New festival Nebraska Funk & Soul Alliance benefits Lincoln and Omaha charities
A new Lincoln festival will unite some of the state’s best funk and soul musicians for a social cause. Its founder, Lincoln musician Josh Hoyer, believes the genres’ greatest power is in giving back.
“My favorite Funk and Soul artists are socially conscious and have always been a sounding board for the common people,” Hoyer says.
The Nebraska Funk & Soul Alliance will aim to do just that through a multi-venue concert which will benefit four youth charities in both Omaha and Lincoln. High Up, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, Rothsteen and Chemicals are among the 28 acts donating performances at four venues in downtown Lincoln on Saturday, Dec 10.
Benefitting charities include The Lighthouse, Malone Community Center, The Bay and Jacob’s Well in Lincoln; Omaha Children’s Choir, Omaha Girls Rock, Proud Horizons and Youth Emergency Services in Omaha. They were selected by Hoyer and Omaha R&B artist Dominique Morgan.
Hoyer says creating the Funk & Soul Alliance was partly a way to give back to Lincoln for support he has received as a musician. He was inspired by homeless outreach work he participated in a few years ago through mental health and substance abuse treatment organization Centerpointe.
“The experience left a lasting impression on me and I wanted to continue to help those in need in our community, particularly the youth population,” Hoyer says.
The concert event also seeks to sustain the connection between social activism and both funk and soul. Hoyer lists artists like Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin and Charles Bradley among countless others who were voices for empowerment.
“This music is about real life,” Hoyer says. “This music is about empowering people, about coming together, about fighting the man. This music says, ‘You forgot about us, but we know our value and know that if we come together, the people are a force to be reckoned with.’”
Event venues include Zoo Bar, Duffy’s Tavern, Bodega’s Alley and 1867. Entry is by $10 donation. Find the full lineup and RSVP here.
* * *
Navy Gangs depicts 20-something Brooklyn life for POND Magazine
Navy Gangs has been making its way in Brooklyn for more than a year now, catching the attention of Stereogum and The Fader for its crunchy garage rock. But another publication has picked up on the band’s day to day life.
Brooklyn-based POND Magazine published a photo essay taken by the Omaha native band throughout one of its typical weeks, trying to capture “the essence of the modern 20 something year old musician in Brooklyn and Queens.” The cultural publication featured this along with ones by other neighborhood residents in a collaboration with The Impossible Project as part of POND’s Tuesday relaunch.
Navy Gangs released its self-titled debut EP in September, after making its Nebraska return in July. Read about the band’s unusual first New York practice space and other thoughts on its first year in our interview previewing that show here.
View the POND Magazine photo diary here. Listen to Navy Gangs below:
* * *
Concert Round-Up: Weekend Edition
Halloween weekend means it’s time to get your freak on. See a few show picks below. There is so much going on over the next few days that we’re bound to miss something. Tell us what in the comments or add it to our statewide calendar here.
Friday
SPEW 2 with Druids, Haunted Gauntlet, Night Stories, Stephen Nichols at O’Leaver’s: This show features some Iowa metal from Druids, an experimental multimedia project in Night Stories, Haunted Gauntlet’s spooky new tape and bass shredder Stephen Nichols. $5, 9:30 p.m., RSVP here.
Salt Creek, Mad Dog & The 20/20s, The Killigans at Vega: You might have read about this concert for its catchy masquerading gimmick (Salt Creek will cover Weezer, Mad Dog takes No Doubt). But it’s also notable as The Killigans drummer Ben Swift’s last show with the Lincoln punk band. The band has released a statement explaining the amicable parting via its Facebook page, which can be read here. Instead of covering a band, The Killigans will perform its 2005 album Brown Bottle Hymnal in its entirety. As fun as this show will be for its theme, it should also be an energetic final go for Swift. $10, 8 p.m., RSVP here.
The Broke Loose, Anthems, Edison & The Elephant at Reverb Lounge: Omaha rock band The Broke Loose releases its debut EP Who Are You Wearing? tonight. The four-piece — comprising Glenn Antonucci, Matt Evans (Kris Lager Band), Corey Randone (Jimmy Skaffa) and Tim Cox (RAF) — debuted “Byzantine” last month via HN; read the story here and listen below. Edison & The Elephant and Anthems open the show. $5, 9 p.m., RSVP here.
PWR BTTM, Bellows, Lisa Prank, Jade Lacy at Milk Run: The New York queer punk band has been selling out the bulk of its world tour thus far, and it comes to Omaha tonight with Brooklyn band Bellows and Seattle bedroom pop songwriter Lisa Prank. Poet Jade Lacy rounds out the bill. $5, 9 p.m. RSVP here.
Saturday
Glam Halloween with SSion, Life Is Cool at The Bourbon: The Bourbon glams out for Halloween with funk/pop artist Ssion and dark pop band Life Is Cool. Ssion’s Cody Critcheloe is known for his unique performances which combine visual art and music. Raws Schlesinger (Plack Blague) talked with Critcheloe about that, plus directing videos, coming up in Kansas City and more in a Q&A published yesterday; read it here. C Styles, Isla Tack and Evian Mangold will also perform. Tickets are $10 Friday, $15 day-of-show; $5 off with costume. The top three receive prizes. 10 p.m. show, RSVP here.
Laura Burhenn, Annie Dilocker, Anna McClellan at O’Leaver’s: Laura Burhenn (The Mynabirds) is back in Nebraska after appearing at Lincoln Calling three weeks ago — this time as a solo act. The singer/songwriter just released a pair of new singles “Apples & Oranges” and “Good Medicine.” $7, 9:30 p.m., RSVP here.
Sunday
Screaming Females, Moor Mother, Bien Fang at Milk Run: If you missed Screaming Females at Lincoln Calling, Sunday quickly presents another chance to catch them, this time in a more intimate setting at Milk Run. Lincoln garage trio Bien Fang and Philadelphia electronic punk artist Moor Mother open the show. $15, 9 p.m., RSVP here.
Beach Slang, Bleached, HUNNY at Reverb Lounge: Perhaps one of the buzziest bands of the last 18 months in Beach Slang comes to Reverb Lounge with California punk trio Bleached and SoCal rockers HUNNY. Beach Slang frontman James Alex is playing out the band’s current tour as a solo act, following ex-guitarist Ruben Gallego’s departure due to allegations that he committed sexual assault. Beach Slang released a statement shortly after explaining the band’s decision and affirming its support for sexual assault survivors. Read it here. $16, 8 p.m., RSVP here.
Super Happy Doom Time presents Devil’s Night at Duffy’s Tavern: This annual KZUM benefit show features a full-metal lineup with Manslaughterer, Super Moon, Night Push, Cobras, High Ruler and Rift. $5, all proceeds go to KZUM. 8 p.m., RSVP here.
Follow us all weekend long via Twitter and Instagram @hearnebraska. Releasing new music, planning a tour or have other notable info to share? Email news@hearnebraska.org.