Arts ^Entertainment
Monday, January 15, 1996 Page 9
- ‘ ■ - ’ ' /
. . . ! . iC. .
State
of the
AR
Jeff Randall
Omaha site
offers shows
for all ages
Over the semester break, I was able
to spend some long-needed time away
from both residence hall food and
Lincoln.
Granted, 1 wasn’t too faraway from
Lincoln. 1 was about 50 miles to the
northeast, in my hometown of Omaha.
On the surface, Omaha and Lin
coln appear to be pretty similar. They
arc both generally flat areas in which
the Big Red rules and driving laws are
uisooeyeu.
But when I visited Omaha’s Cog
Factory, located just south ofthe down
town area, I realized once again that,
musically speaking, Omaha and Lin
coln are really worlds apart.
For those who haven’t visited the
Cog Factory, I probably should men
tion that it is the only remaining con
cert venue in Omaha that is devoted
solely to all-ages shows.
It used to be that Omaha had a large
number of all-ages venues. The Ranch
Bowl was always good, the Capitol
Bat was always better and Bell Hall
was ... well, it was there. But the
majority of those venues and their all
ages policies have gone out the door
within the past three or four years.
In Lincoln, Lc Cafe Shakes was
another genuine effort with a lot of
promise. But it, too, was replaced.
And now the Cog Factory remains
as a lone torch of musical hope for the
downtrodden underaged.
The all-ages shows part is impor
tant, but what the Cog Factory really
does for Omaha is provide a place for
small bands to play for small crowds.
And this, as any true music fan will tell
you, is a necessary ingredient in the
development of a strong local music
scene.
judging iroin me size ot me major
ity of the Cog Factory’s shows, I would
say that not much money is being
made on this business venture. It’s
hard to get rich from a concert venue
that charges $3 at the door.
But money seems to be the propri
etors’ last concern. What I saw in the
Cog’s small space and minimal decor
was a genuine concern for music,
musicians and their fans.
To the unappreciative, the Cog
Factory may seem like a slightly dirty,
cold and acoustically unsound Facil
ity. But to someone who has waited
far too long for such a thing, it’s heaven.
The Cog Factory has undergone its
share of turmoil in its short existence.
It has been shut down, reopened and
shut down again. But now, it seems, it
is here to stay — for at least a little
while.
The true lesson that can be learned
from this modest building on
Leavenworth Street is that, when it
comes to making something musical
work in Nebraska, sacrifice is neces
sary.
To create a non-alcohol perfor
mance space for bands that may be
invaluable musically, but not viable
economically takes more desire, guts
and work than most people have or are
willing to give.
I just hope those attributes don’t
disappear or break as quickly as my
guitar strings — or at the very least,
hold out until I turn 21, guys.
Randall is a sophomore news-editorial
major and the Daily Nebraskan arts and
entertainment editor.
j: ' .. . •
Slackers slap serious stick in ‘Bio-Dome’
By MaryAnn Muggy
Film Critic
Earth Day was never quite as fun.
Directed by Jason Bloom, a student director
from the University of Southern California’s Film
School who won an award for his film “Irving,”
-“Bio-Dome” pushes the eom
Movie envei°ne an<i fins
D . screen with environmental
Review silliness that could come only
from Paulv Shore and Stephen
Baldwin.
Bud Macintosh (Shore) and
Doyle Johnson (Baldwin),
slackers supreme, are tricked
by their cco-minded girl
friends into driving through
1-1 the Arizona desert on Earth
Day and find themselves on an adventure they
never could have imagined.
Mistaking the ultra-modern Bio-Dome for a
new mall, Bud and Doyle get trapped inside the
experimental controlled environment, not to be
let out until the full year is up.
William Leaky (Henry Gibson from “Laugh
In” fame), the experiment’s main contributor,
demands that the Generation Xcrs be removed.
But head scientist Dr. Noah Faulkner (William
Atherton) convinces him that they contribute to
the chaos theory, and they arc allowed to stay.
Although their popularity grows on the out
side (including Bud and Doyle T-shirts and ac
tion figures), Bud and Doyle are quickly losing
favor with their fellow ‘Domers. With interrup
tions such as “Tag” in the bug room and golf with
a billy goat as a caddy, the scientists finally
decide to exile their two “guests” to the Bio
Dome desert.
Shore once again delivers his wacky style of
humor that made him. famous with the MTV
generation. He has an unlimited reserve of energy
and turns what could be a boring movie about a
big bubble into a hilarious adventure.
Photo courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Inc.
Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin strike a pose in the outrageous new comedy,
“Bio-Dome.”
Baldwin, the youngest of the four Baldwin
brothers, follows Shore’s lead and plays the dumb
sidekick part well. Shore and Baldwin mesh well
and make their characters believable.
The only problem with the chemistry between
Shore and Baldwin is that it overshadows the rest
of the characters.
Kylic Minoguc, who played oceanographer
Petra Von Kant, spends a lot of time on screen,
but just seems to be a pretty face rather than a
valued scientist.
Patricia Hcarst and Roger Clinton also make
appearances. But they, too, are hardly noticed.
As for the other actors, the writers seemed to
have spent so much time with Bud and Doyle that
they forgot anyone else was in the movie.
Film: “Bio-Dome”
Stars: Pauly Shore, Stephen Baldwin,
William Atherton
j Director: Jason Bloom
Rating: PG-13 (language, nudity, mature
situations)
Grade: B
Five Words: Outrageously silly and
environmentally fun
Radio contest lets musicians hit airwaves
By Emily Wray
Staff Reporter
Nebraska Public Radio Network is focusing
on young musicians in its new series, which is
aptly titled “The Young Musicians Competi
tion.”
Steven Robinson, general manager of NPRN,
developed the idea of holding a contest and
featuring the winners in this series.
“There is hardly any attention given in the
press to young musicians. Young athletes are
written about every day. Young artists need rec
ognition, too,” Robinson said.
Afler submitting performance tapes in 1995,
the winners each were given an opportunity to do
a private recording session, he said.
In addition to recording their performances,
winners also were interviewed.' Each winner’s
recording is broadcast twice on NPRN.
Even though 1995 was the first year for this
type of competition, Robinson said he foresaw an
annual competition that would be open to the
entire NPRN listening area from Chadron to Falls
City.
The young musicians’ public exposure may
even continue outside Nebraska’s boundaries.
Robinson said National Public Radio representa
tives had agreed to listen to three or four of the
performances for prospective airplay on “Perfor
mance Today,” an NPRN music program.
Several Lincoln-area schools are represented
by the 15 winners selected. Six of those winners
are UNL students.
Chris Bowlby, a junior piano major whose
performances aired Jan. 3 and Jan. 9, said he was
challenged by the recording process but was
pleased with the outcome.
“The recording will provide a lot of exposure
across the state and a nice product. It’s also a
chance to check up on my work and look for areas
of improvement,” Bowlby said.
Bowlby played primarily classical music, but
other genres also arc represented in the series.
Andrew Vogt, a senior saxophone major, re
corded a jazz session with his quartet.
“It was a good opportunity to record from an
educational standpoint, and I’m always looking
for opportunities to perform jazz,” Vogt said.
Vogt, who i s al so a composer, wrote hal f of the
compositions featured on his April 3 and April 9
broadcasts.
Matthew Meyer, a senior percussionist whose
specialty is marimba, recorded four pieces —
two on marimba, one on multiple percussion and
one on timpani. His first broadcast was Jan. 10,
and his second will be Tuesday.
Meyer described his music as contemporary
but not atonal. The marimba, he said, is a rela
tively contemporary instrument.
Seniors Julie Baker and Kenneth Floyd were
winners in voice. Baker’s performance will air
Feb. 28 and March 5. Floyd’s will air March 28
and April 2.
Pianist Lia Jensen’s broadcast airs March 20
and 27, featuring her skills on the keyboard.
“The Young Musicians Competition” series,
which began Jan. 3, will conclude April 16 and is
underwritten by the Woods Charitable Fund.
‘Two If By Sea’ lacks comedy, surprises
By Gerry Beltz
Film Critic “
If Denis Leary had just starred in the abysmal
romantic-comedy “Two If By Sea,” that would be
p—---forgivable; all talented stars
mOVie have appeared in some piece
Daihaui °f dreck in their careers,
neview (Granted, “romantic-com
--A edy” and “Denis Leary” sound
as li mey snouiu go togetner
as well as “Newt Gingrich”
and “humanitarian,” but that’s
not important right now.)
But Leary contributed to
both the story and screen play,
thus placing the smoking
gun” next to his name.
Sandra Bullock’s starring role makes this even
more of a crime; she so desperately needed a hit
after the lukewarm response to the so-called
thriller “The Net.”
A part-time burglar and plasterer, Frank
(Leary) is on the run from the cops with a stolen
painting, a stolen car and his longtime girlfriend,
Roz (Bullock).
Unfortunately, Frank has the intelligence of
belly button lint, and Roz is the one who always
comes up with the escape plans.
It’s a few days until the buyer shows up to get
the painting, so they hide out at a house left vacant
while its owners are on vacation.
Frank is out of his element, dealing with the
bluebloods he is rubbing elbows with. But Roz is
another story. She really takes to the atmosphere
of this society, and becomes the object of affec
tion of neighbor, Evan (Stephen Dillane).
Not only does Frank have to avoid the cops
(led by Yaphct Kotto) and Frank’s cousin Beano
(Wayne Robson), but he also must find a way to
win back the heart of the woman he loves.
With all the different angles this movie pre
sents (and ties up oh-so-neatly at the end), it’s
really not surprising that the characters have the
depth of origami paper.
As the girlfriend who longs for change and
happiness, Bullock is acceptable because she
shows the most strength in her role ... at first.
Film: “Two If By Sea”
Stars: Denis Leary, Sandra Bullock,
Yaphet Kotto
Director: Bill Bennett
Rating: R (language, adult humor)
Grade: D
Five Words: Bland story drowns
talented cast
Eventually, she deteriorates into a whiny mass of
gelatinous celluloid waste.
What is surprising is the lack of comedy with
Leary and Bullock in the lead roles. The biting
edge of Leary’s past comedy bits would have
been great, but all we get to laugh at arc Frank’s
attempts to be sociable. The funniest bits come
from the hapless antics of Beano and his bean
headed gang of morons.