Lincoln Exposed was 61 bands deep this year. We’re proud to say we got to everyone in our coverage. Revisit Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the links.
Read on for reviews and photos from Saturday’s bands.
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Tupelo Springfield at Zoo Bar
The Background: The folk-rock band comprises four University of Nebraska-Lincoln English teachers, and was formed in 2010, playing everywhere from Lincoln’s bar scene to year-end English department parties. Since its founding, founding member John Schulze left in 2012. And bassist Jack Vespa sometimes plays acoustic guitar in a solo project called Jack of Hearts.
The High Point: After a mid-set burst of mandolin-driven tracks, guitarist Steve Buhler switched back to his electric to play a song he said he penned 30 years before. Tupelo Springfield launched into a blues-influenced track, remaining grounded in its foot-tapping roots and adding solid moments of harder rock with heavier drums. Buhler navigated through a solo reminiscent of an ‘80s stadium rock gem, pressing his fingers close to the high-note frets and introducing the idea that Tupelo Springfield’s influences spanned past one flavor of folk-rock.
The Takeaway: In using the mandolin as a main rhythm instrument, Buhler offered a sunnier alternative to the acoustic guitar, finger-picking his way through solos. The set offered the warm air of a road trip through corn field-lined highways with your parents’ old tapes in the stereo.
—Kelly Langin | photo by Marco Meyer
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Giant’s Arrow at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: Saturday was the first show for Giant’s Arrow, a brand new project from Jeremy Wurst and Max Morrissey (both in Bud Heavy and the High Lifes), Matt Cornell and Alex Durrant. A debut EP is forthcoming this year.
The High Point: Two things. The first, we knew: that Giant’s Arrow was making its live debut, and that was excitement enough to draw 30-40 people to Duffy’s at 6:40 in the evening. At a festival with many repeat customers, “new” and “completely unknown” is a premium. The second, and more important, part is that Giant’s Arrow plays a kind of loud, warm, unabashed, guitar-drenched emo music Lincoln simply doesn’t have in any other band right now.
The Takeaway: Giant’s Arrow burst through a five-song set of all five-plus-minute songs. As evidenced by Cornell, Wurst and Morrissey all immediately swinging their hips and competing for stage space, the twin guitar songs wove together a tasteful and dancey sound full of breakdowns, screamed choruses and fast picking parts that built back up into guitar and bass booms. Chins slammed into chests, and Morrissey (who’s Bud Heavy singing voice is on PEDs in these songs) immediately lost his cap. And, lastly, we’ll know more when we hear recordings. While the guitars and the stage energy carried the day on Saturday for Giant’s Arrow, it was near impossible to get a sense of what the songs are about.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photos by Marco Meyer
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Gerardo Meza at Zoo Bar
The Background: A Lincoln music veteran and member of Mezcal Brothers, Gerardo Meza brought his own folk rock band to The Zoo Bar. Meza released around 20 demos in September and debuted the first live lineup of his band at Lincoln Calling in October.
The High Point: In a particularly emotional song, the viola bowed in and out of ear’s reach. Meza’s low voice heightened and wailed “cry,” to which the unrelenting drummer forced a climaxing pound on the beat. Meza’s connection to the lyrics exposed itself in his quivering smile as he played the last few chords, closing out the set.
The Takeaway: Gerardo Meza’s band countrifies folk rock with a nostalgic buzz. Meza’s rough drawl is an appropriate forefront to the stable, small-town feel of the set. The band featured violist Jordan Ellis (The Betties, Universe Contest), whose bow wildly weaved left and right, catching every opportunity to fill any empty spaces. The full band offered sweet, emotional melodies mixed with fun, upbeat country songs.
—Kelly Langin | photos by Marco Meyer
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Within Wilds at The Bourbon
The Background: Within Wilds started playing together in the summer of 2013. Within the next year, the instrumental rock trio began playing on the same bill as bands like Bogusman and Cordial Spew. They released two singles, “Who Killed Us?” and “The Tyrant,” in December and are in the process of recording demos.
The High Point: The band was fluctuating between clamorous climaxes and low valleys of ambience, but they hushed themselves for one track. Drummer Josh Hillers shrugged his shoulders as he hunched over the kit, making himself appear small, which matched his soft cymbals as his bandmates’ strings plucked serene melodies. Without warning, every instrument hollered, rippling with in-your-face progressive rock solos before effortlessly flowing into a softer calm.
The Takeaway: Within Wilds plays their set like a vinyl record from beginning to end. Within Wilds’ tracks blended seamlessly together, making the experience less about individual songs and more about the entire atmosphere of the set. The band completely stopped twice in the middle, allowing guitarist Nate Noffsinger and bassist Joe Schmiedeskamp to switch instruments for a single song — a moment to flip from a vinyl’s side A to side B. Noffsinger and Schmiedeskamp made up for the seconds of silence tenfold when they retrieved their instruments, launching into loud, garage style rock tinged with atmospheric psychedelia.
—Kelly Langin | photo by Marco Meyer
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The Allendales at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: The Allendales are another seldom-playing Lincoln band that finds a home at events like Lincoln Exposed. They’ve been on hiatus before and co-frontman Shaun Sparks is busy with other projects like The Gov’t, which played that same night. With two guitars and two blues-voiced singers, they packaged the flavor of the Zoo Bar and brought it over to Duffy’s.
The High Point: The band is at its best when Sparks and Ken Morton seem entirely on the same page, or even better, cut from same cloth. Whether they preface a song by saying it was written together or separately, there’s a love of blue collar down-and-outness. Stories about people who’ve been worked over and damaged. And they’re both smiling at it.
The Takeaway: The Allendales were positioned well on Saturday, the whiskey-encouraging primer to the festival’s final night. It would get louder and darker, and the Allendales were a dose of cheerful guitar solos and good humor.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by Marco Meyer
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The Renfields at Zoo Bar
The Background: The Renfields released its self-titled album in November 2012. Since then, the quartet-turned-trio has laid relatively low, playing shows here and there with no more news of a supposedly forthcoming sophomore album.
The High Point: In the calmer and latter half of the set, a smooth track cut sharply to a choppy beat that evolved into heavy machine gun drums. A group in front of the Zoo Bar stage raised pint beers and shouted the lyrics with vocalist Nick Westra (formerly of Crush The Clown) before he fell to his knees, pummeling into Dinosaur Jr.-like riffs.
The Takeaway: Westra’s soft, timid vocals reminiscent of Billy Corgan, complemented his tendency to kneel on the stage floor. His back faced the audience, as his distorted guitar screeched. The Renfields sounded — and, clad in sweaters over collared button-downs, looked — similar to ‘90s college alt-rock. (Even though its self-titled album has a distinct ‘60s sheen to it.) The eccentric mix of breathy vocals struggling past Westra’s lips and often loud garage-style instrumentals exuded unexpected waves of calm and chaos.
—Kelly Langin | photos by Marco Meyer
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Better Friend at The Bourbon
The Background: One of the collectively youngest bands at the festival, Better Friend plays bone-rattling emo punk. They’re releasing an EP in the spring, and stay tuned to their forthcoming regional tour dates.
The High Point: Whenever singer Meghan Munyon locked eyes with someone and didn’t let go. In perhaps the most captivating individual performance of the whole week, Munyon sang at people more than to them. And with a voice that sounded like it barely needed to be mic’d, the combination belting-screaming sat perfectly in the middle of a band trying a lot more complicated soundscapes than just power chords.
The Takeaway: And that’s probably the takeaway. You can watch the screaming, Munyon’s brilliantly physical posturing, every member of the five piece with hair in their eyes. Or you can dig into the rich and frightening variance of the songs. Caleb Wiedel holds back his drumming with restraint during picky breakdowns, and Kalib Faltys adds some genuine emotionalism to the songs with soprano guitar delay.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by Marco Meyer
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Stonebelly at Zoo Bar
The Background: Stonebelly formed in 2010 and released its debut album, Free Spirit: Lost Soul, in 2012. Its sophomore album, Perspectives and Perceptions, was released in early 2014. This Friday, Stonebelly competes for a chance to play in Arkansas’s Wakarusa music festival.
The High Point: Kyle Carson blared his trumpet through a cloud of minor guitar chords in a chorus. In the same track, he lent his arms to a second drum set, pounding extra power as Stonebelly closed out their set playing each instrument as loudly as possible.
The Takeaway: Stonebelly was one of the more vocal-heavy bands of the evening. As Mike Hollon sang, instrumentals seemed to be put on hold, steering the focus to Hollon’s lyrics and making impressive guitar solos more striking.
—Kelly Langin | photo by Marco Meyer
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Ghost Town Radio at The Bourbon
The Background: Columbus natives Adam Hofferber, Bryan Lasley and Jake Reisdorff started jamming together nearly five years ago. The full lineup began playing together around two years in Lincoln since the addition of Joe Pieper (The Melon Company) on bass. Ghost Town Radio has released a few demos on Soundcloud and is planning to record a debut album in the next year, Lasley tells us.
The High Point: In a track that began slower than Ghost Town Radio’s usual metal-style rock, Reisdorff experimented with a unique staccato — uneven and tittering beats.
The Takeaway: Ghost Town Radio rolled out leather-jacket-and-motorcycle hard rock with Hofferber and Lasley’s classic metal guitars took turns executing piercing melodies and rumbling low, revving like engines. Reisdorff’s steady drums held the band afloat as guitars roamed into the ceiling of The Bourbon. Tumbling buildup to solo-heavy climaxes were imperative in the Zeppelin-esque instrumentals.
—Kelly Langin | photo by Marco Meyer
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Powerful Science at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: In the musical family of Lincoln acts like Sputnik Kaputnik and Green Trees, you get the sense that Powerful Science singer-songwriter Josh Miller works constantly on his music in private, as though that’s it’s main lifeblood anyway. And so when Powerful Science shows up for something like Lincoln Exposed, you’re not sure how earnest/kooky/different it will be from year to year.
The High Point: Every time I wondered if there was a bass instrument on stage somewhere. Miller’s keyboard playing — which is like electro-garage music in tone — is nothing short of expertly done. His left hand anchors every song in partnership with drummer Peter Kapinos, while Miller’s right hand jangled spacey mayhem on the high notes.
The Takeaway: Powerful Science landed at an interesting place on the broad spectrum of the weekend’s bands that dabbled in the odd. Its weirdness, the fact that it sounds like theme music or ‘80s synth pop in a room of helium, seems to be an entirely aesthetic choice. The lyrics, by contrast, sounded relatively on the level, with Miller singing in an unaffected voice about living in a city that resembles Lincoln. (Favorite lyric: “Teach a man to fish, and he’s a fish, man.” Alright, so maybe it got a little strange.)
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by Marco Meyer
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The Crayons at Zoo Bar
The Background: The Crayons formed in 2013 from members of Severe Thunderstorm Watch. The band — made up of the colors Blue, Maroon, Green and White — spent much of 2014 playing in Omaha and Lincoln. Its debut album, Teal, was released in April. The band announced on its Facebook page Thursday it was time to end the project, or put the “Crayons back in the box,” if you will. The Crayons still plan to record and release its sophomore album, Orange, next month.
The High Point: In a song vocalist and bassist Emily Wynn introduced as a song about pirates, cartoon haunted ships came to mind. The Crayons droned staggering guitars and steady, near-polka-style beat. Without warning, the song tumbled into a hardcore breakdown, featuring a puttering trumpet. My body involuntarily braced itself for mosh impact. David Tysdal’s trumpet shrieked and nearly distorted — suddenly fitting the punk mold. Blue growled, “Maim! Kill! Pillage!” as she bobbed in a blue shirt imprinted with an inverted cross.
The Takeaway: The Crayons delivered unapologetic slop-rock to the Zoo Bar. Blue grumbled in a fabricated grouse, as if mocking the voice of a grumpy old man, with lyrics like, “You know what I really hate? You and you and you…” Tysdal’s trumpet — arguably the most unique and pleasantly unfitting instrument in the lineup — gave way to an unfamiliar jazz feel in the midst of cartoony garage rock.
—Kelly Langin | photo by JP Davis
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Thundersandwich at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: The (mostly) instrumental funk rock act just released a new song to preview its Lincoln Exposed set. And let’s say “funk rock” to a point. The quartet is certainly capable of syncopating and using George White’s light-fingered synth playing as a pseudo-horn line. But like Pure Brown the night before, they also seem highly interested in the thematic jam music.
The High Point: The song “Spanktopia” saw the band really losing itself. By mid-set, Duffy’s was filling up with a mix of concertgoers and the Saturday bar crowd. Thundersandwich drew in more than a few unfamiliar eyes hurtling through the absurd jam.
The Takeaway: It’s the sort of band that will tear up originals like the groove is somewhere deep in their marrow and they have to pull it out. But then they’ll play a note-for-note cover of “Escape (Piña Colada Song)” and appear to have just as much fun.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by Marco Meyer
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Commander Kilroy at Zoo Bar
The Background: Commander Kilroy established itself as an official band in 2012. In lieu of a more expensive studio album, Commander Kilroy released a live album, We All Wear Masks, as their debut effort in 2013. Drummer Adam Widger left the band shortly after the album’s release and was replaced by Andrew Hanna in 2014. Since then, the band continues to play bars in Lincoln and Omaha.
The High Point: “Shades of Blue” instilled island rock. The Zoo Bar felt like a beach on the shores of Hawaii as Commander Kilroy evoked a positive, nostalgic vacation feel with Dylan Fink’s sunny guitar and paradise-themed lyrics. Dylan shut off the effects pedal and let his guitar’s natural voice ping out a few twanging solos. The Finks (brothers Dylan and Casey) bounced together in time to the reggae beat and offered smooth, crooning harmonies, forgetting the chilly February wind just outside Zoo’s door.
The Takeaway: Although Commander Kilroy’s feel-good set remained largely themed — think a bluesy birthday song dedicated to an audience member and the aforementioned “Shades of Blue” — they managed to pull off simple lyrics like “she makes my mohawk sweat” and kept it fun, relying heavily on instrumentals to show off expertise. Casey’s chill, groovy bass remained prominent and drove the set while Dylan Fink’s guitar sprinkled funky, effects-heavy solos for direction. Fans can liken Commander Kilroy to 311 or Red Hot Chili Peppers with its stoner rock appeal and reggae influences. The set was a much-needed reminder that a good rock show doesn’t have to carry all the bells and whistles.
—Kelly Langin | photo by Marco Meyer
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Dudes Gone Rude at The Bourbon
The Background: All four members of the Lincoln punk rock quartet hail from Columbus, Neb., and the band touts a very full and melodic sounds as it charges, a bit like Red City Radio, for reference. With a rustic edge that points at its Midwestern roots. Listen to more here.
The High Point: The most enjoyable facet of Dudes Gone Rude (in a bit the same vein as defunct Lincoln favorite Bandit Sound) is the feeling of chanty unison in ostensibly angry material. There’s a real punk-for-the-people vibe afoot, with the band even suggesting (however facetiously in their crowd banter) a group hug at one point.
The Takeaway: With strong songwriting and guitar melodies coming over top of sprinting bass and drums, Dudes Gone Rude fits the bill of a band with a nice musicality-showmanship split.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photos by Marco Meyer
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A Ferocious Jungle Cat at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: Formerly More Machine Now Than Man, the Lincoln funk band (though it’s more like groove rock these days) changed its name about two years ago, and hasn’t halted its rapid evolution. Singer Will Harman now mans the bass and former supporting vocalist Ariel Sinha is now just as much in charge of vocal duties. The recent addition of Myles Jasnowsky on lead guitar changes a lot (more on that in a second). Deeep C, however, (Cal Harman, the rapping drummer) remains Deeep C.
The High Point: As I mentioned above in the Thundersandwich review, by 11 on Saturday, Duffy’s was an overflowing mix of Lincoln Exposed devotees and the weekend college crowd. I couldn’t imagine the schedule hitting a better sweet spot than having Jungle Cat on the stage when the college kids came out. Harman’s baritone rapping drew double takes. The gaudy street-vended tiger rug they put on the wall was eye catching (to go with their staple lion head on the conga drum). With the music crowd spilling well out of the Duffy’s alcove, Jungle Cat finished its set with a raucous, Jerry Lee Lewis-paced drum circle, complete with a false finish. Will’s feet left the stage for the air multiple times, and the non-scenesters appeared more than won over.
The Takeaway: If you remember them from the many, many house shows 2012 and songs like this, A Ferocious Jungle Cat attaches itself much more to riffs than bass lines these days. Jasnowski, who also performed with I Forgot To Love My Father on Thursday, is like a young Benji Kushner with how expressively his hands cut into solos (even if he looks stoic doing it). The result — dancing — is virtually the same. It’s just that this version of Jungle Cat loves its busy treble.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photos by JP Davis
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Night Push at The Bourbon
The Background: The Lincoln quintet are relative newcomers to the scene. You might’ve seen them last month with California X and Halfwit at The Bourbon.
The High Point: The literal high point was singer Joe Coleman hitting a pretty incredible hair-metal-esque stadium note. It was clear from moment one that Coleman would play the mic stand like its own instrument at the edge of the stage, almost crooning along. Some pipes. For that moment, it felt like a cartoon where you could see the tonsils dancing inside a mouth.
The Takeaway: My colleague Jacob Zlomke smartly remarked with regard to some of Friday night’s mass appeal country music, that Lincoln Exposed acts by-and-large eschew pop sounds. Good on Night Push for cutting loose on some once-radio friendly sounds. Also, it probably boasted the loudest drums of the festival.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by JP Davis
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Dude Won’t Die at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: When an uninitiated friend asked right before Dude Won’t Die struck up on Saturday, I hadn’t thought about the vague, electric cocktail the longtime Lincoln band embodies. Big, funny, theatrical, highly skilled. There’s a video game hook somewhere in their history, i.e. the band name. Just as capable of playing sweet guitar pop as weird, thematic metal.
The High Point: “Amour Fou” might be my favorite you-never-think-of-it Nebraska song of the last five years. It’s a sweet, sentimental and pretty genuine love song. When Geoff Ramsay threw his head back and began wailing on it into his vintage, silver microphone, it was a great look for a band most people know for goofing off.
The Takeaway: Once more for the latecomers, with the strange amount of theme music at Lincoln Exposed this year. Dude Won’t Die, though, probably does it best and with the biggest smile. To start, Todd Rischling’s guitar announcing a feeling of cosmic doom. Then, the whole band chanted its own name in the cadence of a military march.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photos by JP Davis
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The Gov’t at Zoo Bar
The Background: The Gov’t, if you moved to Lincoln any time in the last half-decade, is actually not a new band. Shaun Sparks’ rock quartet played Zoo Bar on Saturday in its one of its first shows back after a seven-year hiatus. (The band initially reunited back in October for Lincoln Calling). It’s straight-ahead rock, lifted up by Sparks’ ripping vocals.
The High Point: Probably right out of the gates. After a long soundcheck and a joke about how each idle drum tap was a different song, The Gov’t rammed into its first notes in what was an intriguing mix of ‘50s rockabilly pacing with Sparks immolating its innocence with his Chuck Ragan timbre.
The Takeaway: Again, nice positioning from the festival organizers. The Gov’t perfectly fit the bill for the hard-bitten 12:30 a.m. Zoo Bar crowd, rough and rollicking in the dark bar where all the people looking for drawn-out grooves had called it a night.
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by JP Davis
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Eyes For Higher at The Bourbon
The Background: Eyes For Higher is a Lincoln hard rock quintet that’s been active since 2011. Two weeks ago, they put out a video for their song “Balanced and Broken.”
The High Point: Speaking of that song, it may well have been the band’s strongest of the night. The staccato guitar fizzles were a wake-up call to anyone who came into the Bourbon looking for something steadier. Great drum crescendos, too.
The Takeaway: The band has an EP on the way, and while singer Alex Comte couldn’t match the range of Night Push’s Joe Coleman (an easy comparison, as the band’s were back to back and configured the same way), there’s was a serious emotionalism to his dry-throated vocals, which lets the band nicely unwind during songs like “Put Down The Bottle.”
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photo by JP Davis
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Thirst Things First at Duffy’s Tavern
The Background: Was there anything before BOOT? It’s hard to remember. As we’ve written about extensively on Hear Nebraska, Thirst Things First is a pop punk band with the city’s most inventive (and certainly most thorough) conceptual gimmick. Guitarist/singer Mikey Elfers pre-records himself as the band’s fictional overlord, the transmission BOOT. BOOT is then projected on a screen above the band while it performs, interacting with them and the crowd with specifically-timed sequencing. So no margin for error. Mikey used to be in The JV Allstars. His brother Jordan drums in TTF and is also in Universe Contest and Powers.
The High Point: If you like to think about Lincoln Exposed narratively, having Thirst Things First close the whole show with 12:40 start time, might have seemed like a risk. In recent years, it’s a spot in which Universe Contest and Halfwit have flourished (counting Lincoln Calling, as well). Would the crowd buy into a band which adores its own complicated, fictional backstory and actually asks the crowd to listen to BOOT? Yep. Without a second thought.
The Takeaway: Duffy’s was packed to the gills. Mikey was nearly rapping, with how expertly he pantomimed TTF’s nonsensical lyrics, which are (if you listen very closely) often hysterically funny self-promotion for the band. Jordan hit every single fill in the incredibly upbeat songs, drumming in his third band of the week. Alec Wise was a noble jester, hopping around the stage with a tiny megaphone to simulate TTF’s robot vocals from the albums. They’re simply a band that’s capable of all the bells, whistles and lampoonery because they’ve mastered the core elements of pop punk. Full tone, well-placed solos and terrific, quaking vocal delivery. Even if it also touts the grandest joke of any Nebraska band, the music precedes it. And that’s why people leapt in the air for 45 minutes, after they’d stood on aching feet four straight nights.
And a point for the road: What on earth would a freshly 21-year-old college kid have thought if he came into Duffy’s to drink and looked upon this show? A band in hooded jumpsuits imploring the crowd to “consume oil” so the regaled military officer (who looks exactly like the frontman) will come back to the screen?
“What is going on in this town? … Definitely not nothing.”
—Chance Solem-Pfeifer | photos by JP Davis
