GLBT finalizes
events for gay,
lesbian month
By Sarah Baker
* Senior staff writer
Coining out of the closet isn’t required.
But coming out to be a part of Gay and
Lesbian History Month will be worth the effort,
no matter what your sSxual preference happens
to be.
The coming of October brings the promise of
many activities celebrating gay pride. The event
will culminate with “The Return of the Gay and
Lesbian Film Festival” beginning midmonth at
the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater on City
Campus.
Melissa Rigney, graduate assistant for the
Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Resource
Center, said all the gay awareness groups on cam
pus worked together to prepare for the month.
“We have a lot more activities planned this
year than ever before,” Rigney said. “We wanted
to do something big this year in response to all
the negative things that happened last year con
cerning gays.”
Rigney is referring to the anti-gay sidewalk
chalkings that took place last October on campus
during Coming-Out Week.
l ne anti-gay chalkings took place last semes
ter after the KRNU-FM (90.3) radio program
“Three Men and a German” distributed chalk to
those upset about gay messages on sidewalks.
The product of the encouragement were sev
eral violent anti-gay messages scrawled over the
original chalkings. The gay community respond
ed with an outcry for more tolerance and pro
grams for diversity.
So this month a host of events highlighting
the struggles of the gay community will take cen
ter stage among speakers. Several discussion
groups will hash out issues of sexuality and
equality and a mock wedding will be held
between two lesbians right after National
Coming-Out Day on Oct. 11.
This year’s film festival, which runs from
Oct. 22 to Nov. 1, is the centerpiece for the
month, however.
Dan Ladely, director of the Mary Riepma
Ross Film Theater, said this isn’t the first time the
Ross has showcased gay and lesbian films, but
that they haven’t been screened in at least three
Gay and lesMan History
—atws
The following is a list of a few campus-oriented
GLBT-sponsored celebrations. Please call the
GLBT Resource Center tor more information.
OeL 2-4: “Equality in the Heartland" conference
11: National Coming-Out Day
12: Toni and Tina's Wedding"
13: ‘Wear Jeans if you are Gay Day"
14: Dr. Joyce Hunter speaks with GLBT youths
15: Spectrum event night in the Crib
16: Film and Dance at Culture Center
17: GLBTS first annual Homecoming Reception
21: Take Back the Night rally
Oct 22 - Nov. 1: The Gay/Lesbian Film Festival
22:The Gay Mneties: 'Equal Rights not Special
Rights* Fair
23: Meet the filmmakers of The Brandon
Teena Story"
27: Read All About It art exhibition
30: A reading of GLBT authors _
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years.
Among the
scheduled films is
“The Brandon Teena
Story,” shot com
pletely in Nebraska. It
tells the story of a 20
year-old who was bru
tally raped and beaten
when his friends found out
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The festival also includes axoUectfon of short 9 9
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The popularity of gay and lesbian cinema has M
grown in the recent past, and Ladely said the indus- ^F ^^^p
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“People are really into this lately,” he said. fg \g MLM 29 If ff
“Gays have a lot of stories to be told.” I I 99 IF 99 I ^^99
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val are panels and scheduled events. 9 M
Oct. 15 through Oct. 21 is the ^p^ i9i jp^ Ja Ap^ JU| M
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film festival. The 9
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amtestsponsoredbytheQ^ibs Ninth director," Mary Riepitia Ross
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Matt Zwick, president of Spectrum, F11 IT1 Thp^f P Y
one of the University of Nebraska- ,
Lincoln awareness groups, said most ot the activities
are directed toward the gay community, but that does
n’t mean gays are the only ones invited to attend.
“We want this festival to appeal to the entire com
munity,” Zwick said. “We want to promote visibility
on this campus.”
The appeal of the festival is broad, and Ladely
agreed that anyone would enjoy the activities, espe
cirlly the festival.
“It really has a positive affect on the gay and les
bian community,” he said. “It shows they can accom
plish things in spite of all the obstacles they have to
overcome.”
For more information about Gay and Lesbian
History Month, call the GLBT Resource Center at
(402)472-5644.
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Chris Isaak
“Speak of the Devil”
Reprise
Grade: B+
For being one of the best-dressed
and best-looking men in music, Chris
Isaak sure has a lot of girl problems.
And his new album, “Speak of
the Devil,” proves it in a stylish and
sincere fashion while taking Isaak in
a new musical direction.
Though not as good as my
favorite Isaak album, “Forever Blue,”
this latest offering is very solid and
innovative at the same time. The
recording is clean and picks up a lot
of subtle sounds and tones from
varying guitar effects and Isaak’s sig
nature voice.
The album has a lot of different
sounds that gently seep through the
music every so often and include
everything from broken amplifiers
and PVC pipe to answering machine
messages and crickets. Isaak’s love of
surfing is also evident as many of the
songs buzz with a phased-out wah
wah sound and the album ends with a
surfy instrumental called “Super
Magic 2000.”
“Flying” is probably the album’s
best song and features very soft and
sparse guitar strumming that almost
sounds random at times. There are
also a number of crescendos that
complement Isaak’s ranging voice,
which goes from very present at
times to almost mumbling at others.
This style melds well with the mel
low and repetitious four-note surly
bass line.
Some of the songs on “Speak of
the Devil” showcase Isaak’s roots in
classic country and early rock ‘n’ roll
like “This Time” and “I’m Not
Sleepy.” In “This Time” Isaak sings
in a lower key and uses a guitar sound
reminiscent of that of Roy Orbison to
make a catchy tune with a light and
melodic chorus melody. The verse
sound ranges from soft and steady to
full and intense.
Isaak uses “I’m Not Sleepy” as an
outlet for his rock ‘n’ roll tendencies
and as a calf to party. The song is very
fun and has a super fast and catchy
chorus with lots of clean and crazy
guitar leads here and there.
The album’s title track is a mis
clpevous romp through one of Isaak’s
love-hate relationships and his sultry \
voice sounds ironically upset as he
sings “I’m all right now.” Shortly
thereafter it develops into an edgy
cry of “I’m so lonely” over a scratchy
riff-pause riff-pause chord progres
sion and a number of bendy guitar
leads.
me album wmas up with super
Magic 2000,” a moody and groovy
instrumental surf ride full of com
plex rhythms and sounds intertwined
over a shallow and steady snare drum
surf beat.
The album flows from beginning
to end and sounds like a refreshing
combination of the Hawaiian
pipeline and a crisp new haircut. The
experimentation works well, and the
end result is a bojly of 14 quality
tracks sure to please any Chris Isaak
fan- even if you only like him for his
good looks.
-Jason Hardy
