by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just a couple weeks after the organization publicly acknowledged it had taken the defunct Omaha Girls Rock! program under its wing, Grow Omaha reports The Bay (formerly known as Rabble Mill) has plans to renovate the old Larkin’s Parkin building at 6120 Military Avenue in downtown Benson.

According to the Grow Omaha report, the building’s first floor will house an indoor skate park while the second and third floors will house classrooms, office space, a performance stage, fashion room, sound production studio and an “esports room.” Grow Omaha says the proposed project site is under consideration for rezoning from “general industrial” to “neighborhood business district.”

I reached out to officials at The Bay, who had no comment. That said, the project has been rumored for years, and earlier this year, The Bay opened offices in the former B Side storefront, which is located in downtown Benson next door to Virtuoso Pizza. 

If Grow Omaha’s report is accurate and the project moves forward, it would represent a substantial investment in Benson and would have a major impact on one of the city’s most vital entertainment districts. 

Some background: Old-timers will remember the building, located across the street from Reverb Lounge, as having once been a Chevy dealership way back in the previous century. Then, about a decade ago, John Larkin converted the building into a short-lived valet parking service in an effort to fill the ongoing need for parking in the overcrowded Benson District. The building appears to have sat vacant for a number of years.

Grow Omaha, founded by Jeff Beals and Trenton Magid, has been publishing economic development news for over 20 years, and has recently expanded to cover entertainment and dining news as well. Their website is at growomaha.com.

And as I said in last week’s write-up, The Bay (formerly known as Rabble Mill) is a multi-program organization based in Lincoln and Omaha that acts as a sort of interactive hub, offering kids training and guidance to help them contribute to the workforce and the community. They do it through art, music, fashion, gaming, and perhaps what they’re most known for – skateboarding. If you’ve been to any large youth-focused event over the past few years, you’ve seen The Bay’s skateboarding outreach project.

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Last November, Chalis Bristol, chair of Omaha Girls Rock!’s board of directors, announced that due to a budget shortfall, OGR’s programming would end the following month. But she said sad news wasn’t goodbye forever:

“We are moving forward with the hope that while OGR may no longer be the official organization you have loved over the years, our programming will soon continue with the support of another organization whose mission and values align with our own.”

That organization turned out to be The Bay, a non-profit formerly known as Rabble Mill, which also includes elements of the long-defunct Hear Nebraska. 

OGR began in 2011 by founder Stefanie Drootin (bassist for The Good Life, and member of Big Harp). In addition to teaching girls how to rock, OGR provided a support system that enabled and encouraged girls to design their own futures. OGR grew over the years, hosting camps and playing showcases at local clubs and festivals (including the Maha Festival), where camp participants rocked out in front of large audiences. 

So what’s The Bay? It’s a multi-program organization based in Lincoln and Omaha that acts as a sort of interactive hub, offering kids training and guidance to help them contribute to the workforce and our community. They do it through art, music, fashion, gaming, and perhaps what they’re most known for – skateboarding. If you’ve been to any large youth-focused event over the past few years, you’ve seen The Bay’s skateboarding outreach project.

In April, The Bay informed key supporters they’d taken on OGR’s mission and hired former OGR Operations Manager Sara Bertuldo to be Workforce Education and Omaha Girls Rock! Program Manager. Indie music fans will recognize Bertuldo as front person of local shoe-gaze band See Through Dresses. Sara will hit the ground running, as The Bay said OGR Summer Camps will return in 2026. 

“This news was many months in the making, and we are thrilled to welcome Omaha Girls Rock into The Bay family,” said Andrew Norman, executive director of The Bay. “Music has always been a vital part of The Bay’s programming, and with the addition of OGR’s expertise, we are strengthening our commitment to youth empowerment and creative expression.”

In a time when Omaha’s indie music scene seems to be in a constant state of deflation, OGR’s return is welcome news. The Bay recently opened new Omaha offices in downtown Benson (conveniently located next to Virtuoso Pizza). I suspect we’ll be hearing more big news from The Bay in coming months.

If you ever considered donating to The Bay or Omaha Girls Rock – or have in the past – now is the perfect time because The Bay board member Craig Meier, and wife Heather, have committed $10,000 in matching funds for donations made through June 23. These funds will support Omaha Girls Rock summer camp registration fees for families in need. Make that donation here, and learn about the organization at thebay.org.

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Hear Nebraska and The Bay will now be part of Rabble Mill.

I guess it’s official, Hear Nebraska is joining forces with Lincoln non-profit The Bay as part of a new umbrella organization called Rabble Mill.

From rabblemill.org: “That’s right: After collaborating since both organizations’ founding in 2010, we officially merge on Jan. 1, 2018, as programs under a new 501(c)(3) umbrella, called Rabble Mill. (A nod to our underdog communities.)”

Rabble Mill’s vision statement: “We end generational poverty, one young person at a time, by enabling kids to discover their passion and build valuable life and professional skills. We make communities talent magnets by connecting and strengthening creative industries.”

Among Rabble Mills’ offerings will be:

• — Job Training for as-risk youth in the areas of music, tech, journalism and coffee;
• — A print magazine produced by kids aimed at exposing Nebraska high schoolers to compelling statewide arts and culture;
• — Professional development aimed to help musicians reach their next level;
• — The Find Your Grind collective, a digital art and design space focused on closing our community’s technology gap through skills creation.

I’m told the boards of both organizations will be combined and that Hear Nebraska will continue to have a presence in Omaha (The Bay is located in Lincoln).

What exactly is The Bay? It’s a non-profit “creative space,” skate park and coffee shop founded by startup entrepreneur and motivational speaker Mike Smith.

So how will this merger will impact HN’s mission, which is basically to support, nurture and promote Nebraska music and musicians? Time will tell, though no doubt there will be some changes. Stay tuned…

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Smart Went Crazy, Con Art (2017, Ernest Jenning)

One of the snarkiest bands of the ‘90s, Smart Went Crazy, is getting the reissue treatment for its 1997 double LP Con Art, via Ernest Jenning.

Says Chad Clark, now with Beauty Pill, “‘Con Art’ was SWC’s second and final album, released in 1997. It was rapturously received by the press (Pitchfork included it in their Best Albums Of The 90s list) and its stature increased with time. It is now regarded as an underground classic. Unfortunately, the band did not survive to enjoy this esteem. SWC broke up shortly after its release.”

Preorder your copy here.

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I just noticed that Minneapolis Uranium Club has been booked to play Pet Shop Gallery (the old Sweatshop) Dec. 9. This band’s album, All of Them Naturals (2017, Static Shock/Fashionable Idiots), made my list of faves in 2017 (which will be published in the December issue of The Reader). Added bonus, Sucettes and Dilute are opening.

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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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.