Chase the Ghost at O’Leaver’s Feb. 9, 2019. The band plays tonight at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Well, here I was thinking I was going to get a respite from the army of lawn-chair-carrying cooler-dragging sloths who traverse through my neighborhood every year for the annual Memorial Park fireworks display. But apparently some anonymous, rich, good Samaritan (or company) has stepped up and funded this year’s display on June 28 after the usual cadre of sponsors backed out a few weeks ago.

I’ve heard one TV morning show declare: “This could be the biggest Memorial Park fireworks display ever!”

And, of course, there’s also a concert going on. Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul are the main event. That’s right, Silvio Dante and his band are going rip it up after opening sets by a cover band and a second unnamed “national act.”

There’s a lot of folks very excited about Little Steven, no doubt Springsteen fans, old-time music folks, etc. Good for them. I haven’t been to a Memorial Park concert since Benatar or Cheap Trick (can’t remember which played last), and will definitely stroll down to the park for this one. Looking at a recent Little Steven setlist, I don’t recognize any of the songs except for the anthem “Sun City,” which should make the oldsters in the crowd lose their shit. Still, it should be a fun time, and… there’s fireworks.

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Speaking of old-timey music, Lee Fields and the Expressions are headlining this year’s Lincoln Calling. Never heard of him? Neither had I. According to Wikipedia, “Elmer ‘Lee’ Fields is an American soul singer, sometimes nicknamed ‘Little LB’ for his physical and vocal resemblance to James Brown.”

Also in “big letters” on the Lincoln Calling 2019 website: Soccer Mommy (who played at Reverb last fall), TT The Artist (hip-hop), Charly Bliss (played Reverb the summers of 2016 and 2017), and Taylor McFerrin (son of Bobby McFerrin).

The standout in the next tier of acts is none other than Lincoln band Bright Calm Blue, who apparently are reuniting for this gig, along with Diplomats of Solid Sound (an O’Leaver’s regular). The tiny-letter bands of note include locals Thick Paint, Her Flyaway Manner, MiWi La Lupa and Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal. There’s a lot of names I don’t recognize on this list, so… research.

More bands to be announced, according to the Lincoln Calling website, where you can see the full list as of now. Lincoln Calling runs Sept. 18-22 in venues throughout downtown Lincoln.

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Missouri punk trio and local favorite Radkey returns to The Waiting Room tonight. You remember them from the 2014 Maha Music Festival. Chase the Ghost — the duo of Reagan Roeder and Brian Tait — opens at 8 p.m. $12.

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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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.