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daily nebraskan
friday, September 15, 1 978
arts and entertainment
Band weakens Ravan's album, spirit
1 'III ' iS ) ff
Photo courtesy 20th Century -Fox Records
Genya Ravan's release, 'Urban Desire,' is in the New
Wave style of Patti Smith arid Lou Reed.
Art gallery's demise
By Mary Jane Winquest
Determination alone just wasn't enough to provide a
showcase for local artists.
Although Frank Kamenicky put a lot of time, money
and interest into the Flight Art Gallery and head shop,
118 N. 14th, he said a lack of money forced its closing a
few weeks ago.
In addition to insufficient funds, Kamenicky said
Lincoln's artistic conservatism was probably another
source of the gallery's failure.
Although Kamenicky said he won't reopen a similar
shop soon, he said he hopes to provide an alternative for
local artists in the future.
"I'm going to pay some debts, go back to school, then
hopefully open another shop," Kamenicky said.
Advertising needed
Kamenicky explained that his shop would have been
more successful if he had elaborately advertised its open
ing last November.
"I should have had more money to start with," he said.
But students and local artists displayed and sold their
artwork at Flight and, according to Kamenicky, liked its
interior bamwood walls because prints could be hung
without frames.
He said customers were primarily 25 to 30-year-old
By JeffTaebel
Genya Ravan, former lead singer for Ten Wheel Drive,
has built herself a strong reputation as being one of the
most dynamic female vocalists in rock. Ravan's explosive
voice can cut through even the hardest heavy metal back
ground with an air of intensity that rivals Pattf Smith.
Unfortunately her talents are, for the most part, wasted
on her new solo effort, Urban Desire.
The album cover shows a trashed-out looking Ravan
leaning against a white brick wall and suggests that there
might be a certain New Wave influence to the music
within. However, this is far from being the case. While Ra
van is a much more coherent vocalist than Patti Smith and
other New Wave artists, she seems constrained by a cer
tain obligation to a commercial vocal style, which causes
a loss of energy on many of the songs.
Music nondescript
This problem extends to the backup band that Ravan
has assembled for this album, which features Charlie
Giordano on keybords, Conrad Taylor and Ritchie Flieger
on guitars, Don Nossov on bass and Bobby Chen on
from lack of funds
Lincolnites looking for artwork for their homes. An artist
himself, preferring sculpture, Kamenicky said his shop
included oils, acrylics and sculptures.
Although volunteer artists helped Kamenicky hang
prints, he said the rising rent and abundance of lookers,
not buyers, was too much of a financial burden.
Profits divided
He said he sold the artwork on a commission basis, 20
percent going to the shop and 80 percent to the artists.
The artists set their own prices.
"I tried to open up a gallery so artists would have a
place to hang things," Kamenicky said, explaining his
disappointment. He said he was also disappointed with the
head shop.
"I hoped the head shop could help support the gallery
but business slowed down in the summer," Kamenicky
explained:
Opened six months before the art gallery, the head
shop was moved downstairs to make room for the art
work. Kamenicky said artists who had not claimed their work
since Flight's closing in August should contact him at
475-5560.
As an alternative for local artists who want their work
displayed, Kamenicky recommended the "D" Street and
Haymarket Art galleries.
drums. While all of the musicians are competent, their
playing is nondescript and doesn't challenge Ravan for
the lead. Perhaps if there was more going on musically
with her band, Ravan would have to push herself a little
harder.
Another major drawback of Urban Desire stems from
the fact that an artist, particularily a vocalist, can only be
as good as his or her material, which is, in the case of this
album, pretty lackluster.
Plodding rock
Side one opens with a song that Ravan co-wrote, called
"Jerry's Pigeons," which is nothing more than an exercise
in plodding, uninventive rock. Aside from a brief quote
from Shaun Cassidy near the end, the song has little to
recommend it.
album review
The second song on the side, entitled "The Knight
Ain't Long Enough," is even worse. This slow rocker is
sadly reminiscent of some of Rod Stewart's filler material.
The side is almost redeemed by the next two songs,
"Do It Just For Me" and "Shot In The Heart." "Do It
Just For Me" is a poignant slow song that has some of the
album's best lyrics: 'K)h that manGot me on a stringHe
leads me around like a deaf, dumb clownWith his come
on, come on, come on."
Song a scorcher
"Shot In The Heart," on the other hand, is a scorching
rock n' roll statement which shows that Ravan really can
be a monster when she has a good tune to work with.
Lou Reed makes a guest appearance on the next
number, "Aye Colorado," and it is a shame that some of
his influence did not show up elsewhere on this ablum.
Were Ravan accompanied by the same kind of band
that backed Reed on his class, Rock N' Roll Animal,
Urban Desire would have been a powerful album. Instead,
it is a frustrating work, full of good intentions and mis
directed exuberance. There also are discreet tinges of
"art statement" as on the thoroughly hideous "Shadow
Boxing," which is yet another painful elegy about life
in the big city, with plenty of New York references
thrown in for authenticity. Reed and Smith can't match
Ravan's native vocal talents, yet they each sound more
believable when they undertake an endeavor such as this.
Discipline, self denial theme of Sheldon dance film
By Alexander Germaine
Live theater always has more to offer an audience as a
communicative, temporal expression. It cannot only be
seen but it can be felt and one can smell the work of the
performers as they reach out to touch the emotions of the
public. Yet film is a vital part of our society today and
it is a pleasure when a film does more than entertain.
Showing at the Sheldon Film Theater, through Satur
day is a film with the power and excitement of the
classical dance as we never really see it in this country.
theater review
"The Children Of Theatre Street" combines the dreams
of children, the beauty of the classic dance, and the time
less music that has created for generations the inspiration
to lift up ones' spirit and dance.
The film is a story of the ballet school in Leningrad.
Here the children are auditioned at an early age and if
they have the potential they are admitted to the school.
Then the slow process of creating an artist begins.
A dancer's life, like that of most artists, is one of self
denial and discipline. These children have given up, for
the most part, the childhood of play and innocence to
become, hopefully, a dancer for the state ballet. Here they
touch us through the film to bring to us the warmth and
dreams they share with each other. And we can empathize
with their aspirations to rise above the ordinary and
iCCinC SCTHS thing that is almost bigger than themselves.
For anyone who has the slightest interest in dance
this film will live for you and make you love the children.
They are the next Baiyihmkovs and Pavlovas. They are
"The QtliitM of Theatre Street", and a must for young
ltd mill &3ar
Photo courtesy of Ppprcorn4Wormser
The Children of Theatre Street, a film tracing the rigors faced by young Russian dancers, narrated by Princess
Grace of Monaco, will be shown at Sheldon through Saturday.
Muscles replace music at Little Bo's
By Mike Schmoldt
People used to go to Little Bo's Center to work up a
sweat on the dance floor. Before long, they will be achiev
ing the same effect by lifting weights and doing calisthen
ics. A new health club is opening at Little Bo's Center,
tentatively on November 15. Mike Osborne, a program
consultant for the future club, said about 38 people
already have signed up for membership after looking at
plans for the club.
Osborne, a muscular man, who played on UNL's
championship football teams, said the night club at Little
Bo's Center was in financial trouble and closed about two
months ago, having lost much of its clientele to a nearby
disco. Little Bo's East.
Good plans
He said he and a friend of his, Scott Avery, suggested
to owner Peggy Vanous that the idle space might profit
ably be converted to a health club. Osborne drew up
plans, computed costs and presented his ideas to Vanous,
who liked them, according to Osborne.
Remodeling began soon after Vanous gave her
approval. Osborne said about $40,000 will be spent on the
club before opening day.
He claims with 7 ,000 square feet of area, the new
health club will be the biggest in the state. Plans call for a
sauna, a dry saunda, weight machines, locker rooms, a
lounge with a 48-inch color television screen, a bar selling
alcoholic beverages and another with juices, a whirlpool
and locker rooms. A health food store may open later.
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