Thursday, October 16, 2014

Sunday Roadhouse, Mike Jacobs' 20th Anniversary, Terri Ware Remembered and More


Dean Dobmeier’s and Gary Grobeck’s Sunday Roadhouse hosts Curtis McMurtry Sunday, Oct. 19, 5 p.m., at One Percent Production’s new Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Avenue in Benson. Curtis McMurtry is the son of acclaimed Austin singer-songwriter-guitarist James McMurtry and the grandson of popular author Larry McMurtry. This is the youngest McMurtry’s Omaha debut. The Austin Chronicle says of Curtis and James McMurtry “their styles are different — Curtis is baroque folk, and James is gritty roadhouse rock” while noting that Curtis’ debut disc “Respectable Enemy signals a bright future for one of Texas' greatest cultural dynasties.” See curtismcmurtrymusic.com and sundayroadhouse.com for more information.
The Sunday Roadhouse presents a return visit from James McMurtry Sunday, Nov. 16, 5 p.m. at The Waiting Room.

Blues In The Afternoon Celebrates 20 Years
A belated congratulations to Mike Jacobs who Monday, Oct. 6, celebrated 20 years of hosting his Monday “Blues in the Afternoon” program on KIOS, 91.5 FM. Jacobs has been Music Director at KIOS since 2002. “Blues in the Afternoon” can be heard Mondays 1-3 p.m. See kios.org.


Music Matinees
The 21st Saloon presents Bernard Allison Thursday, Oct. 16, 6-9 p.m. Allison is the son of late guitar great and longtime local favorite Luther Allison. Guitar star Bobby Messano, an eight-time Grammy nominee and former musical director for Steve Winwood, plays Thursday, Oct. 23, 6-9 p.m.
Lincoln’s Zoo Bar has the honky-tonk and Bakersfield country of The Derailers on tap next Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6-9 p.m. See derailers.com
Josh Hoyer’s Sons of 76 play The Zoo Thursday, Oct. 16, 6-9 p.m. The jumpin’ sounds of the Honeyboy Turner Band are up Friday, Oct. 17, 5-7 p.m. and The Tijuana Gigolos play a special show Saturday, Oct. 18, 4-6 p.m., at the Zoo.

In Memoriam: Terri Ware
It is with great sadness that we learned that Terri Ware of Ware House Productions passed away Oct. 11 of advanced lung cancer. For nearly 20 years, Terri helped manage the top-flight production house whose clients include everyone from local agencies and bands to Snoop Dog and Lady Gaga. Their 2012 work with Gaga won them a Grammy nomination. The Reader's deepest sympathies go out to Tom Ware, their daughter Rachel and Terri's family and many friends.


Hot Notes
Local singer-songwriter Mitch Gettman has a CD release event at The Reverb Lounge Friday, Oct. 17, 9 p.m. Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies also perform. See mitchgettman.bandcamp.com
Honeyboy Turner Band gigs at Havana Garage Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 p.m.
McKenna’s auction is Sunday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m., at the restaurant. See theauctionmill.com for details.
 

Friday, July 18, 2014

Music 101: Show Up

This Week's Column is online. Tonight: Friday Night Venue 51 Reopens for Michael Campbell and Melissa Greener's show. See www.melissagreener.com (A Mick's reunion of sorts! And Venue 51's swan song.)
Friday night Jackie Allen also has a CD release party at The Side Door Lounge (jazz www.jackieallen.com)

The AMAZING ERIC TAYLOR is at Jerome Brich's Folkhouse Concert Series Saturday night. 7:30 start $20 suggested donation. Storyteller, emotion-weaver, wonderful guitarist... spellbinding.

For more on Eric Taylor see bluerubymusic.com. RSVP at folkhouseconcerts.com.

Samantha Fish impressed the hell out of me at her last performance here. She plays The Hive Saturday night, 9 p.m.


McKenna's has some BluesEd bands featured tonight and blues-rocker Scott Elison Saturday night.
The Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival is going on in the Railyard in Lincoln tonight and Saturday night. See https://www.facebook.com/nebraskafolkandroots



 
Eric Taylor -- A Do Not Miss Show Saturday night
For more on Eric Taylor see bluerubymusic.com
RSVP at folkhouseconcerts.com

Eric's song for his friend Bill Morrissey

Music 101: Show Up

The Zoo Bar 41st Anniversary street festival went off in fine form with great talents onstage and excellent attendance for the outdoor shows. If you went, don’t wait another year to come back. Whether it is Lincoln’s Zoo Bar or other local venues of your choice, get out and support live music venues and musicians. The Zoo Bar has lasted for 41 years not because booking roots music is a moneymaker. It’s not. Successful venues and staff remain dedicated to the music through the long haul.
If you looked at the profit-loss columns for any local roots music venue you would probably see more nights when the bar takes a loss on bringing in music.
And if you are a musician you are likely struggling even more. A good band has probably gotten regional gigs by having a booking agent, maybe a manager and probably a publicist. All those professionals add to the band’s potential success, but they also get cost money.  If the band is on a recognizable label, the label provides support and distribution, but the label also takes a cut.

Music Needs You
So, if you are a fan of live music make a commitment to up your game a little, go to a couple more shows than you might originally have planned. One local fan I know will stop at a venue and give them cover charge money even when he can’t attend.
The Zoo has had some pretty thin weeknight attendance lately, even though many shows start at 6 p.m. In Omaha, McKenna’s has tried hard to add more regional touring bands and struggled to get any audience support.
Venue 51 has closed its doors after trying to operate as a music venue and bar.
Your support matters, more than you may realize.

Hot Notes
Venue 51 reopens for one last show Friday, July 18, featuring Nashville’s self-proclaimed folk-crooner Melissa Greener plus Michael Campbell, Pat Gehrman, Logan Krug and Scott Severin. Cover is $5. See melissagreener.com.
Eric Taylor is a stellar songwriter, storyteller and musician who was part of the Houston scene with artists like Townes Van Zandt. Taylor continues to collaborate with longtime friends like Lyle Lovett. Taylor plays Jerome Brich’s FolkHouse series Saturday, July 19. See bluerubymusic.com. RSVP at folkhouseconcerts.com.
Samantha Fish’s powerful, guitar-driven blues is at The Hive Saturday, July 19, 9 p.m.
Blues-rocker Scott Ellison is scheduled at McKenna’s Saturday, July 19, 8 p.m.
K.C.’s Nace Brothers hit The 21st Saloon Thursday, July 17, 6 p.m





Sunday, July 13, 2014

EVERYBODY'S ROCKIN' AT THE ZOO BAR 41st Anniversary!

















Photos by B.J. Huchtemann, copyright 2014, all rights reserved. 

Happy 41st Anniversary to Lincoln's Historic Zoo Bar. Phone Cam Snapshots from Zoo Bar 41st Anniversary Saturday night, where Delbert McClinton and his bad-ass band put on an amazing show (but for gosh sake, ladies, leave your bras on!) and our own Josh Hoyer &Josh Hoyer and The Shadowboxers closed the fest out in just as bad-ass a fashion with their own set including new material, stomping horn grooves and Josh Hoyer putting it down from the heart.... while adding stage dive to his sense of showmanship. 
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers headlined the great Friday Night lineup showing that they are still one of the best blues bands working today! 

THANK YOU Pete, Jeff, Amanda, all the Zoo Bar staff, volunteers and family, all the stage crew who scrambled to take care of business during the sudden downpour that struck during Delbert's set and all the fans for being very cool. This event is always a great one. I know Larry, Magic, Uncle Nick and folks like Luther, Albert, and Doc and Cowboy Larry were all groovin' with us this week and weekend. ZOO BAR! The one and only. Thank ya, babies! Now, don't forget to come out and support the bar during the week, they still need you down there supporting and listening to the great music they are bringing in 6 nights a week!


ZOO FEST PHOTOS FROM SATURDAY by B.J. Huchtemann

ZOO FEST PHOTOS FROM FRIDAY by B.J. Huchtemann



and please take a look at this great little documentary about the history of the Zoo Bar by Lincoln filmmaker Dave Pittock.



Graduate Film directed by Dave Pittock spotlighting the legendary blues club, the Zoo Bar. Featuring music from Magic Slim, Luther Allison, Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials, Billy Bacon and the Forbidden Pigs, the Bel-Airs, Hacienda Brothers, and the Tijuana Gigolos.

http://vimeo.com/48853381

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Shawn Holt & Josh Hoyer Nominated in Blues Blast Music Awards, Mat D & HOLYOKE, Doug Deming, Dennis Gruenling & The Jewel Tones at the Zoo Bar July 1!


In case you missed it, in May, Shawn Holt & The Teardrops, featuring young Lincoln guitarist Levi William and Magic Slim's rhythm section won the national Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut for their Blind Pig CD DADDY TOLD ME.

Last week there was more good news for Shawn (aka Lil' Slim) and for Lincoln musician Josh Hoyer:
Josh Hoyer and Shawn Holt with Levi William are among the nominees for BEST NEW ARTIST DEBUT in Blues Blast Magazine's Music Awards. 
Shawn Holt was also nominated for the very prestigious SEAN COSTELLO RISING STAR AWARD.
www.bluesblastmagazine.com/2014-blues-blast-music-awards-nominees-announced

Josh Hoyer posted to Facebook: "Honored to be nominated for "Best New Artist Debut Album" from Blues Bast Magazine. We are very proud of the record and hard at work to release our second album this November. Very cool that Shawn Holt was also nominated." #zoobar #lincolnisamusiccity

Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers

Shawn Holt & The Teardrops
That makes the Blues Society of Omaha's first three Nebraska Blues Challenge Winners! all making their presence known on the national scene.
Very proud of those guys!


AND Saturday night Mat D & The Profane Saints from Sioux City knocked me out at Barley Street in Benson on a double bill with Omaha's own hard-charging Filter Kings.

Mat D & The Profane Saints are ones to watch. They are on the mainstage at Sioux City's Saturday in the Park event this year.
You can listen to their CD Holyoke on their web page and read about them -- it's Country-Americana-folk and the band is very rockin'!
Frontman Mat deRiso has stage presence and charisma, great songs and a fine band that is playing at a national level. Very danceable stuff that I think you'll dig if you like artists like Jason and the Scorchers, The Bottlerockets, Steve Earle, James McMurtry....... rockin', rollin', strippers, sin, saints, salvation, drinkin' -- all the time-honored honky-tonk topics  brought to a sizzle!

Have a listen to Holyoke at
www.matdandtheprofanesaints.com

  Mat D & the Profane Saints, June 21, Barley Street Tavern, Omaha.
Photo: B.J. Huchtemann

 And here is a don't miss show -- check out this fine, fine East Coast band this coming Tuesday, July 1, 6-9 at Lincoln's Zoo Bar. If you dig jump, swing and Chicago blues delivered with sparkling, hot-sparking musicianship, plenty of heart and meaty grooves get down to this show. Doug Deming, Dennis Gruenling & The Jewel Tones! Hear their music and check out videos at  www.reverbnation.com/dougdemingdennisgruenling

A little video from earlier this year of Doug Deming, Dennis Gruenling & The Jewel Tones with Rick Estrin and Little Charlie Baty sittin' in! (above)
And Doug, Dennis and the boys gettin' it done at Little Lou's BBQ in April.
Zoo Bar Show poster at the bottom of the page. (below)

A

Monday, May 26, 2014

Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin's new disc

Common Ground....Dave & Phil's latest record together and a tribute to the songs of Bill Broonzy...drops June 3....at the link see more info including articles & photos of Dave & Phil getting the chance to play Bill's guitar at Old Town School of Folk in Chicago last month... http://davealvin.net/news.html

"All By Myself" - Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin: http://youtu.be/Qip2RukZdCE

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Cate Brothers, Hayes Carll, Nikki Hill

This week's column isn't online at The Reader yet, so shhhhh....sneak preview here.
Don't forget The legendary Cate Brothers at The 21st Saloon Thursday, May 22, 6-9 p.m.
Billy Bacon in Lincoln this weekend with the Tijuana Gigolos = Billy Bacon & The Pigolos!

Hayes Carll plays Sunday Roadhouse at The Waiting Room Sunday night, 5 p.m.


Cate Brothers, Hayes Carll, Nikki Hill
by B.J. Huchtemann

The Cate Brothers perform at The 21st Saloon Thursday, May 22, 6-9 p.m. The Cate Brothers are legends in American soul-blues music. Raised in Fayetteville, Ark., Earl and Ernie Cate were exposed to the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll at a local club where they also became friends with a young Levon HelmSteve Cropper and Helm were involved with The Cates’ debut on Asylum Records, with Cropper producing the record and Helm playing on it. Helm’s nephew Terry Cagle drummed for the Cate Brothers and continues to work with Earl Cate in his band Earl & Them, which also features former Nebraskan “Baby” Jason Davis. Earl and Ernie Cate, Terry Cagle and bassist Ron Eoff were part of The Band when the group reformed in 1983. This is a rare opportunity to catch the highly respected Cate Brothers in a local club.
Hayes Carll at Sunday Roadhouse
The Sunday Roadhouse presents Hayes Carll Sunday, May 25, 5 p.m. at The Waiting Room. The Austin-based Carll is a national and local favorite. He puts on a fine, entertaining Americana-roots-country-folk show. He has an earnest, romantic, poetic and no-bull persona that attracts a variety of listeners. See sundayroadhouse.com.
Jack Hotel 
Lincoln Americana act Jack Hotel has a CD release party Friday, May 23, 9 p.m. Evan Bartels & the Stoney Lonesomes and The Wondermonds also perform. The disc Good Sons and Daughters was recorded live at Fuse Recording Studios in Lincoln and is being released on Lincoln’s Sower Records label. Jack Hotel is Günter Voelker (Ember Schrag) on guitar/vocals, Joe Salvati (Kill County) on dobro/steel guitars, Josh Rector (Emmett Bower Band) on violin, and Marty Steinhausen (Tijuana Gigolos) on upright bass. See jackhotelband.com.
Hot Notes
Chicago jump-blues guitarist Rockin’ Johnny Burgin plays with Honeyboy Turner Band at McKenna’s Friday, May 23, 8-9:30 p.m.
Billy Bacon plays with Tijuana Gigolos at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Thursday, May 22, 6 p.m. and Friday, May 23, 5-7 p.m. Next Wednesday, May 28, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials play 6-9 p.m. followed by amazing rockabilly artists Nikki Hill Band after 9:30 p.m. The 21st Saloon hosts Nikki Hill Band, Mezcal Brothers and Scott Keeton next Thursday, May 29, 6-9 p.m.
Lippy’s BBQ in Malcolm, Nebr., near Lincoln hosts their third Memorial Weekend Blues Fest Friday and Saturday May 23 & 24. Performers on Saturday include Rockin’ Johnny with Honeyboy Turner BandJosh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers, Billy Bacon with The Gigolos and The Bel Airs. $12 admission. See facebook.com/lippysbbq.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Very Proud of Blues Music Award Winners for Best New Artist Debut: SHAWN HOLT & THE TEARDROPS!
Facebook Repost from Shawn Holt:
"Hey Nebraska we won our first WC Handy Award!!!! We have one more stop in St Louis and then we are bring'n' it home!!
We couldn't have done it without YOU! Thank you again for all of your support! It is much appreciated!"

Here's a list of all last night's winners!
from http://www.blues.org/2014/05/35th-blues-music-award-winners-announced/


35th Blues Music Award Winners Announced
Posted on May 9, 2014 — 
The Blues Foundation presented the 35th Blues Music Awards Thursday night, May 8 in Memphis. The event brings together Blues performers, industry representatives and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in Blues recordings and performances from the previous year. Three awards went to Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks and their band, while a Little Walter tribute featuring five top harmonica players received two awards, including album of the year.  First time winners included Gary Clark Jr., Doug MacLeod, John Németh, Shawn Holt & the Teardrops, Trampled Under Foot and their female bassist Danielle Schnebelen. 

The complete list of winners are:
Acoustic Album: There’s a TimeDoug MacLeod
Acoustic Artist: Doug MacLeod
Album: Remembering Little WalterBilly Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, James Harman
B.B. King Entertainer: Buddy Guy
Band: Tedeschi Trucks Band
Best New Artist Debut: Daddy Told MeShawn Holt & the Teardrops
Contemporary Blues Album: BadlandsTrampled Under Foot
Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Gary Clark Jr.
DVD: Ruf RecordsSongs from the Road (Royal Southern Brotherhood)
Historical Album: Bear FamilyThe Sun Blues Box
Instrumentalist-Bass: Danielle Schnebelen
Instrumentalist-Drums: Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist-Guitar: Ronnie Earl
Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Charlie Musselwhite
Instrumentalist-Horn: Eddie Shaw
Koko Taylor Award: Diunna Greenleaf
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Victor Wainwright
Rock Blues Album: Made Up MindTedeschi Trucks Band
Song: ”Blues in My Soul” – Lurrie Bell
Soul Blues Album: Down in LouisianaBobby Rush
Soul Blues Female Artist: Irma Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist: John Nemeth
Traditional Blues Album: Remembering Little WalterBilly Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, James Harman
Traditional Blues Male Artist: James Cotton

The 35th Blues Music Awards are sponsored by BMI, Catfood Records, Eagle Rock Entertainment, First Tennessee Foundation, Jontaar Creative Studios, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony Music/Legacy Recordings.

- See more at: http://www.blues.org/2014/05/35th-blues-music-award-winners-announced/#sthash.865dAAZF.dpuf

35th Blues Music Award Winners Announced

The Blues Foundation presented the 35th Blues Music Awards Thursday night, May 8 in Memphis. The event brings together Blues performers, industry representatives and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in Blues recordings and performances from the previous year. Three awards went to Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks and their band, while a Little Walter tribute featuring five top harmonica players received two awards, including album of the year.  First time winners included Gary Clark Jr., Doug MacLeod, John Németh, Shawn Holt & the Teardrops, Trampled Under Foot and their female bassist Danielle Schnebelen.
The complete list of winners are:
Acoustic Album: There’s a TimeDoug MacLeod
Acoustic Artist: Doug MacLeod
Album: Remembering Little WalterBilly Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, James Harman
B.B. King Entertainer: Buddy Guy
Band: Tedeschi Trucks Band
Best New Artist Debut: Daddy Told MeShawn Holt & the Teardrops
Contemporary Blues Album: BadlandsTrampled Under Foot
Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Gary Clark Jr.
DVD: Ruf RecordsSongs from the Road (Royal Southern Brotherhood)
Historical Album: Bear FamilyThe Sun Blues Box
Instrumentalist-Bass: Danielle Schnebelen
Instrumentalist-Drums: Cedric Burnside
Instrumentalist-Guitar: Ronnie Earl
Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Charlie Musselwhite
Instrumentalist-Horn: Eddie Shaw
Koko Taylor Award: Diunna Greenleaf
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Victor Wainwright
Rock Blues Album: Made Up MindTedeschi Trucks Band
Song: ”Blues in My Soul” – Lurrie Bell
Soul Blues Album: Down in LouisianaBobby Rush
Soul Blues Female Artist: Irma Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist: John Nemeth
Traditional Blues Album: Remembering Little WalterBilly Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, James Harman
Traditional Blues Male Artist: James Cotton

The 35th Blues Music Awards are sponsored by BMI, Catfood Records, Eagle Rock Entertainment, First Tennessee Foundation, Jontaar Creative Studios, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony Music/Legacy Recordings.
- See more at: http://www.blues.org/2014/05/35th-blues-music-award-winners-announced/#sthash.865dAAZF.dpuf

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch

Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch played McKENNAS last night (& Zoo Bar last Wednesday)....it was my 2nd time seeing Jason live and damn impressed. See him when you can...he can play the excepted Texas rockin' blues but also plays great jump/Swing/Western Swing and some unexpected stuff like a heart-tugging version of THAT'S HOW I GOT TO MEMPHIS and this....instrumental of Strawberry Fields....which was just such a pure musical expression.... Wonderful. Talented bunch of cats. They have a recent CD out on Underworld Records....be on the watch for these guys!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&v=FVRDHYOD13g

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat shakin' on down


Looking forward to Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat hitting Lincoln's Zoo Bar on Wednesday and the 21st Saloon on Thursday. Both shows 6-9 p.m. Touring in support of Jim's February-released new CD Panther Burn!
Here's the title cut! 
http://youtu.be/7xFO74sPIZI

The current Reader column... 
http://www.thereader.com/index.php/comments/jim_suhler_walter_trout/

Jim Suhler ---- Panther Burn----www.youtube.com

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7xFO74sPIZI&feature=youtu.be

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

JD McPherson tonight at Lincoln's Bourbon Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

...looking forward to JD MCPHERSON at Lincoln's Bourbon Theatre TONIGHT -  Wednesday, April 16! Here's a set from SXSW a couple years ago to whet your rockabilly, vintage R&B appetites… Bourbon website at www.bourbontheatre.com says 7:30 start time. Get downtown early and catch Honeyboy Turner Band starting at 6 pm at the Zoo Bar.
Lincoln's Bourbon Theatre
Wednesday, April 16th
w/ The Cactus Blossoms, Jack Hotel
Doors: 7 p.m. || Show: 7:30 p.m.
$10: Advance || $15: Day of Show

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Gorillas, McPherson, Whitmore


Mark your calendars now, Curtis Salgado is on the schedule for Lincoln's Zoo Bar Wednesday, Aug. 6, 6-9 p.m.
Dennis Gruenling, Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones have been playing some great gigs in SoCal this past week. They even had Rick Estrin and Little Charlie come out to their Tuesday night gig and sit in. 
Little Charlie raved about the band in a Facebook post, writing in part 
Tonight I was absolutely blown away by Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones featuring Dennis Gruenling. I had seen Doug and Dennis separately, but never together, and their act is full of energy, lots of great tunes and nice arrangements, and everyone in the band obviously loves what they do. 
Pretty cool stuff. Hopefully Dennis, Doug & the boys will be back in the Omaha area in late summer. Meanwhile at the top of the page are a couple tastes of what these cats can do! There's a great 20 minute excerpt from one of their sets here http://youtu.be/5qhBgyGtZGg
And here's another great link. Check out this session with Davina & The Vagabonds, brand new! 
Reader HOODOO column for April 10, 2014:
Gorillas, McPherson, Whitmore

The 21st Saloon celebrates the return of the Gas House Gorillas Thursday, April 10, 6-9 p.m. The Brooklyn-based band calls their entertaining sound and style “punk Americana.” Rockabilly Magazine writes of the group, “This is what a popular culture roadmap might sound like. Find the jump-blues freeway, cut down the swing off-ramp, follow the rock 'n' roll backload and keep that radio at top volume, brother, every mile.” See gashousegorillas.org.

The 21st Saloon, 96th & L, hosts Texas guitarist 
Hamilton Loomis for a special show Saturday, April 12, at The 21st, 6-9 p.m. See hamiltonloomis.com.
Coming in the Thursday blues early shows is the always marvelous band
The Bel Airs, who bring their Delta blues, vintage R&B, rock and New Orleans sounds to town April 17. Stellar Texas Jim Suhler is back Thursday, April 24 with his band Monkey Beat. He’s touring in support of his excellent new CD Panther Burn (Underworld Records). See jimsuhler.com. Suhler will also be at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, April 23, 6-9 p.m.

Thursday, May 15, The 21st hosts an indoor-outdoor show featuring the wonderful 
Sue Foley & Peter Karp and their band. Foley has been a force on the blues scene for a number of years and her collaboration with Peter Karp has resulted in two excellent CDs on the Blind Pig label. See karpfoley.com.
There will also be a cool rockabilly night at The 21st May 29 with the amazing 
Nikki Hill, Scott Keeton Band and The Mezcal Brothers.
J.D. McPherson
Old-school rockabilly and R&B artist 
J.D. McPherson is a must-see for roots fans. He gigs at Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre Wednesday, April 16, withThe Cactus Blossoms and Jack Hotel. McPherson’s band includesJimmy Sutton, the award-winning bassist who has been known for his work with The Four Charms and as a co-founder of The Mighty Blue Kings. See jdmcpherson.com and bourbontheatre.com.
Hot Notes
Joe Bonamassa plays the Music Hall Friday, April 11, 8 p.m. See ticketmaster.com. There’s a free pre-party at Venue 51 with Kansas City’sBrandon Miller Band beginning at 5 p.m.BluesEd, the youth performance organization sponsored in part by the Blues Society of Omaha, has a showcase at McKenna’s Saturday, April 12, 1:30-7 p.m. featuring five youth bands. See bluesed.com.
Fine musicianship marks the genre-crossing music of 
Euforquestra, at Slowdown Thursday, April 10, 9 p.m. Americana songwriter William Elliott Whitmore plays the Waiting Room Saturday, April 12, 9 p.m.Honeyboy Turner Band hits Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, April 16, 6 p.m.