by Tim McMahan,Lazy-i.com

Tonight is the kick-off of the 19th annual Lincoln Exposed festival – four nights of live local music hosted on four Lincoln stages. The event’s full schedule is below, and I admit knowing only a handful of the more than 100 bands taking part. I’ve bolded the acts I would go out of my way to check out… if I was going to the festival.

Lincoln has at least two multi-venue festivals — this and Lincoln Calling, which brings in a handful of poplar national touring acts as well as a gaggle of locals. It takes place in the fall, and has for years. I’m told this year it’ll be happening in the spring – stay tuned.

Which brings up the burning question: Why doesn’t Omaha host something like this? The old-timers will remember there have been attempts at multi-day Omaha festivals in the past, but all eventually petered out. With at least seven potential stages (The Waiting Room, Reverb Lounge, The Sydney, Brokedown Palace, the Benson Theater, Hardy’s Coffee, The Petshop) and even more bars that could also host bands — all within walking distance of each other — Benson would be an obvious choice to host a similar music festival.

But Benson isn’t the only game in town. The Blackstone District, Little Italy, Dundee, the Capitol District, heck, even the Old Market, all could accommodate a multi-venue music festival. And yet, Omaha has nothing. So why hasn’t it happened? Maybe it’s because Omaha doesn’t have a college population like UNL or because there is no individual organizer willing to do all the footwork needed to pull it off. But the most likely reason: It’s not a big money-maker for the venues that would have to be involved.

This is where the good folks who put on The Maha Music Festival could naturally step up, a perfect chance to expand their fan base and show support for the local music scene. Ah, but methinks Maha has its hands full figuring out what it’s going to do for their own 2024 Festival. Last year, Maha announced their full 2023 line-up on Feb. 22, which is just a couple weeks away. Will we be getting the 2024 line-up announcement soon?

Anyway, here’s the Lincoln Exposed 2024 schedule. Tickets are $12 per night or $35 for an all-access pass that gets you into everything all weekend. You can buy them online here or in person at the Bourbon Theater.

LINCOLN EXPOSED 2024
Wednesday
ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – Saving Fiona
6 – 6:40 – Peace, Love & Strychnine
7 – 7:40 – The Said Mantics
8 – 8:40 – Vibe Check 
9 – 9:40 – A Ferocious Jungle Cat
10 – 10:40 – M Shah
11 – 11:40 – Amolador

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Prairie Psycho
7:40 – 8:20 – OTOS
8:40 – 9:20 – Slow, Pioneers
9:40 – 10:20 – Dude Won’t Die
10:40 – 11:20 – Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal
1:40 – 12:20 – jdreams the alien + WINTERPOOR

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Hosting Monsters
7:20 – 8 – Domestica 
8:20 – 9 – Leaves Brown
9:20 – 10 – Loose Change
10:20 – 11 – Cyphen
11:20 – 12 – Chasing Supernovas

1867 BAR (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Neon Zoo
7:40 – 8:20 – Hot Dealers
8:40 – 9:20 – ImAsh 
9:40 – 10:20 – Sitra Achra
10:40 – 11:20 – Das Dat
11:40 – 12:20 – Frailin Hearts

Thursday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – Comfy
6 – 6:40 – Church of Blues 
7 – 7:40 – All Knowing McGill
8 – 8:40 – Mustache`
9 – 9:40 – Beyond Bananas
10 – 10:40 – The Fatal E’s
11 – 11:40 – Head Change

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – All Star City Blues Band
7:40 – 8:20 – Root Marm Chicken Farm Jug Band
8:40 – 9:20 – Love & Gumption
9:40 – 10:20 – Lee Bowes and the Jupiter Rings
10:40 – 11:20 – F.A.C.E.
11:40 – 12:20 – Fascinus Rex

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Sputnik Kaputnik 
7:20 – 8 – The Hangin’ Cowboys
8:20 – 9 – Jet Set
9:20 – 10 – Hold Your Breath
10:20 – 11 – Ivory Daze
11:20 – 12 – Swaul Pope

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Mothawk
6:40 – 7:20 – Tupelo Springfield
7:40 – 8:20 – Cornerstone Dub
8:40 – 9:20 – Gollie G
9:40 – 10:20 – After Arizona
10:40 – 11:20 – Bull Face 
11:40 – 12:20 – Blowing Chunks

Friday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5-5:40 – Corson Branch Buzzard Club
6-6:40 – Scott Severin & Stateleigh Holmes 
7-7:40 – Dirty Talker
8-8:40 – LaPerm
9-9:40 – Crack Mountain
10-10:40 – Red Cities
11-11:40 – The Killigans
12-12:40 – The Midland Band

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Mudpuddles
7:40 – 8:20 – The Allendales
8:40 – 9:20 – FAHR
9:40 – 10:20 – The Bottle Tops
10:40 – 11:20 – Dip Tet
11:40 – 12:20 – Ro Hempel Band

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – quiet2quiet
7:20 – 8 – The Other Side Of Now
8:20 – 9 – Sweats
9:20 – 10 – Accidentology
10:20 – 11- The Wildwoods 
11:20 – 12 – Universe Contest

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Will Hutchinson Trio
6:40 – 7:20 – Blondo
7:40 – 8:20 – Witherpoint 
8:40 – 9:20 – Ghost Town Radio
9:40 – 10:20 – Guilt Vacation
10:40 – 11:20 – Wagon
11:40 – 12:20 – Night Push 
12:40 – 1:20 – Means To An End

Saturday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – 23rd Vibration
6 – 6:40 – In the Pocket featuring Nebraska Jr. 
7 – 7:40 – Scallywags 
8 – 8:40 – Cobras
9 – 9:40 – The NitroBats
10 – 10:40 – Fall Break
11 – 11:40 – Emily Bass and the Near Miracle
12 – 12:40 – Mad Dog and the 20/20s
1 -1:40 – Black Ophanim

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Powerful Science 
7:40 – 8:20 – Aage Birch
8:40 – 9:20 – Ghostlike
9:40 – 10:20 – Head of Femur
10:40 – 11:20 – The Obscurants
11:40 – 12:20 – The Machete Archive
12:40 – 1:20 – Wicked Bones

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Orion Walsh & the Rambling Hearts
7:20 – 8 – The JV Allstars
8:20 – 9 – Vera Devorah 
9:20 – 10 – Estrogen Projection 
10:20 – 11 – Verse and the Vices 
11:20 – 12 – Dark Oceanz Live

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Floating Opera
6:40 – 7:20 – ((ECHO))
7:40 – 8:20 – The Credentials 
8:40 – 9:20 – Letters From Friends
9:40 – 10:20 – Cuddlebone 
10:40 – 11:20 – Parking Lot Party
11:40 – 12:20 – Dudes Gone Rude
12:40 – 1:20 – Wick O’ Rya

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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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.