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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1995)
Arts ^Entertainment Monday, January 9,1995 Page 17 Art’s future may be linked to ‘Net Bill Shakespeare, literary genius and phenomenal playwright, meet Bill Gates, computer genius and president of Microsoft. Artistic and literary types relied on creative genius centuries before Shakespeare penned his first sonnet. But as this century comes to an end, some artists are leaning toward another outlet — computer technology. The arts rely on creative, human emotion, while computers rely on hard facts and mechanical numbers. The arts have, in the past, been cold to such a numerical future. However, instead of shying away from this outlet, artists should embrace it. The smart ones have. Musician Peter Gabriel started the tide by creating one of the first interac tive CD Rom programs where users can enter and react to Gabriel’s videos and music. Let’s take computer technology’s fa vorite whipping boy — the Internet, which allows the electronic exchange of photographs, artwork, videos, literature and even music. Bands and musicians including Bruce Hornsby, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd and Sting can be found “surfin’ the net.” America Online even features call-in conferences with popular artists and individual artist “chat rooms.” The lists of art, music, literature, dance and entertainment newsgroups are endless and can all be accessed through the University’s Huskemet. With the touch of a key, a dancer from South America can converse with a guitarist in Ireland and share ideas with an artist in Lincoln. , Opening communication on the Internet is only one slice of the technol ogy pie. With Congressional lizard Newt Gingrich threatening to withdraw fund ing from the National Endowment for the Arts, the art community may find itself in need of a national bake sale. What it will really need, though, is a link with the business community, a community that loves technology be cause technology means efficiency, and efficiency means money. The art and business communities may be able to speak a similar language through technology — a language that could bring the arts the financial sup port they need. The art world has come a long way from paintbrushes and pointe shoes. What it needs now is a modem and a mouse. Lavlgne Is a sophomore news-editorial ma jor and and Daily Nebraskan senior reporter. Local talent Nebraska: the next big music scene? Editor's note: This is the first story in a weeklong Daily Nebraskan series explor ing the eastern Nebraska rock music scene. By Jeff Randall Staff Reporter and Joel Strauch Senior Reporter Ever since Seattle rained buckets of grunge on the nation’s music-listeners, ev eryone seems to be looking for the next big scene. Omaha and Lincoln might not be it, but who cares? The two cities feature dozens of promising bands, excit ing new clubs and thou sands of enthusiastic fans. These three ele ments could help put Nebraska on the rock music map. Chris Sommerich, the bassist for Lincoln band No Left Stone said Nebraska’s music scene is improving and grow ing. “I think that all cities would like to think that they are going to be the next Seattle or whatever,” Sommerich said. “The thing “Bands like the Millions, 311 and Mercy Rule have been touring a lot, showing people that it's not just corn that grows out here, good music does too. ” CHRIS SOMMERICH Bassist for Lincoln band No Left Stone about Lincoln and Omaha is that the music has really improved over the last year.” No Left Stone is one of many local bands who are making names for themselves, both regionally and nationally. Dave Sink, founder of Omaha’s One Hour Records said the quantity of local bands is increasing as fast as their quality. He said the explosion of good local bands has been “nothing short of incredible.” “There’s a lot more talent out there. I don’t know how to ic count for it, it’s just there,” Sink said. “We’ve got some good venues, we’ve got a few people turning out records and we’ve got a lot more touring going on.” One of the main venues for local talent is the Hurricane, 1118 0 St. Troy “Bubba” Way, the Hurricane’s manager, said he tries to book local acts with national acts. “It’s so nice to see 600 people sit through a local band that’s opening up for a national act,” Way said. “I’d love for the Hurricane to be a spring board for our local acts.” Many bands gain attention by leaving home and taking their music out on the road. Sommerich said touring bands chal lenge national stereotypes about Nebraska. “Bands like the Millions, 311 and Mercy Rule have been touring a lot, showing people that it’s not just corn that grows out here, See THE SCENE on 20 Comedy doesn’t bring the house down The Facts Movie: “Houseguest” Rating: PG Stars: Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Kim Griest, Jeffrey Jones Director: Randall Miller Grade: D Five Words: Sinbad hides with stupid family By Gerry Beltz Senior Reporter “Houseguest” is one of those movies that makes you want to take a nice, long visit to the can with a crossword puzzle book. That’s not to say that it didn’t have any good moments. There were a couple scenes to which laughter was an appropriate re sponse, but yawning seemed to be a bit more common. Sinbad, who has struck out on television, now hits the big screen as Kevin Randall, a man with dreams in his head and dust in his pocket. He is surrounded by the rem nants of get-rich-quick schemes and loan sharks who are after the $50,000 he owes. Randall tries to skip town, but ends up masquerading as Derek Bond, a famous dentist staying with a very posh—but dysfunctional— family headed by the weenie Gary Young (Phil Hartman) and busi ness-minded Emily (Kim Griest, currently on TV’s “Chicago Hope”). Randall discovers that this Bond See HOUSEGUEST on 18 New Joslyn gallery delivers modern design, better lighting By Paula Lavlgne Senior Reporter On the outside, it looks like a large pink box. But the inside of Joslyn Art Museum’s new addi tion brings Omaha a new way to view art. The seven galleries in the 58,000 square foot Scott Pavilion were not completely filled when the addition opened in Novem ber. But the galleries’ refreshing modem design was impressive even when empty. Two of the new galleries house the museum’s collection of 20th century painting and sculpture. Five will feature special and tour ing exhibits. The galleries, designed by ar chitect Sir Norman Foster, fea ture high ceilings with ample space for each work. The hard wood floors and curved ceilings add to the addition’s modem en vironment. The new addition’s lighting is more pleasing than the lighting in the rest of the museum. See JOSLYN on 18