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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1981)
Wednesday, april 22, 1981 daily nebraskan page 1 1 Bluegrass band gains local audience; plans further developments in style By Pat Higgins Cold Spring is a four-piece bluegrass band based in Lincoln that has been playing the bar circuit for the last year. The members include Mike Butts on banjo, Gary Paul on bass, Marty Coniglio on mandolin and Mike Keefe on guitar. "Cold Spring started out as a full-time group last 4th of July at the Brownville festival, where we did well in the competition they were, having," said Keefe. "But for a couple of years prior to that we had basically the same people playing together trying to form a band." profile Cold Spring credits the development of a strong local scene in Lincoln for its growth. "There are six or seven really good bluegrass bands in town but unfortunately there are not enough places to play," Keefe said. "Probably the best for us is Bob's Tavern in Havelock where we spent last weekend. The crowd there already seems to get drunk, loud, and obnoxi ous, especially when Marty starts telling Havelock jokes. "The last few months we were playing a lot of different places around the state but out there they'didn't seem as receptive as people are in Lincoln," he said. "We would be more interested in playing more parties and at informal gatherings rather than strictly at bars, maybe bar mitzvahs or rodeos." Movie benefits The Urban Cowboy movie and attendant media cover age have worked to the benefit of some groups. "I think all that Urban Cowboy proved was that they knew how to use advertising," Keefe said. "The only fringe benefit for us is that people who like country would become interested in bluegrass because they are directly related. If you can dance to country swing, blue grass is easy." Both Keefe's and Paul's brothers are members of area bluegrass hotshots the Sandy Creek Pickers, and Keefe credits them for inspiration. "1 was tired of what was new in rock and roll, although lately I've been getting into the Clash," he said, "so I started listening to the acoustic stuff that Steven Hanson and my brother were doing. I like bluegrass because it is deliberately noncommercial You'll never 'hear 'it on the radio." Bluegrass can trace its roots back a considerable dist ance. "Bill Monroe is usually given credit for putting to gether modern bluegrass," Keefe said. "He took elements of Irish and Scottish fiddle tunes, gospel and blues and put it together. The instrumentation is so unique because the mandolin is used as a rhythm instrument." Evolving style Cold Spring plans on an evolution in style. "All four members of the band would like to be moving in the same musical direction," Keefe said. "We would like to be doing songs along the lines of the Newgrass Revival, who , 12th and St. 477-1234 , STARTS FRIDAY T m . i a . 1 mm mhw . u m m r- v LY W S ...:: ;fvfcW JrwA'-, v 1 :v 3 ii."i -v' ' t D CANNES FESTIVAL AWARD WINNER . BESTSUPPORI INC ACTOR WINNER of 10 AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY AWARDS Including 1W Picture. Best Director, Best Actor ham mtHm. no' m wciW) Mdr The Auunlun Film Commmion A fstw World Ouftrt'him int RckuC are a really interesting group as they almost sound like a rock band at times. Maybe we would also throw in some originals or Fugs material. Marty has been writing few tunes." Cold Spring has picked some classic American themes for inspiration. "We like to do train songs, truck driving songs, instru mental and songs to plant gardens by," Keefe said. "We try to emphasize our harmony singing more than anything else. Wc also may go for a little more variety and perhaps use electric bass or guitar for some country numbers. I'm also interested in Tex-Mex like the Sir Douglas Quintet." Cold Spring has some interesting ambitions for the future. "We have no plans for recording an album " Keefe said, "but we would like to send a tape along on the next space shuttle flight." Ready for Mt. St. Helens, Hurricane Allen, Love Canal. Red Cross: Ready for a new century. American n Red Cross r-J L m douglDs3 ;:Sx;:!& I; 13th & P 475-2222 j ;S4th 8t (fi: I 5:00-7:20-9:40 J : drive -in 488 5353! EXCALIBUR OPEN 7:00 SHOW 7:30 ,R POPEYE IPG) 5:40-7:40-9:40 1 ' NIGHT and HAWKS STAR TREK (R) (PG) ; I-,-5:20-7:25-9:30 :":"X":':"X"X":"X:'--'':':'X'X":":":":'X":"!' 9 to 5 ; (pg) ; The ilTTinTVi i n Goes Rock 'N Roll! This Week lack E!ose FREE BEER 7:308:30 Every Night This Week! Tho on ft 1 South 13th & Arapahoe Indian Village Shopping Center I You and Your Guesfs are Cordially Invited to Attend Our ART EXHIBITION AND AUCTION presented by MONTESSORI SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN at VILLAGER MOTEL 5200 "O" Street on FRIDAY, APRIL 24 7:00 p.m. - Exhibition 8:00 p.m. - Auction LITHOGRAPHS OILS WATER COLORS American & European All Framed Wine & Cheese Donation: $2.00 per person A piece of fine art given as a door prize. Q7 STABTING 7st Ptnhll nn?:, From MXe ,ymCn mt mm m mm mm .m. Vfj wu uiiJLti : I GAMES WILL TW. ' TO ENTRY PEE - v YOVMVS? BE 0 TO ENTEft. ' "PLACEMENT POINTS .WILL " DETERMINE THE 'WINNER" r 0 SI 1