Band festival rocks for charity
Bv Buck Tavlor
Kansan staff writer
More than 20 local bands are scheduled to play this weekend at the ninth annual Omega Outdoor Music Festival in rural Douglas County.
The East Lawrence Improvement Association has been working with the city to develop a new park behind the Santa Fe railway station in East Lawrence. Wildcare rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals.
The festival, which will kick off at 4:30 Friday afternoon, will benefit Wildcare and the East Lawrence Improvement Association. Last year festival proceeds netted $2,700 to buy equipment for the Headquarters Inc. crisis center.
Brad Bond, member of the Committee for the Preservation of Wild Life in Lawrence, which organized Omega, said the committee expected more than 800 people to attend the festival.
"Attendance has grown every year, but it really depends on the weather." Bond said. "Last year, we were in the basement, though we all froze during the night."
He said the committee was a non-profit organization formed in 1982 to
highlight local musicians and to promote interest in Lawrence's live music scene.
The festival, which traditionally is on Stop Day weekend, first featured three bands that played for a few weeks. The most popular ensemble includes 12 bands and 10 solo acts.
He said the cost for the festival was $8 per person for one day and $12 for two days.
"We played last year for the first time and had a great, great time," he
Allen Levine, lead singer and guitarist for the featured band, The Love Squad, said that his band was looking forward to -playing in the festival. The band plays original rock music.
Bond said the committee encouraged camping at the event, which will last until early Sunday morning; The committee also recommends car-pooling to ease parking constraints.
"Even though there will be a combined art of food out there, we'd like to remind people to bring more food to them. And they think, they'll need." Bond said.
Omega IX map
said. "I hope the weather is warmer, but the event is always a lot of fun."
Bond said that eight people were on the planning committee but that 40 to 75 people were involved in the festival in some way.
"I can be nothing but excuse when I see all the committee members putting forth so much effort to make this the best Omega ever," he said.
He said maps to the location were available at Yello Sub, 624 W. 12th St., and The Rock Chalk Bar, 618 W. 12th St.
The University of Kansas Theatre Presents the OUTRAGEOUS COMEDY
TENT MEETING
By Lárry Larson, Levi Lee, and Rebecca Wacker
8:00 P.M. May 3, 4, 5, 1990; 2:30 P.M. May 6, 1990
CRAFTON-PREYER THEATRE
Tickets on sale in the Murphy Hall Box Office;
all seats reserved; for reservations, call 913/864-3982.
ONE WEEKEND ONLY!!!
Partially funded by the KU Student Senate Activity Fee
LIVEWIRE / Thursday, May 3, 1990
3B