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Home - 8 Days
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This Week's Top Picks - |
THURSDAY11
March 11
Little Brazil w/
Cowboy Indian Bear and Kyle
Harvey & The Worst Friends Ever
Barley Street Tavern, 2735 N. 62nd St.
9 p.m., $5, 408.0028, barleystreet.com
It’s that time of year. Yes, it’s finally above freezing. But still, who wouldn’t rather be in Austin, Tex. for some balmy weather and great music? Thankfully, Omaha can at least experience the great music with a show by local favorite Little Brazil as they prepare to head for South by Southwest. Between Barley Street’s mini-pitchers and accompanying artists Kyle Harvey (who’ll attend SXSW with It’s True) and Cowboy Indian Bear, it’s sure to be a killer send-off. And really, with a show like that, who needs 70-degree weather?
Kara Donaldson |
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This Week's Top Picks - |
THURSDAY4
March 4
Tea Leaf Green
w/ Blue Martian Tribe
Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.
9 p.m., $12 ADV/$14 DOS
radkadillac.com
San Francisco’s Tea Leaf Green does a great job of capturing everything iconic about classic ’70s rock and delivering it with a decidedly modern spin. The four-piece has developed a loyal following by exhaustive touring and delivering an honest and endearing performance night after night. The band’s repertoire of songs is gigantic and it’s been selling out venues coast to coast and becoming a festival favorite after rousing and much-talked-about performances at Bonaroo, Wakarusa and 10k Lakes. The band’s engaging brand of musical interplay has also earned the praise of many of its musical peers, allowing for sharing the stage with the likes of Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby and Bob Weir.
Jesse D. Stanek |
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This Week's Top Picks - |
FRIDAY26
Feb. 26
The Hood Internet w/ Flowers Forever and Capgun Coup
Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St.
9 p.m., $8 ADV/$10 DOS
theslowdown.com
So, you know the trend where people go to blogs to download music? And you know the whole subculture that came from it, producers making crazy mash-ups of contrasting genres that probably would never be released by legitimate labels for licensing reasons anyway? Well, The Hood Internet has become a minor online celebrity with the release of such music. In its case, the band takes mainstream or underground hip-hop beats and juxtaposes them over indie rock. The combo is a dance floor killer and they’re bringing it to Slowdown with two phenomenal local opening acts.
Brent Crampton |
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This Week's Top Picks - |
Feb. 22
Alec Ounsworth w/ Mitch Gettman
Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.
9 p.m., $10, onepercentproductions.com
Philadelphia native Alec Ounsworth got his street cred while in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. In their hiatus he has has put together a Big Easy-style solo debut. Solo as in he and four guys he found who aren’t willing to call themselves an official band. Ounsworth’s thin frame and raspy vocals stretch over his newfound indie-meets-New Orleans sound, with help from the aforementioned band which features George Porter Jr., Stanton Moore, Robert Walter and R&B legend Al Johnson. His confidently titled album Mo Beauty sounds intricate and sharp; expect the same from this show.
Jarrett Fontaine |
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Eight Days - |
FRIDAY12
Feb. 12
Ladyfinger w/ Lightning Bug
O’Leaver’s Pub, 1322 S. Saddle Creek Rd.
9 p.m., $5, 556.1238, oleavers.com
It’s been too damn long since Ladyfinger graced an Omaha stage. The hard-rocking foursome is back for a one-off night of Old Style-fueled debauchery and old-school hard rock. The band has gone through some transitioning since the release of it’s latest long player Dusk on Saddle Creek, the biggest being the replacement of Ethan Jones on bass with local soundman extraordinaire Dan Brennan. This will be the band’s first performance since Brennan came on board. It’s a safe to hoping some of Ladyfinger’s scorching metal-infused classic rock can help melt the snow.
Jesse D. Stanek |
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This Week's Top Picks - |
THURSDAY4
Feb. 4
Strap-On Halo
w/ Dim Light and Blue Rosa
Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.,
9 p.m., $7, onepercentproductions.com
Usually “halo” is not the word to follow “strap-on,” but after viewing this band’s MySpace page, it kind of makes sense. Strap-On Halo is one of those goth/industrial type bands, with deep, heavy keyboard sounds, pained lyrics and yards of black vinyl clothing. Lead singer and founder Sean Rial has been performing with Strap-On Halo in some form or another for about 15 years. Once he met lead singer Layla Reyna, new life was breathed into the band (or new death for the όber-goth out there). With the addition of bassist Marc Jones, the band recorded the Cherry Flavored Quick Fix EP. Now the group is working on material for a full-length album and perfecting their live show.
Patricia Sindelar |
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Picks - |
THURSDAY28
Jan. 28
Rashid Khalidi Lecture
Creighton University, Harper Center
Lied Auditorium
7 p.m., FREE, 280.2969, creighton.edu
Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University, will deliver the 2010 Creighton University Casper Lecture in History. The lecture, based on his book, Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East, will examine the legacy of the Middle East rivalry between the United States and the former Soviet Union. Considered the foremost U.S. historian on the Middle East, Khalidi makes the compelling case that the dynamics of the Cold War are still profoundly important. The lecture is free to the public.
David Williams |
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Picks - |
THURSDAY21
Jan. 21
Writing Center Reading Series w/ Jeffrey Koterba
Metro Community College,
2909 Babe Gomez Ave.,
South Omaha Campus Writing Center,
Connector Bldg. 2nd Floor, Rm. 222,
6:30-8 p.m., FREE, 250.2763,
writingcenter.mcc.edu
The Omaha World-Herald has seen many of its best and brightest leave, but a mainstay who’s remained is political cartoonist Jeffrey Koterba. His new memoir, Inklings (Houghton Mifflin), has been well received nationally. Like many artists, Koterba used his imagination to escape, in this case a chaotic childhood home dominated by his often inebriated father, a former jazz drummer whose dreams died hard. Koterba inherited from his father the facial and vocal tics, violent rages and manic eccentricities of Tourette’s Syndrome. In an improbable journey of discovery, Koterba reconnected with his estranged self and family though art, humor and music. Reviewers love the quirky optimism of this book, which the author will read from at a Metro Community College center devoted to the written word. Copies of Inklings will be available for purchase and signing. |
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the reader’s entertainment picks jan. 14-20, 2010 - |
THURSDAY14
Jan. 14
SPN Redesign Launch Party
LIV Lounge, 2285 S. 67th St.,
5-7 p.m., FREE, siliconprairienews.com
Change, it seems, is good. Silicon Prairie News (SPN) announced a January 14 redesign of its website. An event producer and news site which highlights entrepreneurs and creatives, SPN now features heightened navigability and a video library, as well as regionally specific content delivered through a new element: City Editions. “When people visit Silicon Prairie News in Des Moines, for example, they’ll be provided stories relevant to them, such as a local startup rivaling PayPal or a Tweetup at a Des Moines coffeehouse,” said Silicon Prairie News co-founder Dusty Davidson. Additional improvements to the site include a regional events calendar and lists of most-read posts.
Jill Bruckner Robberts |
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This Week's Top Events - |
THURSDAY 7
Jan. 7
Lurrie Bell w/ Nick Moss
& the Flip Tops
New Lift Lounge, 96th and L,
5:30 p.m., $10, 339.7170,
omahablues.com
The new year brings continuing blues to the New Lift Lounge, formerly known as Murphy’s. Expect a rip-roaring night of guitar power as two of Chicago’s finest blues guitarists are touring together: Nick Moss and Lurrie Bell. Moss and his band The Flip Tops are nominees for the coveted national Blues Music Award for Band of the Year. They are joined by Lurrie Bell son of the late, great Chicago bluesman Carey Bell. Lurrie Bell was named the Chicago Reader’s 2008 “Best Chicago Blues Musician” and Moss has been called “one of the premier torchbearers of Chicago Blues.” The band also plays Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, Jan. 6, 6-9 p.m |
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8 Days - |
THURSDAY 31
Dec. 31
Song Remains the Same
w/ Ten Club and Lizard King
Whiskey Roadhouse, Horseshoe Casino, 2701 23rd Ave., Council Bluffs
8 p.m., FREE, whiskeyroadhouse.com
On the off chance you missed Led Zeppelin’s reunion show in London two years ago, here’s a great opportunity to redeem yourself. This New Year’s Eve, Omaha-based Song Remains the Same will play the classic Zeppelin tunes we all know and love. Vocalist Jason Pollard and company push past the traditional tribute band label and merge into something, well, freakishly close to true Zeppelin. The necessary guitar riffs are all hit, the band’s tone is powerful and groovy, and Pollard could almost pass as a Robert Plant look-alike. Playing with Song Remains the Same at this free show are Pearl Jam emulators Ten Club and The Doors tribute group Lizard King. |
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PICKS - |
Through Dec. 31
Fire, Ice, Eclectic
Hot Shops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas St.
Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun.
Noon-4 p.m. FREE, 342.6462
hotshopsartcenter.com
Back away from those traditional, mass-produced holiday gifts and give some local art instead. Through December, the Hot Shops Art Center hosts a multi-artist, multi-media show in the Nicholas Street Gallery featuring the work of ten local artists. The show includes paintings, jewelry, sculpture and other things that might tickle your artistic fancy. While you’re there, stop in the Crystal Forge and see the hand-blown glass ornaments. You’ll find some truly unique trinkets to deck your halls during and beyond holidays.
Jasmine Maharisi |
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Festivals and Shows - |
Through Jan. 10
Holiday Lights Festival’s Conagra Foods Ice Rink
Sun.Thurs. 1-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 1 p.m.Midnight, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 15 p.m.,
Closed Christmas, $5 (includes skate rental), holidaylightsfestival.org
The 10th Anniversary Holiday Lights Festival continues with its “Shine the Light on Hunger” campaign. Back for the third year, the ConAgra Foods Ice Rink is a big part of that effort. For just $5 Omahans skate with friends and family on the outdoor ice rink. All proceeds from the rink go to the Food Bank for the Heartland. |
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8 Days - |
THURSDAY17
Dec. 17
A Night in the Box
Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St.
9 p.m., $7, 345.7575, theslowdown.com
How do you like your music served mixed, shaken or stirred? A Night in the Box, the Minnesota band, known for mixing and pouring several musical genres like Americana, soul and bluegrass with a dash of hardcore punk for good measure into a hat, an accessory that the band is known for wearing. In 2006, three former high school chums Clayton Hagen (acoustic guitar, vocals), Travis Hetman (guitar, vocals) and Alex Dalton (drums) found worldwide success and critical acclaim with their indie debut album, The Hustle, The Prayer, The Thief, which was produced by Afternoon Records. Having graduated college in 2008, the band’s sophomore effort, Write a Letter, announces its newest addition, Kailyn Spencer, on violin.
Hal G. Senal
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8 DAYS - |
THURSDAY10
Dec. 10
The Dave Rawlings Machine w/ Phil Schaffart
Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.
9 p.m., $17, onepercentproductions.com
Dave Rawlings is best known as the musical (and life) partner of Gillian Welch, but the guy also has chops. Whether performing with his Machine or producing albums for acts like Old Crow Medicine Show or Welch, Rawlings brings endearing honesty and intriguing gifts to the craft. This show is sure to be special, as his band for this intimate performance will include Welch and Ketch Secor and Willie Watson from Old Crow Medicine Show |
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8 DAYS - |
Dec. 3
People in Lines: New Paintings by Matt Clouse
Nomad Lounge, 1013 Jones St.
Opening reception 7-10 p.m.,
continues through Dec. 31,
FREE, 884.1231, nomadlounge.com
Omaha artist Matt Clouse seeks to blur the boundaries between “us” and “them” with his latest show, People in Lines, at Nomad Lounge through the end of December. The show’s 12 paintings, through their titles, challenge viewers to reconsider their ideas about themselves and the way they interact with one another. The show is part of an expanding body of work by Clouse, in which the artist continuously explores human differences, and conversely, the similarities. Twenty percent of all sales will be donated to the Nebraska Special Olympics. The opening shares the evening with “Luminosity,” the official pre-party for Night of a Thousand Stars. See Nomad’s webite for more on both events.
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8 Days - |
Nov. 27-28, Dec. 4-5
A Nightscare Before Christmas
Mystery Manor, 716 N. 18th St.
7-10 p.m., $10, 346.2666,
mysterymanoromaha.org
October and December collide in the most depraved sort of way, thanks to the ghoulish masters behind Mystery Manor. For the third year, the Manor brings back its cast of frighteners, in order to deck the halls with blood. A Nightscare Before Christmas is a two-weekend run of holiday-themed haunts inside the Manor’s spooky confines. It’s a Santaland massacre that’s sure to be a scream, as the ghoultime fun of Halloween bleeds all over the beginnings of the Christmas season. All of the spooktacular yuletide fright comes your way just when you thought N. 18th St. was once again safe from Halloween scares.
Chris Aponick
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8 Days - |
Nov. 20-22
Cirque Dreams Illumination
Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.
Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m., Sat. and Sun. 2 p.m.,
$25-$50, 345.0606
omahaperformingarts.org
Rare is the dream detailing the day-to-day. In fact, dreams often suppose an element of the hyper-surreal and endless possibility that fascinates and excites humankind. Watch dreams come to life on the Orpheum stage in this Broadway Across America production. Cirque Dreams Illumination is the only show of its type to play on Broadway, blending urban acrobatics with “never before seen phenomenal thrills of disbelief” and incredible costumes against the sounds of jazz, ballroom, pop and other genres represented in the original score. Creator/director Neil Goldberg also created the touring and Broadway shows: Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Cirque Dreams Pandemonia, Cirque Dreams Coobrila and Cirque Ingenieux. In Dreams Illumination city dwellers fly through the air reinventing everyday objects, dangling from wires, jumping towering buildings and generally bending audience perceptions. Sweet dreams, indeed.
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8 Days - |
Nov. 15
Shaolin Warriors
Orpheum Theater,
7 p.m., $19-$45, 345.0606,
omahaperformingarts.org
Kung fu fans rejoice! The Shaolin Warriors present a choreographed theatrical creation highlighting the awe-inspiring, death-defying, badass pageantry of everyone’s favorite martial arts niche. The collective is comprised of disciples of the famous Shaolin schools, known for mastering the mental discipline and physical prowess that makes the moves you thought were only possible in kung fu movies unfurl onstage. These masters, trained from a young age, show audiences the “elegant ferocity” of their sport, as well as a glimpse into their meditative practices.
Sarah Wengert
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8 Days - |
Nov. 5
Spectrum
Nomad Lounge, 1013 Jones St.
Reception 7-10 p.m., FREE,
through Nov. 29,
nomadlounge.com,
worldsofwayne.libsyn.com
Wayne Brekke is a man of many talents. Whether touring with Brad Hoshaw, laying down another podcast for his “Worlds Of Wayne” show, or haunting the bar stools of Benson with the Zombie Walk, he’s embedded within Omaha’s creative scene in a multitude of mediums; including the visual arts. And on this night, instead of opting for his classic home art show, he’s debuting works reflecting his varying approach and personality in the art-making process. A portion of all art sales from Spectrum will go to the Kent Bellows Studio and Center for Visual Arts. (Editor’s note: Just one among many of Brekke’s talents, he is also a Reader contributor).
Brent Crampton
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