Nebraskan
Tuesday, August 24, INI
Arts®Entertainment
Efforts combined to bring concert to campus
Local product 311 coming to union
thanks to APU, Chi Phi fraternity
By Jill O’Brien
Senior Reporter
The Chi Phi Fraternity and the Afrikan
People’s Union share a common bond. The two
campus organizations are co-sponsoring Fri
day’s concert at the Nebraska Union Ballroom,
featuring the Omaha-gone-national band 311
with special guests Bigga and Les Exodus.
Terry Goods, educational specialist at the
office of Multi-Cultural Affairs, said the uni
versity promoted joint efforts between campus
organizations.
APU is a black student organization, Goods
said.
The Chi Phi fraternity consists of approxi
mately 90 individuals with diverse cultural
backgrounds, said Chi Phi public relations per
son, Steve Zivny.
“By pulling the concert together we can
reach both sides of the globe. Chi Phi reaches
the students and fraternities and APU reaches
students into reggae,” Goods said.
Zivny said he was excited about the coop
erative effort.
“We jumped at the chance to work with
APU,” he said.
One of Chi Phi’s goals is to promote better
relationships between members and minority
groups, Zivny said.
“We’re trying to fight the stereotyping af
fixed to fraternities,” he said. “We’re doing
things with other organizations to feel less
segregation.” /.^
Goods, a 1990 UNL graduate and former
president of APU, said the cooperative effort
has worked well. “We’re trying to match minds
and get the news out all over the city and
campus.”
Zivny, a fifth year senior in Construction
Management, said Chi Phi members had no
qualms about the amount of effort or time spent
in promoting the concert.
“We have had a few schedule conflicts,” he
said. “But other than that, no major problems
have evolved.”
Chi Phi members are helping to pass out
fliers and information on ill, Zivny said.
“We’re also selling tickets this week in front of
the Union. Plus, our members will assist with
the security measures.”
Goods said his original idea was simply to
bring more music to campus; the cooperative
idea came later.
“Then I met Steve through a friend of ours
and we discussed doing this...and finally nar
rowed down the bands. Chi Phi mentioned they
were interested in 311.”
Zivny admitted the Chi Phi members had a
fondness for 31 l ’s alternative sound.
“We had 311 in our Chi Phi Band Bash atone
of our philanthropies two years ago,” he said.
Goods said, “One of the benefits of this
concert is to provide the campus with a nice
quality event. 311 has a nice following, Les
Exodus has a nice following and Bigga, the
crowd will really, really like. The otherbenefit
is it teaches you a lot...the marketing, the
security, selling the tickets.
-II
It was Important for the APU
organization to bring together
a show of this magnitude
without outside help or cam
pus funding.
— Goods
Multi-Cultural Affairs
-tt -
“It was important for the APU organization
to bring together a show of this magnitude
without outside help or campus funding. Since
APU does not get an annual operatingbudget,
it is difficult to do a show this size. For students
to reach out into the community and find some
one to assist them helps with self esteem and a
feeling of independence.”
Zivny said individuals in the Chi Phiorgani
Courtesy Capricorn Records
The band 311 will headline a concert sponsored by A.P.U. and Chi Phi
Fraternity at the Student Union on Friday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. From left, Chad
Sexton, Tim Mahoney, P-Nut, SA and Nicholas Hexum.
zation have benefited by forming friendships
with APU students.
“We’re also learning about cooperation and
coordination with another organization,” he
said. “We have common goals. We want to put
on a successful show. We want to sell out. We
want to throw an awesome show. But basically,
we want everyone to enjoy themselves.”
“It’s truly a multi-person event,” Goods
said, “and it shows how we can all work togeth
cr»
This concert may open the doors for more
music co-sponsored by APU and Chi Phi in the
V
future, Zivny said. - *
“Terry and l have already talked about put
ting on other shows.”
Goods agreed.
“It’s something that should be done a lot
more often.”
Tickets for Friday’s 7 p m. show are $7 for
students in advance, $10 for non-students. On
the day of the show, tickets for students and
non-students are $10. Tickets are available at
the Nebraska Union and all Twisters locations.
Courtesy Virgin Records
Smashing Pumpkins
“Siamese Dream”
Virgin Records
Smashing Pumpkins proves with
its latest release that a unique sound
can carry a band through more than
one successful album.
“Siamese Dream" is the band’s
second release, an album given the
task of trying to match the majesty
of the band’s debut, “Gish.”
One immediate difference be
tween the two albums is the label.
The Pumpkins have moved from
medium-sized Caroline Records to
extra-large Virgin Records. The
switch, which undoubtedly meant
more money for production, al
lowed the band to produce a more
layered sound, one that rivals, of all
things, someofthe top synth groups.
Smashing Pumpkins is anything
but synth.
Vocalist, guitarist and chief
songwriter Billy Corgan reminds
-- ■ , —
us that rock music can still be cre
atively crafted. “Siamese
Dream” is layered over and over
with multiple, often identical gui
tar tracks and touches of barely
audible background vocals. The
resulting music is thick enough to
swim through, and it works.
“Cherub Rock” opens the al
bum and displays some of the bands
signature characteristics. Corgan’s
ethereal voice dances over guitars
laden with chocolate-covered dis
tortion. Drummer Jimmy
Chamberlin again leads the chang
es in dynamics and tempo. Those
changes in dynamics, from soft to
loud and back again, give Smash
ing Pumpkins its sheer power.
Another beauty on the album is
“Mayonnaise,” which harks back
to “Gish.” “Spaceboy” displays the
melancholy effect of stringed in
struments, an unlikely but success
ful addition. R.E.M. bassist Mike
Mills plays piano on “Soma,” leav
ing bass duties to D’arcy, who lays
the groundwork for many of the
barurs simple and stabbing hooks.
Part of the formula for Smash
ing Pumpkins’ unigue sound is the
precise balance or melodies and
almost mechanical instrumenta
tion. Several of the 13 tracks on
“Siamese Dream” are five- or six
minute epics, which makes for quite
a lengthy album. But the Pump
kins’keep each track moving, and
the album never runs out of gas.
The move to Virgin will proba
bly bring a larger audience to the
Pumpkins, and this is a band that
deserves the success.
„
— Glenn Antonucci
Billy Joel
“River of Dreami”
Colombia Records
Billy Joel is a legend in his own
time. But even a legend turns out a
mediocre album once in a while.
Joel’s latest, “River of Dreams,” is
as medicore as one could expect
from the piano man.
Fans may scratch their heads
and wonder about the lack of over
all spontaneity on “River of
Dreams.” Although well-written
and well-played, the majority of
songs sound as if Joel’s rebellious
self is teetering on the edge of
corporate conformity.
The combination of the usual
Gibson puitar chatter and drums
mixed with symphony strings leaves
something to be desired. Some
where in the translation from good
ol’ rock *n’ roll to orchestration, an
important element is lost.
Fortunately, not all hacks are as
orchestra-enriched as the song,’The
Great Wall of China."
See JOEL on 10
4 F atal Attraction ’ wannabe,
rampaging man, feline
and two dogs arrive in
stores in time for school
In the video release world, three
out of four isn’t bad, especially for the
beginning of a school year.
We have a screen-legend biogra
phy, a family adventure, a suburban
drama and a prepubescent “Fatal At
traction” wannabe.
“Falling Down" (already avail
able) — A tense drama about an un
named man (Michael Douglas) who
goes on a quiet rampage through Los
Angeles one hot summer afternoon in
an attempt to get back for his little
girl’s birthday. Robert Duvall por
trays the police detective trying to
catch up to him. With great camera
work and powerful actmg, it’s defi
nitely worth hunting for.
“Homeward Bound: The Incred
ible Journey" (already available)—
A Walt Disney remake about two
dogs and a cat that embark on a peril
ous journey in an attempt to reunite
with their masters. The voices of
Michael J. Fox, Sally Field and Don
Ameche help keep the laughs and
thrills coming from start to finish.
Even with a basic story line everyone
has seen before, the film works well.
The movie will be enjoyed by young
and old alike.
“Chaplin” (already available) —
The long-awaited biography of Chari ic
Chaplin. Robert Downey Jr. (“Heart
and Souls”) is incredible as “The Lit
tle Tramp,” and other excellent per
formances abound from the plethora
of stars who pop up throughout the
picture, including Moira Kelly and
Kevin Kline. It’s a long movie (two
and a half hours), but it is well worth
the time.
“The Crash” (already available)
— The one bad apple of the bunch,
this movie stars Cary Elwes (“Robin
Hood: Men in Tights*’) as the object of
a crush from a cinematically psychot
ic teenage girl. Bad acting, bad plot,
bad script, bad bad bad. This one
should be avoided like laxative-filled
Hamburger Helper. If you decide to
watch this trash, be sure to use your
VCR head cleaner afterward.
—Gerry Bettz