Foo Fighters' Shiflett fondly recalls the Ranch Bowl

The Foo Fighters are, standing from left, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, Nate Mendel and, seated, Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins.

Previewing tonight's Foo Fighters show at the Mid-America Center, Chris Shiflett brought up Omaha.

Back when Shiflett, Foo Fighters guitarist, was a member of No Use For A Name, he was a veteran of Omaha rock clubs. During our interview, he asked if now-closed Omaha venues such as the Cog Factory and the Ranch Bowl were still around

He was sad and reminiscent when I told him that they both, in fact, were now closed.

“When I saw ‘Crazy Heart’ and that first scene (where Jeff Bridges’ character pulls up to a bowling alley), I thought of Omaha,” he said. “I thought, ‘Dude, I ... did that.' It totally reminded me of the Ranch Bowl.”

Shiflett said he loved the Ranch Bowl both because of the gracious crowds and, of course, all of the free bowling

“We’d bowl all day and play all night. Then I’d wake up the next morning with a really sore right arm,” he said, laughing. “When you’re 25, you really shouldn’t be that out of shape.”

Read the full interview over on Omaha.com and check back tonight for a review.

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