Nine Nebraska bands to play SXSW showcase

Showcases abound at annual Austin, Texas, music festival SXSW, often curated by genre, location or buzz. This year, some of Nebraska’s finest will officially be on display.

Nine Nebraska bands will play the Nebraska Exposed showcase Wednesday, March 16 at Cheers Shot Bar in Austin. The free, eight-hour billing, sponsored by Nebraska Tourism, kicks off at Noon with Oketo and ends with Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal.

Curated by Jeremy Buckley, Spencer Munson and Laughing Falcon’s Kyle Gibson, Nebraska Exposed will feature a talented, genre-diverse lineup that may surprise some SXSW show-goers. All nine bands are in some way road-tested, with most having experienced the festival (or at least its peripheral atmosphere) in previous years.

In addition to the Nebraska Tourism sponsorship, Laughing Falcon, Freakabout and Bolzen Beer Band will play a pre-trip fundraiser this Friday at Duffy’s Tavern. Proceeds help support the bands’ travel costs (RSVP here).

See the entire Nebraska Exposed lineup and RSVP here.

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Ambient music collective Waning Gibbous releases debut album

On the night of the full moon, members of an ambient music collective gather for an improvisational free-form session. The recordings are now ready for the light of day.

Waning Gibbous released its self-titled debut album today. It features a rotating cast of Lincoln and Omaha musicians, anchored by Webb bandmates Brett Kelly, Sam Burt and Jon Ochsner. The hour-long album is the result of 15 full-moon recording sessions in various Omaha and Lincoln locations, all whittled down to 13 individual experimental soundscapes by Ochsner, who is also a sound engineer.

Kelly initially hatched the idea for Waning Gibbous more than a year ago, holding its first session in November 2014. He says the project is strange in that there aren’t many boundaries, and who shows up each month varies.

“The full cycle of the moon is the perfect amount of time [between sessions],” Kelly says. “It creates a monthly ritual where you have forgotten the previous track and the product is vastly different for each track.”

The rotating cast of guests add to each sessions’ dynamics. Ochsner says the makeup of each meeting depends on who shows up and what instruments they bring, allowing each session to take on a completely different form from the last.

“The project encourages creativity for its own sake.” Burt says. “Each session feels new and exciting, and the musicians that come to each session help in fostering a collaborative and artistically stimulating environment.”

Guests on today’s release include the Morbs’ Maya Khasin, ex-Crayons lead vocalist Emily Wynn, Root Marm Chicken Farm Jug Band’s Josh Kornbluh and Pure Brown’s Jesse Butterfield, among others. Big Slur’s Dan Scheuerman joined them for the latest session this past Monday.

As a whole, the project plans an ambitious eight-release run — one for each phase of the moon — ending in 2023. Ochsner also says they plan to post pictures and possibly a live stream of future sessions. Keep up to date at the project’s Facebook page here.

Listen to Waning Gibbous below:

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The Lush Bruises Club, Bed Rest, Natural States, Lodgings at O’Leaver’s

HN multimedia intern Adam LaRose went to O’Leaver’s Friday night to catch David Nance’s band The Lush Bruises Club, Bed Rest, Natural State and Lodgings. See his photos below:

Lodgings

Natural States

Bed Rest

The Lush Bruises Club

photos by Adam LaRose

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Plack Blague, Ruby Block, Cult Play at Zoo Bar

HN multimedia intern Lindsey Yoneda went to Zoo Bar Saturday for Plack Blague, Ruby Block and Cult Play. See her photos from an electronic, leather-studded evening below:

Plack Blague

Ruby Block

Cult Play

photos by Lindsey Yoneda

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Eponymous, North of Grand at The Sydney

First-time HN contributor Cruise Curtis caught a pair of punk bands at The Sydney Saturday, in Omaha’s Eponymous and Des Moines’s North Of Grand. See his photos below:

Eponymous

North Of Grand

photos by Cruise Curtis

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The Way Out, Lineman’s Rodeo, Fullbloods at Milk Run

The next night, Curtis was at Milk Run, snapping photos of Kansas City, Mo., indie rock band Fullbloods with Omaha’s The Way Out and Lineman’s Rodeo. Fullbloods just released brand new full-length Mild West on independent Kansas City label High Dive Records.  See them below:

The Way Out

Lineman’s Rodeo

Fullbloods

photos by Cruise Curtis

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Ivy Stone, Giant’s Arrow, Better Friend at Duffy’s Tavern

First-time HN contributor Lauren Farris stopped down to Duffy’s Tavern last night to catch Raleigh, N.C., blues rock band Ivy Stone with Lincoln post-punk bands Giant’s Arrow and Better Friend. See her photos below.

Giant’s Arrow

Ivy Stone

Better Friend

photos by Lauren Farris

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Concert Round-Up

Tonight, Kaneko’s Eko Nova new music series continues with Fiddle ‘n Blues. The folk-classical hybrid program centers around two works by composer/violinist Mark O’Connor, and explores folk music rooted in China, the Balkans and Appalachia. Musicians include: Elizabeth Furuta, violin; Thomas Kluge, viola; Paul Ledwon, cello; Dani Meier, bass. Also joining the lighthearted classical jam session are Omaha Symphony’s newly appointed 2nd Associate Principal Violinist Elizabeth Furuta, Principal Cellist Paul Ledwon, Principal Violist Thomas Kluge and Bassist Danielle Meier. Tickets are $15, or $10 for Kaneko members, seniors and students. RSVP here.

Plan your concert-going week with our statewide calendar, which can be found here. If you do not see your show or one you plan to attend, email us at news@hearnebraska.org or add it yourself using the “Contribute” button at the top right of the home page. And keep those story ideas, song submissions and news tips coming.