photo by Nicholas O’Bradovich | Maha 2013
compiled by Gabriella Martinez-Garro and Hanna Guenther
As summer heat floods the state, music festivals release their lineups and bands announce their upcoming tours. While many look to California and Chicago for summer music events, Nebraska rises up, hosting a handful of concert series and festivals, empowering the Midwest music scene. Find everything from more intimate weekly events, such as Hear Lincoln, that focus on exposing local artists amidst the downtown business scene, to bigger events including Maha Music Festival, which slates nationally known bands with rising Nebraska talent. Check out this full list of concert series and music festivals kicking off this summer.
May 16 through July 25: Hear Lincoln | Lincoln
June 3-24: Jazz in June | Lincoln
June 15 through August 14: Stransky Park Summer Concert Series | Lincoln
July 4-5: 80/35 Music Festival | Des Moines
July 5: Saturday in the Park | Sioux City
July 11-13: Omaha Under the Radar | Omaha
July 12: Grassroots Music Festival | Council Bluffs
July 18-19: Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival | Lincoln
July 24-26: Hullabaloo | Bellevue
August 16: Maha Music Festival
June 20 through August 25: Pinewood Bowl | Lincoln
July 5 through September 27: Stir Cove | Council Bluffs
August 22 through September 1: Nebraska State Fair | Grand Island
HEAR LINCOLN
FRIDAYS | 13TH & O STREET | NOON | LIVE MUSIC + FOOD TRUCKS
June 20: Root Marm Chicken Farm Jug Band
June 27: Stonebelly
July 11: The Mezcal Brothers
July 18: blét
July 25: Jack Hotel
JAZZ IN JUNE | LINCOLN
TUESDAYS | 7 PM
June 3: Evening in Brazil
June 10: CALJE: Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble
June 17: Donna Singer & the Doug Richards Trio
June 24: Susan Pereira and Sabor Brasil
JUNKSTOCK | OMAHA | JUNE 20-22
Friday, June 20
9 a.m.: John Larsen
10:30 a.m.: Justin Johnson
12 p.m.: McKenzie JaLynn & the Renegades
2 p.m.: Reggie Shaw
3:30 p.m.: Banjo Loco
5 p.m.: Max Cox Band
Saturday, June 21
9 a.m.: FCC Brothers
10:30 a.m.: Justin Johnson
12 p.m.: Waterfront Blues Band
2 p.m.: Hillfolk Noir
3:45 p.m.: Brad Hoshaw
5 p.m.: Bad Country
Sunday, June 22
10 a.m.: The High Crest
11:30 a.m.: Justin Johnson
1 p.m.: The Prairie Gators Band
STRANSKY PARK SUMMER CONCERT SERIES | LINCOLN
THURSDAYS | 7 PM
June 19: Cornerstone Dub (Ska/Reggae)
June 26: Sandy Creek Bluegrass
July 10: Hector Anchondo (Blues)
July 17: John Walker & The New Hokum Boys (Country Blues), with The String Demons (Country Western Swing)
July 24: Jack Hotel (Americana)
July 31: The Honeyboy Turner Band (Blues)
August 7: The Bottle Tops (Americana)
August 14: Josh Hoyer & the Shadowboxers (R&B/Soul)
80/35 MUSIC FESTIVAL | DES MOINES | JULY 4-5
The seventh annual 80/35 music festival is set for July 4 and 5, 2014 in downtown Des Moines. The 2014 lineup includes Cake, Conor Oberst, Dr. Dog, Dawes, Caroline Smith, and Xavier Rudd.
Find full schedule here and tickets here.
photo of Conor Oberst by Randy Edwards
photo of Dr. Dog by Mike Bell
SATURDAY IN THE PARK | SIOUX CITY | JULY 5
“Great Southern Bank’s Saturday in the Park Festival is pleased to announce the headliners for the 2014 festival. The Avett Brothers and Bonnie Raitt will headline this year’s 24th installment of the festival, event co-founder Dave Bernstein announced March 20. “This year’s headliners are amazing and take us back to the festivals roots. The Avett Brothers and Bonnie Raitt are both well known for incredible recorded music and amazing live shows, this year will be all about top notch live free music event.”
– Avett Brothers
– Bonnie Raitt
– Ziggy Marley
– Wild Feathers
– Full Lineup here.
OMAHA UNDER THE RADAR | OMAHA | JULY 11-13
“Omaha Under the Radar is the manifestation of a desire for the development of a truly unique performance, classical music, dance, and theatre voice in Nebraska. We will explore the latest in performance styles with a penchant for Avant-garde and experimental genres.”
Artists performing include Ken Vandermark and Tim Daisy, Aspidistra, Andy Costello and Colloquy. Find full the schedule here and purchase tickets here.
PINEWOOD BOWL THEATER | LINCOLN
JUNE 20 through AUGUST 25
June 20: Ray LaMontagne
June 24: Widespread Panic with special guest Galactic
August 1: Sara Bareilles “Little Black Dress” Summer Tour
August 2: Lynyrd Skynyrd
August 8: Boston & The Doobie Brothers
August 25: The Moody Blues
Find tickets here.
ZOOFEST | LINCOLN | JULY 11-12
Friday, July 11
5 p.m.: The Bel-Airs
7 p.m.: Brave Combo
9 p.m.: Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers
11 p.m.: The Killigans
Saturday, July 12
1 p.m.: OKETO
3 p.m.: Black Lillies
5 p.m. Lil Ed & The Blue Imperials
7 p.m.: Kelley Hunt
9 p.m.: Delbert McClinton
11 p.m.: Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers
Tickets available at Zoo Bar, O’Rourke’s Tavern, Sportcaster’s and ETIX.CO. No advanced tickets can be purchased after July 10. Ticket price: $15 Adv / $25 Both Days. Day of Show: $15 Friday / $20 Saturday.
STIR COVE CONCERT SERIES | COUNCIL BLUFFS
July 5: Matt Nathanson and Gavin Degraw
July 11: Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss w/ Jason Isbell
July 18: The Band Perry
July 19: Dierks Bentley
July 20: REO Speedwagon
July 26: Counting Crows w/ Toad The Wet Sprocket
July 27: Fitz and The Tantrums
July 30: Arctic Monkeys
August 5: Foster The People
August 15: Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo w/ Special Guest Lita Ford
August 20: Prince Royce
September 11: Summer Nationals
September 27: Lorde
Tickets on sale here.
NEBRASKA FOLK & ROOTS FESTIVAL | LINCOLN | JULY 18-19
Tickets go on sale June 18 for $15 for the whole weekend and $10 for one day. Austin group Wild Child will headline the event and bands (both local and national), including David Mayfield Parade, Union Specific, Jack Hotel and The Bottle Tops will also perform. Stay up to date on the event here.
HULLABALOO | SOKOL PARK, BELLEVUE, NE | JULY 24-26
Line up includes Kris Lager Band, Nappy Roots, Cornmeal, Universe Contest and Desert Noises.
Schedule and tickets here. Read about the festival here.
MAHA MUSIC FESTIVAL | OMAHA | AUGUST 16
This year Maha is bringing in national acts Death Cab For Cutie, The Head and the Heart and Local Natives. The festival will also feature The Both, Doomtree, Radkey, The Envy Corps, Icky Blossoms, Twinsmith, Domestica, Matt Whipkey and M34N STR33T.
Learn more here and buy your tickets here.
NEBRASKA STATE FAIR | GRAND ISLAND
AUGUST 22 through SEPTEMBER 1
August 22: Chris Young | 7:30 p.m.
August 23: Styx | 7:30 p.m.
August 27: BJ Thomas | 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.
August 28: Michael W Smith | 7:30 p.m.
August 29: Terry Fator | 7:30 p.m.
August 31: Brantley Gilbert | 7:30 p.m.
Tickets will be available on July 28 at the Heartland Events Center Box Office and at ETIX.com.
Reach Gabriella and Hanna at gabriellamg@hearnebraska and hannag@hearnebraska.org.