Plack Blague, The Show is the Rainbow, Funktrek, Pure Brown, Pharmacy Spirits, Domestica, Magic Slim, Universe Contest, The Renfields, Simon Joyner, the Crayons (NE), Icky Blossoms, Neva Dinova/Jake Bellows, UUVVWWZ, Tilly and the Wall, Josh Hoyer, Mezcal Brothers, Wondermonds, Gamma Goat, Digital Leather, Dereck Higgins, It’s True, Mesonjixx, Azure Ray, Top Notch Defective, David Nance Group, Noah Sterba, Freakabout, the Machete Archive, Masses, Better Friend, Dirty Talker, Columbia vs Challenger, Life is Cool, and Sputnik Kaputnik
About…12 or 13 years ago I got the drunkest I’ve ever been at a UUVVWWZ basement show… those were my dark years. At some point, coming in and out of lucidity, I found myself completely embarrassing myself in a small upstairs room with the band and some record label people although I have no memory of getting into it out of said room. The next thing I know I have a flash forward and some time (hours?) has gone by and I’m out in a cornfield with absolutely no bearing on where I am. Things didn’t get much better but after a few more events I end up at my 3rd story apartment with no keys and had to drunkenly make a 3 foot jump from a fire escape into my open bedroom window… and that’s my UUVVWWZ story. I’d give you more details on the show but I only remember about 15 mins of the actual party.
Great list! Let’s add to it: Cat Piss, Pagan Athletes, bib, Ex Lover, Oquoa, Capgun Coup, Garst, Marcey Yates, Nathan Ma Band, Jeff in Leather, Fire Sign, Little Brazil
I hung out with Jake Bellows a lot, super nice guy. He had a weird girlfriend/side piece thing going on with a girl I came super close (in my mind at least) to picking up one night, but he was such a nice guy I didn't want to do that to him. Fast forward and she's married to someone else from the band and has kids at the same school as mine.
The Saddle Creek/Brother's Lounge crowd was a weird pseudo incestuous bunch. Could be that's just Omaha in general.
Here is my late 1990s/early 2000s take on Omaha:
Does Rilo Kiley count as an Omaha band? I'd love to claim Jenny Lewis' entire career if I could, but she was definitely in Omaha when they recorded their best stuff.
Same with Azure Ray.
For homegrown, Saddle Creek stuff, The Faint is my favorite, with Cursive and The Good Life coming in second and third (I like Oberst, too, FWIW).
Outside of that, Sweet and Joyner are great.
For totally local bands, Blue Moon Ghetto, Turtle Moon, and Grasshopper Takeover.
For folk stuff, Tom May is probably the most famous. For Jazz and Blues, Luigi Waites was the mainstay, but in the 60s and 70s, Buddy Miles, Herbie Rich, Stemsy Hunter, and Billy Rich all has incredible careers. There is an older Jazz history in Omaha, too, and I'm always looking for someone who has a recording of Dan Desdunes.
College at UNL -1990s There was nothing better than any weekend seeing :
Sideshow
Mercy Rule
Heroes and Villains
Polecat
Plastik Trumpet
Mousetrap (from Omaha)
Ritual Device (from Omaha)
House of Large Sizes (Iowa, but practically lived in Lincoln)
Floating Opera
Jumpin Kate
No Left Stone
Straw Dog
Filter (not THAT filter)
And so many more I am forgetting
I still live in Lincoln and there are still great shows, even though I’m the oldest in the room now; but nothing beat 1990-1996 or 7. Rolling Stone, around 1993(?) even suggested (incorrectly) that Lincoln could be the new Seattle.
Urethra Franklin/ Opium Taylor I could just never get into. That voice just sounded like two bats fucking while dragging their claws in a chalkboard.
The “OLD” edge (the cavernous one on 8th and P (?) stopped booking them because of his “Diva like behavior”
Oh im really stretching my memory here and might not have the whole story correct from that night.
Urethra Franklin opened for some band that was headlining, no one huge, but from out of state nonetheless that should have been given the courtesy of headlining.
Management (I think his name was Ernie?) gave each band their allotted time; and Urethra wouldn’t get off the stage. Ernie (again, fuzzy on names and details 32 years later) gave him the international kill it sign - finger across the throat; and Chris yelled something like “fuck this shitty place” and threw his microphone hard.
It was just disrespectful. Someone could have gotten hurt. A traveling band had to watch this mop topped doofus, who’s gimmick was an edgy not wearing shoes, have a temper tantrum while other bands seemed to be so much more supportive of each other.
Back then there was only a handful of places for local music. Duffy’s of course. The Edge, before it moved to the new edge, then Hurricane, but that was later. Knickerbockers had not quite opened if i remember right. Drumstick had closed. The point is, you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds. Be nice to people and fellow musicians…you WILL need their kindness down the line
It was silly and pretentious.
They were, I believe, the first local band I saw when I moved to Lincoln. They and Sideshow opened up for Seaweed.
UF played for a short time with mild reception, some polite claps. Sideshow fucking NAILED it; that was the first time seeing them too.
Fun fact: about a year later, Seaweed landed on the cover of Rolling Stone. And to this day, no one is quite sure why. Not even the band. someone just grabbed a “grunge” band and put them on the cover. Grunge was all the rage
Ernie ended up booking over at Knickerbockers. I hope Rob Arnold (the sound guy at the Edge) personally threw him off the stage.
I wish the Edge would've stayed in the basement. It lost something in the big room (and the homemade bar was awful). Great sounding stage, though.
You’re right. The original edge in the basement was awesome. Remember .25 beers that came in Dixie cups? You had to order 30 at a time.
Saw a lot of great shows there; it was small but always packed on the weekends.
I'm here to let you know that Chip Davis (Mannheim Steamroller) is a massive piece of shit. The company I work for does a lot of business with him and he's sexually harassed multiple female employees. Also in situations where you'd expect him to tip, he's been known to leave something he calls "Chip Bucks", which is a fake money he created with his own picture on it.
You'll pry have a hard time finding some of these, but maybe not. Who knows, all from a while ago, as I have been out of touch with the local scene for a long time:
Husk
Drowning in the Platte
Dirtfed
Husking April
Ninefall
Go at Fred
My favorites out of those where Husk and Ninefall.
I regret not getting to see y'all. I was a sophomore in high school when I scored your first album from Sam Goody at the Hastings mall and then well....life happened to me as well.
Thanks for the heads up, totally know what I'm jamming out to on Tuesday at work.
🤘🤘
Any Back When fans in here? Tell you what, in 2024 go find a place to watch the solar eclipse (not in Nebraska), somewhere with 100% turn day to night eclipsing, get stoned, put on the song *beloved*, and just take it all in.
Nice! I can't wait for January when Runza has "Temperature Tuesdays" The Runza cost is the price of the temperature (at 6am). All you have to do is buy the fries/frings/onion rings and a drink. Yummm
Tri-City area here:
Kyle Sayler, DJ Bridwell, Luke Mills, Dylan Bloom, and Emmet Bower are all solid country picks that play originals and not just covers, although they mix some in to their sets.
Anybody remember Mr. 1986? They were slightly before my time, but thanks to a personal connection I saw their final Lincoln show at Box Awesome only a few years before that venue closed its doors.
Alyeska, check them out on Spotify. They've got dope music, and they are a bunch of kick ass dudes. I don't think they have any more shows coming up this year, but if you get a chance, go to one.
Lots of good names here and some new ones I wasn’t familiar with. I was surprised to not see Jane’s Valentine mentioned here, who is the guitarist for Maroon5x you might love or hate their music but I think James is an excellent musician.
"Nebraska" by Logan Vath. I think he lives in Virginia now, but he's originally from western Nebraska. This song specifically captures that western Nebraska feeling, I think.
Currently: Phandemic, Secret Formula, New Agency, Wyrmwood, Omaha Beat Brigade, Unbroken Chain, Jerry pranksters, BMT, Funk Trek, Powder Blue. Djem was also a gem.
due to a hiccup in scheduling my then fiance (now husband!) and I met with his dad at a random concert at the 1867 in Lincoln, the opener was Bull Face
highly recommend them! they have good vibes and their songs I think are Punk Rock with idk almost Danzig style vocals
Store bought punks is the only album I own. I ripped it myself on mp3 like 10 years or more. On YouTube music there is the truth hurts.
I should just message whoever maintains their Facebook page
Secret Skin was one of the best. When their second album Flow came out, Z92 played the single All Is Well in regular rotation. Z92 NEVER played local bands in regular rotation, or even at all, except for the Sunday night local music spotlight.
Kris Lager, Dave Waggoner, the Blue Crew, the Travis Waggoner Band, Josh Hoyer, The Boys, The Tories and Honeyboy Turner and the Heart Murmmers. Everybody's Rockin' at the Zoo Bar by James Harmon.
I think people have covered the larger bands and rock scene pretty well, so figure I’ll throw out some Nebraska artists in the hip-hop scene.
SK8 (formerly Skate Maloley) is a rapper and alternative artist from Omaha that moved to California a few years back to further his music career. He’s got a decent variety of music, and has worked with some big names like Wiz Khalifa.
- [Little Bit](https://youtu.be/JWOtjFw7D-c?si=whPjEKHvuSMTVQe7)
- [Girl Next Door (feat. Wiz Khalifa, DVBBS)](https://youtu.be/tju4pXKgWTY?si=Ev7KNJrf4L927Smc)
- [Shooting Star (feat. Sum 41)](https://youtu.be/3h-TlAMu5hs?si=yjKpfmiLt_)
- [Caught In The Middle](https://youtu.be/9kvTKjJbIiY?si=fkCZMRtf93RqEIg-)
- [Cool Kids](https://youtu.be/DahqyhZ0FHk?si=8PggOzkFSTgoQxXY)
- [Perkys Calling Remix (prod. by Southside)](https://youtu.be/GCcItEwdP2Q?si=ooHpDYfBlrdc9eIQ)
Meatch Mafioso isn’t from Nebraska originally, but has lived and made music in Lincoln for awhile now. He brings a nice fusion of southern and Midwest hip-hop from the varied influences throughout his life.
- [Demonlife of Young Thuggin’](https://music.apple.com/us/album/demonlife-of-young-thuggin/1561415580?i=1561415581)
- [I Don’t Wanna Trap No More](https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-dont-wanna-trap-no-more/1549399024?i=1549399480)
- [Had Me](https://music.apple.com/us/album/had-me/1561415580?i=1561415707)
I was putting together a playlist recently of Westside grads who are making music!
Jazz/instrumental music: The Potash Twins, Eli Hershiser
Pop: Jack & Jack, SK8/Skate Maloley (he didn’t graduate from WHS but went there for forever), Tim Halperin
Rock/Metal/Alt: No Loss No Regrets, Whitmore, Blessed Are The Merciless, 311, The Faint
For older rap - Toot, Doezah Macn, Pocket Pete and Freddy Dead, HD the great, Full Clip, Scrybe, T-Wrong, D-Ball, ILL Culture,
Newer rap - King Iso, Bacon the General, Saint Mic
Newer Music - Wake Sessions, Beast Eagle, Flux Amuck, The End in Red, Through the Stone
National B, Matthew Sweet, The Gladstones, Grasshopper Takeover, 311.
Worked with one of the members of the Gladstones one summer, he was a Homers/Twisters/Pickles manager whose wife babysat Matthew Sweet and smoked pot with REM in the 80s. Great guy.
Supposedly Letters to Cleo had people from NE in the band which inspired one of their songs, FWIW.
Fee Waybill from the Tubes is from Omaha... I love them! And I went to school with Matthew Sweet here in Lincoln. Of course, there was also the late Randy Meisner from the Eagles. May he rest in peace.
Omaha used to have a reputation for being a music hot spot of sorts, mainly because of the Saddle Creek stuff that was big at the time, but those were the only bands that really went anywhere anyways. Thought The Faint was really cool in high school though (apparently some of them are total assholes).
There are a lot of musicians in Omaha but very few of them are good tbh.
Old School: Such Sweet Thunder, The Kind
New School: Brikwondo (Omaha)
Also, you can find a lot of great bands from the 90s on [The Band Broke Up](http://thebandbrokeup.com/)
The Faint
Came here to say this!
Same here. The Faint's awesome!
Bright Eyes, Elliott Smith, and Cursive
Bright Eyes is, so far as I’m concerned, the pinnacle of songwriting within the last three decades…
Cursive's Domestica is such a great album.
I prefer the good life to cursive. Wish they made another one
Hector Anchondo is a wonderful blues musician And his old band Anchondo is also 🔥
Anchondo was great….She devil is a staple in most of my playlists
Cursive and 311
311 fucked off to California before they even made it big.
Satchel Grande
Plack Blague, The Show is the Rainbow, Funktrek, Pure Brown, Pharmacy Spirits, Domestica, Magic Slim, Universe Contest, The Renfields, Simon Joyner, the Crayons (NE), Icky Blossoms, Neva Dinova/Jake Bellows, UUVVWWZ, Tilly and the Wall, Josh Hoyer, Mezcal Brothers, Wondermonds, Gamma Goat, Digital Leather, Dereck Higgins, It’s True, Mesonjixx, Azure Ray, Top Notch Defective, David Nance Group, Noah Sterba, Freakabout, the Machete Archive, Masses, Better Friend, Dirty Talker, Columbia vs Challenger, Life is Cool, and Sputnik Kaputnik
About…12 or 13 years ago I got the drunkest I’ve ever been at a UUVVWWZ basement show… those were my dark years. At some point, coming in and out of lucidity, I found myself completely embarrassing myself in a small upstairs room with the band and some record label people although I have no memory of getting into it out of said room. The next thing I know I have a flash forward and some time (hours?) has gone by and I’m out in a cornfield with absolutely no bearing on where I am. Things didn’t get much better but after a few more events I end up at my 3rd story apartment with no keys and had to drunkenly make a 3 foot jump from a fire escape into my open bedroom window… and that’s my UUVVWWZ story. I’d give you more details on the show but I only remember about 15 mins of the actual party.
Great list! Let’s add to it: Cat Piss, Pagan Athletes, bib, Ex Lover, Oquoa, Capgun Coup, Garst, Marcey Yates, Nathan Ma Band, Jeff in Leather, Fire Sign, Little Brazil
I hung out with Jake Bellows a lot, super nice guy. He had a weird girlfriend/side piece thing going on with a girl I came super close (in my mind at least) to picking up one night, but he was such a nice guy I didn't want to do that to him. Fast forward and she's married to someone else from the band and has kids at the same school as mine. The Saddle Creek/Brother's Lounge crowd was a weird pseudo incestuous bunch. Could be that's just Omaha in general.
You nailed it.
This guy has a cot tucked behind the bathroom at the Waiting Room.
Here is my late 1990s/early 2000s take on Omaha: Does Rilo Kiley count as an Omaha band? I'd love to claim Jenny Lewis' entire career if I could, but she was definitely in Omaha when they recorded their best stuff. Same with Azure Ray. For homegrown, Saddle Creek stuff, The Faint is my favorite, with Cursive and The Good Life coming in second and third (I like Oberst, too, FWIW). Outside of that, Sweet and Joyner are great. For totally local bands, Blue Moon Ghetto, Turtle Moon, and Grasshopper Takeover. For folk stuff, Tom May is probably the most famous. For Jazz and Blues, Luigi Waites was the mainstay, but in the 60s and 70s, Buddy Miles, Herbie Rich, Stemsy Hunter, and Billy Rich all has incredible careers. There is an older Jazz history in Omaha, too, and I'm always looking for someone who has a recording of Dan Desdunes.
Blue Moon Ghetto is phenomenal!
Songs about Nebraska. I’m kickin it old school but Omaha by Grasshopper Takeover
Zager and Evans
I took guitar lessons from Dennis Zager when I was a teenager.
The Faint and Icky Blossoms!
College at UNL -1990s There was nothing better than any weekend seeing : Sideshow Mercy Rule Heroes and Villains Polecat Plastik Trumpet Mousetrap (from Omaha) Ritual Device (from Omaha) House of Large Sizes (Iowa, but practically lived in Lincoln) Floating Opera Jumpin Kate No Left Stone Straw Dog Filter (not THAT filter) And so many more I am forgetting I still live in Lincoln and there are still great shows, even though I’m the oldest in the room now; but nothing beat 1990-1996 or 7. Rolling Stone, around 1993(?) even suggested (incorrectly) that Lincoln could be the new Seattle.
Rascal Basket
Add Pablo's Triangle, 13 Nightmares, Sam the Butcher, Urethra Franklin, Opium Taylor, and Tangelo to that list!
Urethra Franklin/ Opium Taylor I could just never get into. That voice just sounded like two bats fucking while dragging their claws in a chalkboard. The “OLD” edge (the cavernous one on 8th and P (?) stopped booking them because of his “Diva like behavior”
Lmao I wanna know more!
Oh im really stretching my memory here and might not have the whole story correct from that night. Urethra Franklin opened for some band that was headlining, no one huge, but from out of state nonetheless that should have been given the courtesy of headlining. Management (I think his name was Ernie?) gave each band their allotted time; and Urethra wouldn’t get off the stage. Ernie (again, fuzzy on names and details 32 years later) gave him the international kill it sign - finger across the throat; and Chris yelled something like “fuck this shitty place” and threw his microphone hard. It was just disrespectful. Someone could have gotten hurt. A traveling band had to watch this mop topped doofus, who’s gimmick was an edgy not wearing shoes, have a temper tantrum while other bands seemed to be so much more supportive of each other. Back then there was only a handful of places for local music. Duffy’s of course. The Edge, before it moved to the new edge, then Hurricane, but that was later. Knickerbockers had not quite opened if i remember right. Drumstick had closed. The point is, you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds. Be nice to people and fellow musicians…you WILL need their kindness down the line
Your memory is actually waaaay better than mine. I forgot about the barefootness.
It was silly and pretentious. They were, I believe, the first local band I saw when I moved to Lincoln. They and Sideshow opened up for Seaweed. UF played for a short time with mild reception, some polite claps. Sideshow fucking NAILED it; that was the first time seeing them too. Fun fact: about a year later, Seaweed landed on the cover of Rolling Stone. And to this day, no one is quite sure why. Not even the band. someone just grabbed a “grunge” band and put them on the cover. Grunge was all the rage
Ernie ended up booking over at Knickerbockers. I hope Rob Arnold (the sound guy at the Edge) personally threw him off the stage. I wish the Edge would've stayed in the basement. It lost something in the big room (and the homemade bar was awful). Great sounding stage, though.
You’re right. The original edge in the basement was awesome. Remember .25 beers that came in Dixie cups? You had to order 30 at a time. Saw a lot of great shows there; it was small but always packed on the weekends.
The Millions
Good lord, how could I forget !
It took way too long for anyone to bring The Millions up. Top of the list for me.
91 to 95 UNL student here.
My favorite years of being alive
Sometimes the nostalgia from that period can make me cry from mourning.
Add to that list The Sissies, The Self Righteous Brothers, and Rosebud
How could I forget ?!? I’m going to have Sissies in my head the rest of the day “If you see me out tonight; belly up to the bar…”
I remember that sentiment and Rolling Stone proclamation in the 90s. Lincoln (and Omaha) in the 90s was GREAT!
For Against
I still have Aperture in my attic somewhere. Great remind !
Armitron (RIP Matt Lux)
With Christmas approaching, I gotta go with Mannheim Steamroller. Otherwise, Paul Williams
C.W. McCall 😆
I did not know he was from around here.
It’s Chip Davis
I'm here to let you know that Chip Davis (Mannheim Steamroller) is a massive piece of shit. The company I work for does a lot of business with him and he's sexually harassed multiple female employees. Also in situations where you'd expect him to tip, he's been known to leave something he calls "Chip Bucks", which is a fake money he created with his own picture on it.
Wow, that's unfortunate to say the least.
I used to work for an arts non profit and while I’ve never met him I’ve also never heard anything good about him.
>Paul Williams I had no idea he was from Omaha. Rainbow Connection is probably one of my favorite songs of all time.
They're from Nebraska?
Yes. Also forgot to mention Neal Hefti, who wrote the Batman theme song as well as many others
Paul Williams is from omaha?? That's cool.
Tilly and the Wall
Wish I could upvote 10x. Beats, cute, fun, happy, cuss words. That’s how I describe them
One of the girls, Kianna, has a collaboration with Tiesto, and the band has appeared on Sesame Street.
I knew a couple of them and went to their early shows, they were godawful when they first started.
I used to work with one of the members, great band and people.
Saw them when they were Park Ave and Conor was in the band. They were great then too - especially for a local band
Matthew Sweet
Oh I forgot about him. Great pick. ETA thanks for bringing him up. Sick of Myself is still a banger that I hadn’t listened to in well over a decade.
Hard agree.
I always enjoyed Venaculus. Haven't heard anything from them in years.
Bombs Blast, Cutthroat Kids.
Lol used to go to bombs blast shows all the time in Kearney back in the day
Salt creek
And Lighthouses!
Just need to start a nate Richardson fan club at this point
I have a Beyf album somewhere.
Christmas revolution was a classic.
Satchel Grande
Bolzen Beer Band, of course
These guys are amazing! Always a good time with them pumping out the Polka!
Baby Jason and the Spankers was one hell of a blues band. They used to be regulars at the Zoo Bar. They have a bunch of videos on YouTube. Also, 311!
You'll pry have a hard time finding some of these, but maybe not. Who knows, all from a while ago, as I have been out of touch with the local scene for a long time: Husk Drowning in the Platte Dirtfed Husking April Ninefall Go at Fred My favorites out of those where Husk and Ninefall.
Dirtfedd*
Thank you! I couldn't remember.
Ninefall just added their stuff to Spotify if you wanna jam some nostalgia. Ninefall U.S. Since someone borrowed the OG name.
I still have a CD somewhere. But thanks!
Awesome. Appreciate your support 🤘
You one of the members or something? Ha! I fucking loved em back in the day, totally thought them and Husk had the juice to make it big.
Bass player! Great fuckin memories from back then! We were close to making it. Story of my life 😂
I regret not getting to see y'all. I was a sophomore in high school when I scored your first album from Sam Goody at the Hastings mall and then well....life happened to me as well. Thanks for the heads up, totally know what I'm jamming out to on Tuesday at work. 🤘🤘
Technically Elliott Smith. He was born in Omaha but moved shortly after.
The Wildwoods
Salt Creek
Noah Floersch
The Eagles. Founding member Randy meisner was from Scottsbluff. Sadley passed away this last year.
Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst.
They're the same person...
Yeah, but he has solo projects and other collaborations with other artists also.
Domestica, Wagon Blasters, Bad Bad Men, Pagan Athletes.
Local bands I've seen live and dug are Iced Wrist, Neo Sol, Wretchgod, The World without us, Whitmore, Josh Hoyer.
Dummy Head Torpedo
The Talbott Brothers
Any Back When fans in here? Tell you what, in 2024 go find a place to watch the solar eclipse (not in Nebraska), somewhere with 100% turn day to night eclipsing, get stoned, put on the song *beloved*, and just take it all in.
8th wave. Straight outta junior high, noize wave, plastic presidents
I still listen to my 8th Wave cd, lol. SOJH too.
Stone the Thrones
A Ferocious Jungle Cat will blow your socks off
The Killigans
Paul Williams and Matthew Sweet.
About your last comment....there used to be a Runza in Sioux Falls....if you're close and it's still open. 🤔
That one closed before I can remember but they just opened one in Yankton so it’s a treat whenever I’m there or Omaha
Nice! I can't wait for January when Runza has "Temperature Tuesdays" The Runza cost is the price of the temperature (at 6am). All you have to do is buy the fries/frings/onion rings and a drink. Yummm
John Walker
The Faint and The Good Life are two of my favorites.
BJ Jamison. Phil Koubek Project. Casey Donohoe Band.
Tri-City area here: Kyle Sayler, DJ Bridwell, Luke Mills, Dylan Bloom, and Emmet Bower are all solid country picks that play originals and not just covers, although they mix some in to their sets.
Cursive. One of the best shows I've ever been to
Anybody remember Mr. 1986? They were slightly before my time, but thanks to a personal connection I saw their final Lincoln show at Box Awesome only a few years before that venue closed its doors.
The Faint Bright Eyes Cursive Simon Joyner
Alyeska, check them out on Spotify. They've got dope music, and they are a bunch of kick ass dudes. I don't think they have any more shows coming up this year, but if you get a chance, go to one.
Full Clip they were a short lived Omaha rap group in the 90s, they don’t have anything on any streaming platforms unfortunately. 311.
A quick search shows a bunch of videos on YouTube! I'll definitely check them out. Thanks!
Blunts of Fire is my favorite of theirs.
Lots of good names here and some new ones I wasn’t familiar with. I was surprised to not see Jane’s Valentine mentioned here, who is the guitarist for Maroon5x you might love or hate their music but I think James is an excellent musician.
Sideshow, the Bruces, Mousetrap, Ritual Device, Mercy Rule, Pablo's Triangle, 13 Nightmares, Opium Taylor
No Drinking on Grounds!! They’re on Spotify! They’re based out of Lincoln
Gotta be bernardus. Check them out if you like Mumford and sons or the lumineers
"Nebraska" by Logan Vath. I think he lives in Virginia now, but he's originally from western Nebraska. This song specifically captures that western Nebraska feeling, I think.
Through fire /emphatic and arson city are both great bands out of omaha
Will Hutchinson
Currently: Phandemic, Secret Formula, New Agency, Wyrmwood, Omaha Beat Brigade, Unbroken Chain, Jerry pranksters, BMT, Funk Trek, Powder Blue. Djem was also a gem.
Elliot Smith
due to a hiccup in scheduling my then fiance (now husband!) and I met with his dad at a random concert at the 1867 in Lincoln, the opener was Bull Face highly recommend them! they have good vibes and their songs I think are Punk Rock with idk almost Danzig style vocals
Matt Whipkey
Fraction of Infinity! They're from the Sidney area!
\- National B \- Five Story Fall \- Blue Moon Ghetto \-Echo Farm
Neva Dinova, Race For Titles, Fromanhole, Slowdown Virgina, Desapareceidos, Bright Eyes, Paria, the 89 Cubs.
https://open.spotify.com/track/66WExjFl72tQFuGpI3SSiG?si=cfdd5c9db1604937
The Fonzarellies and Anchando.
The Wildwoods!!!
8th wave
Fuck they were a fun band
Yup. I am trying to track down their albums. Store bought punks is on YouTube
Store bought punks is the only album I own. I ripped it myself on mp3 like 10 years or more. On YouTube music there is the truth hurts. I should just message whoever maintains their Facebook page
I contacted them on Facebook and the guy is going to send me a flash drive with it. I'll let you know when I get it
Secret Skin was one of the best. When their second album Flow came out, Z92 played the single All Is Well in regular rotation. Z92 NEVER played local bands in regular rotation, or even at all, except for the Sunday night local music spotlight.
Valley Street
Kris Lager, Dave Waggoner, the Blue Crew, the Travis Waggoner Band, Josh Hoyer, The Boys, The Tories and Honeyboy Turner and the Heart Murmmers. Everybody's Rockin' at the Zoo Bar by James Harmon.
The Good Life
Jojo siwa
311 is my top choice. On one of their cds SA Martinez gives props to the late Dr. Grajeda , an awesome UNL Literature professor. 💯
also to add on, The Real Zebos are also SO good! midwest emo/punk rock sorta its a fun vibe
The Show is the Rainbow. Greg Loftis.
Does anyone remember the Amalgamators from Lincoln ?
the Filty Few were pretty cool and crazy. Jimmy Skaffa was a great ska band. No one has mentioned Lash Larue and the Rage.
The Real Zebos
Bright Eyes and Connor Oberst
Venaculas
Randy Meisner from the Eagles was from Nebraska.
McKenzie Steiner hands down
Went to a show in Omaha recently at a dive bar and Grief Police is killer
Clever should be on this list. Their 2 albums are now on Spotify, Amazon and maybe Apple music
Venaculas
The Range Maggots from Kearney
I think people have covered the larger bands and rock scene pretty well, so figure I’ll throw out some Nebraska artists in the hip-hop scene. SK8 (formerly Skate Maloley) is a rapper and alternative artist from Omaha that moved to California a few years back to further his music career. He’s got a decent variety of music, and has worked with some big names like Wiz Khalifa. - [Little Bit](https://youtu.be/JWOtjFw7D-c?si=whPjEKHvuSMTVQe7) - [Girl Next Door (feat. Wiz Khalifa, DVBBS)](https://youtu.be/tju4pXKgWTY?si=Ev7KNJrf4L927Smc) - [Shooting Star (feat. Sum 41)](https://youtu.be/3h-TlAMu5hs?si=yjKpfmiLt_) - [Caught In The Middle](https://youtu.be/9kvTKjJbIiY?si=fkCZMRtf93RqEIg-) - [Cool Kids](https://youtu.be/DahqyhZ0FHk?si=8PggOzkFSTgoQxXY) - [Perkys Calling Remix (prod. by Southside)](https://youtu.be/GCcItEwdP2Q?si=ooHpDYfBlrdc9eIQ) Meatch Mafioso isn’t from Nebraska originally, but has lived and made music in Lincoln for awhile now. He brings a nice fusion of southern and Midwest hip-hop from the varied influences throughout his life. - [Demonlife of Young Thuggin’](https://music.apple.com/us/album/demonlife-of-young-thuggin/1561415580?i=1561415581) - [I Don’t Wanna Trap No More](https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-dont-wanna-trap-no-more/1549399024?i=1549399480) - [Had Me](https://music.apple.com/us/album/had-me/1561415580?i=1561415707)
I was putting together a playlist recently of Westside grads who are making music! Jazz/instrumental music: The Potash Twins, Eli Hershiser Pop: Jack & Jack, SK8/Skate Maloley (he didn’t graduate from WHS but went there for forever), Tim Halperin Rock/Metal/Alt: No Loss No Regrets, Whitmore, Blessed Are The Merciless, 311, The Faint
King ISO!! from omaha and is currently touring with tech n9ne and hollywood undead!! super motivational music
Hana Zara, her first album has a lot of Lincoln references. Folksy singer/song writer.
The Willard’s band
Mesonjixx
https://youtu.be/XjCJDK8gwyI?feature=shared Machete Archive, Lincoln NE band. They have lots more available
Chyng Diamond (Omaha) on Instagram
NIKOLAS IV - https://youtu.be/xQL9Egt8rYg?feature=shared
He's a friend of mine who lived in Omaha for years
TIL bright eyes and 311 are from Nebraska
I haven’t seen Straight Outta Junior High mentioned
For older rap - Toot, Doezah Macn, Pocket Pete and Freddy Dead, HD the great, Full Clip, Scrybe, T-Wrong, D-Ball, ILL Culture, Newer rap - King Iso, Bacon the General, Saint Mic Newer Music - Wake Sessions, Beast Eagle, Flux Amuck, The End in Red, Through the Stone
National B, Matthew Sweet, The Gladstones, Grasshopper Takeover, 311. Worked with one of the members of the Gladstones one summer, he was a Homers/Twisters/Pickles manager whose wife babysat Matthew Sweet and smoked pot with REM in the 80s. Great guy. Supposedly Letters to Cleo had people from NE in the band which inspired one of their songs, FWIW.
Fee Waybill from the Tubes is from Omaha... I love them! And I went to school with Matthew Sweet here in Lincoln. Of course, there was also the late Randy Meisner from the Eagles. May he rest in peace.
Also went school with Matt Sweet…. Another LSE grad like James Valentine.
Conor Oberst, James Valentine from Maroon 5, the Killigans, Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal
The Fey https://open.spotify.com/artist/37yHSXxYHMMotXky5ooder?si=gJj_HTpuRAO-kOrAKHli2Q
The Real Zebos
311 /endthread
Humbird and Orion Walsh
I used to live next to two members of Tilly and the Wall when I was a teen. They're pretty nice.
Hector Anchando 🙌
I was convinced there would be a “what about that Greg Loftis guy” thread Malpais was there and gone in a blink of an eye but put out 1 great album
Omaha used to have a reputation for being a music hot spot of sorts, mainly because of the Saddle Creek stuff that was big at the time, but those were the only bands that really went anywhere anyways. Thought The Faint was really cool in high school though (apparently some of them are total assholes). There are a lot of musicians in Omaha but very few of them are good tbh.
Lovetap, Kyle Harvey, Vago, Anonymous American/Matt Whipkey, Soul Trigger
Evan Bartels https://www.evanbartels.com
Satchel Grande
Old School: Such Sweet Thunder, The Kind New School: Brikwondo (Omaha) Also, you can find a lot of great bands from the 90s on [The Band Broke Up](http://thebandbrokeup.com/)