inoculations. continued on page 48 y
Omaha Performing Arts Presents
“Not your grandmother’s Tupperware Party!” - NBC Today Show
June 2 - 5, 2016 Holland Center | Scott Recital Hall
TicketOmaha.com | 402.345.0606 ADULT CONTENT WARNING: Contains strong adult content and language. For mature audiences only.
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culture READYSET:
A big, bright, open indoor commons area, the Girls Hub, is where the brick, circa 1917 historic landmark meets the glass and steel addition. Before the open house program director Emily Mwaja referenced the high anticipation. “I’m ready, the girls are ready,” Mwaja said. “We’re ready for everything.”
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Dedicated teen rooms give older girls their own spaces to hang out or study rather than share space with younger girls as in the older facility. Multi-use spaces there became inadequate to serve the 200 or so girls who daily frequent the center. “I think we’ll see more teens in our programs because this expansion separates them from the younger girls and provides more opportunities to get drawn into our programs,” says executive director Roberta Wilhelm. “They may start as drop-ins but we foresee them getting involved in the more core programs and becoming consistent members. So we think we’ll impact more girls and families.” A big, bright, open indoor commons area, the Girls Hub, is where the brick, circa 1917 historic landmark meets the glass and steel addition. “The design team showed great respect for how to best join the two buildings and for the importance of this space and for the social aspects of how girls gather and interact,” Wilhelm said. The impressive, brightly colored, prominently placed new addition – atop a hill with a command-
| THE READER |
culture
ing view – gives the organization a visual equivalent to its “strong, smart and bold” slogan. “It’s a big statement,” said director of health access Carolyn Green. “It speaks loudly, it brings awareness, it turns heads. People can’t wait to come through and see what is all in here.” Before the open house program director Emily Mwaja referenced the high anticipation. saying, “I’m ready, the girls are ready, we’re ready for everything.”
Girls Inc. member Desyree McGhee, 14, said, “I’m excited for the new building. I feel it’s giving us girls the opportunity for bigger and better things and bringing us together with the community. I just feel like a lot of good things could come from it.” Her grandmother, Cheryl Greer, who lives across the street, appreciates what it does for youth like Desyree and for the neighborhood. “It’s just like home away from home. I have seen her grow. She’s turning into a very mature, respectful young lady. I think Girls Inc. is a wonderful experience for these girls to grow up to be independent, educated adults. The center is a great asset for them and the community.” McGhee said Girls Inc. empowers her “to not just settle for the bare minimum but to go beyond and follow your dreams. It’s really given me the confidence to thrive in this world. They really want you to go out and leave your mark. I love Girls Inc. That’s my second family.” Girls Inc. alum Camille Ehlers, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, said caring adults “pour into you” the expectations and rewards youth need.
“It was motivating to me to see how working hard would pay off.” She says she felt called to be strong, smart and bold. “That’s what I can make my life – I can create that.” Mentors nudged her to follow her passion for serving at-risk students, which she does at a South Side of Chicago nonprofit. Denai Fraction, a UNL pre-med grad now taking courses at UNO before medical school, says Girls Inc. nurtured her dream of being a doctor. Both benefited from opportunities that stretched them and their horizons. McGhee is inspired by alums like them and Bernie Sanders National Press Secretary Symone Sanders who prove anything is possible. Wilhelm says, “Girls Inc. removes barriers to help girls find their natural strengths and talents and when you do that over a period of years with groups of girls you’re helping affect positive change. A lot of the girls are strong and resilient and have chops to get through life and school but if we can remove some barriers they will go so much farther and be able to accomplish so much more. We see ourselves in that business. “If you help a girl delay pregnancy so she’s not a teen mom, it’s a health outcome, an education outcome, a job outcome, it’s all of those things, they’re all tied together. If you are feeding girls who are hungry that impacts academics and also impacts growing bodies. I do think our holistic model has become more intentional, more focused. We use a lot more partners in the community who bring expertise, We are all partners with parents and families in lifting up girls. The Girls Inc. experience is all these things but the secret sauce is the relationships adult mentors, staff and volunteers cultivate with youth.” Al-
ums come back to engage girls in real talk about college, career and relationships. The shared Girls Inc. expereince creates networking bonds. She says support doesn’t stop when girls age out. “Even after they graduate they call us for help. We encourage that reaching out. They know there’s someone on the other end of the phone they can trust.”Assistance can mean advice, referrals, funds or most anything. Everyone from alums and members to staff and volunteers feel invested in the bigger, bolder, smarter Girls Inc. “It’s not just about the million dollar donors,” Wilhelm says. “We all have ownership in this. I always tell the girls, ‘The community invests in you for a reason. They want you to create a better future for yourself, to be a good student, to focus on education, to live healthy, to make good choices. They think you’re worth this investment.’” She says there’s no better investment than girls. “Girls make decisions when they grow up for their families for education and health. To the extent you can educate girls to make wise decisions and choices you really do start to see cycle breaking changes. How you educate girls, how you treat girls, how you invest in girls matters over time and we’re a piece of that, so we’re foundational. The girls graduating college now are maybe going to be living and working in this community and hopefully be a part of the solution to make North O more attractive to retain the best and brightest.” ,
PLAYBALL:
Amenities such as the gym and clinic and an outdoor playground are open to the public. ”It’s a big statement,” said director of health access Carolyn Green (left). “It speaks loudly, it brings awareness, it turns heads. People can’t wait to come through and see what is all in here.”
HOMEPLACE:
Girls Inc. member Desyree McGhee (far left below) is excited for the new building. “I feel it’s giving us girls the opportunity for bigger and better things and bringing us together with the community.” Her grandmother, Cheryl Greer, appreciates what it does for youth like Desyree and for the neighborhood. “It’s just like home away from home,” Greer said.
For more info, visit girlsincomaha.org. Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s work at leoadambiga.com.
culture
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art NOPUSH:
Rob Gilmer (above), who has been a major supporter of emerging artists in Omaha for two decades through his RNG/Dixie Quicks Gallery (top and at left), shares the sense that something is missing from the visual arts in the region. “If we were vibrant,” he says, “we’d be pushing, pushing, pushing. We’d have lots of spaces to see art at different tiers, ranging from little holes in the wall to major venues, all showing work where it is immediately obvious that the artists are pushing themselves really hard.”
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ShowMe,ShowMetheMoney! Visual artists struggle to be seen, valued, in Omaha’s art vibe STORY BY ADAM PRICE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEBRA S. KAPLAN
Part of an ongoing series exploring the framework within which Omaha’s visual artists labor
T
he practice of exhibiting and selling art out of small commercial galleries is a complicated affair. On the one hand, small galleries are one of the principle means by which visual artists earn money to buy housing, food, health insurance and, critically, time to grow and mature in their abilities as artists. Without some stream of funding, artists can’t be artists. On the other hand, small galleries also are one of the primary opportunities that the general public has to see the work of artists in our midst. In between these two constituencies, the art-viewing public and the compensated artist, is the commercial gallery sale. Historically, commercial galleries have focused their efforts on selling expensive work to highnet worth individuals. Over time, that pattern has al-
| THE READER |
art
lowed a relatively small group of collectors to dictate what contemporary artists are permitted to make, and, by extension, what contemporary art all of us are permitted to see. Even though these commercial arrangements can be the source of some concern, an artist community without exhibition spaces is like the sound of one hand clapping. Omaha falls short on its exhibition opportunities for local artists. UNO art history professor Adrian Duran is blunt in his assessment as to what is lacking in the arts community. “There aren’t enough assholes here,” Duran says. “People need to be hungrier and have more of a killer instinct. You need to get in the trenches and fight like hell to get your spot. Art is a slow burn sometimes, but where are the artists who are fighting here, banding together, creating spaces of their own volition, like Project Project? “There should be 30 of those in garages around the city. Where’s the punk rock aesthetic in the Omaha art
community? Who is running a yellow extension cord from a street light to power a set of turntables in an artist space? Where’s the art criticism? Who’s going to the galleries and saying ‘this show is garbage?” Long-time residents agree with Duran’s observation that the city needs more spaces devoted to the display of visual art. Rob Gilmer, who has been a major supporter of emerging artists in the area for two decades through his RNG Gallery located in Council Bluffs, shares the sense that something is missing from the visual arts in the region. “If we were vibrant,” he says, “we’d be pushing, pushing, pushing. We’d have lots of spaces to see art at different tiers, ranging from little holes in the wall to major venues, all showing work where it is immediately obvious that the artists are pushing themselves really hard.” In the absence of these kinds of robust exhibition opportunities, the visual art scene in Omaha is at risk of stagnating. “In a city of this size there should be
more happening,” says Omaha artist Kim Darling. “There are some underground galleries and popup shows, but it’s not really vibrant yet.” At least one significant piece of the problem is that, historically, Omaha’s collecting community has used its market power to demand art at steep discounts. The result: much less money available to support a wide range of exhibition spaces. Impoverished artists and gallerists are hard-pressed to execute new ideas. Emily Moody, executive director of the Omaha Creative Institute, says “what we ask of artists is different than we ask of anyone else. Nobody thinks that a coffee shop is making better coffee because it is struggling. No one is asking coffee shops to give coffee for 70 percent off because poverty is good for them. But we do that with our artists. We’ve become so used to buying art at 70 percent off or 50 percent off. It’s tough for artists and for galleries.” One Omaha-area artist with national connections, who asked to remain anonymous, believes “the art-buying culture in Omaha is like people who are looking for an all-you-can-eat buffet for $15.99. Art buyers here want a good deal, and they can be really cheap about it. Collectors here love to talk about their deals.” Critically, this artist notes, the fixation on “getting cheap art” signals a group of patrons who care “about art but not about artists.” According to Omaha artist Tim Guthrie, the dynamic makes it feel “like you are being knocked down all the time.” Guthrie notes that, in contrast to the scarcity of funding for artists, there is quite a bit for major arts institutions. Guthrie sees this institutional funding as a core problem, however, and not a silver lining. “Cultural money in this town,” he says, “is very deeply invested in the survival of institutions and not the survival of individual artists.” Omaha’s funders, he suspects, are “protecting the establishment.” Executive director Moody is more tempered in her tone, but does not differ fundamentally from Guthrie’s conclusion. “The arts organizations get good funding. But artists are not supported as artists. They may get paid to teach or for other specific purposes, but I don’t think there is a direct line right from funders to arts organizations to artists.” Jennifer Barry, the owner of Revolve Fine Arts sees the results of this overall dynamic in her daily work. “This is a very tough town in which to be an emerging artist or to be able work full-time as an artist,” she says. “Local artists do not feel empowered or supported.” Start-up spaces that add to a genuine vitality in the city, from Project Project on Vinton Street to Petshop in Benson, also report chronic shortages of cash. The founders of these kinds of spaces typi-
cally hold down day jobs and pour their own funds into operations to keep their venues afloat. Omaha artist Reagan Pufall just returned to town after operating an art space in San Francisco. Pufall is fully supportive of everyone who is operating galleries in Omaha on a shoestring, but he is hesitant as well. “There’s only so long you can run a gallery as a labor of love. If you are going to be successful and sustainable that requires unimaginable amounts of leg work and constant communication. It’s a full time job if it’s going to at least pay for itself.” For Pufall, the absence of sustainable galleries contributes to “a lack of an emerging arts community and then the absence of a framework for a sustainable mid-career arts community in Omaha. “Anyone who makes it through the emerging artist stage,” Pufall says, “has to leave. There’s plenty of money to support nonprofits, and plenty of money for buying high-end art, but if there isn’t purchasing at the emerging and mid-career phases, the artists can’t afford to stick around.”
Despite the sometimes discouraging outlook, Omaha actually seems to be entering a period of significant experimentation with how art gets made and, especially, how it gets seen. This year, for instance, the Omaha Creative Institute launched its Community Supported Art program, designed to connect artists with young collectors, who were offered “shares” of artist output. Modeled after Community Supported Agriculture, the program offered 40 young collectors a chance to own original works of art from nine different artists for only $300. Although some artists expressed concern that the model perpetuates an expectation of deep discounts, the effort to build a new group of collectors has to start somewhere. The 40 CSA shares sold out in a matter of hours. Jennifer Barry opened Revolve Fine Arts in 2013. Unlike traditional galleries that sell work from their inventories, Revolve leases artwork, primarily to businesses looking to offer an artistic environment to their employees and customers.
art
NOPROFIT:
Mark and Vera Mercer have offered discounted studios to artists and operated the Garden of the Zodiac Gallery (left, inset) in the Old Market for more than three decades.
NOPOWER:
continued on page 52 y
Jennifer Barry (below, seated), the owner of Revolve Fine Arts, sees the results of this overall dynamic in her daily work. “This is a very tough town in which to be an emerging artist or to be able work full-time as an artist,” she says. “Local artists do not feel empowered or supported.”
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NOVIBRANCY:
“In a city of this size there should be more happening,” says Omaha artist Kim Darling (above, far right, with Emily Moody and Bart Vargas). “There are some underground galleries and pop up shows, but it’s not really vibrant yet.”
NOVIBRANCY:
The Garden of the Zodiac Gallery (inset, right), which shows local artists for approximately half of its exhibitions, does not turn a profit, and the studios are decidedly less profitable than they might be, but the owners, Mark and Vera Mercer, continue to subsidize both because they want to live in an Omaha neighborhood that is full of artistic life.
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The businesses get a tax write-off for the leased art, with the option to swap works out annually. The artists get a steady stream of income from the lease payments negotiated by Revolve. Barry reports that Revolve is turning a modest but steady profit. In addition, Launa Bacon just moved her Darger HQ from Lincoln up to Omaha. Darger HQ provides modest commissions to local artists and pairs them with national artists to create new work. Bacon, who strongly believes that artists need to be paid, uses a sales contract at Darger that contains a royalty clause. Modelled after payment practices in the music industry, these clauses require any buyer of artwork from Darger to pay the artist a royalty if they later re-sell the piece for a profit. Perhaps the most important model, however, is an old one: self-interested philanthropy. Mark and Vera Mercer have offered discounted studios to artists and operated the Garden of the Zodiac Gallery in the Old Market for more than three decades. The gallery, which shows local artists for approximately half of its exhibitions, does not turn a profit, and the studios are decidedly less profitable than they might be, but the Mercers continue to subsidize both because they want to live in an Omaha neighborhood that is full of artistic life.
| THE READER |
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“The Omaha arts community needs someone to support it altruistically,” Mark Mercer says. “The invisible hand of the free market isn’t always enough to create real vibrancy. In Paris there is a lot of government support for artists and you see neighborhoods that are artists from one end to the other. “Even in Omaha, there are a lot of places where there are more subsidies. Look at something like an opera—that’s a big production and we understand that it needs community support. Maybe we think that individual visual artists don’t need as much organization as an opera, but collectively maybe they do. Maybe the visual art community here suffers from lack of support.” The Mercers’ ability to see the long-term value of their investments in artists of Omaha has made, and continues to make, an enormous difference in the quality of life in the city. Against this background of troubled history and current progress, Alex Jochim, a co-founder of Petshop gallery, chooses to emphasize the positive. “I’m optimistic,” Jochim says, “because as long as we are having this conversation, and we are
aware that there are things we need to do better as a community, then it will spur further conversations and further action.” Artist Guthrie is not as confident as Jochim that talking about things will make them better. He fears that there are powerful structural interests that will make real reform of the gallery system difficult or impossible. In particular, Guthrie would like to see the artistic process decoupled from the bedrock expectation that visual art is only funded if there is an object to be sold. “Recently, I’ve been seeing this pushback against people who are making art just to make art,” Guthrie says. “It’s mindboggling to me. People get offended or upset that the money isn’t the primary thing. A community that wants to claim the mantle of real artistic vibrancy has to find models that capture the full breadth of human creativity. “Most artists would do different work if they didn’t have to worry about making money by selling the final product to an individual buyer. That’s just being honest.” , Full disclosure: The author sits on the Board of Trustees for Darger HQ.
BRET MICHAELS
LEE BRICE
W/ WARRANT, DOKKEN AND FIREHOUSE
RANDY HOUSER
JUNE 9
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CHRIS STAPLETON W/ SAM LEWIS
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HUNTER HAYES JULY 9
JUSTIN MOORE JULY 10
JUSTIN MOORE JULY 10 § FOREIGNER JULY 14 § CAGE THE ELEPHANT JULY 15 § HANK WILLIAMS JR. JULY 16 BRIAN WILSON PRESENTS PET SOUNDS JULY 17 § GOO GOO DOLLS W/ SPECIAL GUEST COLLECTIVE SOUL JULY 22 WEEZER AND PANIC! AT THE DISCO JULY 23 § M83 JULY 27 § MAC MILLER W/ POUYA JULY 28 SLIGHTLY STOOPID W/ SOJA, ZION I AND THE GROUCH AND ELIGH AUGUST 7 101.9 THE KEG PRESENTS: RICK SPRINGFIELD W/ THE FIXX AND THE ROMANTICS AUGUST 13 BOYZ II MEN & EN VOGUE SEPTEMBER 9 § NEEDTOBREATHE PRESENTS TOUR DE COMPADRES SEPTEMBER 16
CHECK OUT STIRCOVE.COM FOR MORE DETAILS AND LINEUP INFORMATION
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ONTHEFENCE:
Digital prints from 37 area artists were placed on banners and fastened to the chain-linked fence that surrounds (Top left): Bill Hoover. (Middle left): Alyssa Busse. (Above): Paula Wallace.
BannerYear
art
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ust when a downtown tourist attraction was fast becoming an eyesore, the Old Market Business Association made its move. The Mercer Building, gutted by a devastating January fire at its corner of 11th and Howard Streets, has drawn thousands of locals and tourists alike to witness its awful allure and unsteady reclamation. But with the College World Series and Farmers Market on the horizon and the rebirth of foot traffic once again in full bloom, the OMBA began a process to reframe this iconic cornerstone of activity and commerce in Omaha. The result is the generically titled Old Market Art Project, which features digital prints from 37 area artists placed on banners and fastened to the chainlinked fence that surrounds the Mercer Building renovation. Given its low-key approach and little fanfare, first impressions from the arts community and viewers have been quite good. Nearly 300 artists responded to OMBA’s invite to participate. Sponsorships helped finance the banners produced by Curzon Promotional Graphics and
| THE READER |
art
Artists honor rebirth of historic Mercer Building in fire’s wake STORY BY MICHAEL KRANIAK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEBRA S. KAPLAN
visitors are again taking selfies along the fence. Only this time the charred remains in the background are filtered and framed by something more than dust and cranes. Project committee member Steve Raglin credits OMBA President Troy Davis with the original idea of using a site-specific public art initiative to help offset reconstruction and anticipated traffic congestion. “The objective,” said Raglin, who helped oversee the entry process, judging and production, “was to bring life and color to the Old Market and to feature work by local artists. Creativity is a driving force in this neighborhood.” Judges included Vera and Mark Mercer, Jo Anderson, Roger DuRand, Steve Joy and Kathy Nevins, all who have ties to the Old Market. So do many, if not all, of the artists who received a $100 stipend and a credit along with their sponsor on each banner. A complete list of the artists and their sponsors can be found at oldmarket.com/artproject. Though artist compensation is quite small, participants, understandably, rallied to the call for reasons
other than monetary, a mix of both the personal and professional. “I grew up in Omaha,” painter Kristin Pluhacek said, “and had more experience, of all sorts, on the corner of 11th and Howard and in its shops and apartments, basements and alleys I could ever describe. That’s my connection.” It’s personal too for artist Lori Elliot-Bartle, a member of the Artists Cooperative across the street from the Mercer Building, who “entered the project because of my affection for the Old Market, where my family and I spent quite a few work and leisure hours.” Hot Shops artist Paula Wallace put her feelings more bluntly. “Sometimes the right answer is, ‘What the hell.’ The community was thrown for a loop with the fire, but we pick ourselves up and keep moving.” Personal reasons aside, all three see the project’s potential for professional growth, both individually and collectively in the arts community. “This was a large project executed in a very short span of time, and it still maintains some of that grassroots feel,” Pluhacek said. “The people behind it had
honorable intentions and as Old Market merchants were also personally invested in its success.” It’s the sort of investment Elliott-Bartle says could have long-term benefits after the banner display comes down about a year from now according to the OMBA. “At the very least, a project of this sort can increase awareness about artists working in the city,” she said. “I think it makes art accessible to a wider audience. It will be interesting to see what kinds of conversations might begin on the sidewalk and get carried into the neighboring galleries. My hope is that it creates a link between the outdoor and indoor spaces where art is routinely displayed and sold.” Though Raglin accurately points out that the range of artwork includes “unpublished artists who have never had a gallery exhibition,” viewers will recognize as well as enjoy prints from many more established names including, Steve Joy, Erin Blayney, Joseph Broghammer, Karen Kunc, Kat Moser, Christina Narwicz, Rebecca Hermann, David Hernandez, Bill Hoover, Bart Vargas and Judith Welk, among others. It’s this latter group that helps turn this work zone into more of a comfort zone as viewers recognize familiar imagery along the fence. It’s as if friends of the Old Market have returned to the scene of the tragedy to shore up the defense and lend their voice of confidence in the future. The next time you either sashay or mosey along the corridor take notice of the following: You can’t miss Pluhacek’s red sunflower pastel surrounded by green eucalyptus and other pods and a globe rising portentously in the air. Her print dominates one’s view facing north at the corner and sets a tone for this public art spectacle. “The sunflower form is a favorite of mine,” she said. “It has a “god’s eye” quality to it that makes it compelling beyond it’s sturdy cheerfulness. This particular sunflower is red, hot on a cool background. I think that the imagery gently suggests the corner’s recent history of fire and ice, and allows the viewer to celebrate and mourn all at once.” Elliot-Bartle’s mixed media piece “Prairie Road,” the original an oil on birch panel, depicts a path collaged from handmade Tibetan paper cutting though a grassland. The subject has a portent of its own for the artist. “A road to me is a sign of hope, exploration and excitement connected with a new experience,” she said. “These ideas seemed well-suited to a site that has so much history and will go through a transformation as it secures its role in the neighborhood’s future.” “The Way It Feels Sometime,” in Wallace’s signature storybook style that appeals to all ages, also reflects the pervasive Old Market mood and resolve since the fire. In this narrative, a detail based upon an earlier series, the childlike Corky
suddenly stumbles, falls flat, but then is soon is on the move again. “The original painting and prints have sold to patrons who comment that the image and title say what their life is like,” the artist said, “that is, the way it feels sometimes.” Other established artists in this display, such as Hoover, Broghammer, Joy, Kunc, and Vargas also rely on their aesthetic, a few with a variation or comment. For example, Broghammer abandon’s his “flock of Joe” iconic aviary and offers a carefully crafted sow’s head. Vargas uses his geometric montage like a landing strip to the epicenter. And, Hoover, better known perhaps for his lighter, narrative touch, depicts a rather ominous, darker abstract of a child running on a playground. Several artists rely heavily on representational Old Market and downtown scenarios, including Alyssa Busse’s pastiche, Andy Boonstra’s stormy night skyline, and David Hernandez’s Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” inspired skyscape. More to the point, however, are the homages to Nouvelle Eve and M’s Pub by Lisa Gill and Julia Mason. Most poignant of these is the restorative winter scene of 11th and Howard by Judith Welk in her own traditional folk art style. But a personal favorite is Garry Allen’s simple, but elegant contour drawing of two figures paradoxically toasting a time well-spent and more soon to come. Four artists in particular, Joy and Blayney, Hermann and Kunc, take a more abstract approach in tandem and in complementary fashion to the January tragedy. Joy’s subdued, geometric mix sharply mimics the jumbled bric a brac that lies beyond the fence in the aftermath while Blayney’s more expressionistic cool and hot palette mimics the nightmare night of fire, smoke and ice that came before.
Hermann and Kunc’s abstractions enjoy a similar relationship to the evolving scenario above and beyond the banners. Yet, now each pattern indicates that reconstruction has begun, piece by piece, Hermann in her hard-edged, bold design and Kunc in a flowing pastel. Slowly, artfully, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. A year from now, the banners will come down, a bit worse for wear perhaps, but possibly with yet another undetermined life to live. Raglin said they may be auctioned off to also benefit other OMBA projects, “but that has yet to be decided.” The artists also have mixed feelings as to their use. “I would want to see how well they withstand the weather before offering them for sale or further display,” Elliot-Bartle said. “I believe the Old Market Business Association and the Downtown Improvement District will share images throughout the year via social media. I think future uses of the images will have to be discussed with participating artists.” Wallace is also unclear of the banner’s future but not of ownership. “Since the artists received a small stipend for a single-use project, the work should be returned to them,” she said. “If sold, artists should be compensated. Depending on their condition…maybe they could be used at schools or put in windows of empty storefronts.” Whatever else happens to the artwork, Pluhacek likely speaks for all the participating artists with regard to the big picture. “When a project especially an art project remains open, it becomes a lasting member of the community,” she said. “We all take possession, but none of us own it outright. I’m just going to enjoy the pieces for as long as they last, take a lot of pictures, and look forward to the glorious reopening of 11th & Howard.” ,
art
| THE READER |
STREETART:
“I grew up in Omaha,” painter Kristin Pluhacek said, “and had more experience, of all sorts, on the corner of 11th and Howard and in its shops and apartments, basements and alleys I could ever describe. That’s my connection.” Pluhacek created one of the selected pieces below.
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OEAA Summer Showcase for music is Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11 in Benson. See oea-awards.org/blog. The inaugural River City Music Festival takes place in Bellevue’s Sokol Park Saturday, June 18, with multiple acts including headliner George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. See omaharivercitymusicfestival.com. Midtown Crossing presents its second annual Zydeco Festival Saturday, June 25, with a package of Louisiana artists including Cedric Watson, Lazy Lester, Kenny Neal and C.J. Chenier. See midtowncrossing. com/events.
hoodoo
JESSICA KEAVENY
In The Clubs
soulman: Award-
CHIP DUDEN
winning soul-blues artist Curtis Salgado brings his passionate, distinctive, souring soul sounds to The 21st Saloon and Lincoln’s Zoo Bar June 7 & 8.
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.
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summerstars O
ne of the biggest shows of the month comes early with the long-anticipated return of Curtis Salgado to the metro. Salgado hasn’t performed locally in almost two years. He’s back with his bad-ass band and a powerful new record, The Beautiful Lowdown (Alligator). Salgado wrote or co-wrote almost all the songs himself. The tunes range from sleek and lovestruck to gritty and raw with Salgado’s perfectly placed vocal interpretations at the driving center of smokin’ production that includes horns and back-up singers. Salgado is quite simply one of the best, most passionate and heart-felt vocalists working today in any genre. His shows are joyous throw-downs that fill the dance floor and celebrate his love of music from blues to soul to funk to gospel and beyond. Check YouTube for a video of the track “I’m Not Made That Way” and see curtissalgado.com for more on Salgado. Curtis Salgado fires up a special show Tuesday, June 7, 6-9 p.m., at The 21st Saloon and hits the stage at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, June 8, 6-9 p.m.
Deming, Gruenling & The Jewel Tones
Hoodoo favorites, Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones featuring Dennis Gruenling, play The
JUNE 2016
| THE READER |
Return of Curtis Salgado, a last-minute Harman show plus Buckwheat, Doug & Dennis, Hummel, Anson, Little Charlie & More! BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN
Waiting Room Tuesday, June 28, 7-10 p.m. This band is as good as it gets if you like jump-blues, Chicago blues and swingin’ blues. Deming is one of the rare contemporary guitarists who can swing with spark and precision in the tradition of great artists like TBone Walker and Charlie Christian. Dennis Gruenling is a monster harmonica player who draws inspiration from blues harp greats like Little Walter and George “Harmonica” Smith but also takes some cues from the great jump and swing saxophone players. Gruenling has a brand new disc Ready or Not (VizzTone), featuring all-original tunes with Gruenling taking the vocal duties on music in a “1950s rock‘n’roll/rhythm‘n’blues vein.” Deming and Jewel Tones’ bassist Andrew Gohman back Gruenling on the disc.
Festival Scene
It’s a busy month for live music in the metro, with more great shows and festivals than can fit in here. The Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival is in Raymond, Nebr, June 10 and 11. Summer Arts Fest happens June 10, 11 and 12 in downtown Omaha with great free music. See summerarts.org. The 11th annual
hoodoo
Let’s take a look at some highlights and remember you can hit thereader.com for digitalonly updates. Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre presents the great Buckwheat Zydeco Friday, June 3. The 21st Saloon schedule includes Hector Anchondo Band, Amanda Fish Band and Delta Sol Revival Thursday, June 9, Markey Blue Thursday, June 16, and amazing keyboard virtuoso Bruce Katz and his band Thursday, June 23. The house-rockin’ good time of The Golden State-Lone Star Revue featuring Mark Hummel, An-
son Funderburgh and Little Charlie Baty heats things up Thursday, June 30. Thursday shows are 6-9 p.m. with BluesEd youth bands getting a showcase slot at 5 p.m. The 21st also has blues shows Saturdays 8-11 p.m. and will feature a variety of bands Fridays at 9 p.m. Follow The 21st Saloon on Facebook for scheduled shows. Bluesman James Harman has been added to Lincoln’s Zoo Bar calendar for a special show Sunday, June 5, 5 p.m. Some of the other big shows on the calendar include Jason Ringenberg (of Jason & The Scorchers) Wednesday, June 15, 6-9 p.m., keyboard wizard Bruce Katz Wednesday, June 22, 6-9 p.m. Reverend Raven Thursday, June 23, 6-9 p.m., and Zydeco great C.J. Chenier Friday, June 24, 9 p.m. Remember Lincoln’s Zoo Bar hosts live roots music Monday through Saturday. See zoobar.com. ,
JUNE 28 MID-AMERICA CENTER ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM ALL TICKETMASTER OUTLETS CHARGE BY PHONE 800-745-3000
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| THE READER |
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FILM
musicmatters F
or us devotees of Saint Lin-Manuel Miranda, who proudly identify as “Hamilton Trash,” our lives are sharply cut in twain, split simply into “before I heard the musical” and “after.” Prior to my Hamilton awakening, I generally regarded musicals to be the equivalent of internet cat videos: Sure, I vaguely understood the cute and pleasant appeal … but ain’t nobody got time to watch Whiskers the Chunky, Fuzzy Asshole knock a TV remote off the coffee table for two hours. But everything changed the day I spun all the tracks on Miranda’s modern-day masterwork. On a grand level, it redefined art for me, not just musicals. It reduced me to tears of awe. It felt like peering behind a great veil to see the unknowable. My exuberance overfloweth, as I became an evangelist of the most obnoxious kind. “Oh, so you like musicals now. That’s new,” said my friend, who did very much intend on sounding like a dick about it. The truth is, I don’t know. I don’t know if Hamilton was an awakening that will force me to revisit my previous position or a one-time love affair I’ll cherish until the grave. But in revisiting my opinions, I decided to compile a working list of movie musicals that
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film
The 10 best movie musicals ever — As compiled by a guy who (generally) hates musicals
I consider to be my favorite. So here it is: The top 10 movie musicals as seen by a movie guy who isn’t sure he likes musicals… 10.) Purple Rain (1984)
Let’s get this straight, or at least as straight as you can with Prince who defied such binary thinking: Purple Rain is an exceptionally poor movie. The acting is terrible, it has almost no discernable plot and it’s one of those “musicals about music.” But if you can find a way to keep a movie with “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Darling Nikki” and the title track off a top 10 movie musical list, you may have two working ears, but you have no heart. Prince’s recent, goddamn awful, passing has sent scores of fans back to revisit this classic. Endure its flaws and love its raw, fiery musical heart. 9.) The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Can you physically dislike this movie? Are you legally able to resist the siren call of “Time Warp?” Is it possible to resist the genderbending, campy goof shoveled out oodle after oodle? If you can, chances are, you just ran for and lost a bid for the GOP presidential nomination, as you have to lack a sense of humor,
B Y R YA N S Y R E K
self-awareness and a basic appreciation for life itself. I’m already dreading the impending remake and have only endured (yes, I said endured) a handful of live, interactive midnight showings. But when you invent live, interactive midnight showings, you make a top 10 list of movie musicals. 8.) Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
Ask me what I remember most about the first time watching this and I’ll tell you it’s either watching Judas hang himself or the chubby King Herod challenge Jesus to “walk across my swimming pool.” A psychedelic rock’n’roll take on the New Testament fueled by the 1970s simply had to produce something insanely watchable, right? I realize that people will argue that there are better Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals. I can’t argue with them. Oh, not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t like getting into arguments where I’m not at least passably knowledgeable. I call it the “don’t engage in a critical discussion if you’re working from background concepts that can be contained in an infographic” rule. Regardless if there’s better Webber, this flick turned my whine into facewater.
7.) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
If you know me, you know the only question was which Muppets movie would wind up on this list and how high. An annual tradition, watching Kermit and the gang sniffle and flail through this fuzzy take on the Dickens’ classic works for me every time. Hell, this may even be one of my favorite Michael Caine roles, as this was Michael Caine before Michael Caine was just doing a Michael Caine impression. If you can think of a better Christmas musical, you’re wrong, because yours doesn’t have a song performed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. 6.) Mary Poppins (1964)
I mean, come on, right? Sure, this is obviously a movie in which either a Time Lord from Gallifrey escaped The Doctor’s sight and was a nanny briefly or a hummable PSA for why drugs are bad (“A Spoonful of Sugar” isn’t about heroin at all, we swear). Still, other than the fact that “Feed the Birds” is the music that they play as you pass over the river Styx, you have to admit that few musicals have ever been as memorable from the first song to the last, which is called “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” and I still love it anyway. Also, Lin-Manuel Miranda is going to be in the sequel to this one, so I’m obligated to proclaim my devotion. 5.) This Is Spinal Tap! (1984)
For better or for worse (mostly better, but the worse is really, really worse), This Is Spinal Tap! birthed the mockumentary, a genre so ubiquitous it no longer gets a red squiggly line under it via spellcheck. What people seem to forget is, much like later works from parts of this ensemble (like A Mighty Wind), it’s also just a fun musical. Skewering brash British rock while making some really great trashy brash British rock, this is the moment director Rob Reiner went from being “Meathead” to someone to be truly respected. Related: I call him “Meathead” again ever since he directed The Bucket List. 4.) The Wizard of Oz (1939)
It feels dumb to even justify this one. From its synchability with Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” to the rumors about munchkin suicides (which I choose to morbidly believe, so Snopes.com can Snopes. suck.it), this was a pop culture nuclear warhead, the radioactive impact of which is still felt today. Hell, it’s such a good musical, it spawned an imitation musical (The Wiz) that’s a good musical. As one of the bright lines in cinematic history, the film isn’t just high on my list because it’s important. Every member of my family still gets misty eyed thinking about Grandpa whenever we hear “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” This isn’t a movie. This isn’t a musical. This is something more. 3.) Moulin Rouge (2001)
I was so prepared to hate Baz Lurhmann’s Moulin Rouge. I had no love for Nicole Kidman,
found Romeo + Juliet to be way too smug and found the general, loosey-goosey/lovey-dovey plot to be crap. And then I saw it. From Ewan McGregor’s warbly take on “Your Song,” to the frantic/kinetic pacing, to the use of “Roxanne” as a tango, Moulin Rouge is a pure, distilled example of…everything I usually hate about movie musicals. That is to say, most musicals start on the stage. The songs, then, help serve a functional purpose: They use catchy tunes to express what can’t visually be shown. I call these the “I’m going to New York” songs in that they tell you what a character is going to do because it’s too difficult structurally to actually just show them doing that. Moulin Rouge ignored all of that, using every track to underscore emotion, demonstrate visual vibrance or just dazzle with spectacle. If more movie musicals understood the dynamic, and not overly functional, potential of cinematic songs, maybe the genre and I would get along better.
313 N. 13TH STREET / LINCOLN, NE
SHOWING IN JUNE
CALL OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MOVIE TIMES AND PRICES
2.) Once (2007)
I remember feeling like crying throughout the entirety of Once without ever being able to explain precisely why. Maybe it was the way Glen Hansard’s voice buckled and bent sometimes. Maybe it was how Markéta Irglová refused to be the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” she was quite obviously originally conceived as. Maybe it was how they left so much unsaid or unexplained about the love developing and just showed our eyes and filled our ears with the feeling. I know there’s a Broadway version now. I’ll see it at some point. But listening to Hansard wail louder and louder on “When Your Mind’s Made Up” scarred my heart deep enough to never need another version, stage or otherwise. Everything about Once is, appropriately, such a singular experience.
CALL OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MOVIE TIMES AND PRICES
A Bigger Splash Now showing!
Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Dakota Johnson, and Mattias Schoenaerts star in this sensuous portrait of desire, jealousy, rock and roll, and danger under the Mediterranean sun.
1.) Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Ugh, yet another musical about a transsexual punk who had a botched sex change operation, leaving a fragmented “angry inch” of male genitalia, who then had all her beautiful songs stolen by the love of her life, who got famous with them. Hedwig wrecked (still wrecks) me. If you can make it through “The Origin of Love” without crying, I’m sorry no one ever has or will love you. It’s not every movie musical whose central conceit of love is derived from Aristophanes’ speech in Plato’s “Symposium.” And if you didn’t figure that would put it at the top of my list, you apparently have no idea just how lame I am. The core of the film would be considered progressive today with the way it handles drag, transsexuality and gender-free love. The fact that it did so all those years ago, before politicians were taking such “brave stands” against who can use which bathroom is just further evidence of how groundbreaking and brilliant this masterpiece remains. ,
The Lobster Coming soon!
An absurdist comedy with Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and John C. Reilly that imagines a dystopian society where single people have 45 days to find true love, or else they are turned into the animal of their choice and released into the woods.
All showings at Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater. Info & tickets at filmstreams.org.
film
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| THE READER |
overtheedge THROWBACK:
Cultural Attraction in June ‘92. Standing on the steps of the Nebraska State Capitol, from left are Milan Seth, John Riley, Kevin McClay and Mike Tulis.
silverandgold O
25 years in a cab with Mike Tulis BY TIM MCMAHAN
ur story begins with words of advice received by a 25-year-old Mike Tulis some time at the dawn of the 1990s from his bandmate, Kevin McClay. Young musicians and would-be rock stars, pay attention: “McClay told me, ‘Tulis, I’ve been in a lot of bands, and the first rule of being in a band is that bands break up, and if you’re okay with that, you’ll do all right with this.’” Tulis paused to take a drink from his PBR across the table at The Brothers Lounge, then added, “He was right. The most important thing to know about being in a band is that they don’t last forever.” Tulis should know. Few people in the Omaha music scene are as well-known or well-respected as Mike Tulis, a rock bassist and guitarist who’s been playing in bands since the dawn of Omaha’s first golden age of indie rock, circa 1993. But maybe more than a musician, Tulis is a music scene staple, a fan you can count on seeing at all the best rock shows, whether one of his bands is playing or not. It seems only fitting that on the occasion of his 50th birthday and 25th year of playing in bands — “celebrating the alchemy of silver and gold,” as he put it — that Tulis’ first band, Cultural Attraction, is getting back together for one night only at O’Leaver’s June 11. Tulis first met Cultural Attraction guitarist/vocalist Milan Seth his senior year in high school in O’Fallon, Illinois. The two went on to attend the University of Illinois together. After graduation, Seth moved to Omaha and formed Cultural Attraction with the aforementioned wise guitarist Kevin McClay, conga/drummer/vocalist John Riley and mountain dulcimer player Alex Thomas, while Tulis moved to Lawrence, Kansas, to attend grad school. Afterward, he moved to Sioux City in 1991 and made frequent weekend trips down to Omaha to hang out with Seth, Riley and McClay while they busked on the sidewalks of the Old Market. All four (minus Thomas, who left Cultural Attraction in ‘92) met at an FEO Hall show where Pioneer Disaster, Fifth of May and Nine Days Wonder played. “The guys mentioned that they could take over a month-long residency another band, Cloud Machine, couldn’t finish,” Tulis said. “I told them I really wanted to be a part of it, but the deal was they already had enough guitars, which I played. John Riley said, ‘I have a bass. Take it home and see what you can do with it.’” Where was the residency? At the time, some of the band members were living in the neighborhood that surrounded what was then a small sandwich shop off 32nd and California streets called Kilgore’s. Tulis says owner Chuck Kilgore had
just acquired a liquor license and was looking for a way to draw a crowd on Saturday nights. “Chuck said, ‘You have to bring in the PA, book the bands and run it,’” Tulis said. “We’d get the door money, half-price food and free beer. Saturday nights were ours as long as there weren’t any problems.” A deal that was only supposed to last a month became regular Friday or Saturday night gigs for two years for Cultural Attraction and a slew of guest bands and performers that included Simon Joyner, Bill Hoover, Todd Grant, Hannah’s Porch, Richard Schultz, The Beef Curtans, Pleasure Closet, Mimi Schneider, Lonnie & the Lux-o-Values, The Glad Hands, Lavender Couch and artists that would become part of the Saddle Creek Records roster, including a very young Conor Oberst. Kilgore’s filled a niche for musicians, who had few places other than coffee shops, open mic nights and house shows to perform. “Kilgore’s proved people were hungry for something new,” Tulis said. “It became the ground floor for musicians that have kept on playing up until now.” Before long, Joyner and Hoover began booking Kilgore’s on Thursday nights, while Chuck Kilgore, a trumpet player, hosted Tuesday night jazz sessions. Tulis eventually moved to Omaha in 1994, the same year that the Shelterbelt Theatre began hosting productions in Kilgore’s space. The shop’s live music would end a year later. Throughout this period, Cultural Attraction played gigs in clubs throughout Omaha and recorded two cassette tapes: Alien Head, released in 1993, and Shadows, released in 1995, which featured new guitarist and mandolin player Bob Garfield. But shortly after its release, Riley moved to Washington, D.C., effectively ending the band. By then, McClay and Tulis already were playing in Lux-o-Values, which lasted for two years. After that, Tulis took a break before replacing Jeremiah McIntyre on bass in Fullblown, a gig that lasted until October ‘99. That was followed by a year in Greg Cosgrove’s chamber rock band The Great Dismal. Then came The Monroes, The Imposters UK, Simon Joyner and the Fallen Men, The Third Men and Tulis’ current bands, The Sons of…, and Lupines, which just finished recording an album at ARC Studios. After 25 years of playing in bands, Tulis summed up the experience this way: “Being in a band is sort of like being on a business trip. You fly to a city you’ve never been to before and you land at the airport and you have to catch a cab with three or four other people in town on business. There aren’t a lot of cabs, so someone says ‘The next cab that comes along, we should share.’ So we all agree and climb into the cab. The meter’s running and things have to happen while everyone’s in that cab together, because at some point, someone’s going to climb out. That’s the time to make things happen, while everything is still working.” Here’s hoping Tulis never climbs out of that cab. Celebrate Mike Tulis’ alchemy of silver and gold June 11 at O’Leaver’s and see the reunion of Cultural Attraction. Joining them will be Little Brazil and The Sons of O’Leaver’s. , 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
over the edge
| THE READER |
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Other Lives
There is a popular science fiction concept, that of alternate dimensions that contain versions of us that made different decisions, or lived in worlds with alternate histories, and so their lives have been dramatically different than ours. This concept is true -- there are infinite such dimensions out there, with infinite versions of ourselves living out infinite variations of our lives. What we don’t know is that in one of those dimensions they have conceived of a way to cross into others. As a result, interlopers from those dimensions regularly exit their own, looking for preferable lives. When they discover a version of themselves who is enjoying a better life, they murder that version and take their life. This has happened several times in our world, unnoticed. Several of our current political leaders are unscrupulous doppelgangers whom have stolen a life in this one, and are using that life to amass wealth and power, for themselves and their friends.
A series of short predictions
-- 100 years from now, we will still see movies starring the same superheroes on film today. They are our new mythology. -- By 2025, the most popular household pet will be the hedgehog. -- Within 10 years, most of our household chores will be done by dedicated robots. -- By 2060, more Americans will speak Spanish than English. -- By 2100, more Americans will speak Chinese than English. -- Donald Trump will begin doing a long prison sentence within the next five years.
For more on these predictions and others by Dr. Mysterian visit www.thereader.com.
The Bed Dream Time
The greatest problem plaguing mankind in the next decade will be sleep-loss. For a variety of reasons, sleeplessness will become an epidemic, comparable to the current epidemic of obesity. The average American will get less than 4 hours of sleep per night, many getting as little as one or two hours. The results of this will be poor concentration, exhaustion, and, in the worst cases, hallucinations and psychotic episodes. Some will try to treat sleeplessness with amphetamines, to disastrous effects; the current explosion of amphetamine usage will skyrocket, as will the social problems associated with the drug. Sleep will become so precious that people will be found non-guilty when they murder those who wake them, and unscrupulous snake-oil salesmen will offer miracle cures that make them millionaires but cure nothing. This era will last a decade or more, and then will pass, and will be remembered by history as “The Bad Dream Time.”
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