Nebraska showcases sonic diversity on national stage, plus photos from Wednesday

Yesterday marked the first full-strength day in Austin for our SXSW coverage team. Find coverage of the Nebraska Exposed showcase below, as well as photos of Beach Slang, Vince Staples, Diarrhea Planet, Mitski and much more.

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Nebraska Exposed showcases sonic diversity on national stage

review by Gabriella Parsons

It seemed surreal — eight bands from Lincoln and Omaha meeting on the same outdoor stage in Austin, Texas for the Nebraska Exposed showcase (unofficial) at SXSW Music Festival. And the Nebraska music community — featuring Nebraska travelers to the festival and Texas-based expats — represented.

A Nebraska showcase at the annual music festival has been long discussed, and finally came together thanks to organizers Kyle Gibson, Spencer Munson and Jeremy Buckley, all of Lincoln. Sponsors included: Nebraska Tourism Industry, Duffy’s Tavern, The Bourbon, Jake’s Cigars-Lincoln, Roots Music Shop, Silver Street, Bodega’s Alley, Eagle Group and Hear Nebraska.

Aside for the Lone Star tallboys and 80-degree weather, it would have been easy to mistake Wednesday’s scene as a regular Friday night in Benson or downtown Lincoln. Nebraska natives and friends made Cheers Shot Bar their home base from 12-8 p.m., as did concertgoers who stumbled in from the festival’s busy 6th Street corridor. The showcase, which also featured Nebraska comedians, made for a great opportunity to catch up and meet new people. For the bands, it was a chance to impress on a national stage.

The sun beat down hard at noon as Oketo kicked off the show with a set that highlighted its five-part melodies and engulfing guitar solos. On songs such as “Like A Child,” the group was noticeably tight, evidence of its three-week national tour that ended with this performance.

photos by Adam LaRose

During an upbeat set from hip-hop duo BOTH, frontman Scky Rei half-heartedly apologized to the few parents with kids in the crowd, advising them to cover their ears before rapping about growing up in his neighborhood in North Omaha.

“…Ain’t nobody fuckin’ with the Midwest side”

photos by Adam LaRose

“I really hope the kids aren’t here,” said Lincoln comedian Audrey Farnham as she introduced Lincoln native, now Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Bonehart Flannigan (Jon Dell). “’Cuz this is going to get a little awkward.”

Clutching his acoustic guitar, Dell expanded, explaining that he was going to play some old and new songs, “and… most of them are about death.”

photo by Adam LaRose

By AZP’s 3 p.m. set, the Cheers rooftop had turned from a predominantly Nebraska stomping ground into an eclectic melting pot of SXSWers dancing to some Midwestern grooves.

The indie rock/hip-hop group’s members were sweating through their long sleeves and skinny jeans as they played “Water” — something they apparently could have used. AZP’s engaging, electric stage presence was noted when, at one point, six different photographers were found capturing this group’s fifth SXSW performance.

photo by Lindsey Yoneda

photo by Adam LaRose

Volksmusik polka group Bolzen Beer Band were up next, playing in place of Universe Contest, which cancelled its SXSW set due to an injury to bassist Saber Blazek. The hard-rocking tuba-accordion-drums trio’s self-described party punk sound quickly caught people’s attention, as did anecdotes about acid trips and shows in Germany. The band plans to return to the country this summer to record its next record.

“It was a little awkward playing ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ in Germany,” said lead singer and accordion player Dave Socha. “But you know, they loved it — a lot of Romone fans over there.”

For evidence that this group has been around, look no further than Brian Brazier’s tuba, with its dents and rust. Brazier said the instrument has “been beaten up, as well as beaten people up.”

photo by Gabriella Parsons

photo by Adam LaRose

After playing a show the night before in Denton with Texas legend and fellow polka band Brave Combo, the group had an immense amount of energy and stage presence. Trotting his accordion back and forth on and off stage, Socha encouraged the crowd to step a little closer and dance.

“Come on people, this ain’t Austin City Limits,” he said.

At 5 p.m., four-piece rock group FREAKABOUT played an all-encompassing set that highlighted each band member’s contribution. Ben Frerichs swayed back and forth, gripping each note to the sounds of frontwoman Cortney Kirby’s crisp voice, which reverberated beyond the rooftop venue.

photos by Adam LaRose

Lincoln hard rock four-piece Laughing Falcon followed, offering guitar shredding from Gibson and metal vocals from Kevin Chasek to a head-banging crowd. Comedian Joey Zimmerman, a Lincoln native who now resides in Austin, then cracked jokes about flower arrangements and sexual innuendo before introducing the de-facto headliners, Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal.

The soulful funk and R&B five-piece has an impressive ability to stay together while shining light on its individual players. That cohesiveness was on display as guitarist Benji Kushner confidently walked through the crowd while soloing, somehow not taking way from the rest of the band.

photos by Adam LaRose

By the end of the set, Kennith “Memphis” Shepard was flicking and spinning his drumsticks in between each lick as a crowd that packed tightly into the rooftop space swayed along to Hoyer’s lyrical command, “Come on people, we got to love one another.”

In all, the showcase provided a strong snapshot of Nebraska’s music scene and illustrated the potential for this to become an annual event. The organizers said there were things they’d do differently next year. For instance, while the showcase offered ethnic and sonic diversity, it lacked gender and geographic representation, with Kirby and Farnham as the only women on stage, and Both being the lone Omaha-based band.

Buckley said booking this inaugural showcase involved a lot of trial and error.

“We posted on social media basically asking if anyone knew of bands planning to head to SXSW this year. We included the ones that answered, but that is by no means a perfect process,” he says. “For year two and beyond we’ll be discussing ways to try and make the process more inclusive and balanced between bands in Lincoln and Omaha, and across the state. We’re aware that Tara Vaughan, See Through Dresses and Screaming for Silence are in Austin this week and it would’ve been great to include them as well.”

Still, the showcase allowed Nebraska bands and friends to gather in a new place, all sharing a common appreciation for their home state.

“In a way it sort of feels like we’re still in Lincoln,” Munson said, “except we’re on a rooftop in Austin, Texas.”