Lincoln Calling adds Brendan Kelly (The Lawrence Arms), Eros & the Eschaton, Yes You Are, more than 60 additional acts; The Reader interviews Maha’s executive director Schomburg; Miwi La Lupa, Phil Schaffart added to Oberst show

Lincoln Calling adds Brendan Kelly (The Lawrence Arms), Eros & the Eschaton, Yes You Are, more than 60 additional acts

The lineup for Lincoln Calling is nearly solidified, bolstered by the announcement of a couple regional acts with Nebraska ties and one big name punk figure.

Eros & the Eschaton, Yes You Are and The Lawrence Arms’ Brendan Kelly have been added to the festival’s 13th annual run. They join Colorado band If I Fail and Des Moines’ Annalibera and 63 additional acts in today’s announcement, bringing the total to nearly 120 total artists for the three-day event Oct 6-8 in downtown Lincoln.

Beginning as the experimental two-piece recording and performance project of Kate Perdoni and Adam Hawkins in 2012, Eros and the Eschaton arrives “weaving magic into shoegaze pop” via “an onslaught… making great double-date partners with Yo La Tengo.” (SPIN) It sports a to-date career highlighting an album on legendary indie-rock label Bar/None Records — Home Address for Civil War (2013) — and an upcoming sophomore follow-up Weight Of Matter scheduled for Aug. 19, 2016. Enhanced by the addition of drummer Alex Koshak in 2014, and bassist Ryan Spradlin and keyboardist Mitch Macura in 2015, the band channels an album-representational force of pop hooks & mayhem.

Former Tilly and the Wall frontwoman Kianna Alarid heads up Yes You Are. The Kansas City dance-pop band emerged in 2015, releasing a music video and scoring a 13-date opening gig with Neon Trees. It remains a regular on the regional touring circuit and a staple within its home city. The band independently released its A Dream EP May 16 (the lead track “HGX” is featured in summer 2016 comedy Bad Moms).

Brendan Kelly is the bassist/vocalist of Chicago-based punk band The Lawrence Arms, as well as guitarist/lead vocalist in The Falcon and Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds. Kelly’s former bands include Slapstick and The Broadways. He is known for his raspy vocals, drunken demeanor, and onstage witticisms. Kelly is also the brains behind the darkly humorous Nihilist Arby’s parody Twitter account.

This year’s Lincoln Calling packs a mix of local, regional and national live music and comedy into three nights on eight-plus stages around downtown Lincoln. More than half of the confirmed acts hail from Nebraska.

See the complete listing here and watch tomorrow for news on which acts play which dates. Three-day passes are available for $49 here.

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The Reader interviews Maha’s executive director Schomburg

As Maha Music Festival has grown each year, so has its need for dedicated staff. It’s why the board added Lauren Schomburg as full-time executive director at the start of the year.

Schomburg gives some insight into this year’s lineup, year to year challenges and other logistics in an article with The Reader published earlier this morning. Lazy-i blogger (and HN board member) Tim McMahan conducted the interview, which spends a significant amount of space detailing the lineup selection process and the local-to-national act proportion.

The article also addresses festival growth, including the hiring of its first paid employees and  and the Community Village, which this year focuses on mental health awareness.

“By having someone handle the day to day, the organization can begin planning strategically for the next two to three years,” Schomburg tells The Reader. “That allows us to grow Maha in a smart manner rather than taking it a year at a time.”

Read the full story here.

It’s Maha week, and we’re excited not only to cover the festival, but to return as part of the Community Village. Prepare with us all week long, including tomorrow, when we roll out our full media guide, including schedules, nonprofit participants and everything you need to know about each performer.

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Miwi La Lupa, Phil Schaffart added to Oberst show

Thursday’s Conor Oberst show in Grand Island keeps growing.

Singer/songwriter Miwi La Lupa and Phil “Meatball” Schaffart have been added to the bill, opening for Oberst alongside Omaha folk duo McCarthy Trenching.

La Lupa is an Omaha transplant and upstate New York native who is an occasional member of Oberst’s touring band. He released solo album Ended Up Making Love in March on Team Love Records. Schaffert is a former member of Con Dios and current owner of Blackstone’s Ground Floor Guitar. Both play in country cover band Dolores Diaz and the Standby Club with Oberst and Dan McCarthy, making this concert a friendly affair.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at Prairie Pride Brewing Company, 309 N Pine, in downtown Grand Island. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. and while entry is free, organizers ask for RSVP here.

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HIDE, Plack Blague, Bib at The Bourbon

HN multimedia intern Lauren Farris started a big weekend at The Bourbon, snapping photos of Chicago duo Hide with Lincoln’s Plack Blague and Omaha’s Bib and CBN

Comprising Heather Gabel and Seth Sher, the duo Hide trades in shadowy grooves equally capable of inducing entrancement and terror. Gabel made her bones doing design work for artists like Alkaline Trio, Joan Jett and Rancid, and is now pouring herself into some of the most captivating industrial music around.

All three bands plays this year’s Lincoln Calling, Oct 6-8, with nearly 120 total local and national artists. Find tickets here.

See Farris’ photos below (and apologies to CBN … we’ll catch you next time):

HIDE

Plack Blague

Bib

Photos by Lauren Farris

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Letterbomb, The Way Out at The Bay

Farris was out the next night as well, grabbing shots of Lincoln punk band Letterbomb and Ashland indie rock band The Way Out at revamped Lincoln all-ages venue The Bay. See those photos below:

Letterbomb

The Way Out

Photos by Lauren Farris

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Medlock, The Bedrock and Nick Carl at The Down Under

HN contributor James Dean was at The Down Under Saturday, photographing a trio of Omaha acts in Medlock, The Bedrock and Nick Carl. See Dean’s photos below:

Medlock

The Bedrock

Nick Carl

Photo by James Dean

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Plan the week in live music with our statewide calendar here. If you have shows to add, or other news tips, story ideas or song submissions, email us at news@hearnebraska.org.