Poco still plays ‘just
for the fun of it’
By Jill O’Brien
Senior Reporter
While some new bands may be
spawned by musicians migrating
from group to group, other bands are
formed “just for the fun of it,” said
Rusty 'Young, pedal steel guitarist
Poco was formed in 1968 by Jim
Messina, Randy Meisner, Richie
Furay and George Grantham, and
often the band was more work than
fun, Young said. The rest of the
orginial members have since gone
on to solo careers or other groups, he
said.
Now Young shares the guitar and
vocal spotlight with Paul Cotton,
who replaced Messina in 1971. The
group recently embarked on a sum
mer tour, which includes two shows
at the Nebraska State Fair on Sunday
«* « Md a «* *• ft*
Open-Air Auditorium.
“You know I’m the only guy in
Poco who’s never done anything
other than Poco,” Young said.
“I’ve been making Poco records
for 25 years. Virtually everybody
Weekend fare features fair
wo weeks down and 13togo. But
really — who’s counting?
Stressed out students have four
glorious days to unwind, relax
— and for some of us — play catch
up. Of course, there is plenty of time
for a little fun.
The capital city has a pretty di
verse offering the next few days.
__ For new stu
dents itching
to check out
that big hunk
o- brick we
fondly call
the Lied Cen
ter for Per
forming Arts
a — tomgni is
your first chance.
Henry Mancini, composer, ar
ranger and conductor, joins the Lin
coln Symphony Orchestra for a per
formance at 8 p.m.
Mancini is probably best known
for the theme music for “The Pink
Panther” movies, but he’s also an
accomplished musician, nominated
for 72 Grammys and 18 Oscars. He
has recorded over 90 albums.
Tickets range from $25 to $33.
Students get in for half-price.
On the other end of the music
(and cost) spectrum — The Edge,
1118 0 St., is bringing M.D.C. for a
$5, 16-and-over show on Sunday,
Sept. 5.
The punk band — whose name
stands for just about anything, includ
ing Millions of Dead Cops is visit
ing Lincoln for the first time in over
five years, said Edge owner Rob
^‘Myjaw dropped,” he said. “They
called and said they were touring
through the Midwest and wanted to
play here.”
Fensler, a longtime fan, agreed to a
The band originally formed in Aus
tin, Texas in 1981 said Ernie Pulos,
The Edge’s director of publicity.
“These guys have been around for
a long time, and they have always
maintained a strong following, he
The bar decided to go with 16-and
over show to help accommodate the
younger punk fans of Lincoln, he said.
“It gives these kids something to
do besides hanging out on O Street,
Fensler said.
Pulos agreed, and said that while
the 16-and-over shows are more work
for the bar’s employees, it is worth the
effort.
“A lot of the time the younger
alternative music crowd is unable to
see these shows, so we just split up the
bar so they can come in. It takes extra
security, but as long as they keep
coming, we’ll keep putting the shows
on.”
Yet another activity not restricted
to the bar-hopping crowd is the Ne
braska State Fair, which opens today.
If you’re lucky enough to read this
before 9:30 a.m. you can still make it
to the Expo Stage for the “Egg Cook
ing Demo.” I’ll probably have to miss,
so let me know how it turns out.
But seriously, the State Fair folks
have quite a bit of entertainment lined
up for the 10-day event. We’ll be
previewing several of the featured
musical acts in coming issues. Some
of the more interesting shows sched
uled for the next few days include:
tonight’s John Michael Montgomery
with Michelle Wright show at the
Devaney Center, as well as Juice New
ton on the Pepsi Open-Air Auditorium
stage.
Saturday night country stud-boy
Billy Ray Cynis takes the stage at
Devaney, touring in support of his
latest release.
Sunday night’s open-air show fea
tures Poco, (see related story on this
page) and the Devaney will feature
country star Alan Jackson.
Monday’s big show features the
Doobie Brothers and Tuesday night
The Guess Who will perform on the
open-air stage.
For more information about the
fair’s numerous other activities and
shows you can call the State Fair
Administration Office at 473-4110.
Tom Mainelli is a senior new»-editorkl major
and the Daily Nebraskan’« Art* and Enter
tainment editor.
else has gone off and done other
things and either come back or not
come back — one or the other, so, I
decided last year I was going to take
a shot at doing something else be
sides Poco.”
That something else turned out to
be an album with Doobie Brother
John Cowan and Billy Lloyd.
“The four of us are about halfway
See POCO on 14
Tune in
Networks offer up feast of new fall programs
Sometimes after a hectic week at
school, the most attractive op
tion for Friday night fun is
spending the evening vegging in front
of the tube.
This option might become more
appealing in the weekends — and
weekdays — ahead, as all four net
works debut their new fall programs.
Some of the more promising new
shows this fall:
MONDAY
“Dave’s World,** 7:30 p.m., CBS.
Harry Anderson (“Night Court”) re
turns to sitcom land in a comedy
based on the writings of syndicated
humorist Dave Barry. Dave is a be
fuddled dad trying to deal with the
craziness of the ’90s. The show has a
great slot between “Evening Shade”
and “Murphy Brown.”
TUESDAY
“The John Larroquette Show,”
8 p.m., NBC. Another “Night Court”
veteran returns to the small screen,
and from the title it’s obvious who.
Larroquette plays a recovering alco
holic working as the night manager
of a St. Louis bus station. Billed as a
dark comedy, the show should suit
Larroquette’s talents.
“NYPD9 p.m., ABC. This
show is the latest cop drama from
Steven Bochco, who has yet to recre
ate the success of his “Hill Street
Blues.” Touted as one of the season’s
best, it’s the only show this fall to
carry tne new vioieni concern rai
wloNESDAY
“The Nanny,* 7:30 p.m., CBS.
Fran Drescher, the only part of “Prin
cesses” that didn’t belong in the toi
let, is the title character m this half
hour sitcom. Charles Shaughnessy
(“Days of Our Lives”) is the wid
owed Broadway producer she works
for. I
THURSDAY
“Missing Persons,” 7 p.m., ABC. ■
Daniel J. Travanti is Lt. Ray
McAuliffe, head of Chicago’s Miss- '
ing Persons Bureau.
“Frasier,” 8:30 p.m., NBC.
Kelsey Grammer stars in this
See LINEUP or 14
