The Reader and El Perico have entertained, informed, and inspired just about three decades of English and Spanish readers throughout Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska—two blue dots in a sea of dark red. The papers did more than help us pass the time, but they did that, too. The two outlets shared a unique capacity to entertain, matched only by the reach of their combined, fearless journalistic integrity that few other publications could strive for. The closure of The Reader/El Perico is an immeasurable loss for readers everywhere, like waking up one morning to find the ocean is missing. But closure ..read more

Babymetal with Dethklok September 28 Steelhouse Omaha Tickets starting at $99, without fees Babymetal will play Steelhouse Omaha on September 28. Babymetal is a band from Japan that has carved out an international following through their unique mixture of metal and J-pop, also called “kawaii” metal. Their fourth album “The Other One” (2023) was released to acclaim from both fans and critics. Dethklok, a melodic death metal band born from the hit animated series Metalocalypse on Adult Swim, will also play in support of their new album “Dethalbum IV” (2023). Musically, Dethklok combines heavi ..read more

“John will never shut The Reader down.” I was literally telling a newer colleague that less than a month before the announcement of the closing of The Reader and El Perico. So it was a gut punch of sorts to get the news. The Reader has been part of my life for almost all of its history. I really started as a contributor in 1995 or ’96, so it’s been a long association that has provided me a lot of opportunities. And the group of The Reader’s contributing writers, particularly the core group that has been working with the paper for years, are a community I have always valued being a part of. B ..read more

It’s been 20 years since Dean Dobmeier and Gary Grobeck launched their independent Sunday Roadhouse series. With the focus on Americana music, the series has played various venue homes before landing with Waiting Room and Reverb Lounge. The duo celebrates this 20th Anniversary year with the return of an audience favorite, charismatic roots-rocker Sarah Borges. The electric guitarist, singer-songwriter and her band hit the Reverb Lounge stage Saturday, Sept. 23, doors 6 p.m. and show at 7 p.m. See sundayroadhouse.com. The Sunday Roadhouse series continues in the fall with eclectic The Claudett ..read more

If You Are Going What: Bad Bad Men Album Launch with Wagon Blasters, Those Far Out Arrows and Pagan Athletes  Where: Reverb Lounge  When: Friday August 25th 8PM  Tickets: Etix.com It would be hard to find a more accomplished lineage of musicians currently playing Omaha today than that of Bad Bad Men. The punk rock veterans have played in a who’s who of bands and projects going back decades. In fact, a couple of the band members are sharing bills with and seeing their children out playing in the area’s music scene. Bad Bad Men have been out performing for a handful of years now ..read more

The second big weekend of free Playing With Fire (PWF) concerts happens Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11-12, at Turner Park at Midtown Crossing. This is the 19th year for the concert series organized by founder/talent booker Jeff Davis. Friday, Aug. 11, music starts at 6:45 p.m. with Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado from Copenhagen, Denmark. The seven-piece band has released 12 albums, won two Danish Music Awards and received seven nominations. It was recognized as the Best Band in the 2017 European Blues Awards. The group was seen at PWF in 2019. Also performing are Samantha Martin &am ..read more

The second big weekend of free Playing With Fire (PWF) concerts happens Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11-12, at Turner Park at Midtown Crossing. This is the 19th year for the concert series organized by founder/talent booker Jeff Davis. Friday, Aug. 11, music starts at 6:45 p.m. with Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado from Copenhagen, Denmark. The seven-piece band has released 12 albums, won two Danish Music Awards and received seven nominations. It was recognized as the Best Band in the 2017 European Blues Awards. The group was seen at PWF in 2019. Also performing are Samantha Martin & ..read more

If You Go: What-Four Winds Music Festival  Where-Waiting Room Lounge and Reverb Lounge  When-August 4th and 5th  8PM Friday and 7PM Show on Saturday with Free Art and vendor market from 2-5pm (both rooms) on Saturday.  Tickets-Etix.com $15 per day or $25 two day pass. Tickets available here Headline-Four Winds Festival is Nice Enough for Omaha  Justin Strawstone talks about the Omaha hip-hop scene and festival now in its third year locally.  Hip-hop music in Omaha is always a hot topic among many local music supporters and the artists themselves. Ever since the g ..read more

Despite scorching temperatures, about 30,000 people still walked through the gates of the Maha Music Festival this year for its two-day run. Fifteen different acts performed on the two stages in Stinson Park throughout Friday and Saturday, July 28th and 29th as the festival marked its 15th year.  This was also its last at Stinson Park in Aksarben. Next year Maha returns to the Heartland of America Park on Omaha’s riverfront, which is slated to open later this summer. The festival featured local acts like rapper Hakim, the hardcore band BIB as well as synth-pop heroes Icky Blossoms who to ..read more

If You Go Who-Julia Jacklin with Macie Stewart Where-The Slowdown When-Tuesday July 25th 8PM Tickets- TheSlowdown.com Just under a year ago, Australian musician and songwriter Julia Jacklin released her third album Pre-Pleasure. This follows 2019’s album Crushing, that really established her internationally as one of the premier young artists in the industry today. On Pre-Pleasure she excavates life experiences while looking at the present and future. The album has a bigger feel than Crushing with strings, piano along with her guitar creating ebbs and flows in the songs and sometimes bui ..read more