Hastings’ KHAS radio station adds Nebraska music segment

A Greater Nebraska radio station is looking to expose local music in the western part of the state.

KHAS Hastings has added one-hour segment dedicated to playing Nebraska music, which airs every Friday from 3-4 p.m. Deejay Nick Quiring hosted the inaugural show this past Friday on AM 1230. The radio station reaches Hastings, Grand Island and surrounding areas.

Quiring says lack of exposure for the state’s music scene motivated him to start the show. There simply isn’t anyone airing local music, from what he has heard.

“Out east there are far more opportunities to either see or hear local artists,” Quiring says. “Out here in the Central to Western part of the state, you can not find local music anywhere on the radio. So, there is a void and I’m trying to fill it.”

In addition to playing local music over the air — much like our Hear Nebraska FM show on Lincoln’s 89.3 KZUM — Quiring says he hopes to create a one-hour show that features live performances and interviews with one to two bands per show. Such program would air on 98.9 Classic Hits or 94.5 the Breeze, with potential for an ensuing podcast.

Artists interested in submitting music or performing in-studio can contact Quiring at nick@khasradio.com. Stream the show online here.

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Giant’s Arrow releases chaotic swan song

Giant’s Arrow’s final song begins at the apex of a stratospheric ascent, tipping its nose back toward Earth. As it re-enters the planetary domain in a hail of attacking guitars and screams, it seems to nod at the unfortunate reality: all journeys must end.

The Lincoln punk band released “Rural Sense of Mardi Gras,” its swan song, earlier this week. With guitarist Jeremy Wurst moving west, it plays its final show Friday at Duffy’s Tavern with Better Friend and Domestica (RSVP here).

“Rural Sense Of Mardi Gras” reaches its conclusion in an explosion, vocalists Wurst and Max Morrissey screaming their guts out and Alex Durrant relentlessly punishing his snare drum. Before seeing Giant’s Arrow combust this Friday, hear the single below:

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Verse & the Vices, Satellite Junction to release albums this weekend

A pair of Nebraska bands in their respective youths release full-length albums this weekend.

Lincoln’s Verse & the Vices and Omaha’s Satellite Junction both play release shows Saturday. The former will play Vega with Powerful Science and Root Marm Chicken Farm Jug band, while the latter hits O’Leaver’s with Jump The Tiger and Two Drag Club.

Verse & the Vices has previewed the album with debut track “Lights Out.” While a pop song at face value, latin rhythms and vocalist Emilio Meza’s Brian Setzer-like croon give the track extra flavor. If their live show is any indication, the album arrives just in time to fit in the warm-weather rotation.

For Satellite Junction, this marks the first major event since its formation in early 2015. Guitarist/vocalist Jyothi Samudrala moved to Omaha from India in 2009 with three bags, looking to study business at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He met current songwriting partner Josh McAdams in 2015 and the two immediately began churning out the tracks that would comprise Satellite Junction’s first release.

No Time Like The Present is multifaceted, made so by the differing styles of Samudrala and McAdams. Tracks like “My Old Window” and “City of Pearls” call back to the early 2000’s guitar pop of Vertical Horizon and Barenaked Ladies, while alternating tracks “Insight” and “The Way You Pay” follow the heavier rock lead of Foo Fighters.

Verse & the Vices Vega release show starts at 9 p.m., tickets are $5 in advance, $7 day-of RSVP here. Satellite Junction plays O’Leaver’s at 9:30 p.m., tickets are $5, RSVP here.

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Concert Round-Up

Tonight, Minneapolis band Enemy Planes plays the Slowdown’s front room. The dark pop band released debut full-length Beta Lowdown in March on Rock The Cause Records. A.V. Club recently debuted the video for “We Want Blood,” which it called “…genuinely haunting—the music lingers with you long after the notes fade, impressing its discomfiting lyrics and melodies onto your brain.” Austin, Texas-based singer/songwriter Walker Lukens opens the show along with Omaha instrumental prog-rock band Fontenelle. Show starts at 8 p.m., tickets are $10, RSVP here.

Also tonight, Black Tiger Sex Machine plays The Waiting Room with Apashe, Dabin and SharkWeek. Tickets are $20, all-ages show starts at 9 p.m. RSVP here.

For more shows — including Jens Lehman & the Time Cops, Tiny Monsters and The Hottman Sisters at Zoo Bar (RSVP here); and This Machine Kills Vibes, Briner and Sapien Sounds at Duffy’s Tavern (RSVP here) — head to our statewide calendar at hearnebraska.org/events.