KU Life
JULY 17, 1996
A SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE
Story by EMILY REDMOND
Photo Illustration by RYAN HASLER
People in search of past, future and extraterrestrial lives gathered at the Psychic Extravaganza and True Stories from UFO Abductees Conference last weekend in Kansas City.
Hundreds of people attended the conference, which was held at the Kansas City Market Center, 1775 North Universal Avenue in Kansas City, Mo.
"There is a growing interest in the metaphysical," said Kevin Hummer, director of R.J. Promotions. "Lots of things are happening to lead to a rising awareness."
Exhibitors included psychics, clairvoyants and tarot card readers from the six-state region.
In addition to a cover charge on $6 that allowed entry into the conference, each exhibitor charged a fee for services rendered.
"This is an unbelievable value, especially if you want to see a psychic or clairvoyant," Hummer said.
Participants paid exhibitors from $2.50 for a computer interpretation of the client's first name and astrological birth sign to $50 for a one on one meeting with a psychic.Even skeptics were sucked in and paid big bucks in search of the truth.
"I went to a tarot card reader and gave her the question psychically," said Molly Fast, Hutchinson junior. "She gave me a positive answer, which is good, but it could have answered almost any question."
Other metaphysical exhibits featured massage therapists,
aura readers and past lives readers.
Aura readers took pictures of their clients and read the colors that surrounded the individuals. The colors in turn could tell about the physical and emotional states of that person.
Vendor booths featured merchandise for every taste and budget, including crystals, new-age books, jewelry, incense, statues and hand made clothing, among other things. Many vendors featured books that told the truth about alleged government coverups, the secrets of the pentagon and various religious mysteries and miracles, such as angels.
"I've run into very curious things since I've done this," Lockhart said.
Many exhibitors peddled their own inventions and creations.
"My wife dreamed about the Magnetic Crystal Energizer," said Frank Stematz of Crystal Creation. "She told our son about it, he designed a circuit and we built units to put on the market."
The Magnetic Crystal Energizer is a device that utilizes pulsating light to enhance the beauty of natural crystals and to help users meditate. It is only one of the many products that were dreamed up with metaphysical help.
One psychic wrote a computer program about the effects of people's names based on knowledge that was revealed to her metaphysically.
Another conference draw was the True Stories from UFO Abductees. This was the first year the psychic conference and the UFO conference were held together.
Speakers with video presentation
of aliens and slide shows spoke about alien abductions.
One lecturer talked about her abduction by aliens that lead to her subsequent kidnapping by the United States Military, where she claimed she was interrogated and threatened.
Another speaker told audience members about extra terrestrials who transported him to Egypt where they showed him a cruci-
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and a
Vendors also sold various UFO paraphernalia, including books, alien dolls, hats and home and office decorating ideas, which was a little overbearing to
crown of thorns that had been hidden away for two thousand years.
some.
Description: Mostly 3 ft. to 8 ft.Tall, Big Black Eyes,Gray and Different Colored Skins
Both believers and non-believers came to the festival combining to form a positive alliance that you just don't see in the movies.
"It was interesting because we were around a lot of people who really and seriously believed in
UFOs," Fast said. "They are die-hard UFOers."
MUSIC REVIEW
Super 8 dwell on city problems; the auteurs splits identity
Review by Andrew Dalton
Super 8, Super 8 (Hollywood Records). The self-titled debut album from the Joes.
Angeles-based band Super 8 successfully mixes funk and pounding hard rock from the schools of Lenny Kravitz and the now defunct Jellyfish. Any fan of Kravitz may actually think lead vocalist Bronx Style Bob is Kravitz. Their styles are certainly similar.
debut album from the Los Angeles band Sweet C
The record is a collection of thumping grooves, pure
rockers and melodic tear jerkers.
The first single, *King of the World*, comes straight out of the Jellyfish mold. It moves along nicely in pure pop
style and then kicks in with funky rhythms. No-nonsense rockers like Pain and Going Nowhere leave little to be desired. Heavens Don't Cry does an excellent job displaying the band's lighter side.
In mixing these styles together, Super 8 still manages to say something important in its songs.
the auctions, After Murder Park (Hut Recordings). After being dormant for a number of years, the auctions are back with a new album, After Murder Park. The layoff seems to have left the band with a bit of an identity problem, because this record seems to have been made at two entirely different times.
Many of the band's messages focus on urban problems. April 19th looks at shootings, and Pills and Going Nowhere are self explanatory. On the whole, the album is consistent in its musings and accomplished in its various musical tendencies. Overall 7 out 10.
The first five songs are upbeat, catchy pop tunes that show the charisma of the auteurs. Land Lovers is a classic guitar-based zinger that features perfect tempo
changes.
It is the second half of the disc that leaves the listener wondering what exactly is going on.
The final seven songs, aside from the presence of vocalist Luke Haines, do not sound like they came from the same band who created the first five tracks.
They sound like they belong on a Broadway soundtrack. Listening to After Murder Park evokes images of Haines running around a stage dressed as the phantom of the opera rather than a wanna-be rock star.
A dramatic element dominates the last songs, and critically flaws the album. Overall 4.
At its worst, Reacharound is nothing more than your average garage band. Who's Tommy Cooper? could have been a great album if the group had used a little more imagination in its songwriting and kept to the
Reacharound, Who's Tommy Cooper? (Trauma Records). At its best, Reacharound is a slick combination of rockabilly and punk, learing toward the punk side.
Only a small number of songs on the album stick to this memorable sound. The tracks Big & Mean and Nearest Bridge take the style to the limits. Both rollick
rockabilly/punk mix.
in a manner that should a smile to your face.
bring a smile to your face. The first release, Big Chair, slightly departs from rockabilly, but is still a likable song. Imperial, perhaps the band's most adventurous track, is nearly all pop.
Reacharound could pull this off with a possible hit, but they seem to be more comfortable elsewhere. This is in contrast to
this "elsewhere" should have been a rockabilly/punk mix, but the band chose to take the majority of the disc on a boring trip through bunkland. Overall 3.