by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The hottest shows of the weekend are in Lincoln again this weekend, as the Lincoln Exposed Festival continues in five bars in the heart of downtown. 

Here’s the rest of the festival schedule for tonight and Saturday. Bands to check out (because I’ve actually heard a few of their recordings and dug them) are in bold face. I’m unsure of the rest, tbo. Tickets are $15 per night and available from bourbontheatre.com. Even more info here.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14

ZOO BAR – 21+
5 – 5:40 – Floating Opera
6 – 6:40 – Comfy
7 – 7:40 – Dean The Bible
8 – 8:40 – Scott Severin & Stateleigh Holmes 
9 – 9:40 – Love And Gumption
10 – 10:40 – No Drinking On Grounds 
11 – 11:40 – Vempire
12 – 12:40 – The Said Mantics

DUFFY’S TAVERN – 21+
6:40-7:20 – Corson Branch Buzzard Club
7:40-8:20 – Pure Brown
8:40-9:20 – Goosehens
9:40-10:20 – The Jericho Strays 
10:40-11:20 – LaPerm
11:40-12:20 – Sweats
12:40 – 1:20 – The Ulcer Twins

BOURBON THEATRE – ALL AGES
6:20-7 – Witherpoint 
7:20-8 – Whiskey Drinkers Union
8:20 – 9 – Drew Phillips Band
9:20-10 – Lee Bowes and the Jupiter Rings
10:20-11- Her Flyaway Manner
11:20-12 – Red Cities

BODEGA’S ALLEY – 21+

7-7:40- Gabe Nelson with Pants 
8-8:40 – Vector 23
9-9:40 – Bolzen Beer Band
10-10:40 – Verse and the Vices
11-11:40 – Mustache’
12-12:40 – Vibe Check

1867 BAR – 21+
5:40 – 6:20 – Hansen Airship 
6:40 – 7:20 – Sputnik Kaputnik
7:40-8:20 – Orion Walsh & The Ramblin’ Hearts
8:40-9:20 – Cuddlebone
9:40-10:20 – Gutbomb
10:40-11:20 – Black Ophanim
11:40-12:20 – Ezra
12:40-1:20 – Hold Your Breath

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15

ZOO BAR – 21+
5-5:40 – Moore Brothers Band
6-6:40 – Powerful Science 
7-7:40 – Happy John & the Arnold Palmers 
8-8:40 – After Arizona
9-9:40 – Social Cinema
10-10:40 – Head Change
11-11:40 – Emily Bass and the Near Miracle 
12-12:40 – ((Echo))
1-1:40 – Estrogen Projection

DUFFY’S TAVERN – 21+
6:40 – 7:20 – John Voyage
7:40-8:20 – Mono In Stereo
8:40 – 9:20 – All Knowing McGill 
9:40-10:20 – Whip Sigils
10:40-11:20 – Ro Hempel Band
11:40 – 12:20 – Thirst Things First 
12:40-1:20 – Fascinus Rex

BODEGA’S ALLEY – 21+

7-7:40 – Sitra Achra
8-8:40 – Crack Mountain
9-9:40 – Hangin’ Cowboys
10-10:40 – Dark Oceanz Live w/ RAWLZ
11-11:40 – Head Of Femur
12-12:40 – Turquoise
1-1:40 – Odinson B2B Poe B2B Jogga

1867 BAR – 21+
5:40 – 6:20 – The Breakroom
6:40 – 7:20 – Carrier
7:40-8:20 – Leaves Brown
8:40-9:20 – The Hanyaks 
9:40-10:20 – The Credentials
10:40-11:20 – Underbite

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Back here in Omaha, there’s nothing on the ol’ indie radar tonight. 

Saturday night, former DIY punk guy now New Orleans-based indie troubadour Benjamin Booker headlines at Reverb Lounge. Booker, 35, has an eclectic musical past. Early in his career he was identified as “what comes next” by Paste magazine, having performed on Letterman, Conan and Jools Holland, according to Wiki.

He’s toured with Jack White and Courtney Barnett, and has released albums on a slew of indie labels including ATO, Rough Trade and Fire Next Time (Thirty Tigers), who released his latest album, LOWER, in January, after an 8-year hiatus. The record got a massive 8.0 rating by Pitchfork, who called it “a corroded beat-centric grunge that soundtracks stories of violence and perseverance.”

LOWER is a collection of woozy, bloozy indie rock songs with guitars that (at times) recall Lenny Kravitz buzzsaws, sung in a breathy, dreamy whisper.  While there’s an undertow of R&B, Booker can fly into full-on rock, like on album standouts “New World” and “Same Kind of Lonely.” 

Opener Kenny Segal is an LA-based DJ who Mixmag described as “one of the best hip-hop producers in the city.” He also produced Booker’s latest album. 8 p.m., $24. 

Meanwhile, at The Astro in La Vista, St. Paul-based indie pop band Hippo Campus headlines. The band’s sound definitely falls on the soft-rock spectrum and has been compared to Porches and Pantogram whereas they most remind me of Semisonic, with a few tracks off their most recent album, Flood (2024, Psychic Hotline), coming dangerously close to country — all they need is a pedal steel.

Jazz-influenced indie artist Mei Semones, whose new album Animaru is slated for release on Bayonet Records, opens this show at 8 p.m. $36.50. 

Finally, there’s another new artist showcase at fabulous O’Leaver’s Saturday night. Take a chance on something new and/or get just blasted. Either way, admission is free. Starts at 9 p.m. (probably). 

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, 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 © 2025 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.