photo of Becky Lowry by Shannon Claire
[Editor's note: This Saturday, Hear Nebraska hosts Take Cover Omaha at The Waiting Room, starting at 9 p.m. Take Cover features Nebraska musicians covering songs by other Nebraskans. To preview, performers will share their takes on the songs they're covering.]
This is my third year doing Take Cover (my fourth Take Cover event — I was invited to Lincoln my first year), and I love the event. I look forward to it every year. Hearing all the new takes on these songs is a revelation.
This year, I'll be covering "Sweet Release" by Bonehart Flannigan. This is frontman Jon Dell performing the song at the Library Pub back in November:
I started occasionally singing with Universe Contest this last summer, and upon meeting members of the band, I came across this muppet of a man, Jon Dell (Universe Contest's bassist). After a couple get-to-know you conversations, he mentioned Bonehart Flannigan, and I knew I'd be around for Lincoln Calling, which is where I knew I'd finally get to hear Jon on his own turf, with his own songs, and his own band.
"Sweet Release" is as close to gospel music as I've heard in years. I knew immediately — like, before the first verse was even finished — that I wanted to sing this song and pestered and pestered Jon until I'm sure I drove him a little batty. In fact, until I saw my name listed alone on the show list, I was convinced I could find a gospel choir in town to lend me a hand.
The song, simply put, is about how people fill up that big emptiness that I'd like to think most people understand they feel — whatever it is that people understand it to be — and that there's life, there's purpose, there's hope just around the corner if you wait it out long enough.
photo of Bonehart Flannigan by Chloe Ekberg
Take Cover Omaha at The Waiting Room
Saturday, Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. // $7 cover
Lineup includes:
Ted Stevens (Cursive, Ted Stevens Unknown Project)
Simon Joyner
Landon Hedges (Desaparecidos, Little Brazil)
Matt Whipkey (The Whipkey Three)
Darren Keen (Touch People)
Dan McCarthy (McCarthy Trenching)
Sara Bertuldo (Millions of Boys, See Through Dresses)
Ian Aeillo (Eli Mardock, Ted Stevens Unknown Project)
Becky Lowry (All Young Girls Are Machine Guns)
Vic Padios (The Brigadiers)
John Klemmensen (John Klemmensen and the Party)
Rachel Tomlinson Dick (Hers, Manic Pixie Dream Girls)
Max Holmquist (Oquoa)
Dan Scheuerman (Deleted Scenes)
John Larsen