Loom Celebrates Six | Feature Event

[Editor's Note: This story previews Loom's sixth anniversary tonight (Thursday, March 1), 9 p.m. at House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., with DJ sets from Brent Crampton and DJ Spinna from NYC. Free before 10:30 p.m., $5 after. RSVP to brent@houseofloom.com. More info here.

The show follows the Red Bull Busic Academy, which runs from 6-9 p.m. at Make Believe Studios, 805 Hickory St.. More info here.]

by Jordan Minnick

Six years ago, Brent Crampton and Jay Kline threw a multicultural dance party called Loom for 50 close friends in Omaha. As more events followed suit, so did the Loom ideology. It became less about a party and more about "celebrating our existence," as Crampton puts it.  

By using music, dance, art and education, they discovered that they could create a platform for social interaction, even social progress. Crampton and Kline began to re-explore all these platforms when they and co-owner Ethan Bondelid opened a permanent venue last July in the old Goofy Foot location, just south of Omaha's Durham Heritage Museum. At House of Loom, they weave programs including discussions, cinema showings, food and drink tastings and classes on drum and dance performance, along with a steady stream of music from DJs to rock shows. From booking to bartending to DJing to managing, it's a lot of work.

"It was definitely a natural progression," Crampton says. "Once I knew that we were going to open up House of Loom, I always thought I was going to have to sort of reach the day where I woke up and thought, 'Holy shit, I’m a bar owner now!' But I never had that day, it was always just one moment to the next."

For Loom's sixth anniversary tonight at 9 p.m., they're celebrating with legendary guest DJ Spinna, who will be spinning along with Crampton. Spinna is in town for the  . in from  the people that usually create the party, 9 p.m. tonight at House of Loom. Crampton will be DJing along with the legendary DJ Spinna from NYC, in Omaha for the Red Bull Music Academy.

"Ask an old school hip-hop head and they'll say he was a cornerstone of hip-hop's late 90's indie-uprise," Crampton said in an email to Hear Nebraska. "Everyone from Mos Def, Talib Kweli to Pharaohe Monch boasted Spinna beats to prove their worth to the scene.

"Ask a house head and they'll instantly have memories of singing his monumental version of Shawn Escoffery's "Day's Like This," or enjoying his releases on UK's BBE or his own label, Wonderwax. Lovers of soul and pop know him for his work with Goapele & Les Nubians, his reworkings of Roy Ayers, Michael Jackson or his famous Steve Wonder inspired WONDER-Full DJ performances."

Crampton says he's not sure how prosperous turning the idea into the job, but he's not concerned about it, either.

"I know on my death bed, when I look back at my life, I’m not going to be thinking how much money I made," he says. "I’m going to be thinking about how many lives I’ve changed. Which is what I feel like I’m doing.

"I feel like that’s happening now."

Jordan Minnick is Hear Nebraska contributor. She suggests you party Loom-style for Cinco De Mayo. Contact her at jordanminnick@hearnebraska.org.