OEAA Summer Showcase Recap | Video Feature

by Bridget McQuillan and Michael Todd

Most people can't prove their point by lifting up their shirt. Then again, Darren Keen isn't most people.

Outside of Barley Street Tavern, where he'd play the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards Summer Showcase as Touch People, Keen shared his story of performing earlier in the day as part of the "science fiction worship" at Nerd-Kon on Saturday. He lifted his shirt and showed off his Battlestar Galactica, Watchmen and Star Trek tattoos. Maybe Keen isn't most people, but it seems everyone had a story just like him on Saturday.

For one, Universe Contest's drummer Brenton Neville talked about the merch mobile he built, with wheels, cubbyholes for extra inventory and a new piece of whiteboard art created every show by guitarist Joey Humpal. Everything on the merch mobile is built for efficiency, Neville says, "because we like to drink beer and not set up stuff."

Downtown Benson was certainly the place to be Friday and Saturday night for 50-some bands and their stories. They played five venues from Barley Street Tavern to The Sydney as part of the OEAA Summer Showcase. Concertgoers could submit votes for their favorite band to snag a spot at Maha Music Festival, and The Seen turned out to be the lucky winners of the opening set at Aksarben Village come Aug. 11.

Missed the action or want to relive part of it? Watch the video below featuring just a few stories from acts and their performances Saturday night.

OEAA Showcase from Hear Nebraska on Vimeo

Shot and edited by Bridget McQuillan

Bridget McQuillan is a Hear Nebraska intern. With this video, she makes her Hear Nebrintern debut. Reach her at bridgetm@hearnebraska.org.

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