Take Cover Omaha at The Waiting Room | Photo Essay

Fifteen Nebraska artists gathered at The Waiting Room on Friday for Hear Nebraska’s fourth annual Take Cover event. Each musician played an original song along with a cover from a favorite Nebraska songwriter or band.

The event served as a tribute to Nebraska music. Many of the artists paid their respects to the songwriters and friends they covered.

Icky Blossoms crouched on the stage floor for its reverberating dance version Capgun Coup’s garage-rocky “Twist And Shout.”

Jason Meyer of Talking Mountain, Calm Fur and Feel Tight decorated his acoustic guitar with LED lights that rotated colors.

The Waiting Room fell silent during Edem Kegey’s performance, which featured her soft, haunting voice in the language of Ga (from Ghana), accompanied by a ukulele.

See Through Dresses loosed a loud, ripping rock performance of a Little Brazil song, breaking the rhythm of the mostly acoustic event.

Heather Berney waved to John Klemmensen near the bar before she played an acoustic folk rendition of one his “’80s Heavy Metal.” And Klemmensen, in turn, closed out the night with Bright Eyes’ “Four Winds.”

The audience milled around The Waiting Room throughout the night, getting drinks, congratulating musicians between sets and reverently watching the performances under the blue and red lights.

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Anna McClellan (covered Baby Walrus)

Anna McClellan at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Anthems’ Mim Aparo (covered Jake Bellows)

Mim Aparo at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

Mim Aparo at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Icky Blossoms (covered Capgun Coup)

Icky Blossums at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

Icky Blossoms at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Travelling Mercies’ Jeremy Mercy (covered Vern Fergesen)

Jeremy Mercy at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Sam Ayer (covered Sam Martin)

Sam Ayer at Take Cover Omaha, 2015

photo by JP Davis

Edge of Arbor’s Jessica Errett (covered Ojai)

Jessica Errett at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

Jessica Errett at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Matt Whipkey (covered Simon Joyner)

Matt Whipkey at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

Matt Whipkey at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Heather Berney (covered John Klemmensen and The Party)

Heather Berney at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

Heather Berney at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Talking Mountain’s Jason Meyer (covered Chris Kramer)

Jason Meyer at Take Cover

photo JP Davis

Jason Meyer at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Edem Kegey (covered Jamire Gray)

Edem Kegey at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Edem Kegey at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

See Through Dresses (covered Little Brazil)

See Through Dresses at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015
See Through Dresses at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015
See Through Dresses at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photos by Marco Meyer

See Through Dresses at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

Lars & Mal (covered Orenda Fink)

Lars & Mal at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

McCarthy Trenching’s Dan McCarthy (covered Conor Oberst)

Dan McCarthy at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship’s Andrew Gustafson (covered Bryce Hotz)

Andrew Gustafson at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photo by Marco Meyer

Andrew Gustafson at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

John Klemmensen and The Party (covered Bright Eyes and Criteria)

John Klemmensen at Take Cover

photo by JP Davis

John Klemmensen at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015
John Klemmensen at The Waiting Room | Jan. 23, 2015

photos by Marco Meyer