Friday, November 1, 1985
Daily Nebraskan
Page 9
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Femmes originals; surpass influences
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Violent Femmes
Courtesy George Lange
By Charles Lieurance
Staff Reporter
Yes, of course Gordon Gano, lead
singer of the Violent Femmes sounds a
lot like Jonathan Richman (of Modern
Lovers fame). There's a whole crop of
bands that sound like the Modern Lov
ers, who actually were trying to sound
like Lou Reed and the Velvet Under
ground, who were, where Reed was
concerned at least, trying to sound like
Bob Dylan and Moby Grape.
Concert Preview
Of course, Gano sounds a little
insincere on the latest Violent Femmes
album, "Hallowed Ground," with this
"Jesus Walking on the Water," country
death-song stuff. There is that Oedipal
thing Gano seems to have too, and God
knows neurotic songs are not exactly
rare. Well, that's what most of the crit
ics said, and who's to argue with them?
Then why are the Violent Femmes
"so great?" They play some of the most
original rock 'n' roll to come down the
pike since the Velvet Underground. As
far as I know, the Femmes pioneered
acoustic hardcore. Found playing in
front of theaters in Madison, Wis., for
nickels and dimes, the Femmes are
disarmingly natural. They work their
acoustic instrumentation into such a
grand, passionate frenzy that they
nearly redefine rock W roll.
Jonathan Richman, when he left the
Modern Loves, said he wanted to be
able to play music on an old $5 guitar, a
Tupperware bowl, anything. Gano and
the Femmes may not be the theoreti
cians for this, but they are certainly the
most successful and danceable practi
tioners. Although they are only two albums
and one EP old, the Femmes already
have spawned a multitude of sound
alikes such as the Dead Milkmen and
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions.
When they play in the Nebraska
Union Centennial Ballroom, let's do
ourselves a favor and forget influences,
critics, mimicry and poses. Songs like
"Add It Up," "Ugly" and "Blister in the
Sun" don't really sound like anything
but the Violent Femmes.
The Violent Femmes' sold-out show
starts at 8 p.m. Sunday.
The Dead Kennedys exceed limits
By Charles Lieurance
Staff Reporter
"It's time to taste what you
most fearRight Guard will not
help youBrace youself, my
dear. . . "
Coming into the Omaha Music Hall,
you notice the marquee reads "The
D.K.s" instead of "The Dead Kennedys".
Next door is a Kenny Rogers concert.
What is it you fear most?
A sign over the T-shirt sales table
reads: "The Dead Kennedys make $6 off
these T-shirts, the Hall makes $1.50
(25), so you pay $7.50. We know it
sucks."
About eight years ago the Clash con
demned "turning rebellion into money."
"Jane Fonda on the screen to
dayconvinced the liberals it's
okay so lets get dressed and
dance the night awayWhile
they. . . Kill the Poor. . . "
Klaus Flouride, The Dead Kennedys'
bass player writes "Klaus' Light Bulb
Tube" on a piece of masking tape and
attaches it across the fluorescent
lightbulb above the dressing room mir
rors. The Kennedys road manager tries
to figure out who will sleep with who in
the motel and how much they'll pay the
various groupies who are carrying out a
variety of functions on stage. Mostly
they'll keep giving them beer. Klaus,
with supernatural aim, brings down the
mouth of a Heineken bottle on the edge
of the counter. The lid flies off; the
bottle left intact.
Lead singer Jello Biafra is sitting
quietly in the corner swilling orange
juice and popping health pills.
"So it's Halloweenand you feel
like dancin'and you feel like
shinin ' and you feel like lettin '
loosewhat ya gonna be?Well you
better know and you better
plan. . . "
As you walk down the aisle of the
Music Hall, a red light shines on the pit
and, of course, it looks like the end of
civilization. Local band Power of the
Spoken Word is on stage. Their lead
singer is lying on the stage growling at
the mob. The mob slams bodies on top
of bodies, slipping under and over with
a primitive kind of grace. It's still
pretty tame, but the red light is making
things tense.
At three o'clock that afternoon the
San Luis Obisbo Police Department
allegedly called the Omaha Police.
There had been some trouble in town
when the Kennedys played there. The
Kennedys, it seems, are capable of
inciting riots. The Omaha mayor's
office, Biafra said, was a little hesitant
about hosting The Dead Kennedys right
next door to Kenny Rogers.
The owner of Rainbow Sound has
been crawling the walls all night about
the sound exceeding the limits of the
equipment and the limits of the law. He
wants his money now. The Kennedys
make up some story about union rules
not allowing them to pay the sound
company until the receipts are in at the
end of the night. The owner of the
Rainbow says he doesn't discuss money
during the show. He tells the band
that's "very amateur" and threatens to
pull out the system. The Kennedys'
road manager mumbles under her
breath that if they pull the PA, the
crowd would be "on them" in seconds.
Concert Review
The owner of Rainbow Sound says
the speaker system being used was just
fine with X. Klaus nods and repeats,
"fine with X." Jello pulls on his green
plastic proctologists glove. The owner
of Rainbow sound leaves, looking
behind him a few times as he walks
down the hall.
"Anarchy rules!" The mob roars.
"No. Anarchy rises above rules!" Jello
mocks.
He wears a thrift store cowboy shirt
and orange and yellow plaid checked
pants.
"Oh, you want a revolution?" Of
course they do.
"Well, what kind of a revolution?"
Jello lowers the microphone to an anx
ious head wedged in between a hundred
more.
"A proletariat revolution!" Yeah.
Everybody seems to agree with that.
"What kind of a proletariat revolu
tion?" I guess it's not so much the
question as the voice. Jello, a demented
Mister Rogers, cocks his head and
sneers. I guess maybe it isn't the slo
gans. Maybe it's this:
"Call the Armystocked with
kids from the slumsif you can't
afford a slick attorney we might
make you a spyforget your de
monstrationskids sit on their
ass when ya get drafted. . . "
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Biafra
Andrea HoyDaily Nebraskan
Andrea HoyOaily Nebraskan
A Desd Kennedys Ian putls a bouncer Into the audience.
The Bluegrass Crusade
returns to Lincoln roots
By Chris McCubbin
Staff Reporter
Foot stompers take note! Lincoln
has been starved for months now for
real, live, red-hot bluegrass pickin'.
Now the famine is finally over.
Tonight the Bluegrass Crusade re
turns. The Bluegrass Crusade is a four
piece local band:. Steve Hanson,
banjo; Pete Blakeslee, guitar; Jim
Pipher, bass and Dave Fowler, fid
dle. The band also performs (with
the addition of a drummer) under
the name The New High Flyers,
which does classic rock 'n' roll and
western swing numbers in contrast
to the Crusade's classic bluegrass.
The Bluegrass Crusade will play
tonight at McGuffey's, 1042 P St. at
9. There is no cover. Tonight's show
is the Crusades' first appearance in
its hometown in several months and
Hanson said band members expect
it to be their last for several more.
The Bluegrass Crusade has been
together since 1973. Bluegrass has
declined in local popularity, although
a strong core of fans remains, Han
son said.
The Crusade specializes in blue
grass rarities but they also do
standards like "Fox On The Run,"
"Rocky Top," and "Rollin' In My
Sweet Baby's Arms."
A tape of the Bluegrass Crusade's
music also is available. It will be
. sold off the stage tonight and soon
will be in local record stores.
The Bluegrass Crusade is consi
dered to be one of the best bands of
its kind in the Midwest. So try
something new, kick off your week
end tonight by having a swingin'
time with the Bluegrass Crusade,