First Annual NE Funk & Soul Alliance benefits Nebraska youth organizations
On Saturday night in downtown Lincoln, many of Nebraska’s funk and soul musicians came out in force for the first annual Funk & Soul Alliance. Spread across four venues, the evening made up a fundraiser for eight Lincoln and Omaha organizations working with youth. All venue, musician and promoter time was volunteer.
In addition to raising money for organizations such as The Bay in Lincoln and Youth Emergency services in Omaha, the Funk & Soul Alliance was also an impressive showing for one of Nebraska’s most tight-knit music communities and perhaps lays a blueprint for successful, one-night mini-festivals in downtown Lincoln.
Our Lauren Farris and James Dean were on hand for photos.
Bodega’s
The Wondermonds
Photo by Lauren Farris
DJ Ole Moaner
Photo by Lauren Farris
Josh Hoyer and the Soul Colossal
Photo by Lauren Farris
Citizens Band
Photo by Lauren Farris
Kellison Quartet
Photo by James Dean
Duffy’s Tavern
Rothsteen
Photo by James Dean
Magnetic Souls
Photo by Lauren Farris
Gaudio
Photo by Lauren Farris
DJ Relic
Photo by Lauren Farris
Dominique Morgan
Photo by Lauren Farris
AZP
Photo by James Dean
Funk Trek
Photo by Lauren Farris
The Zoo Bar
Edem
Photo by Lauren Farris
Risky Clique
Photo by Lauren Farris
Domestic Blend
Photo by Lauren Farris
O Street Brass Band
Photo by Lauren Farris
High Up
Photo by Lauren Farris
Emily Bass and A Near Miracle
Photo by Lauren Farris
1867
A Ferocious Jungle Cat
Photo by James Dean
Chemicals
Photo by James Dean
NE Grease & Power
Photo by Lauren Farris
Jens Lehman and the Time Cops
Photo by Lauren Farris
Soul Tree
Photo by Lauren Farris
Tiny Monsters
Photo by Lauren Farris
Jagaja, Wingman and The Ambulanters at Slowdown
Photos by Tarah Dawdy
Jagaja
Wingman
The Ambulanters
DSM-5, Jump the Tiger, Not Ben Shin at Brothers Lounge
Photos by Connor Lepert
DSM-5
Jump the Tiger
Not Ben Shin
The Ambulanters, Lulay and This Machine Kills Vibes at Duffy’s Tavern
Photos by Lauren Farris
The Ambulanters
Lulay
This Machine Kills Vibes
Domestica drummer reviews Sputnik Kaputnik releases
Note: Here, Pawl Tisdale of Domestica reviews Sputnik Meets Korg and The Latest Assault: Live at the Haus of Chop by Lincoln’s Sputnik Kaputnik.
Sputnik Meets Korg (2015)
Without first hearing the opening track “Butthole” on the release, Sputnik Meets Korg by Sputnik Kaputnik, one may think it is a song about anatomy, or even a place one might put their cigarettes, but whatever your preconceived notion is, I can guarantee the song will not be a victim of pretension. It turns out after a good listen, the song serenades you in voice and keyboards about the ease with which a person can be a butthole. The rest of the release heads in a similar direction. When you see the word Korg you know there will be fair amount of keyboard. Besides the vocals and occasional smattered horns on “Blue Baby”, these tracks are all in fact keyboards swirling and blending with a moaning Chad Thunder aching his way down the songs’ path. It helps to have an appreciation for the bizarre and at times absurd, which in fact I do, so it is easy for me to comment on the likability and imagination of the songs. The whole mood of this release has an air of humorous sadness. Several songs like, “It takes a married man (to sing a worried song)” have melancholy lyrics and somber intonation in voice, yet are accompanied by a kind of Star Hustler sequencer of fluttering classic keyboard sound. It is this juxtaposition that wrestles your listening and keeps it enjoyable. I cannot fully explain what this music can be compared to as I am not sure how to categorize it. I can tell you though, if you’re an Yngwie Malmsteen fan, this might not be for you, but if you enjoy a good dose of surreal this is worth the listen for sure.
The Latest Assault: Live at the Haus of Chop (Sept. 2016)
This release has the full band flavor. The players. Yorden Planck on Keys,
Bangor Klimt on Drums, Harvey “The Harvard Man” Liebschitz on Thud Stick, and Chad Thunder on pipes.
This live (or is it?) recording has a feel to it that I remember from the ‘80s new wave/punk marriage. It isn’t coarse like punk, but has the off wince of a very early DEVO, compliments of a sarcastic tingle. What makes Sputnik Kaputnik so different than other Lincoln bands is that there are not a lot of other Lincoln bands experimenting with the odd. Not free-for-all odd, it’s just that the songs have an offbeat center of composition which makes it interesting. There is a great running gag between songs that adds to the performance and makes you anticipate what will come next. I honestly think this will grow on people as they piece together the intent. I for one would recommend a beer and a listen.
Hear Nebraska FM tonight at 8 p.m.
Listen to Hear Nebraska FM tonight from 8-10 p.m. on KZUM for guest host and Hear Nebraska contributor Shannon Claire’s rundown of all-Nebraska music. In Lincoln, tune in to 89.3 FM and stream online at kzum.org worldwide.