In its seventh consecutive year, Nebraska Hardcore Showcase is a festival at Omaha’s Lookout Lounge featuring some of the state’s most active punk bands. The showcase also brings in local bands that don’t play together often, such as Hercules and Pisswalker.
This year, the showcase features 16 bands, many of which played last year. Hardcore punk is not the only genre; noise act CBN, post-punkers No Thanks and doom metal band Downtrod are among those rounding out the tastes of Nebraska punk fans.
Fauxmaha Hot Dogs vegan hot dog cart is the food vendor. The hot dogs are handmade by Mick Ridgway, whose band Relentless Approach is playing the showcase. Fauxmaha Hot Dogs has recently been featured on Vice and Omaha’s KMTV Action 3 News.
Planned Parenthood will offer free STD screenings, condoms and more from 3 pm to 6 pm. The organizers behind Omaha Zine Fest will set up a station for people to build their own zine, as well as selling zines and taking submissions for the upcoming second event.
Nebraska Hardcore Showcase 7 begins with Bib at 2 pm Saturday at Lookout Lounge in Omaha. RSVP and see the lineup here.
2-2:30 p.m. — Bib
2:30-2:50 — CBN
3-3:20 — Circle VII
3:30-3:50 — Culture War
4-4:20 p.m. — Relentless Approach
4:30-4:50 — Flak
5-5:20 — No Thanks
5:30-5:50 — Feral Hands
6-6:20 — Lost Boys
6:30-6:50 — Crease
7-7:20 — Jocko
7:30-7:50 — Dilute
8-8:20 — Downtrod
8:30-8:50 — Pisswalker
9-9:20 — Sister Kisser
9:30-End — Hercules
*Immediately after the showcase, West Wing hosts the after-party with Chicago’s Mace and new Omaha band Zipper
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Here are five bands to look for at the showcase:
Pisswalker
The name itself is dirty, and that’s exactly the sort of mud-slinging punk Pisswalker creates. Vocalist Martin Gonzalez spits out ravaging lyrics sung in Spanish while guitarist Justis Brokenrope and bassist Anthony Sicaro team up grinding melody lines.
The band rarely gets to play together because Brokenrope lives out of state, so the showcase will be a special performance for fans.
Pisswalker released a self-titled album last year.
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No Thanks
No Thanks’ performance doesn’t get old easily, thanks to vocalist Brendan Leahy’s stage antics. Expect to see him jump offstage to twist around and lean on audience members, or do a headstand in the middle of the stage.
The band makes a point to make sure each of its fans feels safe and represented, often announcing a “girls only pit” for femmes to mosh freely in.
The band released a debut EP in June featuring the politically-charged post-punk songs about feminism and taking down capitalism.
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Dilute and Crease
Two new bands this year join No Thanks in adding women representation to a male-dominated genre. The showcase will be the first show for both bands.
No Thanks’ Camille Stout sings in Crease. Alex Heller and Kaitlan McDermott are vocals and bass, respectively, in Dilute.
At a Nebraska DIY forum in June, many said they would love to see the big players in Nebraska’s punk scene support women who want to play music. This particular showcase will hopefully be the start of a wave of more female representation in Nebraska punk.
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Jocko
Jocko employs the unique vocals of Jacob Adams, who is emcee Static Soul in hip hop duo Third Eye Merchants. Adams mixes a modified rap tone with traditional hardcore gruffs.
Fast hardcore punk backs up Adams, with melodic riffs by guitarist Joey Claus and varied percussion speeds by drummer Cameron Leininger.
Members of the band have announced recording their first release, set for later this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBB0ppdIkdo
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Downtrod
Omaha doom metal band Downtrod will certainly a break from the fast-paced hardcore, but that doesn’t mean they’ll skimp on the level of noise production.
Downtrod released two singles via Bandcamp in February. The songs are astounding compositions running over 15 minutes, a stark contrast from the two-minute punk ditties of the other bands. Blood-curdling vocals and a deep, rumbling bass will grab listeners.