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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 1981)
thursday, november 12, 1981 page 8 daily nebraskan 999 show rocks Lincoln, reflects well on UPC By Bob Crisler The Tuesday night performance of English band 999, who are currently on tour to support their LP Concrete, was a success in all respects. First, the sellout, and then some,, of the Nebraska Union Centennial Room certainly bodes well for the Dennis Wheeler regime currently at the controls of the University Program Council concerts. The initial attempt at a blood transfusion between Wheeler's former charge, the Drumstick, and UPC is a victory for the organization, especially in light of the recent Great Plains Blues Festival fiasco. The band seemed to genuinely enjoy the Lincoln at mosphere and audience. A largely high school-age portion of the crowd slammed the night away in front of the stage, and 999 returned their unbounded energy with divi dends. An overzealous ankle-biter would occasionally bungle his way on stage, only to earn an immediate introduction to the official 999 tour thug, but such incidents only seemed to fuel the band. Soon, they were telling their newfound Capital City chums that they (Lincolnites) were great, and how when the tour got over, they were going to go back and tell all of their English musician-pals about a little burgh in the heart of America's breadbasket. Let's hope they do. Spread of new wave discussed by guitarist By Pat Higgins Nick Cash, guitar player and vocalist of 999, said the band has left Polydor Records and they are weighing of fers from other labels. "Polydor just didn't understand what we were all about. They tried to promote us like we were the Moody Blues. Back in England, we're on Albion Records and we have complete artistic control, which we would want here, too. Polydor never really supported us," Cash said. Like many other English rockers, Cash is a product of art school. "Ian ("Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll") Dury was my tutor in art school, and we formed a group called Kill burn and the High Roads which was part of the whole pub rock thing. That was considered to be a forerunner of the Clash and the Sex Pistols," Cash said. "Art school in Eng land is a very creative place because you have a certain amount of freedom to do what you want. Making music is very simUiar to doing art." Using his art school background, Cash is branching out into different forms of media. "We are particularly interested in video. There are things that we have done in video with lighting that they said was technically impossible, but it worked," Cash said. 999 isn't blatantly "political, but there is a message. "We write songs that are about personal politics, such as frustrations or standing in line filling out forms. I did write "That's the Way it Goes' about Brixton," Cash said. Brixton was the centerplace for the riots last summer. "You would have to be mad not to see that coming, Cash said. "Our song "Homicide" was banned by the BBC as not suitable for airplay, as if we'll corrupt the moral fi ber of the country. Actually "Homicide" is about watch ing too much Kojak on TV." Cash said escapism is not an inappropriate response to 999. "These shows are a chance to release steam. It's no dif ferent than football. So many kids are coming to see us that we're going to crash through the charts" Cash said. There were some differences noted by Cash between the United States and the United Kingdom. "Everyone said that the kids here were just into For eigner and Boston, but when I talk to people here the feel ing and the energy are the same, Cash said. "The big dif ference is the size of the country. A new band can go across England in a couple of weeks and sell a lot of rec ords. That's impossible for a new band here. 999 has about 20 dates left on a 52-city tour. "You do get burned out from too much good living. Our bass player is pulling a Lazarus right now to make the show " Cash said. Continued on Page 9 Finally, the band's performance was stunningly potent. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Nick Cash was a master at working the crowd into a state of frenzy. Bassist Jon Watson drove the short, loud, and fast pulsations home with his visually exciting, abrupt G. I. Joe-style move ments. 999 performed a generous sampling of their earlier work including The Biggest Prize in Sports "Hollywood " "Inside Out," "Boys in the Gang," and "English Wipe Out." A high point of the evening came as Cash introduced "Let's Face It," a song off a 1978 Separates album. "What do you think of your local radio station?" "Boo! Blecch!" Assorted vile remarks. "Well here's a message for 'em: Get off your asses and play something new for a change!" The band came back for two encores, with lead guitar ist Guy Days throwing in some short lead runs on "Homi cide" and their powerful new pop song "Don't You Know i need You?" Opening act was the Alley Cats, who played some simplistically catchy deviations on time-worn themes. "Punk ZZ Top," remarked one in the crowd. His buddy thoughtfully responded, "The Alley Cats, although good at what they do, are no match for the great Judas Priest." An ironic moment came as the trio throttled down for some suprisingly authentic urban blues, when they were flipped-off by a fluorescent-haired contingent in the crowd for not conforming. Even though the hall's air perspired like a sauna even before the show started, and though the stage was too low to be seen from more than a few feet out, the intens ity of the show is unparalleled in recent Lincoln concert history. Photo by Dave Bentz Nick Cash of 999 ON STAGE Boar's Head: Travis & Street, Thursday through Satur day, no cover. Chesterfield's: Wondersea, Friday and Saturday, no cover. Downstairs: Willie Knight, Thursday through Saturday, no cover. Drumstick: Panther Burns, Thursday, $4 cover; Disco Ranch, Friday, $2 cover. Green Frog: Slight Return, Thursday through Satur day, no cover. Hidden Valley: Roy Williams, Friday and Saturday, $1 cover; Little Rock, Sunday, $2 cover. Kraus Korner: Fire and Ice, Thursday through Sun day, $2 cover with first drink free. little Bo's: Movie Eyes with The Eratics, Friday. Mountains: The Excessives, Friday and Saturday, no cover. O.G. Kelly's: Trilogy, Thursday and Friday, $1 cover; Dial-Tones, Saturday, $ 1 .50 cover. Pla-Mor Ballroom: Dennis Wesely, Saturday, $2.50 cover; Math Sladky, Sunday, $2 cover. Reuben's: Luke Stevenson, Thursday through Satur day, no cover. Royal Grove: Twixt, Thursday through Saturday, no cover. Scoreboard: Crossfire, Thursday through Saturday, $1 cover. Sidetrack: Joyce Durand, Friday and Saturday, no cover. Tucker Inn: Free Ride, Thursday through Saturday, $2 cover with first drink free. Zoo Bar: The Morells, Thursday, $2.50 cover, Friday and Saturday, $3 cover. FAC band: Cocktail Shorty and the Tablerockers,$l cover. MISCELLANEOUS FOE Building: Acacia and Kappa Kappa Gamma Melo drama, Thursday and Friday, 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m Tickets $2.50 in advance, $3 at the door. Kimball Hall: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Thursday and Friday; Waiting for Godot, Saturday; Venetian Comedy, Sunday. All shows begin at 8 pjn. Tickets $4 students, $8 non-students. Lincoln Community Playhouse: Dial W for Murder Friday through Sunday, 8 p.m. Tickets $6 adults, $4.25 students. Mueller Planetarium: Starbound: A Space Age Fable, 2:30 pjn. Saturday, 2:30, 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Adults $ 1 .25 , students 50 cents. Nebraska Union Ballroom: Star City Players, Saturday, 8 p.m.,$2per person. Pershing Auditorium: Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Sunday, 8 p.m. Studio 12: The Runner Stumbles, Thursday through Saturday, 8 pjn. Tickets $3 students and senior citizens, $4 general public. ON SCREEN Cinema I & II: American Werewolf in London (R), 7:40, 9:40 Thursday. Beginning Friday, The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, (PG), 7:30, 9:40 Friday; 1 pjn., 3:05, 5: 10, 7:30, 9:40 Saturday and Sunday. Watcher in the Woods (PG), 7:20, 9:20 Thursday and Friday, 1:20, 3:20,5:20, 7:20, 9:20 Saturday and Sunday. Cooper: Time Bandits (PG), 7:15, 9:30 Thursday through Sunday. Douglas 3: Radiers of the Lost Ark (PG), 7:20 9-25 Thursday and Friday; 1:05, 3:10, 5:15, 7:20,9:25 Sat urday and Sunday. French Lieutenant 's Woman (R) 7-35 9:50 Thursday and Friday; 1 pjn., 3: 10, 5:20, 7:35, 9:50 Saturday and Sunday. Arthur (PG), 7:15,9:15 Thursday Sunday 3:I5' 5'15' ?:15' 9:15 Saturday md East Park: Silence of the North (PG), 5:20, 7:20, 9:20 Thursday through Sunday. Watcher in the Woods (PG) 6 ? wm' H2 TJay throuSh Sunday. Only When I Ti(5 5r3' 71' 9A y throughSunday. t1T&7X zzle (X) 10 ajn-t0 d Joyo: Superman U (PG), 7:30 Thursday through Sun Plaza 4: Looker (PG), 7:20, 9:20 Thursday through sunt: VfJIa tifmenrt- W M sssssr The Rocky w 930 fS , f ' lday throuSh Monday 1 PJn. and v.iO, with Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. dayf-30 f 30T10 W30 Thursda and F" Thursy through Sunday. IfliJ
