Manic Pixie Dream Girls and Lars & Mal at Urban Outfitters

“So cool to be playing in a store,” Manic Pixie Dream Girls’ Mari Matz reiterated time and again.

Matz hasn’t been the first performer to cheerfully point out the oddity of playing (punk rock, in her case) loud music while surrounded by beanies and checkered clothes.

Yesterday, beer, music and pizza enthusiasts gathered on the first floor of the downtown Omaha Urban Outfitters for the UO x HN First Thursday event. Graphic design artwork from Jessica Smolinski, hair braiding from Kontempo and nail art from Just Imagine Nails were also available to audience members.

Among those in the audience were a grooving, 3-year-old Manic Pixie Dream Girls fan and many familiar faces from last week’s Omaha Girls Rock camp.

Lars & Mal opened the event with their soulful folk as the group serenaded the audience of approximately 30 people with their sweet sounds and tight harmonies.

After a quick break, Manic Pixie Dream Girls raised the volume. Switching between guitar and bass, Rachel Tomlinson Dick and Matz shredded, as Monica Maher pounded away at the drums.

See photos below.