Hear Nebraska's sixth-annual Take Cover concerts

[Editor’s note: Take Cover is an annual Hear Nebraska benefit concert, produced by the nonprofit and sponsored by Ameritas and Medical Solutions.]

During Better Friend’s two-song set on Friday, lead singer Meghan Munyon took a spill on The Bourbon mainstage while performing new song “Space Cadet.” As quickly as she had fallen down, Munyon popped right back up and jumped about the stage, adding to the band’s already-robust energy.

The sixth-annual Take Cover weekend was filled with noteworthy moments, as the two-night concert event attracted hundreds of people to The Bourbon Theatre (presented by Ameritas) and The Waiting Room (presented by Medical Solutions) on Friday and Saturday, respectively. A total of 22 bands played original and cover songs to pay tribute to fellow Nebraska musicians.

Throughout Friday night, new versions of old Nebraska favorites elicited buoyant chatter between sets. Andrea von Kampen paid homage to Evan Bartels, covering his song “Two At A Time.” Then, a sudden silence fell swift across the room as her falsetto voice lifted the somber “Let Me Down Easy” across the theatre. Later in the night, Life is Cool performed a soulful rendition of Bogusman’s “Song About Chess.” As the band grooved enthusiastically around the stage, the audience joined in the fun by dancing along.

Two-piece acoustic outfit Bach Mai set an upbeat tone Saturday, starting Take Cover Omaha with a cover of “Haircut” by See Through Dresses, as the latter band stood before them in the audience. During Thick Paint’s cymbal-washed cover of “Jessica” by Staffers, Graham Ulicny energetically stomped about, sporadically inserting squirrelly, high-pitched shouts into the microphone. Closer to the end of the night, Rothsteen confidently swayed back and forth to a slow, fervent version of Bright Eyes’ “First Day of My Life.” The R&B vocalist maintained intense eye contact during the song, his smooth voice hovering atop sampled, droning bass notes and noises from the outdoors.

See Through Dresses closed out the weekend with zealous covers of Elliot Smith and The Good Life, and finally a performance of their song “Drag Scene.” Written about prolonging a bittersweet goodbye, it was a fitting closer that echoed the sentiment about the room as Take Cover 2017 came to a close.

See photos from Friday and Saturday night below: