Arts&Entertainment
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- f-r— — ■— ^ Local bar is place to be
06 on football Saturdays
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Editor s note: Today is the 12th in a series of
13 stories exploring the history of the O Street
bars. The strip - which begins at Nth and O
streets and runs down to Ninth and O streets -
has served as a major gathering place for
University of Nebraska-Lincoln students for
the past 70 years.
By Josh Nichols
Staff writer
Everyone knows Lincoln changes a little on
football weekends.
The town goes crazy. And there are certain
things that go hand in hand with Husker football.
This includes the Husker fight song, tailgat
ing, football parties and the colors red and white.
All businesses in town, including bars, stores
and restaurants, thrive on the craziness.
But there is one place in particular that really
goes crazy and goes hand in hand with Husker
football.
It is a place where people will stand in line for
hours on a cold Friday night in November.
They’ll also line up out front at 5 the next
morning waiting for the doors to open at 8.
Then, as soon as the game is over, they’ll be
standing in line again.
it you naven t ngurea it out yet, the establish
ment being described is The Sidetrack tavern, die
Studio 54 of Lincoln on football weekends.
Once you get inside, you won’t see famous
stars dancing to blaring disco music, but you will
see a group of people, young and old, dressed in
red and white.
They’ll be slamming back beers and singing
along to the tunes of the group Husker fans can’t
help but love, The Sidetrack Band.
“There is No Place Like Nebraska” is the
song you’re almost sure to hear at some point in
die bar.
But that is by no means the group’s limit.
Songs praising current players, such as Eric
Crouch and Dominic Raiola, can be heard along
with songs about former players Tommy Frazier
and Ahman Green.
The group has come up with music poking
fun at everyone from ESPN announcer Lee
Corso to the Colorado Buffaloes and Texas
Longhorns.
For 16 years, the group has been doing its
thing in the Sidetrack Tavern, 935 O St For eight
years before that, the bar was located in the
Haymarket where Jabrjsco restaurant now
stands. cTr jg
“I’m getting ready for my 25% season in tifir
” I know some people
might think ‘Why be so
happy over a football
game? ’ but I think it s
symbolic."
Joyce Durand
owner of The Sidetrack
bar,” said owner Joyce Durand, who is also the
lead singer of The Sidetrack Band
Durand a former liberal arts major who went
to law school for a year, has been a bureaucrat
and a director of budget and research at the pub
lic affairs commission, worked for the
Legislature and taught school.
She decided to try her hand at running a bar
25 years ago when she opened The Sidetrack.
She said she gave it its name because of its origi
nal location close to the railroad tracks.
Despite her other experiences and qualifica
tions, she said she decided to open a bar because
she thought it would be an enjoyable experience.
“I thought I’d try doing this bar thing for a
while until I found something I liked to do bet
ter,” she said. “I never did find anything I like bet
ter.”
At least Durand said she thinks that’s the rea
son.
“Either thatdr I’m lazy,” she said. “I’m not
sure what the real stocy is.” , =
When someone owns a bar for 25 years, one
might think they’d be able to identify some spe
cific changes they have seen since the beginning,
but not Durand.
The only changes she’s seen are in the legal
drinking age from the time she started and the
fact that people today are more responsible
drinkers than they were 25 years ago.
“One thing that has not changed is the kids,”
she said. “The kids are pretty much the same.
“I think when you spend all of those decades
behind a piano taking requests, then you get a
bird’s eye view of society that is different from
anyone else.
“I’ve gone through short hair and long hair
and tight clolhes and baggy clothes, but that’s just
superficial stuff. I don’t think the people have
changed.”
Duratid said die bar has hag many notable
people in it
She recalled numerous Husker football play
ers, a former boxing champion whose name she
did not remember, the governor of Kansas and
possibly the most memorable for her, former
Nebraska Football Coach Bob Devaney, who was
in die bar numerous times throughout the years.
One particular time stjjtck out in Durand’s
mind.
Deian Lonowski/DN
“He was in here just before he became bed
fast,” she said.
“We had just defeated Kansas. I saw him
come iff; and I got down off the piano. He was
feeble.
“I asked him if he would like to come on the
stage. H.e did, so we helped him on stage and put
W
' f' Please see SIDETRACK on 10
World-renowned musician comes to Lincoln
By Jason Hardy
Staff writer
When it comes to rhythm, people either have
it or they don’t.
Hearing people who don’t have rhythm play
the drums is one of the most painful experiences
ears can be put through. But hearing people who
were born with rhythm perform can be some
thing very magical.
Today, Lincoln residents have the opportuni
ty to hear one of the world’s most renowned and
respected percussionists.
Raag, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
organization for the promotion of Indian classi
cal music and culture, is presenting a perform
ance by Zakir Hussain, one of India’s top musi
cians of the last century.
This definitely falls under the category of
“something very magical.”
“This is a very big deal,” said Piyush
Srivastav, an officer with the Raag organization.
“Lincoln is very, very fortunate to have an event
like this here. We’re really glad to bring such a
big event.”
Tonight’s performance, “Masters of
Percussion 2000,” represents a lifetime of rhyth
mic studying and training on the part of Hussain,
who specializes in the 500-year-old instrument,
Masters of
Percussion 2000
with Zakir Hussain j
WHERE: Lied Center for
Performing Arts, 12th and
P streets
WHEN: tonight 7:30 p.m.
COST: $15, $25
THE SKINNY: World re
nowned, acclaimed percus
sionist to perform in Lincoln.
the tabla.
It is said that Hussain’s father played the tabla
for Hussain when he was only two days old.
Hussain lived a life of rigorous musical train
ing throughout much of his childhood. His daily
routine started at 2 a.m. to practice before school.
Practice continued after school, then homework
and then sleep.
By the age of 12, Hussain was already tour
ing. By age 17, he had toured the world exten
sively.
Srivastav said tonight’s performance was a
dream come true for him and the other members
ofRaag.
Please see HUSSAIN on 10
