Photo coverage: The Good Living Tour stops in Hebron, Auburn

Zach Steele took to the tall stone bandshell stage at Legion Memorial Park Saturday as the early-evening sunlight filtered through the treetops. Towering above his hometown community of Auburn, the young winner of the town’s Good Living Tour songwriting contest calmly, boldly performed his spacey, classic-rock-informed compositions alone and in front of his classmates, who convened at a large picnic table near the front of the stage.

If, in the last three years of the Good Living Tour, one of its many great moments succinctly sums up its mission, this was it, and it echoed throughout the first weekend of this year’s Greater Nebraska concert series. In addition to talented acts like Belles & Whistles, Freakabout and Lucas Kellison, both Hebron and Auburn stages proudly showcased homegrown talent for (in each case) hundreds of local music fans. In Hebron, native Ian Miller flew in from his current base in Nashville to follow Steele with a set of upbeat acoustic songs of his own. The preceding evening, Auburn-native Cole Harris led his band 7 Days Sober to open that town’s concert.

Both opening weekend shows happened in communities new to the Good Living Tour, and speaking for our crew, it was a joy to receive such great involvement and positive response and to see such engaging activities (Hebron live-auctioned 15 hand-painted chairs by local artists, for instance, and had a demonstration by the Prairie Blacksmith Association). Even the weather, always a tricky proposition for outdoor concerts, cooperated, and though it was windy things were otherwise free and clear.

Thanks to both Auburn and Hebron for opening their homes to the Good Living Tour; in addition to each gorgeous park, we enjoyed checking out landmarks like the World’s Largest Porch Swing in Hebron and Auburn’s old, beautiful opera house (both sites in which we filmed forthcoming live acoustic performance videos). And, judging by the engagement in our GLT workshops, we’re glad to know there are people who want to continue cultivating live music scenes in each town.

Thanks to each of the bands and everyone who attended and made the concerts fun. And thank you to our presenting sponsor, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and statewide sponsors Peter Kiewit Foundation, Nebraska Community Foundation, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska Loves Public Schools,Pinnacle Bank, Union Pacific Railroad, Center for Rural Affairs.

The Tour continues Saturday, July 1 in Imperial, with folk duo The Talbott Brothers returning to their hometown alongside Universe Contest, Rothsteen and one special guest (RSVP here). We can’t wait to get back out there.

See photos by Lauren Farris below:

Hebron

7 Days Sober

Members of Mad Dog & the 20/20s, Bokr Tov hang out on the World’s Largest Porch Swing

Bokr Tov

Mad Dog & the 20/20s

Belles & Whistles

Auburn

Zach Steele

Ian Miller

Daniel Christian

Freakabout

Lucas Kellison & the Undisco Kids

photos by Lauren Farris

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Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival this Friday

The Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival kicks off its fourth year this Friday at Branched Oak Farm with two days of the promised folk and roots music, along with some funk, soul and country thrown into the mix as well.

Friday’s festivities begin at 5 p.m. with Lincoln’s Emily Bass and The Near Miracle and closes with festival headliner Lydia Loveless five hours later. Loveless, hailing from Columbus, Ohio, released her critically acclaimed fourth LP, Real, last summer, which ended up on album of the year lists for Stereogum and A.V. Club. This summer, she and her band are hitting the Folk & Roots Festival before a trio of dates with famed indie folk artist Iron & Wine.

Other notable touring acts playing the festival include The Cactus Blossoms, who were recently featured in the reboot of Twin Peaks; Aaron Lee Tasjan, the “LSD Cowboy” who has performed at Bonnaroo Music Festival and on Conan; and Charley Crockett, the Texas country singer-songwriter who has released two albums in the last two years with 2015’s A Stolen Jewel and 2016’s In the Night.

Camping is offered at the festival too with weekend camping spots and RV spots both available for $70. Food and beverages will be provided by Kinkaider Brewing Co., Hub Cafe, Ground Up Kitchen, Heoya, Maggie’s Vegetarian Wraps and Ol’ Glory Kettle Corn.

Buy tickets for the Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival here, and check out the full lineup below:

Friday, June 16th

5-5:45 p.m. Emily Bass and The Near Miracle
5:45-6:30 Under the Big Oak Tree
6:30-7:15 McCarthy Trenching
7:15-8 Charlie Crockett
8-9 Dylan Bloom Band
9-10 Aaron Lee Tasjan
10-11 Lydia Loveless

Saturday, June 17th

1-1:40 p.m. Handmade Moments
1:40-2:20 Southpaw BluegrassBand
2:20-3 Clarence Tilton
3-4 The Hangin’ Cowboys
4-4:40 The Bottle Tops
4:40-5:40 Joshua Powell & the Great Train Robbery
5:40-6:20 Jack Hotel
6:20-7:20 The Railsplitters
7:20-8 CJ Mills
8-9 High Up
9-10 The Cactus Blossoms
10-11 A Ferocious Jungle Cat

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Photo coverage: Township & Range release new EP at Reverb Lounge

HN intern Emma Petersen went to Reverb Lounge on Friday to catch Omaha folk band Township & Range on the eve of its new EP release. Nashville Unincorporated, Township & Range’s second EP, finds the band more upbeat and driving while still addressing heartbreak, longing and recklessness. The stomp-inducing “Holly” and mournful “Tainted” untangle the complex threads of broken relationships, while the distortion-singed outlaw ballad “Two Shells” revels in the band’s darker side.

Township & Range played those new tracks and more at the show Friday, which also featured country singer/songwriter Matt Cox and rock band Clarence Tilton. See Petersen’s photos below:

Matt Cox

Township & Range

Clarence Tilton

Photos by Emma Petersen

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Perpetual Nerves Announces Shipwrecked! show with A Giant Dog

Perpetual Nerves, the Omaha booking company behind production of the River City Star Boat Cruise concerts on the Missouri River that have snagged touring bands such as Pile and Shannon and the Clams, announced on Saturday another show on the River City Star. But this time, the boat will be docked.

Although the boat won’t be hitting the river, this event, which takes place on July 1, features a seven-band lineup full of local talent and touring acts. Merge Records punk band A Giant Dog and Chicago electronic duo HIDE headline the show.

The roof of the boat will also offer a view of a fireworks display taking place at TD Ameritrade Park during the NCAA’s coinciding College Home Run Derby.

Tickets to the boat show are $15 and the boat’s gates open at 7 p.m. RSVP here.

Take a look at the full lineup below:

A Giant Dog (Austin, TX)
HIDE (Chicago, IL)
Leggy (Cincinnati, OH)
Plack Blague (Lincoln, NE)
David Nance Band (Omaha, NE)
Cultplay (Omaha, NE)
Winstons (Brooklyn, NY)

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Concert Round-Up

Here’s a look at what’s going on today and tomorrow. Let us know which shows you’re headed to in the comments, and send your show listing suggestions to us here.

Monday

Hear Nebraska FM – Tune into HN’s weekly radio show tonight at 8 p.m. on KZUM 89.3 for two hours of Nebraska music and listen again next week for an in-studio interview and performance from Omaha indie rock band Centerpiece. Stream live here.

Municipal Waste and In The Attack at Lookout Lounge – Richmond, Virginia crossover thrashers Municipal Waste brings its tour to Lookout Lounge for one more show before the band joins the Vans Warped Tour for the next two months. The five-piece has been at it since 2001 and is set to release its first album since 2012 and its fifth album overall later this month with Slime and Punishment. Omaha hard rock band In The Attack opens the show. 7 p.m. $18. All ages. RSVP here.

Tuesday

Drive-By Truckers with BJ Barham at The Waiting Room – As a southern rock band with politically progressive lyrics, Drive-By Truckers have often been a bit of an anomaly in their genre. But on last year’s American Band LP, the band released what they consider their most overtly political record yet. The album tackles issues such as gun violence and police brutality and was lauded by critics, landing on year-end lists from Rolling Stone and Paste Magazine. The band stops at The Waiting Room with the support of North Carolina singer-songwriter BJ Barham. 8 p.m. $27. All ages. RSVP here. Watch the band’s October NPR Tiny Desk concert below.