The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, September 16, 1999
Entertainment
Bottleneck offers live music acts, swing dancing
By Jason Krall Special to the Kansan
There may be a little something for just about everyone at the Bottleneck this fall.
As usual, the venue will present some of the punk and modern rock acts it's best known for bringing to town. But there is plenty more to be heard than just loud guitars.
In recent months, the Bottleneck,
737 New Hampshire St., has brought
acts with a wide range of styles, from
the heavy sounds of Rollins Band
and the unabashed punk of the Melvins to the eclectic tunes of pop music's favorite son, Sean Lennon.
Punk veterans L7 are booked for Sept. 27. Mike Watt, former frontman of the Minutemen and fiREHOSE, will appear for a solo performance, will appear for a solo performance Derek Trucks and his band are expected for a show later this fall, and the venue will bump with the sounds of DJ Craze and DJ Infamous Oct. 27.
The venue has something to offer in the way of swing music, as well. Sunday nights are swing nights, people dressed in their best come out for dancing and free lessons starting at 9 p.m. DJ Lindi Barb starts things off with a "jump swing" set from 9 to 11 p.m.
"It's a great place just to start out and learn how to dance." Barb said.
The jump swing is followed by DJ June Bug with a more mellow offering. No experience is necessary.
"It's something between swing and Elvis," said Barb, a recent University of Kansas graduate.
Christopher Nassey, Lawrence graduate student, doesn't head to the Bottleneck often, but an appearance by Kansas City keyboard wizard Jeffrey Lee and his band, the Pale Moon Kings, was enough to draw him out last month. Lee and his backup quartet are one of a handful of area bands that appear at the Bottleneck somewhat regularly.
"They have a good range of different kinds of bands coming through here, a little something for everybody," said Nassey.
Admittance is 18 and older most nights, with a sprinkling of all-ages and 21-and-older shows dotting the
calendar. The cover charge for the Bottleneck shows featuring lesser-known acts is often $4 or $5, with better known acts, such as L7, fetching $10 or more at the door. The unique atmosphere, of course, is included.
With a pool tables near the door, the antique alien-hunting arcade game Galaga next to the pay phone and a smattering of late-night epiphanie scribbled on the wooden seats of the boots around the bar, the place has a character undeniably its own. Perhaps that's why the clientele includes some of the same faces night after night.
"L7 is coming up, I'm pumped to see them," said Jesse Parrish, De Soto sophomore, who is somewhat of a regular at the Bottleneck. "They get a lot of good balls coming in here, especially once school gets rolling."
It won't be the first time L7 has appeared on the Bottleneck's stage. The band is among dozens of modern rock acts that have made a stop at the Bottleneck on their way to stardom.
Few have seen more Bottleneck shows than PC Carlin, who has tended bar there for five years, but who had been going to see bands there for years before that. Soundgarden's 1989 show sticks out in his mind as a favorite.
Other acts that have graced the stage include Sublime, Foo Fighters, Blind Melon, Soul Asylum, Jewel, Ben Folds Five and 311-in its first performance sporting a new look. Shortly before its self-titled album began to climb the charts, 311's van caught fire en route to the Bottleneck and singed the unruly hair of singer Nick Hexum, Carlin recalled. Hexum was forced to shave his head just before the show, a look he stuck with and became known for.
"All you could see was hair on stage," Carlin said. "I remember (lead singer) Chris Cornell said, 'We aren't going to break our instruments tonight; we're down to our last ones.'"
"If you look over there, they all have long hair," Carlin said, gesturing to one of the walls covered with promotional shots of bands that have played here. "They played a great show, though."
— Edited by Chris Hutchison
Jonathan Ferris, left, Tim Fitzpatrick, Kyle Marler and Bob Connealy, Overland Park sophomores practice in the basement of the Alpha Tau Omega house. Their band, The Draft will be performing tomorrow and Oct. 2 at Johnny's Tavern and Oct. 22 at Granada. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
Talent-show band releases record
The Draft to play in benefit concert
As they enter the old house on Tennessee Street, visitors are engulfed in a stench of Camel cigarettes and stale Natural Light. Downstairs, four guys in T-shirts and Birkenstocks lounge on shredded couches.
The men make up the band known as The Draft, originally was thrown together for an eighth-grade talent show. Six years later, the band is getting ready to release its first full-length record.
By Reed Davidson Special to the Kansan
The Draft, consisting of four Overland Park sophomores, considers itself more of a project than a band.
"With my drumming style, I try to change it up and follow the other guys." said John Ferns, drummer. "Basically, we're just trying to have a good time."
thing twice," said Kyle Marler, guitarist. "I try to take a song, build on it and feel the other members, so I can play in the direction we're going as a band."
The Draft's style of changing throughout a show is reflected in all four band member's performances.
"I trv never to play the same
The band attributes its style and influences to bands such as the Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic. The band's second guitarist, Tim Fitzpatrick, describes The Draft as an extended jam influenced band with a mixture of everything from blue grass to jazz.
the best attribute they have to offer is a wide variety of musical taste. Marler said he hoped that everyone at the band's shows had a good time because it tried to have something for everyone.
"We play a lot of covers in addition to our own stuff, but the selection of covers is overall really good," Fitzpatrick said. "So everyone should enjoy at least a few songs each show."
Band members agreed that
The Draft released a demo cassette a year and a half ago, and it plans to have its new material released this winter. The Draft can be seen tomorrow and Oct. 2 at Johnny's Tavern. 401 N. Second St.
"We're real excited about playing at Johnny's because we love to get up on stage and get our music out to our fans," said Bob Connealy, lead vocals and bassist of the band.
UPCOMING SHOWS
- Tomorrow at Johnny's Tavern
- Oct. 2 at Johnny's Tavern
- Oct. 2 at Granada
The Draft also is teaming up with local bands such as the Ray-guns for a benefit concert Oct. 22 at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St. The show is a fund-raiser for Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights organization.
"We enjoy helping out the community," Ferns said. "As a local band it's great publicity to get our name and music out to a wider audience. It's great to help out and just see new people at our shows, because we want everyone to experience The Draft."
Edited by Katrina Hull
Students can find diversions to entertain them for less than $10
Continued from page 1B
For instance, on every shelf of Fun and Games, 816 Massachusetts St., one finds items that rekindle childhood memories and instill an overwhelming desire to "play." From Chutes and Ladders to Sexual Trivia, the shop has board games covering the whole range of the developmental spectrum.
A few doors away, at 830 Massachus setts St., sits the equally fun — albeit much more relaxed — Lawrence Antique Mall. Once again, a person is overwhelmed with nostalgia wandering through the three floors of this quasi-attic, which includes, among other things, a display of serial killer
autographs and innumerable magazines, audio cassettes and books.
It's so easy to get caught up in the window shopping on Massachusetts Street that even after two or three hours can be passed without spending a dime.
This leaves plenty of money to explore one of the many eateries, to buy a book and head to a coffeehouse or to simply continue window shopping around the dozens of other interesting shops.
Immediately west of Lawrence lies 7,000-acre Clinton Lake, which harbors an abundance of boating, swimming, biking, hiking and camping opportunities. While the $4-per-car Clinton State
Park entrance fee is a bit steep by national standards, the $5-a-site camping fee is about as cheap as you're going to find anywhere.
Those wishing to avoid the $4 state park fee can find pleasant picnic sites on a hill overlooking the lake at the Army Corps of Engineers' Overlook Park. It doesn't cost anything.
Further west, about an hour and a half drive from Lawrence, one can wander through the more than five million acres of tallgrass prairies in the Flint Hills. Two of the more popular stepping stones to this natural wonderland are the Konza Prairie and the Tallgrass Prairie Natural Preserve.
The 8.600-acre Konza Prairie, maintained by Kansas State University, is the nation's largest protected tallgrass prairie. It costs nothing, and its three informative nature walks — 1.7, 4.7, and 6.1 miles respectively — easily can be accessed about five miles north of exit 307 on Interstate 70.
About 16 miles south of Council Grove sits the almost 11,000 acres of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The rolling hills and prairies of this preserve are being developed for eventual inclusion into the National Park System. There is a suggested entrance donation of $2 for this preserve.
For the artistically minded, the Lied Center offers a schedule overflowing with inspirational speakers and musical and dance presentations.
Much closer to home, the University offers a variety of on-campus activities sure to fit in any student's budgetary
and interest constraints.
Meanwhile, Student Union Activities is wealth of information about ongoing events on and off campus. Most notably, SUA shows recently run movies on Friday and Saturday nights at 7 and 9:30, in addition to a showing of less mainstream movies at midnight on both evenings. All films are shown in Woodruff Auditorium and cost $2.
— Edited by Mike Loader
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