Posse ringleader of show
Ranch Bowl
plays host to
urban circus
By Patrick Miner
Staff writer
Clowning around encouraged.
Fronted by clown-faced Violent J
and Shaggy 2 Dope, the Insane Clown
Posse returns to Omaha’s Ranch Bowl,
1600 S. 72nd St., tonight for an outside
in-the-sand performance that is sure to
hinder volleyball action for at least a
few days.
Also featuring the Kottonmouth
Kings, Phunk Junkeez and Twiztid,
tonight’s all-ages show begins at 6:30
p.m. Tickets are $25.50.
ICP, a Detroit-based “horror-rap”
band, is known for spouting foul lan
guage and numerous bottles of Faygo
brand soda on its crowd. While dodging
bad pop and tossed bottles may seem
absurd to many concert-goers, ICP has
never done anything as expected.
Insane Clown Posse is the first band
to have an album debut in the Billboard
Top 200 twice in a five-week period.
The band released “The Great
Milenko” on Hollywood Records in
July ’97, but hours later it was pulled off
the shelves because it was considered
obscene by label standards. Still, the
record sold enough copies in the short
penod of time to debut at No. 63.
On Aug. 23, 1997, the album was
re-released by Island Records featuring
three tracks not included on the original
version. The new version of the record
debuted at No. 66 and sold more than
18,000 copies.
Although the band has taken
numerous hits from critics, ICP has
gained considerable popularity, or more
likely, infamy. After playing in front of a
small capacity Ranch Bowl crowd in
October 1997, the band played the
much larger Royal Grove in Lincoln
last April to a near-capacity crowd.
Courtesy Photo
REJECTED BY DISNEY but adored in Nebraska, Insane Clown Posse makes
yet another showing in the Cornhusker State. The group plays Omaha’s
Ranch Bowl with opening acts Kottonmouth Kings and Phunk Junkeez.
The Kottonmouth Kings, best
known for their mini-hit “Suburban
Life” from the “Scream 2” soundtrack,
will also appear. The band’s mix of hip
hop and rock is best featured on its lat
est release, “Royal Highness.”
The Kings’ raw style seemed out of
place at a previous Ranch Bowl show,
when the act appeared with the Urge, 2
Skinnee J’s and Sprung Monkey on July
8. The crowd was more of the light
hearted type, so the Kottonmouth
Kings performed to little applause.
However, tonight’s crowd should suit
the act much better, with ICP looking to
draw in fans eager to listen to more con
troversial music.
The Phunk Junkeez are also back at
the Ranch Bowl for the second time
since July. The band is on the road in
support of its new album, “Fear of a
Wack Planet,” released July 14.
The Phunk Junkeez are an odd
choice to play with ICP and
Kottonmouth Kings. Their funky riffs
and party-friendly vibes may not be
best suited for “horror-rap” fans, but the
band does enjoy widespread appeal
from other music fans. Based on the
lineup, the crowd should be just as
interesting as the show. Bring your
camera.
Phunk Junkeez
“Fear Of A Wack Planet”
Trauma Records
Grade: C+
It’s about time.
After promising an album
release in March ’97 at an Omaha
show two years ago, the past sum
mer saw the long awaited, but con
fusing, release of “Fear Of A Wack
Planet” by Phoenix’s Phunk
Junkeez.
The album leads off with its
best track, “Million Rappers.” It’s
the type of party song every funk
rap band wished it had, carrying a
strong chorus with Soulman’s
lyrics changing up nicely halfway
through. With the Phunk Junkeez
standard guitar by Jeff O’Rourke
and DJ Roachclip’s quality cuts on
the turntable, it’s a perfect song to
lead off the typical PJs record.
The only problem is this isn’t a
typical album for the band. This
time around, the Phunk Junkeez
have added a lot of extra back
ground cuts to lay out a much soft
er sound. Unfortunately, on songs
such as “In the Dirt,” and “Party
People,” additional samples simply
make the songs annoying.
Also, while the Phunk Junkeez
standard of funky guitar and bass
are still evident, the choruses of
“Wack Planet” aren’t as lively as
those on the band’s previous
album, “Injected.” Because of this,
the chorus of “Party People” is too
close to something from the
Bloodhound Gang, and
“Downtown” is much too similar
to the Fun Lovin’ Criminals style.
Even when the band has a decent
verse going, such as the rapping on
“Problems,” they ruin it with a
messed-up chorus.
Other songs, such as “My
Reality” and “Once Again,” sound
decent but seem to lose a lot from
the live setting. Although “Once
Again” has become one of the
biggest crowd-pleasers at Phunk
Junkeez shows, it is hindered on
the album by too many background
noises that take away from the
strong grooves of the song.
There are some positive aspects
of the record, though. A remake of
“Phunky Phunky,” a track from the
band’s self-titled debut record
stands out, due especially to the
inclusion of DJ Roachclip singing
the verses instead of former mem
ber K-Tel Disco. Also, the plain
and pure punk song “Deadbeat” is
a quality track.
In the end, vocalist Soulman
just sounds a little too bored on this
album. The Phunk Junkeez aren’t
the most talented band around, but
they can’t pass without making
people shake their butts. Listeners
will expect the Phunk Junkeez to
excite, but this album doesn’t do
that.
-Patrick Miner
n
Windy City
bands blow
into Lincoln
■ Three groups, known
for their live acts, play
Knickerbockers tonight.
Knickerbockers, 901 0 St., will
once again offer a combination of
local and national rock ’n’ roll with
an all-ages show from 6 to 9 p.m.
tonight.
The concert showcases two bands
from Chicago, Lustre King and
Sweep the Leg Johnny, as well as
Lincoln’s own Erik the Red.
If nothing else, the show promis
es to be interesting. Sweep the Leg
Johnny is known for intense live
shows as well as a unique brand of
music - rock ’n’ roll hooks heavy on
the drums and saxophone.
Lustre King, also visiting from
the Windy City, claims a loud and
busy instrumental rock show and
also has been known to go crazy on
stage.
Bringing Lincoln fans a local
angle on tonight’s rock-a-thon is Erik
the Red, a band comprising former
members of Sideshow, Lullaby for
the Working Class and Eamon. The
group’s sound is heavy on rhythm
and melody and sports some down
right poetic lyrics.
Tickets are $4.
Lumberjacks carve
niche at state fair
STATE FAIR from page 12
Stolze finished him off in the
finale.
Afterwards, Stolze appeared
enthused about defeating Salzman
in the log-rolling competition, par
ticularly since he placed fifth in the
event behind Salzman in July’s
Lumberjack World
Championships. Stolze’s profes
sional log-rolling career spans 10
years, and this year, alone, he and
the other lumberjacks performed at
15 different fairs and festivals.
“We try to show the people of
America the importance of the
lumberjacks who built this great
country,” Stolze said. “Seeing the
spectators enjoy the shows is
tremendous for me because I’m
showing them a bit of the history of
America.”
All of the competitions per
formed by the lumberjacks directly
descend from the working day
skills of the old-time lumberjacks,
Stolze said.
“Not only is the show entertain
ing, it’s also educational,” he said.
“It’s a family packed half-hour of
fun, for any age.”
And people of any age can com
pete. Father and son team, Matt and
Jim Freeman, competed against 37
year-old Jim O’Dell. When O’Dell
isn’t performing in lumberjack
shows, he’s a forester in Hominy
Falls, W.Va. Since West Virginia is
the third-most-forested state in the
union, O’Dell has lived among
heavily wooded areas for most of
his life.
“I always enjoyed chopping,
using axes and sharp tools. I was a
lumberjack, and I worked in the
woods with axes and did things
similar to the competitions,”
O’Dell said.
Even though he didn’t compete
in the log-rolling event because he
lacks the adequate footwork,
O’Dell, with biceps bigger than
tree trunks, schooled two of the
younger lumberjacks, Stolze and
Salzman, in the ax-throwing com
petition. O’Dell defeated them in
three-round affair by tossing two
bulls-eyes and another that nearly
missed.
O’Dell said ax-throwing was a
skill he acquired through his years
of being a lumberjack.
“it takes awhile to learn the
skill. It’s an art,” he said.
In its first year at the Nebraska
State Fair, the Great American
Lumberjack Show enjoyed large
crowds, which should encourage
the lumberjacks to return to the
Comhusker State in 1999.
“If the response is good at this
year’s fair, maybe we’ll bring a 60
foot climbing tree to next year’s
(fair),” Salzman said.
The Great American
Lumbeijack Show runs three times
daily at the East Exhibit Area of
fairgrounds, with each show con
sisting of 30-minute competitions.
On the weekends and Labor Day,
the show can be seen at noon, 3 and
6 p.m., and on weekdays at 3, 6 and
8 p.m.
‘Top secret’ party
honors Bill Gates
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - They
wore sunglasses in the pouring rain.
A few blew kisses or waved to the
common folk. Bodyguards stood by
while trinkets were purchased in gift
shops.
More than 500 of the world's
most famous, well-to-do and well
connected flew in to Alaska's capital
Friday for a “top secret” party
aboard a posh cruise ship. It was
being thrown by Microsoft co
founder Paul Allen for fellow bil
lionaire Bill Gates.
On hand were Candice Bergen,
James Cameron, Debbie Reynolds,
Dan Aykroyd and Jeff Goldblum,
among others. In addition to rafting
and shoppmg, the stars had to brave
an unexpected rainstorm with wind
gusts up to 70 mph.
Guests arrived on 20 or so
planes, most of which stayed far
from the passenger terminal. Guests
were whisked by bus to the Crystal
Harmony, a 960-passenger cruise
ship rented for an undisclosed price
to cruise Glacier Bay and the Inside
Passage.
Carrie Fisher bought a sweat
shirt and a Russian lacquer box.
Gates browsed but didn't buy at the
Alaska Fur Gallery, while director
Penny Marshall got so caught up
buying furs that she delayed the
ship’s departure.
Rapper assaults fans
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A
rap artist went on the run after
police charged him with assaulting
an unhappy fan.
Noreaga, whose real name is
Vincent Santiago, was booed off the
stage at the Zembo Mosque after
one song Friday night, said
Harrisburg Police Det. William
Jackson, who was off duty and
working as a security guard at the
concert.
Jackson said the rapper, who
was four hours late, criticized fans
as having “no money” and being “a
sorry crowd.”
Angry fans followed Santiago to
the parking lot. Police said one per
son threw a bicycle at the rapper's
car, and then Santiago and his body
guard beat up 16-year-old Clinton
Burns. Burns was treated for his
injuries and released.
Authorities tried to arrest
Santiago at his hotel, but found that
he had already checked out. Police
consider him a fugitive.
Santiago is perhaps best known
as half of the musical group
Capone-N-Noreaga, whose songs
include “Stick You” and “War
Report.”
Cocker no-show for concert
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Joe
Cocker's fans were anything but
feelin’ all right when the British
singer's show at the Toledo Zoo
Amphitheater was washed out.
The sellout crowd of4,500 sat in
a steady rain for nearly two hours
Friday night, waiting in vain for the
Grammy-winning rocker to take the
stage.
The crowd heard the opening
act, Rick Springfield, but then there
was nothing. And promoters didn’t
explain what was happening, audi
ence members said.
“A little communication would
have been nice. We asked the securi
ty guards, but they didn't know any
thing,” said Kim Dietrich, who
made the hour drive from her home
in Napoleon, Ohio.
Cocker, who has sung hits for
movies such as “An Officer and a
Gentleman” and “9!4 Weeks,” began
his career in the late '60s with covers
of “Feelin' Alright” and “With a
Little Help From My Friends.”