Rock on
Big Red bands jive in harmony
By Dionne Searcey
Senior Editor
Even though the 30 bands that performed in
the Big Red Rock-O-Rama this weekend were
competing for prizes, the event proved to be a
great way for local bands to show their support
for one another, the University ProgramsCoun
cilYonccrt and disco committee president said.
“It’s good everyone here gets together,”
said Dave Rube. “It makes it more of a family
than a competition with each other.”
The competition was coordinated by UPC
and KFMQ radio station as a benefit for United
Way.
Frontier Trust, a band from Omaha, won
First prize — eight hours of recording time at
Startrackcr Recording Studio in Lincoln.
The Yardapcs, a local band, won the $200
second prize.
Omaha band Beef Curtains won third place
with a prize of SI00. The award for “best
original song” went to the local band Middle
Monkey for its song, “I Drink.” The
band won a guitar from Moon Music.
Rabc said he was uneasy at First about whether
the show should be a competition.
“I had problems morally justifying it as a
contest,” he said. “But yet every time someone
goes out to play they’re being judged. If they
just play in their own basement, they’re judged
against themselves.”
Mary Rea, of The Decades from Omaha,
said she thought the bands showed a lot of
camaraderie.
“Even though it’s a competition, 1 don’t feel
a sense of cut-throat competition,” Rea said.
Katie Boner, lead singer of Jumpin’ Kate
and the Rollover Sisters, said she thought making
the show a contest was a “distraction.”
“How can you compare one band to an
other?” Boner asked.
But, she said, the contest forced bands to
work harder.
“It docs make people go that extra mile to
play well,” she said.
Jon Terry, program director at KFMQ, said
that because the show was a contest, more
bands tried out to perform. About 60 bands
paid the S10 fee to apply, he said.
“If you just had it for fun, you would’ve had
half as many bands,” he said.
The show also gave bands another chance lo
perform before a big crowd, Terry said. About
300 people showed up each night of the three
day concert.
Mike Saklar, guitarist for the Omaha band
Ritual Device, said he was pleased to have the
opportunity lo play at the show.
“A lot of bands like us have a hard lime
getting gigs,” Saklar said.
Boner said the show offered her band a
chance lo get another gig. She said bands can
play in only two or three bars in Lincoln.
And the show brought the bands in touch
with each other, she said.
“It’sa wonderful opportunity for local bands
to gel together to showcase their talent.”
Shawn Boslcr, guitarist for Germbox of
Kansas City, said he was glad to play in Lin
coln. Boslcr said he liked the Lincoln music -
scene because it’s full of “warm and friendly
people.”
Crowd members seemed to be pleased with
the chance to get to hear live alternative rock,
Rabc said. It’s not often that younger fans and
fans who live faraway get to hear original local
bands.
Angie Olivas, a freshman at Lcflcr Junior
High School, said she was pleased that minors
could attend the show.
“It’s an opportunity for teenagers to have
something to do,” Olivas said.
Jessica Ncarman, a freshman at the Univer
sity of Nebraska at Kearney, said she traveled
to Lincoln to check out the local music scene.
“We’re not exposed lo alternative rock in
Kearney. Thai’s why we came here,” Ncarman
said.
Wendy Berry, a representative with Atlan
tic Records, was at the show all three nights to
check out the talent pool.
She said Friday that she particularly liked
the bands Sideshow, Mercy Rule and Slide.
Rabc said because a scout was at the show,
bands were given a unique opportunity to
possibly be signed on a record label.
“How many chances docs a band from Lin
coln get a chance to play for Atlantic Rec
ords?” Rabc asked.
• Boner said she was pleased that a represen
tative from Atlantic Records came to the show.
“Thai’s incentive enough for me to do my
best,” she said.
I Top left: Frank Maxwell of Fifth of May
strums his guitar frantically Thursday
night at the rock fest.
Center: Almost Blue plays for a crowd in
motion Friday night.
Top left: Howard Wehrbein jams while
playing Saturday night with Steele
Dreams.
Bottom left: Timothy Moss is a thrash
ing machine as he screams out vocals
Saturday night for Ritual Device.
Bottom right: Greg Market sings with
fervor Saturday night for Mona Lisa
Overdrive.
Photos by Jeff Haller
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