by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Before we get to the OEAA weekend, another reminder about tonight’s Hear Nebraska Live event at 1200 Club at The Holland. Show starts at 7:30 and features Big Harp, Digital Leather and Kill County. No idea on the band order. Tickets today are $30. The whole thing is being filmed for rebroadcast on Nebraska Educational Television sometime in the not-so-distant future. Tix at ticketomaha.com.

OEAAs…

Which brings us to the other big event this weekend, the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award Summer Showcase held in bars and showcases throughout Benson. All-entry to every place is $10 per night or $15 for a 2-day pass. All money raised at the door goes to the OEAA folks to help fund their annual awards show. The unofficial benefactor is, of course, the bars who are getting two free nights of entertainment on their stages, as the bands aren’t paid. This explains the overall lack of bands from Saddle Creek, Speed! Nebraska, Slumber Party, Rainy Road and other local labels. Those bands have moved beyond what has become a Benson talent show, complete with a prize — the opening slot on the local stage of this year’s Maha Music Festival.

Still, as I’ve said in the past — no one’s put a gun to any of these bands’ heads and told them they had to play for free. With that in mind, I’ve placed (*) by recommended sets. Should be a good time, if they don’t get hit by a thunderstorm tomorrow night.

Friday, June 7
The Waiting Room

8-8:40- Escape from AlcaJazz
8:55-9:35- Civicminded
9:50-10:30- Narcotic Self
* 10:45-11:25- The Whipkey Three
* 11:40-12:20- Travelling Mercies
12:35-1:05- Ten Club
1:20-2am- Galvanized Tron

The Sydney

8-8:40- Towne, Murray & Polipnick
8:55-9:35- Morning at Sea
9:50-10:30- All Young Girls Are Machine Guns
* 10:45-11:25- Halfwit
* 11:40-12:20- Touch People
* 12:35-1:05- Universe Contest
1:20-2am- BuckHunter

Barley Street Tavern

8-8:40- Skyman
8:55-9:35- Black On High
9:50-10:30- Those Far Out Arrows
10:45-11:25- Dirty River Ramblers
11:40-12:20- Moses Prey
12:35-1:05- The Sub-Vectors
1:20-2am- The Big Deep

Sweatshop
2727 N 62^nd Street

8-8:40- Pancho and the Contraband
8:55-9:35- Tracey Skretta
9:50-10:30- Polka Police
* 10:45-11:25- The Shidiots
11:40-12:20- Never Trust the Living
12:35-1:05- Guilty is the Bear
1:20-2am- Kaitlyn Maria Filippini

Burke’s Pub

8-8:40- SPORK and SPiNSTER
8:55-9:35- 24 Hour Cardlock
* 9:50-10:30- Scott Severin
10:45-11:25- Michael Wunder
11:40-12:20- Mitch Gettman
12:35-1:05- Hector Anchondo Band

PS Collective

8-8:40- Acoustic Gangster
8:55-9:35- Belles & Whistles
9:50-10:30- Lucas Kellison & Undisco Kids
10:45-11:25- Witness Tree
11:40-12:20- One Eye White
12:35-1:05- Island Alumni

Louis Bar & Grill

8-8:40 – More Machine Now Than Man
8:55-9:35 – The Minnahoonies
9:50-10:30 – Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers
10:45-11:25 – The Matador
11:40-12:20 – The Impulsive
12:35 – 1:05 – Linear Symmetry
1:15 – 1:50 – Rygol

Saturday, June 8

The Waiting Room

8-8:40- Save the Hero
* 8:55-9:35- John Klemmensen and the Party
9:50-10:30- Cannonista
10:45-11:25- The Electroliners
11:40-12:20- Voodoo Method
12:35-1:05- After the Fall
1:20-2am- Lon-Meezy

The Sydney

8-8:40- Mola-B
8:55-9:35- Edge of Arbor
9:50-10:30- Vago
10:45-11:25- Artillery Funk
11:40-12:20- AZP
12:35-1:05- Purveyors of the Conscious Sound
1:20-2am- Wrekafekt

Barley Street Tavern

8-8:40- The Counterplot
8:55-9:35- The Decatures
9:50-10:30- Big AL Band
10:45-11:25- Molehill (touring band)
11:40-12:20- Rock Paper Dynamite
12:35-1:05- Field Club
1:20-2am- The Beat Seekers

Burke’s Pub

8-8:40- FINO
8:55-9:35- Phoenix Rising
9:50-10:30- Ryan Osbahr
10:45-11:25- Dominique Morgan
11:40-12:20- shooK on3
12:35-1:05- Buzz Junior

PS Collective

8-8:40- A Wasted Effort
8:55-9:35- Square1
9:50-10:30- Tenderness Wilderness
10:45-11:25- The Bishops
11:40-12:20- The Ronnys
12:35-1:05- Steps to Mars

OEAA’s couldn’t have picked a better weekend for this (except maybe weather-wise) as there isn’t much else going on.

It’s Benson First Friday tonight, but that just means parking will suck in Benson.

The legendary Dereck Higgins is performing tonight at the Carver Bank Art Space at 2416 Lake St. The show starts at 7.

Saturday night O’Leaver’s is hosting a punk show featuring Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and the legendary Qing Jao. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Polka party stewards Brave Combo are playing at the Summer Arts Festival downtown Saturday. (Probably a good time to reread my 2000 interview with the band). They go on at 7 p.m. and the event is free.

Did I miss something? Put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.