I grew up in Omaha, spent a considerable amount of time going to shows all over the place and I’m a musician too. My bands had played at several places over the years, beginning when I was in high school. In the early 2000’s, not long after forming a new band, I was FINALLY able to get us onto a bill at the Ranch Bowl and it was with a big act too. We had a heck of a following too, thanks to a bunch of crazies following us from our high school days. Our shows were packed with people from day 1. Our band started in a basement, like so many, where we had parties. When we finally broke out of that basement and onto the stage at Ranch Bowl, it felt like we had MADE IT. It sounds silly saying it now, but it really did feel that way. Seeing 311, White Zombie, STP and so many others, made it the most coveted stage around, for local bands.
Anyway, during our first set, ever, at the Ranch Bowl, I noticed a girl I had eyes for, since we were kids. A cute blonde with an amazing smile, who would NEVER give me the time of day. I mean, it’s not like I never tried…she just had ZERO interest. She jammed and danced all the way through our set and had her eyes on me most of it. I was stunned and in shock, was this really happening? After the show I thought about it a lot and wondered if it was just all in my head, but low and behold, as we carried gear out to our cars, there she was, leaning up against the wall inside the entry way, with all those bookmark sized ‘tickets’ stuck to the wall, like some 80’s movie, just waiting for ‘the one’ outside of the school dance. Not a minute passed and she planted one on me like we had been together before, only to be separated and find each other after being apart for a long time. If I was stunned before, I was straight up blacking out now! No way was this happening, I told myself. It was in this very moment of Zen that I realized the true power of the Ranch Bowl. The total and complete power of sex appeal, that was, playing the Ranch Bowl. A girl, who never gave me the time of day, wouldn’t look my way for anything, had finally noticed me and latched on……..all because I played the main stage at the Ranch Bowl. The rest of that night was pretty damn good too! God bless Rock N Roll and God Bless the Ranch Bowl! RIP
-John Doe