Most of Lincoln’s best and brightest bands are coming to Benson tonight for the second annual Lincoln Invasion festival.  The line-up:

Barley Street Tavern – 2735 N. 62nd St. (21+)

09:15 – Shipbuilding Co.
10:05 – Husbands
10:55 – The Renfields
11:45 – Once A Pawn

Benson Grind – 6107 Maple St. (all ages)

06:30 – No One Conquered, Wyoming
07:15 – Amy Schmidt
08:00 – Smith’s Cloud
08:45 – Ember Schrag

Burke’s Pub – 6117 Maple St. (21+)

09:30 – Diamond Kazzoo
10:30 – Manny Coon
11:15 – Amalgamators

Louis Grill & Bar – 5702 NW Radial HWY (21+)

09:05 – Ron Wax
09:50 – Dirty Talker
10:45 – Pharmacy Spirits
12:00 – If Only He Had The Power

The Sydney – 5918 Maple St. (21+)

09:10 – Tie These Hands
09:55 – Orion Walsh
10:50 – The Vingins
11:50 – The Machete Archive

The Waiting Room – 6212 Maple St. (all ages)

09:00 – Shaun Sparks & The Wounded Animals
09:55 – Masses
10:45 – Mercy Rule
11:40 – Kris Lager Band

Your $8 will get you into all participating venues all night. If you’re only interested in hanging at one venue, you can pay $5 for that single admission.

Louis Bar and Grill is an addition to the festival and has two of the better bands slated to play, but I have no idea how you’re supposed to get there from Maple Street. Your best bet may be to cross Radial Highway at 59th St.

Last year’s “invasion” was a success, except for one thing: Very few musicians who make up the Benson (and Omaha) music scene were on hand. Who knows why (Jealousy? Stuck-up-ishness? Boredom? Ignorance? Fear?). There’s nothing else going on tonight, so there’s really no excuse. Here’s hoping for a better showing of musician solidarity this year — from one scene to another.

Trying to see all those Lincoln bands could be exhausting, which is good because there ain’t much else going on this weekend. Tomorrow night, the countdown to the end of The 49’r continues with a two-band show featuring tribute acts Surfer Rosa (Pixies) and Brave Captain (fIREHOSE). $5, 9 p.m. Sunday night, Brad Hoshaw and The Seven Deadlies plays at O’Leaver’s with highly recommended St. Louis band Theodore and Zack Lagrue. $5, 9 p.m.