video and words by Kyle Benecke

The Cog Factory, formerly located at 2224 Leavenworth Street in Omaha, Nebraska, was a DIY music club run by volunteers. The facility opened in 1994 and closed permanently in January 2002.

During those years, it hosted hundreds if not thousands of shows that included a wide range of musical genres. For many in the Omaha music scene, this venue is where their musical journey began, whether playing their first gig on the floor or experiencing their first punk rock show.  The documentary film The Cog takes a look back at the club's history with video footage, photos and dozens of interviews with the people who loved it and kept it running for eight years.

In this clip, Cog Factory founder Robb Rathe talks about the difficulties he experienced in opening an all-ages music venue in downtown Omaha, Nebraska:

Kyle Benecke directed The Cog. Watch a trailer of the documentary here.

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