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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1997)
Irreverent ‘Weird f Al’ still kidding l around for young fans\ \ * By Jim Goodwin Arts & Entertainment Editor Tell “Weird Al” Yankovic that 9-year-old Jake Gardner is a typical fan of the singer’s atypical style, and he’ll agree. Tell Jake Gardner the same thing and, for such a gross underestimation, he might call you a weirdo. You see, while Gardner may fit the demographics of “Weird Al’s” average fan, his admiration for the rock paro dist goes well beyond statistics. “I even love his accordion music,” Gardner said. “When I was 6,1 wanted to play an accordion because of ‘Weird Al.’” Rest assured, Gardner will be one of thousands of screaming fans in attendance Aug. 22 when “Weird Al” takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. “Weird Al” and his Bad Hair Band (guitarist Jim West, bassist Steve Jay, drummer/percussionist Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz and keyboardist Ruben Valtierra) are halfway through their “Bad Hair Day” tour. Released in March 1996, the platinum album of the same name has spent more than 56 weeks on Billboard’s Top 200 and sold more than 1.7 million units. The album’s spoofs include “Amish Paradise,” inspired by Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Gump,” about 1994’s Academy Award-winning film. Like Gardner, “Weird Al” is very much a kid at heart, the singer admitted during a telephone interview last week. He said the combination of being rock’s biggest kid and his constituency of past and present juvenile admirers should prove quite successful. “I have my most rabid fans in the preteen to teen crowd,” “Weird Al” said. “I love ‘em.” In fact, grooving on such “Weird Al” songs as “My Bologna,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “Amish Paradise” is a right of passage for many American youngsters, according to Gardner. “Lots of my friends really like him,” he said. “I even think some of my older sisters do.” Oddly, while Gardner and his con temporaries were donning their first pairs of pants and spitting formula oi unsuspecting siblings, “Weird Al” ha< already sold millions of records an made himself the vanguard of Micha< Jackson pundits with “Eat It,” his take o Jackson’s “Beat It.” But the fans, like the tunes, just kee^ on coming. I I While “In 3-D,” the album that con- ' ‘ tained “Eat It,” essentially made the artist a household name, it was, at the time, simply the latest highlight in a career that had already spanned five years and produced six recordings. “Weird Al’s” big break came in 1979, after, in a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo men’s room, he recorded “My Bologna,” a spoof of the Knack’s “My Sharona.” The song aired on the nation ally syndicated Dr. Demento Show and sparked the career of a man whose irrev erent treatment of pop culture has ironical ly assured him his place there. More recently, “Weird Al” directed 1 video for “Wail,” a blues/punk tune by Th< Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and fin ished shooting 13 episodes of “The Weird Al Show,” his new live-action Saturdt morning show that debuted Aug. 16. Whether you’re more familiar with “W work or he’s become a hallowed memory, Gardner has tes timony that may prompt you to attend the concert. “On a scale of one-to-10, 10 being highest, I rate ‘Weird Al’ 13 Gardner said. Tickets to the show are $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-12 and free for children age 5 and under. Admission to the show includes all-day access to the fairgrounds. Aaron Steckelberg/DN Etcetera... The following programs and places offer activities unique in Lincoln and, therefore, are deserving of their own category. Call 472-8146 to confirm the following dates and times. University Program Council August 24: Big Red Welcome, including a concert by Run-DMC and Christine Lam. 28: Supermarket Bingo, Nebraska Union (NU) Crib, 9 p.m. September 4: The Dogpipes, a capella, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 11: Hypnotist, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 12: Prairie Stomp, East Campus. 18: Barry Drake, interactive lec ture on music in the video age, Centennial Room, 8 p.m. 21: “Love and Other Catastrophes,” international film, Ross Film Theatre, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m. Sept. 26-Oct 12: Love Makes a Family display, NU lounge. October 2: Jack Ross the Nature Guy, i speaker on environmental issues, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 5: “Prisoner of the Mountains," international film, Ross Film Theatre, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m. 6: Wilson Cruz, speaker, actor in “My So-Called Life,” Centennial Room, 8 p.m. 9: Five Bright Chicks, storytellers, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 16: Bob Harris, speaker on U.S. government covert actions, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 19: “Irma Vemp,” international film, Ross Film Theatre, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m. 21: Craig Karges, mentalist, Nebraska East Union, Great Plains Room, 8 p.m. 29: Ray Davis, speaker on diversi ty issues, Centennial Room, 8 p.m. 30: Creative Dating, interactive workshop, NU Crib, 9 p.m. November 2: “Margaret’s Museum,” interna tional film, Ross Film Theatre, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m. 6: Wicomicos, acoustic group, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 20: Roger Day, acoustical gui tarist, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 22, 23: Powwow, Nebraska East Union, Great Plains Room. December 4: Blues Night, NU Crib, 9 p.m. 7: “Gabbeth Ross," international film, Ross Film Theatre, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m. Mueller Planetarium 213 Morrill Hall Mueller Planetarium’s astronomi cal shows are documentary features ranging from “star talks,” discussions of the sky, to full-blown multimedia shows with the latest images and computer simulations from space research. The planetarium’s laser produc tions are sound and light entertain ment shows. Laser artists create abstract and graphic images in laser light to interpret.the music. Folsom Children’s Zoo 1222 S. 27th St. Hyde Memorial Observatory Holmes Park 3701 S. 70th St. ELEGANT GLASS I NAILS FULL SET $45.00 FILL IN $22.50 MANICURE $12.00 WAX DIP $10.00 Please Call For an Appointment THlS THlITSdaV All £ . 21 With Beth Or Jennifier and Receive ^ ■ rtM0' *■ B $10.00 Off First Full Set. _ _ ______ Paul Phillips EVENING Live at Main St. O-cl) APPOINTMENTS M V** I j AVAILABLE _ . , ... . 208N,13thstreet Friday: Dance Night. 477-9555 or 477-5221 http://www.unl.edu/ DailyNeb/ Relax at ••• The Tubbery •Private Hot Tub Rentals • Wolff Tanning 818 P. Street 475-8989 was _ Wednesday: Penny 1228 P Street 477-4006 n Pltcl’ers Thursday: Long-Neck *Pool *Meet friends Domestic Beers $1.50 *Darts * study break Friday: FAC Specials *Foosball l:30-7:30p.m. ft .. We buy. sell and trade used sSXi, ‘CiriWl Open gaming ^ n\A all day. everyday. gamers, for gamers. Collectibles Cards. Miniatures. Role Playing, and more. Just minutes from campus. SW Corner of 27fh & Randolph 2639 Randolph • 476-8602
